Advertising (MADV1-CE)

Designed for those pursuing a career in advertising, this writing workshop goes beyond skill improvement to provide support for more specific goals, such as building a “spec book,” or sample portfolio, to use when presenting to clients or when looking for a job in the field. Write and edit ads for print, radio, television, display, and digital platforms. These ads are critiqued by the instructor and classmates. The goal of this course is to create at least four or five finished ads for your professional portfolio. You are required to bring in writing samples from work or other areas of interest.

This course provides a detailed examination of the advertising industry through the lens of account executives, strategic communications planners, copywriters, and art directors. During this course, create an advertising campaign from start to finish. Develop a broad understanding of the role that advertising plays in building an overall marketing plan. Topics include target definition and consumer insights, positioning and branding, creative briefs and implementation, communication objectives and strategies, and agency and client management.

Behind the engaging ad copy and inviting images that sell products and services is a deliberate strategy. Learn the step-by-step process of effectively formulating such strategies based on market opportunities, specific objectives, target audience, and budget parameters. Understand how and when to use various creative tools to develop an integrated package that employs a tone, voice, look, and feel that appeals to the target audience. Advance your career by learning to edit and approve creative work using strategic guidelines. In addition to lectures and discussions in class, students write a creative brief that embodies a communications strategy.

Creating advertising copy that cuts through media clutter is one of the most challenging and rewarding roles in the billion-dollar advertising industry. Develop the skills necessary to generate winning copy concepts in today’s media landscape. Write ads and have your work evaluated week after week. Collaborate with advertising professionals to hone your creative skills, and begin building a portfolio of your best work.

Explore the variety of media channels available to marketers, and discover how to use them in acquisition- and retention-integrated campaigns. Determine target markets for specific campaigns, select the appropriate media channel to reach the market, identify the media segments most likely to respond, test media, understand media costs, and efficiently buy for each medium.

<p>A smart, strategically planned portfolio will give you a competitive edge in the creative job market whether you are a marketing professional working for an agency or working client-side as either a copywriter or art director. Learn to develop innovative creative ideas, evaluate the best concepts, and improve existing ads. Examine new strategies based upon researched insights, then create "Big Idea" campaigns that utilize an IMC approach for advertising, direct response, ambient, collateral, sales promotion, social, and digital media to improve your existing portfolio. Topics include mastering research-based strategies, determining the best media mix to reach objectives, and creating the right campaign to reach your audience.</p>

Learn to think &ldquo;cross-platform.&rdquo; Today&rsquo;s ideas transcend media platforms, and marketers must focus on the concept and the consumer experience. Learn how to be a consultative seller, what&rsquo;s important to marketers and agencies, and how to successfully connect the dots for your media company in order to make the deal. This course resets the sales process to identify an advertiser&rsquo;s goals and objectives and to provide media and communications solutions. Being a video media seller in the new cross-platform world requires an evolved orientation to selling. You must create value (not sell a commodity), become your client&rsquo;s personal brand manager, and advocate in the process while representing your company. Topics covered include redefining the approach to video media sales, establishing a base of product knowledge, researching what&rsquo;s important to clients, and building the presentation through to the deal-making stage. Also, gain an overview of offline and online video (broadcast, cable, digital/mobile) ad sales, including all aspects of the sales process. In class, craft, research, prep, and deliver mock sales/marketing presentations and navigate a real-world experience of developing a true cross-platform campaign. Ideas and concept selling don&rsquo;t have barriers&mdash;there is no traditional media or new media, just best practices, all with the goal of doing good work. Finally, delve into a basic understanding of media metrics, examine ratings information and support research, and then apply this information to the sales process. Current senior-level industry professionals will visit the classroom, offering you direct access to real-world experience.

<p>Examine what it takes to work in a creative department as a copywriter or art director. Develop techniques to generate innovative creative campaigns, work individually and in teams, and present to a creative director. Explore how to effectively judge ideas and make them better; present and defend your work; and execute advertising concepts based on sound strategies for a range of products, services, and media. Students are introduced to great ad campaigns throughout history and learn what made them successful. This class enables you to start a beginner portfolio or strengthen your existing portfolio.</p>