I'm sure that in and about the time of the new (probably evil) printing press, many monks were running around seeking to convince whoever would listen that the old way was the only way: books had to be created one at a time by those training to create them one at a time.
Either we adapt to a world that is changing or we fail. Not playing is not an option.
So, this course will be obsessed with chasing the new consumer, using the tools the new consumer has at hand. Yes, we could teach it way many in the building would like to teach all of the journalism (and mass communication) classes: as if radio stations still exists, as if newspapers were relevant, as if television stations will control content and delivery.
It's not that way any more. As much as it can be done in this class, we will look out the front windshield and not drive forward using only the rearview mirror. It's not easy, mainly because we're not sure where we are going, but we are going to do our best.
The client for Fall 2009:
Tallgrass
Strategic Creative Communications
This
course is an exploration of advertising campaigns.
This
course will be demanding of your time and energy and imagination.
This
course will start off with early deadlines and early expectations.
If
you look through our schedule and what we will be required
to accomplish and feel it's too much given your personal
schedule, I suggest you reconsider whether this semester
is the right one for you to take this course.
This
is the the capstone course in the School of Journalism and
Mass Communication's advertising sequence. The course prerequisites
include Principle of Advertising and Ad Writing.
Learning Objectives
The A.Q. Miller School of Journalism
and Mass Communications is one of the nation’s
few programs accredited by the Accreditation Council
for Education in Journalism and Mass Communications,
meaning that we strive to excel at the following curricular
learning objectives:
- understand and apply First Amendment principles
and the law appropriate to professional practice;
- demonstrate
an understanding of the history and role of professionals
and institutions in shaping communications;
- demonstrate
an understanding of the diversity of groups in a global
society in relationship to communications;
- understand
concepts and apply theories in the use and presentation
of images and information;
- work ethically in
pursuit of truth, accuracy, fairness and diversity;
think critically, creatively and independently;
- conduct
research and evaluate information by methods appropriate
to the communications professions in which they work;
- write
correctly and clearly in forms and styles appropriate
for the communications professions, audiences and purposes
they serve;
- critically evaluate their own work and that
of others for accuracy and fairness, clarity, appropriate
style and grammatical correctness;
- apply basic numerical
and statistical concepts;
- apply tools and technologies appropriate
for the communications professions in which they work.
Diversity in Advertising
We
support Standard 3 of the Accrediting Committee for Education
in Journalism and Mass Communication that urges recognition
of the contributions, roles and involvement of women and
minorities in mass communication. Students in this class
are encouraged to a) identify contributions of women and
minorities, b) suggest ways the class might reach a better
understanding and c) identify speakers, articles, books
and events that will enhance understanding.
Diversity in Advertising
We
support Standard 3 of the Accrediting Committee for Education
in Journalism and Mass Communication that urges recognition
of the contributions, roles and involvement of women and
minorities in mass communication. Students in this class
are encouraged to a) identify contributions of women and
minorities, b) suggest ways the class might reach a better
understanding and c) identify speakers, articles, books
and events that will enhance understanding.
Honor Code
Kansas State University has an Honor System based on personal integrity, which is presumed to be sufficient assurance that, in academic matters, one's work is performed honestly and without unauthorized assistance. Undergraduate and graduate students, by registration, acknowledge the jurisdiction of the Honor System. The policies and procedures of the Honor System apply to all full and part-time students enrolled in undergraduate and graduate courses on-campus, off-campus, and via distance learning. The honor system website can be reach via the following URL: www.ksu.edu/honor . A component vital to the Honor System is the inclusion of the Honor Pledge which applies to all assignments, examinations, or other course work undertaken by students. The Honor Pledge is implied, whether or not it is stated: "On my honor, as a student, I have neither given nor received unauthorized aid on this academic work." A grade of XF can result from a breach of academic honesty. The F indicates failure in the course; the X indicates the reason is an Honor Pledge violation. The honor system web site can
be reach via the following URL: www.ksu.edu/honor
Statements for Academic Accommodations for Students with Disabilities
Any student with a disability who needs an accommodation or other assistance in this course should make an appointment to speak with me as soon as possible.
Statement Defining Expectations for Classroom Conduct
All student activities in the University, including this course, are governed by the Student Judicial Conduct Code as outlined in the Student Government Association By Laws, Article VI, Section 3, number 2. Students that engage in behavior that disrupts the learning environment may be asked to leave the class.
Statement for Copyright Notification
Copyright 2009 (Thomas Gould) refers to this syllabus and all lectures. During this course students are prohibited from selling notes to or being paid for taking notes by any person or commercial firm without the express written permission of me.
Campus Safety Statement
Kansas State University is committed to providing a safe teaching and learning environment for student and faculty members. In order to enhance your safety in the unlikely case of a campus emergency make sure that you know where and how to quickly exit your classroom and how to follow any emergency directives. To view additional campus emergency information go to the University's main page and click on the Emergency Information button.
Some specifics
In
this course you will learn that ad campaigns blends many
talents into one seamless -- hopefully flawless -- presentation
intended to win the account or boost your client's brand
into the history books as that amazing whatchamacallit that
outsold everything. Okay, campaigns are a bit self-conscious,
a little egotistical, and a lot about innovation. That's
okay, since all of us can be -- to varying degrees -- all
of these.
We
will do a lot of researching, planning, writing and thinking
in this course. We will cover a spectrum of advertising
media, from traditional print ads, to direct mail, to television,
to web, to sidewalks. You will work in teams of four to
six (I will decide with whom you team up!) and produce one
campaign.
This
will be interesting (I avoid the word "fun"), but it will also be a VERY demanding course.
It DEMANDS your top priority and attention.
You
will have several ways to demonstrate what you learn in
this course (and previous courses leading up to this one).
One,
I expect you to do the assigned e-reading in advance of the
specified date. I expect students to take active participation
in class discussions, and I will call on individual students
to answer questions and discuss material from assigned readings.
From time to time, I'll make note that you actually did the reading ahead of class.
Two,
you will be able to demonstrate your ability to apply the
principles you learn in this course to an advertising problem
by working in a cooperative learning experience to develop
a campaign for a product and present your campaigns to the
client and the school.
This
is designed to help you to learn by doing. Early in the
course, you will be organized into teams (a max of six students
each) and will begin to work on research for the product.
For starters, you must request the opportunity to pitch
client for the account in question.
You
will put together a letter and materials supporting why
your group should be let in the door. This will be measured
both on its persuasiveness and its syntax/grammar/spelling.
You will then put together a campaign for the business,
including a SWOT, media plan and creative.
A promotional overlay will be required to theme the campaign.
The
client and I will evaluate the campaigns.
Three,
you will provide THOUGHTFUL, INCREDIBLE, FANTASTIC responses to posts on the class KSOL web aite message board. We'll have 10 of these and each will be graded a few days after reponses are due. The key here is to be active, not the cleverest post on the block.
Four,
you will have a midterm over materials from class discussion
and readings. It will be a multiple choice test of up
to 100 questions relating to material covered.
| |
Great
-10 |
Good
- 8 |
Okay
- 5 |
Poor
- 0 |
| Situation
Analysis and Paper |
| Clarity |
No grammatical
or spelling errors. Writing is clear and understandable
with no confusion. Narrative flows smoothly throughout
the paper. |
Three grammatical or spelling
errors. Only two awkward sentences, Writing is choppy. |
Five grammatical or spelling
errors. Only four awkward sentences. Writing is difficult
to follow. |
Six or more grammatical
or spelling errors. Writing is very difficult to follow.
Tense changes more than twice. |
| Organization |
Ideas are presented in
logical fashion with an argument that leads to a conclusion
(the brand statement) |
Ideas are presented, but
they are poorly connected and insufficient to make final
conclusion. |
Some ideas are not relevant
to the argument. Overall the analysis lacks cohesion. |
Mere listing of facts
with no synthesis or relevance. |
| Critical Thinking |
Synthesis of data provides
new, relevant, strong ideas. |
Synthesis of data provides
new ideas. |
Synthesis of data fails
to present new ideas, but restates existing model. |
Synthesis of data is insufficient
to support any argument is is merely opinion alone. |
| Problem/Opportunity/Brand
Statement |
| Clarity |
No grammatical
or spelling errors. Writing is clear and understandable
with no confusion. Narrative flows smoothly throughout
the paper. |
Three grammatical or spelling errors.
Only two awkward sentences, Writing is choppy. |
Five grammatical or spelling errors.
Only four awkward sentences. Writing is difficult to
follow. |
Six or more grammatical or spelling
errors. Writing is very difficult to follow. Tense changes
more than twice. |
| Organization |
Ideas are presented in logical fashion
with an argument that leads to a conclusion (the brand
statement) |
Ideas are presented, but they are
poorly connected and insufficient to make final conclusion. |
Some ideas are not relevant to the
argument. Overall the analysis lacks cohesion. |
Mere listing of facts with no synthesis
or relevance. |
| Creative Thinking: identification
of problem |
Unique,
Relevant,
Clear |
Derivative,
Relevant,
Vague |
Repetitive, weakly connected to
Situation Analysis, Unclear |
Disconnected, identification of
problem not included. |
| Media
Plan |
| Clarity |
No grammatical
or spelling errors. Writing is clear and understandable
with no confusion. Narrative flows smoothly throughout
the paper. |
Three grammatical or spelling errors.
Only two awkward sentences, Writing is choppy. |
Five grammatical or spelling errors.
Only four awkward sentences. Writing is difficult to
follow. |
Six or more grammatical or spelling
errors. Writing is very difficult to follow. Tense changes
more than twice. |
| Organization |
Ideas are presented in logical fashion
connected to tech brand statement |
Ideas are presented, but they are
weakly connected to brand statement. |
Some ideas are not relevant to the
brand statement. |
No connection to brand statement. |
| Creative Thinking/development of high
recall creative concept |
Unique,
Relevant,
Strong recall. |
Derivative,
Relevant,
Moderately Strong recall |
Repetitive, weakly connected to
Situation Analysis, Weak recall |
Disconnected, no recall. |
| Budget |
Matches need |
Exceeds need |
Falls short of need |
Missing |
| Presentation |
Easy to follow |
Reasonably easy to follow |
Hard to follow |
Very difficult to impossible to follow |
| Promotional
Overlay |
| Clarity |
No grammatical
or spelling errors. Writing is clear and understandable
with no confusion. Narrative flows smoothly throughout
the paper. |
Three grammatical or spelling errors.
Only two awkward sentences, Writing is choppy. |
Five grammatical or spelling errors.
Only four awkward sentences. Writing is difficult to
follow. |
Six or more grammatical or spelling
errors. Writing is very difficult to follow. Tense changes
more than twice. |
| Organization |
Ideas are presented in logical fashion
connected to tech brand statement |
Ideas are presented, but they are
weakly connected to brand statement. |
Some ideas are not relevant to the
brand statement. |
No connection to brand statement. |
| Creative Thinking |
Unique,
Relevant, supports brand statement. |
Derivative,
Relevant, moderately supports brand statement. |
Repetitive, weakly connected to
brand statement. |
Disconnected, no connection to
brand statement. |
| Creative
Strategy, Creative |
| Clarity |
No grammatical
or spelling errors. Writing is clear and understandable
with no confusion. Narrative flows smoothly throughout
the paper. |
Three grammatical or spelling errors.
Only two awkward sentences, Writing is choppy. |
Five grammatical or spelling errors.
Only four awkward sentences. Writing is difficult to
follow. |
Six or more grammatical or spelling
errors. Writing is very difficult to follow. Tense changes
more than twice. |
| Creative Thinking/development of high
recall creative concept |
Unique,
Relevant,
Strong recall. |
Derivative,
Relevant,
Moderately Strong recall |
Repetitive, weakly connected to
Situation Analysis, Weak recall |
Disconnected, no recall. |
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