University of Northern Iowa
Department of Communication Studies
Electronic Media Division

Leading Discussion Assignment

Internet Advertising Examples

48E:139(g). Electronic Media Industries: Advertising                                                  Fall 2001

Instructor: Dr. Joyce Chen                                                                  Office Hours: TTh 3:15-5:15 pm
                                                                                                                                W 1-2 pm
Office: LNG 212                                                                                                      or by appointment
Office Phone: 273-2574
Class meetings: M 6-8:50 pm

Required Textbook:

    McAllister, M.P. (1996). The commercialization of American culture: New advertising control and democracy. Thousand Oaks: Sage. (CAC)

    Goldman, R., & Papson, S. (1996). Sign wars: The cluttered landscape of Advertising. New York: The Gulford Press. (SW)

Pre-requisites: 48E:021, and junior standing.

Course Objectives:

The class will focus on the operation of the electronic advertising industries by examining their development and functions as social, cultural, political, and economic entities. With the rapid development of electronic and information technologies, Web advertising has emerged and become one of the fastest growing industries. Therefore, advertising on both traditional and new media will be discussed, in terms of its economic/political objectives, cultural nature/characteristics, targeting strategies, production techniques, as well as its content, forms, delivery, control, and advertising agencies. Throughout the semester, cultural theories will be the basis of class discussions, and new technologies will be utilized as tools for the preparation of class presentations and assignments.

By the end of this semester, you will:

-- be aware of potential career opportunities in advertising industries;

-- understand the relationship between advertising, culture, and society;

-- be familiar with a variety of advertising strategies and production techniques;

-- be able to work as an advertising agent for local businesses.

"The University of Northern Iowa is an Affirmative Action Equal Opportunity Institution. Students with disabilities and other special needs should feel free to contact the professor privately if there are services or adaptations which can be made to accommodate specific needs."

Class Organization:

The class sessions will be a combination of lectures, discussions, and practices. There will be lectures that provide basic theoretical and technological background for electronic advertising studies. For effective learning it requires students’ interaction, participation, and discussion.

Assignments:

There are four kinds of assignments: leading class discussions, advertising exercises, research papers/projects, and final presentations.

Leading class discussion (10%)

This is a group task. Although you are required to finish the readings before coming to the class, you will be assigned to read two specific chapters in depth so that you will be able to present it to the class and lead the class discussion. By the end of the class, everyone else will be asked to write a short response to your discussion session.

Advertising exercises (20%)

There will be two exercises. One is to analyze commercials, and the other is to produce a commercial. The requirements will be described in handouts.

Advertising campaign projects (20%)

Under my direction each student will be required to complete a part of tasks for a group project or an individual advertising campaign project. The requirements for the project will be described in individual handout.

Final presentations of advertising agency (15%)

Everyone is required to shadow an advertising agency during the semester and will participate in a presentation of his/her agency to the class. The presentation will be organized as a business exhibition held by electronic advertising industries, where advertising agencies need to introduce themselves and services to their potential clients. The requirements will be described in handouts.

Attendance/Participation—Class Responses (15%)

Since this is a course emphasizing both discussion and practice, attending the class is very important. The attendance/participation will be judged through your responses to class sessions. Depending upon the nature of each session, you will be asked to write short comments on the topic or concept discussed in the class, or to report the results of your on-line research, learning experience/problems, etc. It aims to promote your active participation in class discussions and to help me get feedback from you promptly if you have questions. Please use a folder to collect the response sheets that will help you review for exams. You may miss 1 session without losing points.

Exam: (20%)

There will be a midterm exam in the lab for examining your knowledge about the concepts and terminology related to the studies of advertising industries. The final exam will be a take-home test. It will help you to summarize what you have learned during the semester. All the exams will be open-book/notes tests.

Grading:

Grading for each assignment and exams will be as follows:

The grades will be weighted by the percentages shown above and combined to result in your final course grade. The letter grading scales are shown as follows:

Assignments are due at the beginning of class on the due date, unless otherwise stated. The penalty for a late unexcused assignment/project or paper is 1 percent deduction for each day late up to 5 percent (i.e. 5 days late). After 5 days late no paper will be accepted for grading. According to University policy, plagiarism will result in FAILURE of the course and further DISCIPLINARY ACTION. Plagiarism includes "borrowing" other student's paper or other writer's work, submitting the papers/creative work that you did for other courses.

Tentative Class Schedule

8/27 (M) Syllabus & Orientation
                Advertising Media & Agency, and History
                Assignment #1: Commercial analysis

9/3 (M) No Class (Labor Day)

9/10 (M) Advertising and meanings
            Ch. 1 (CAC): The Changing nature of advertising and control Carlson, Cooper

9/17 (M) Commercial analysis presentation; Assignment #1 due
           New advertising media: Web advertising
            Ch. 2 (CAC): Advertising’s external and internal control Ford, Graulund

9/24 (M) Ch. 3 (CAC): Place-based advertising: Control through location Kerr Miller
            Ch. 4 (CAC): Controlling viewer behavior: Creating the zapless ad Meiergerd, Ries, Jansen

10/1 (M) Ch. 5 (CAC): Cross promotion: Control through cooperation Bleich, Round
            Ch. 6 (CAC): Sponsorship: Control behind a philanthropic facade Rueber, Vickers, Peterson
            Ch. 7 (CAC): Commercials, control and the computer revolution Thurm, Hammel
            Computer graphics practice, Web search practice

10/8 (M) Ch. 1 (SW): Sign war Ford, Graulund
            Non-linear editing practice
            Assignment #2: Commercial production

10/15 (M) Ch. 2 (SW): Advertising in the age of hypersignification Hammel, Thurm
            Ch. 3 (SW): Yo! Hailing the alienated spectator Bleich, Round

10/22 (M) Midterm

10/29 (M) Presentations of commercials; Assignment #2 due
            Assignment: Advertising Campaign Project

11/5 (M) Production design & progress report, Web search practice

11/12 (M) Ch. 4 (SW): The flip side of jadedness: Memory and a sense of place Carlson, Cooper
            Ch. 5 (SW): Authenticity in the age of the poseur Rueber, Vickers, Peterson

11/19 (M) Ch. 6 (SW): Green marketing and the commodity self Kerr, Miller
            Ch. 7 (SW): The corporate politics of sign values Meiergerd, Ries, Jansen

11/26 (M) Advertising Campaign Project Presentations

12/3 (M) Flexible

12/10 (M) Final project presentations
            Picking up take-home final exam

12/17 (M) Final Exam due

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