The course has the twofold objective of providing an understanding of the basic concepts and theories of advertising, including the creative process, communication strategy, product positioning and target market; and learning how to evaluate and apply the tools and tactics used in advertising, such as TV commercials, online advertising, print media, radio and social media campaigns.

Firstly, the course aims to offer the most important historical and theoretical keys to better understand the complexity of the social and media scenario in which the transition from traditional advertising to so-called integrated communication takes place today. Secondly, the course aims at providing the basic skills necessary for the strategic planning of a communication campaign. Finally, the course focuses on the application of rhetoric to advertising, analysing the phases of conception, arrangement, expression and staging of the advertising message, using a modern theory of argumentation based on the Aristotelian tradition.

1. Introduction
Definition of advertising
Advertising as a form of communication
Advertising as the soul of commerce
Advertising as an art form

2. History of advertising
Prehistory
The Gazette Phase
The Industrial Phase
The Founding Phase
The turning point
The international phase
The Italian context

3. The advertising agency
The structure of the advertising agency
The brief
The positioning
Perception maps
The copy brief

4. Audience segmentation
Target group design
Audience segmentation
Psychography

5. Media planning
The quantitative level
The economic level
The qualitative level
The media buying

6. The effects of advertising
Theories of persuasive advertising
Theories of how advertising works
Advertising and social culture

7. The construction of the advertising message
Creativity and the creative concept
Campaign genres
Outline of the print ad
The telecommunication
The campaigns

8. Advertising and Rhetoric
The three genres of oratory: Logos, Ethos, Pathos
The rhetorical corpus: Inventio, Dispositio, Elocutio

9. From advertising to integrated communication
Above the line and below the line
The integration of paid, owned and earned media
Content marketing
Transmedia and cross-media storytelling

10. Unconventional marketing
Viral and buzz marketing
Tribal marketing
Guerrilla marketing
Ambient marketing
Gamification marketing

Students have to reach these goals:

1.  Knowledge and understanding of: forms and languages of promotional communication in the complex society, through the learning of competences on the main models and theories in the advertising field.

1.1.  Students reach these basic knowledge attending lessons, studying mentioned textbooks and case histories shown in class.

2.  Use of knowledge and understanding skills: analysing promotional languages and their relationship with reference groups and communication planning.

2.2. Students reach these skills by laboratory activities during class hours.

3. Judging skills: critical approach on the evolving dynamics of advertising and its impact on digital society.

3.1. Students reach and demonstrate these skills during debates with the Professor and with the class, during laboratory activities and during the preparation of the final exam.

4. Communication ability: students have to interact during the lessons asking questions, exchanging ideas with the collegues and organizing keynotes while tested. 
4.1. Students reach these skills organizing discussions, excercises and presentations.

5. Learning skills: students have to adopt a critical approach while studying in order to connect theoretical knowledge with empirical analysis, obtaining a personal point of view on the subject. 
5.1. Students strengthen these skills debating with the Professor and the rest of the class. 

The teaching material prepared by the lecturer in addition to recommended textbooks (such as for instance slides, lecture notes, exercises, bibliography) and communications from the lecturer specific to the course can be found inside the Moodle platform › blended.uniurb.it

Lectures, presentations of case histories, videos, team works and laboratory activities.  

Teaching

Lectures, case histories and laboratory activities. Besides, students have to work in group for the realization of the copy strategy for the launch of a fictional product.

Innovative teaching methods

Attendance

Course attendance is not compulsory

Course books

Marco Vecchia, Hapù. Manuale di tecnica della comunicazione pubblicitaria, Lupetti 2003
Annalisa Cattani, Pubblicità e Retorica. Meccanismi argomentativi della persuasione, Lupetti 2009 (eccetto capitoli 1, 2; 3; 7; 8)

Assessment

Learning verification will take place through a written test. The test will include multiple choice questions and open questions through which the student must demonstrate that he/she is able to articulate in a short essay some of the topics covered by the course.

Grading modality

Excellent grades will be given in presence of: a good critical perspective and in depth knowledge; knowing how to link the main subjects addressed during the course; the use of an appropriate  language.

Good grades will be given in presence of: good mnemonic knowledge of the contents; a relatively goodcritical perspective and connection skills related to the treated topics; the use of an appropriate language.

Sufficient grades will be given in presence of: the achievement of a minimal knowledge on the treated themes, even in presence of some gaps; the use of a not appropriate language.

Negative grades will be given in presence of: a difficult orientation related to the treated topics; knowledge gaps; the use of a not appropriate language.

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.

Teaching

Individual studying of the course books.

Attendance

Study of the course books.

Course books

Marco Vecchia, Hapù. Manuale di tecnica della comunicazione pubblicitaria, Lupetti 2003
Annalisa Cattani, Pubblicità e Retorica. Meccanismi argomentativi della persuasione, Lupetti 2009 (eccetto capitoli 1, 2; 3; 7; 8)

Assessment

Learning verification will take place through a written test. The test will include multiple choice questions and open questions through which the student must demonstrate that he/she is able to articulate in a short essay some of the topics covered by the course.

Grading modality

Excellent grades will be given in presence of: a good critical perspective and in depth knowledge; knowing how to link the main subjects addressed during the course; the use of an appropriate  language.

Good grades will be given in presence of: good mnemonic knowledge of the contents; a relatively goodcritical perspective and connection skills related to the treated topics; the use of an appropriate language.

Sufficient grades will be given in presence of: the achievement of a minimal knowledge on the treated themes, even in presence of some gaps; the use of a not appropriate language.

Negative grades will be given in presence of: a difficult orientation related to the treated topics; knowledge gaps; the use of a not appropriate language.

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.