|
Thomas
Gould |
|
Fall 2000 |
310 McCain |
|
12:30 to 1:45 pm, Tuesday/Thursday |
532-3449 |
|
tgould@ksu.edu |
|
Office Hours: 3:30 - 5:30 Wednesday, |
|
or by appointment |
What
you will learn
Advertising
in the post-Cold War world has become the dominant form
of communication. It overpowers culture, obliterates national
boundaries, and drives capitalist values, while, at the
same time, favoring the status quo and rewarding the cautious
and predictable. It is reasonable to assume that as previously
"sheltered" cultures are exposed through television
to this global advertising culture -- largely Western
(and within this, largely American) -- the youth within
these cultures will adopt the inherent values and culture
reflected in that advertising. We are witnessing the rise
of something more powerful than One World Government:
One World Advertising, and with it, One World Culture.
Thus, the study of advertising is also the study of culture,
ethics, and power.
This course is a general survey of the field of advertising.
It is the first course in the School of Journalism and Mass
Communication's advertising sequence and the prerequisite
for all other courses in the sequence. It is also an appropriate
and useful course for students who are not in the advertising
sequence and who want to learn more about advertising. The
course has no prerequisites.
In
the course, you will learn that advertising is more than
just ads you see on television or in print. Advertising
is a process that starts with research, and moves through
analysis, planning, action and evaluation. Increasingly,
"advertising" also includes forms of marketing
communication other than traditional advertisements. As
the statement above suggests, for many corporations, advertising
has become global, and we will consider that aspect as well.
The
readings and class discussions will introduce you to the
process of advertising. You will also learn how to use some
of the basic research sources used in advertising. The cooperative
learning project will require you to do the kind of strategic
thinking, planning and execution that is done by marketers,
researchers, media planners and copywriters.
It
will also be fun.
You
will learn about the institutions of advertising -- agencies,
media, and advertisers -- and how they work together to
produce advertising. You will learn how advertising institutions
and practices have developed. You will learn about those
topics through assigned readings and discussions.
Throughout
the course, you will learn how advertising is regulated
and learn about key social issues and consumer problems
with advertising. You will learn about those topics through
the assigned readings and class discussions.
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Materials
to help you learn
There
is no boring, inaccurate, obscenely priced textbook. I've
personally had it with boring, inaccurate, obscenely priced
textbooks. So I'm not making anyone buy those boring,
inaccurate, obscenely priced textbook again.
Required:
Each
of you will find a subscription form on your desk for
Advertising Age, 13-weeks. This will set you back
about $30. Get these in NOW, TODAY, BEFORE YOU CURL UP
AND GO TO SLEEP. We will start readings from it in about
three weeks, just enough time for you to start getting
it if you submit these subscriptions TODAY. If you snooze,
you lose.
We
will be selecting articles from each issue that will illustrate
issues that we will discuss that week. I'll post which
ones you are responsible for reading by Saturday midnight,
at the latest.
I
will lecture from two interesting books (see Suggested
Readings below), but you are not required to read
either for this class. This places a greater burdsen on
your notetaking abilities. You have the option of purchasing
the books, if you would feel more comfortable or are simply
interested in them.
This
course will include several online assignments, including
web site readings. Again, refer to the schedule for daily
assignments.
Suggested
Readings
"The
Mirror Makers—A History of American Advertising and
Its Creators" by Stephen Fox is available for
$17 from Amazon.
"Jihad
vs. McWorld: How Globalism and Tribalism are Reshaping
the World" by Benjamin R. Barber is available
for $11.65 from Amazon.
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How
you will demonstrate what you learn
You
will have different ways to demonstrate what you learn in
this course. One, I expect you to do the assigned 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. Make sure you can participate fully
in such discussions and demonstrate what you have learned
from the reading. I also urge you to come to class with
questions and opinions about advertising you see or are
curious about. Consequently, you should pay increased attention
to advertising and relate it to what we are talking about
in class.
Two,
you will have four quizzes (15 minutes) to test whether
you are keeping up with the reading. These will generally
amount to 10 questions on assigned reading and lecturse.
They will count 7.5% each (30% total) of your grade.
Three,
you will have a mid-term and a final exam over materials
from class discussion and the textbook. The mid-term will
contain 50 multiple choice questions and will count for
30% of your final grade. The final will be comprehensive,
contain 100 multiple choice questions and will count for
40%.
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Class
attendance and participation
I
believe learning is enhanced by active involvement in class
discussion and activities. That's why I will ask questions
to elicit your opinions and knowledge of the reading material.
It is impossible to participate in class without attending
class (as proved by Einstein). I would add only that attendance and grades on exams have been
found to be highly correlated.
I
ask for your cooperation in being seated when class begins
at 12:30 p.m. It is distracting to me and other students
if students come in and sit down after class begins. If
you are unavoidably late, please find the first seat available,
rather than walking across the classroom to join your friends.
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Determinants
of your course grade
Mid-term
exam: 30 percent
Final
exam: 40 percent
Quizzes:
30 percent
