DIPLOMA IN MARKETING
3.02 MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS - 2010/11
The objective of this course is that on completion the student should have detailed knowledge of Marketing Communications theory and practice with particular emphasis on campaign planning and evaluation from an Irish business perspective.
1. Introduction to Marketing Communications
The relevance of marketing communications to marketing. The integrated approach to marketing communications. The changing Irish and international marketing communications landscape. The marketing communications decision-making process. Marketing communications and brand equity.
2. Communication and Marketing Communications
Communication models: linear to post-modern. Communication objectives. Theory of meaning: nature of signs, meaning transfer, the relationship between brand positioning and meaning, reading ads. Behavioural foundations of marketing communications: the consumer processing model and the hedonic, experiential model.
3. The Advertising Industry
The Irish advertising industry. The structure and functions of advertising agencies. The client-agency relationship. Selection of an agency. Briefing the agency. Maintenance of the agency-client relationship. Agency compensation.
4. Marketing Communications Management
The marketing communications plan: situation analysis, audience and market analysis, objective-setting, hierarchy of effects models, budgeting, advertising budgeting in theory, budget setting methods, creative strategy, media strategy, co-ordination and integration of marketing communications mix, evaluation of results. Campaign effectiveness: measurement of recall, recognition, emotions, persuasion, sales response.
5. Creative Strategy
The relationship between effective and creative advertising. Creative strategy planning; creative briefing process. Creative strategies: generic strategy, pre-emptive strategy, unique selling proposition strategy, brand image strategy, positioning strategy, resonance strategy, emotional strategy. The means-end chain approach in creative advertising development. The role of endorsers in advertising. Creative appeals and techniques: humour, fear, guilt, sex, subliminal messages, music, and comparative advertisements.
6. Media Strategy
The Irish media market: expenditure, audience, current developments in media. The media mix: traditional and emerging options. The media planning process; target audience selection. Media objectives: reach, frequency, weight, continuity, recency and cost. Media research and audience measurement in Ireland. Internet advertising formats; measuring internet advertising effectiveness.
7. Direct Marketing
Characteristics of direct marketing, growth of direct marketing, direct marketing in the context of relationship marketing. Designing a direct marketing strategy. Database marketing; developing and maintaining the database. Building relationships through customer lifetime value. Direct marketing channels (e.g. direct response advertising, telemarketing). The internet as a facilitator of direct marketing.
8. Sales Promotion
The role of sales promotion in marketing strategy, and integrated marketing communications strategy. Strengths and limitations of promotions in general. Implications of sales promotion use for profitability. Sales promotion industry in Ireland. Consumer sales promotions: objectives and forms of consumer promotions (e.g. sampling, coupons). Trade promotions: objectives and forms of promotions (e.g. trade allowances). Effectiveness of trade promotions: retailer responses.
9. Public Relations
The role of public relations in the organisation and in integrated marketing communications. The public relations planning process, appreciation of the situation, objectives, defining publics, selecting media (e.g. news releases, intranets), budgeting, assessing results. The relationship between public relations and publicity. Corporate identity and corporate image. Elements of corporate identity; changing an organisation’s corporate identity. The role of sponsorship in marketing communications: types of sponsorship. Sponsorship planning, objectives, sponsorship selection, sponsorship budget, sponsorship exploitation, measuring results. Ambush marketing.
10. Regulation and Ethics
Ethical issues in marketing communications: advertising, public relations, sales promotion, direct marketing and online marketing. The regulatory framework for advertising and sales promotion: the requirement for regulation. Sources and scope of regulation. Sanctions for breaches of regulation.
READING LIST
Essential Reading
Shimp, Terence A. (2009), Advertising, Promotion and Other Aspects of Integrated Marketing Communications, 8th Edition, Mason, Ohio: Thompson South-Western.
Recommended Reading
Smith, P.R. and Taylor, J. (2004), Marketing Communications – An Integrated Approach, 4th edition, London: Kogan Page.
Websites
Advertising Standards Association for Ireland
www.asai.ie
Media information
www.medialive.ie
Institute of Advertising Practitioners in Ireland
www.iapi.ie
The Data Protection Commissioner
www.dataprotection.ie
Public Relations Institute of Ireland
www.prii.ie
