Fairly recently, the relevance of Shakespeare in modern business life, and the sources of inspiration embedded in Shakespeare's plays for today's business managers and communicators have been successfully explored. The course aims at guiding students through a diachronic analysis of the language of advertising, and at equipping participants with the ability to discuss Shakespeare's role in advertising and conduct a linguistic, rhetorical and semiotic analysis of "Shakespearean ads", that is to say of advertisements based on works by William Shakespeare or where the playwright appears as a character. The course will be held in English.
Special information for ERASMUS students is included in the "Note varie" section.

1. Advertising:
1.1 Some advertising history
1.2 The functions of language and the factors of communication
1.3 The language of advertising
1.4 Attention-seeking devices in advertisements
1.5 Cultural references in advertising
2. Shakespeare's role in advertisements
2.1 Shakespeare: the National Poet
2.2 Shakespeare and popular culture
2.3 Shakespeare as a brand name
2.4 Shakespeare's role in advertisements: 1875-1900
2.5 Shakespeare's role in advertisements: 1900-1960
2.6 Shakespeare's role in advertisements: 1960 to the present
3. Analysis of "Shakespearean ads"
3.1 Print, video and digital advertisements
Students will be involved in individual or group assignments

See "Vademecum 2014-2015 Parte Generale".

 Conoscenza e capacità di comprensione (knowledge and understanding)
Even students of business and marketing courses in the Anglophone world have to acknowledge the role of such a cultural icon and myth as Shakespeare. This course provides cultural and linguistic information so as to make students recognize and understand this phenomenon in today's advertising.
Capacità di applicare conoscenza e comprensione (applying knowledge and understanding)
After making students aware of this phemomenon, the course will ask students to practice the acquired knowledge by applying their understanding to some ads, so as to show their skill in ‘reading' them.
Autonomia di giudizio (making judgements)
Both the theoretical background, the examples discussed in class and what can derive from the reading list will help student create their own opinion on the use of Shakespeare in contemporary ads.
Abilità comunicative (communication skills)
If class conditions will allow (especially during the seminars) students will be prompted to interact and discuss their judgments on advertising policy and on the history of advertising. The oral exam will be the moment in which their communication skills will be mostly tested.
Capacità di apprendimento (learning skills)
Students' learning skills will be stimulated during the course. First of all listening, understanding and reading, then writing will be also tested by asking them - in group activities - to invent ads that presuppose the knowledge of Shakespeare's topicality in our time.

Modalità didattiche

Lectures and seminars.
English language tutorials held by the "Collaboratori and Esperti Linguistici", Dr. Peter Cullen and Dr. Deborah Peterson.

Obblighi

 Students are warmly invited to attend lessons, especially those held by Dr. Peter Cullen and Dr. Deborah Peterson.

Testi di studio

Course Packet (available from the Office of Faculty Administration, located in Collegio Raffaello):

 

1.  Davies, J., J. Simmons & R. Williams (eds), The Bard & Co.: Shakespeare's Role in Modern Business, London, Cyan Books, 2007. (selection)

2.  Elliott, B.B., A History of English Advertising. London: Business Pubns, 1962 (selection)

3.  Gotti, M., “The English of 18th Century Advertisements”, in MEROPE, 13, settembre 1994, pp. 97-118

4.  Holderness, G., Cultural Shakespeare: Essays in the Shakespeare Myth, Hatfield, University of Hertfordshire Press, 2002. (selection)

5.  Lanier, D., "Marketing", in A. F. Kinney (ed.), Oxford Handbook of Shakespeare, Oxford, OUP, 2012, pp. 498-514.

6.  Mullini, R., "'With such flourishes as these': The Visual Politics of Charlatans' Handbills in Early Modern London", Textus XXII (2009), n. 3, pp. 553-72

7.  Myers, G., Words in Ads, London-New York, Arnold, 1994. (selection) 

For information about language tutorials, see the section "Lingua inglese − Lettorato".

Modalità di
accertamento

 Oral exam in English. Oral exams may be preceded by a written part consisting in questions about the course programme, collectively held either on the 'appello' day or on a date communicated together with the list of the 'appelli'.
Possible classwork will also be evaluated.
For information about the "accertamento linguistico" and written exams, see the section "Lingua inglese - Lettorato".

Disabilità e DSA

Le studentesse e gli studenti che hanno registrato la certificazione di disabilità o la certificazione di DSA presso l'Ufficio Inclusione e diritto allo studio, possono chiedere di utilizzare le mappe concettuali (per parole chiave) durante la prova di esame.

A tal fine, è necessario inviare le mappe, due settimane prima dell’appello di esame, alla o al docente del corso, che ne verificherà la coerenza con le indicazioni delle linee guida di ateneo e potrà chiederne la modifica.

Modalità didattiche

Non attending students are invited to get in touch with the instructor and with the "Collaboratori ed Esperti Linguistici", and also to check possible further information posted on the web.

Obblighi

 

Testi di studio

 

Course Packet (available from the Office of Faculty Administration, located in Collegio Raffaello):

 

1.  Davies, J., J. Simmons & R. Williams (eds), The Bard & Co.: Shakespeare's Role in Modern Business, London, Cyan Books, 2007. (selection)

2.  Elliott, B.B., A History of English Advertising. London: Business Pubns, 1962 (selection)

3.  Gotti, M., “The English of 18th Century Advertisements”, in MEROPE, 13, settembre 1994, pp. 97-118

4.  Holderness, G., Cultural Shakespeare: Essays in the Shakespeare Myth, Hatfield, University of Hertfordshire Press, 2002. (selection)

5.  Lanier, D., "Marketing", in A. F. Kinney (ed.), Oxford Handbook of Shakespeare, Oxford, OUP, 2012, pp. 498-514.

6.  Mullini, R., "'With such flourishes as these': The Visual Politics of Charlatans' Handbills in Early Modern London", Textus XXII (2009), n. 3, pp. 553-72

7.  Myers, G., Words in Ads, London-New York, Arnold, 1994. (selection) 

For information about language tutorials, see the section "Lingua inglese − Lettorato".

Modalità di
accertamento

Oral exam in English. Oral exams may be preceded by a written part consisting in questions about the course programme, collectively held either on the 'appello' day or on a date communicated together with the list of the 'appelli'.

For information about the "accertamento linguistico" and written exams, see the section "Lingua inglese − Lettorato".

Disabilità e DSA

Le studentesse e gli studenti che hanno registrato la certificazione di disabilità o la certificazione di DSA presso l'Ufficio Inclusione e diritto allo studio, possono chiedere di utilizzare le mappe concettuali (per parole chiave) durante la prova di esame.

A tal fine, è necessario inviare le mappe, due settimane prima dell’appello di esame, alla o al docente del corso, che ne verificherà la coerenza con le indicazioni delle linee guida di ateneo e potrà chiederne la modifica.

 Note for possible ERASMUS students: this exam can be chosen only by those ERAMUS students who will spend the whole academic year at the University of Urbino.
They must be aware that, in order to obtain the 8 credits, the whole exam must be passed, it consisting of three parts: 1) written language paper to be taken in May 2014 on a different day from parts 2+3, 2) oral language assessment (for 1+2 see "Collaboratori ed esperti linguistici"), 3) oral exam on the basis of the activities and readings enlisted in this programme. Phases 2+3 will be taken on the same day. The 8 credits cannot be split, therefore students have to pass all three parts of the exam.
Non attending students are invited to get in touch with the instructor by email (maria.montironi@uniurb.it), and with the "Collaboratori ed Esperti Linguistici" (but also to check possible further information posted on the web).
All students are invited to look up additional material which will be made available during the course at the instructor's "Materiale didattico" (www.uniurb.it/lingue).