Units

---

Sample subject outline - Semester 1 2013

Note: Subject outlines often change before the semester begins. Below is a sample outline.

Rationale

This course introduces students to the strategic use of media in advertising. Students will develop a working knowledge of the major principles of media planning and buying, audience measurement, media research, new media technology, segmentation and marketing strategy. All types of media will be explored and analysed including, but not limited to, television, radio, magazine, newspaper, outdoor and online media. This course will be extremely beneficial to students who would like to pursue advertising careers in agencies, for media outlets, or in corporate marketing departments.

This unit covers one of the three main specialist areas of essential advertising practice and complements Strategies for Creative Advertising and Seminars in Advertising Management.

Aims

The aim of this unit is introduce students to the role of media planning in the campaigns process - including media research, strategy, selection factors, costing and scheduling.

Objectives

Course Learning Goals (Postgraduate)
The QUT Business School has established the Assurance of Learning (AoL) Goals to meet contemporary industry needs and standards. Achieving these learning outcomes will assist you to meet the desired graduate outcomes set at QUT - aligned with other internationally renowned business schools.

Have knowledge and skills pertinent to a particular discipline (KS)

1.1 Well-researched knowledge and critical understanding applied to issues at the forefront of a specialised discipline area
1.2 Ability to select and use effectively a range of tools and technologies to locate and/or generate information appropriate to the disciplinary context

Be critical thinkers and effective problem solvers (CTA)

2.1 Apply logical, critical and creative thinking and judgement to generate appropriate solutions to problems in the disciplinary context

Be professional communicators in an intercultural context (PC)

3.1 Ability to create and present professional documents and/or reports using high levels of analysis/synthesis/evaluation for a range of contexts and audiences
3.2 Ability to orally communicate and justify ideas and information, at a professional level, for a variety of contexts and audiences, including peers and discipline specialists

Be able to work effectively in a Team Environment (TW)

4.1 Operate effectively and with flexibility to achieve common goals in collaborative settings, using a range of skills, including leadership, negotiation, reflection, proactivity and support for team members

Have a Social and Ethical Understanding (SEU)

5.1 Apply knowledge of the ethical, social and cultural dimensions relevant to business situations, including appropriate standards or codes of practice, to provide courses of action

Unit Objectives
Upon completion of this unit, you should:

1. Understand how media strategy fits into the overall marketing communication plan.
2. Become familiar with, and capable of interpreting, sources of secondary research on consumer behaviour, media usage and audiences.
3. Develop a working knowledge of audience measurement terms and statistics.
4. Exhibit an understanding of the characteristics, advantages, disadvantages and buying specifications for differing types of advertising media.
5. Be able to calculate budgets, plan a media calendar and complete a media plan for a national client
6. Become familiar with industry current issues and future challenges and link these issues to media theory

The specific course learning goals that apply to this unit are shown in the assessment section of this unit outline.

Content

You will become proficient at working with quantitative and qualitative information to develop and support your arguments for, and sometimes against, the use of specific media in advertising campaigns. In other words, you'll become more comfortable working with numbers and ideas in the planning and execution of mass media campaigns. Additionally, you'll become familiar with the strengths and limitations of the syndicated research commonly used for advertising planning. You will develop a deeper understanding of the various mass media and other channel opportunities, both paid and unpaid, which are commonly used in advertising campaigns. And perhaps most importantly, you will develop a sense of the opportunities for creative thought and execution that are available through the media planning system.

Approaches to Teaching and Learning

Lectures are designed to provide advertising background for students who have never studied media previously, as well as introducing new material. The seminar series combining lectures and tutorials will encourage more in-depth discussion on current issues within the field of media planning.

Assessment

ASSESSMENT REQUIREMENTS

Each assignment must be typed and submitted via Grade Centre in the QUT Blackboard site.

Industry observation of deadlines is required. Later exercises or assignments will not be accepted. An extension will only be allowed for a serious reason, and when applied for in writing, and with supporting evidence and in advance of the deadline. Students may be required to provide evidence of the work that they have done so far.Students will receive feedback in various forms throughout the semester which may include:

• Informal: worked examples, such as verbal feedback in class, personal consultation


• Formal: in writing, such as checklists (e.g. criteria sheets), written commentary


• Direct: to individual students, either in written form or in consultation


• Indirect: to the whole class

Assessment name: Media Brief
Description: Students are to prepare a product analysis,target audience analysis and a media brief in response to an advertising problem.
Length: 1,500 words
Formative or Summative: Both
Relates to objectives: Unit Objectives: 1,2,4 & 6 and AoL goals: KS 1.1,1.2 CTA 2.1, PC 3.1.
Weight: 30%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: Week 6


Assessment name: Examination
Description: The exam will consist of multiple choice and short answer questions.
Length: 2 hours with no perusal.
Formative or Summative: Both
Relates to objectives: Unit Objectives: 1,2,3 & 4 and AoL goals: KS 1.1,1.2 CTA 2.1.2.2
Weight: 35%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: Week 11


Assessment name: Media strategy proposal
Description: The purpose of this project is to integrate the students knowledge on media planning into a real-life situation. Students research, design and submit a written media strategy and media plan in response to the media brief.
Length: 1,500 words
Formative or Summative: Both
Relates to objectives: Unit Objectives: 1,2,3,4 & 5 and AoL goals: KS1.1,1.2 CTA 2.1, 2.2 PC 3.1.
Weight: 35%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: Week 13


Academic Honesty

QUT is committed to maintaining high academic standards to protect the value of its qualifications. To assist you in assuring the academic integrity of your assessment you are encouraged to make use of the support materials and services available to help you consider and check your assessment items. Important information about the university's approach to academic integrity of assessment is on your unit Blackboard site.

A breach of academic integrity is regarded as Student Misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties.

Resource materials

Texts
No set text however the following texts are useful resources.

Sissors and Baron (2003) Advertising Media Planning (6th ed.) The McGraw Hill Companies
Belch, Belch, Kerr and Powell (2012) Advertising: An Integrated Marketing Communication Perspective (2nd ed.). North Ryde: McGraw Hill

top

Risk assessment statement

There are no out-of-the-ordinary risks associated with lectures or tutorials in this unit. You should, however, familiarise yourself with evacuation procedures operating in the buildings in which you attend classes and take the time to
view the Emergency video.

Disclaimer - Offer of some units is subject to viability, and information in these Unit Outlines is subject to change prior to commencement of semester.

Last modified: 23-Jan-2013