The course aims to achieve two main objectives: firstly, to impart an understanding of the fundamental concepts and theories of advertising, including the creative process, communication strategy, product positioning, and target market; and secondly, to learn to evaluate and apply the tools and tactics used in advertising, such as TV commercials, online advertising, print, radio, and social media campaigns.

Firstly, the course seeks to provide foundational historical and theoretical knowledge to better comprehend the evolution from traditional advertising to integrated communication within today's social and media contexts. This involves exploring how advertising has evolved over time, adapting to new media landscapes and integrating various communication channels to effectively reach and engage audiences.

Secondly, the course focuses on the mechanisms involved in creating effective advertising messages. This includes understanding the principles of copywriting, the art of crafting persuasive and compelling texts for advertisements, and content design, which entails selecting appropriate images, typography, layout, and overall aesthetics to enhance the effectiveness of the advertising message.

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. Images and Words
The Creative Process in Advertising
Copywriting
Content Design

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

The course employs teaching methods that go beyond traditional frontal teaching, specifically:

• Debate: Students are actively encouraged to express their ideas, knowledge, thoughts, and proposals, facilitating the learning process and enhancing collaboration.

• Learning by doing: Knowledge and skills are acquired through their application in classroom exercises.

Attendance

Course attendance is not compulsory

Course books

Marco Vecchia, Hapù. Manuale di tecnica della comunicazione pubblicitaria, Lupetti 2003
Davide Bertozzi, Immagini vs. Parole. Scrivere e progettare il messaggio pubblicitario, Hoepli 2021

Additional materials will be uploaded online

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.

This course does not differentiate between “attending” and “non-attending” students with regard to teaching methods, attendance obligations, course books or assessment.