Advertising Course Descriptions

ADV 110: Introduction to Advertising, 4 credits

Orientation to the principles of advertising as they relate to marketing and business management practice in enterprise. Detailed study of the principal functioning groups of advertising professionals: advertisers/clients, advertising agencies, advertising media, and advertising suppliers of special services such as artists, photographers, talent, production suppliers, and research. A study of how each group is interdependent and how all four are vital parts of the “teamwork” process of commercial marketing communications. An understanding and appreciation of the roles of professionals in terms of strategies, tactics, execution, and results. Also how advertising relates to the public, our government, and consumers as well as business progress.

Goals and Objectives
By the end of this course, Northwood wants students to:

1. Know and understand the definitions of and differences related to "advertising," "marketing," and "public relations."
2. Understand what advertising media are and how they reach directed target markets.
3. Understand the "agency/client" relationship and the responsibilities of each.
4. Be familiar with suppliers of special services to advertising agencies and clients.
5. Understand how marketing (and advertising as a part of marketing) fits into the private enterprise structure of business; consider the ethical concerns of the advertising industry.
6. Be familiar with the regulatory agencies associated with advertising as well as advertising's self-regulatory functions.
7. Understand the various functions and associated tasks of advertising agency personnel.
8. Be familiar with the global concept of advertising used in multinational companies.
9. Be aware of the need for product, market, competition and consumer research input for strategy development.
10. Be aware of consumer behavior patterns and strategies for their determination.
11. 1Understand the interdependence of agency, client, consumer, product (or service), and media.

ADV 111: Copywriting/Copy Research, 4 credits

Copywriting for printed and electronic media. Orientation to the developmental steps of creative thinking, strategy, and copywriting for ads, commercials, and promotion materials. An understanding of the use of target market focus groups to quantify communication effectiveness.

Goals and Objectives
By the end of this course, Northwood wants students to:

1. Be familiar with creative copy strategies and tactics, their purposes and variations.
2. Be able to write and understand copy objectives and full advertising strategies.
3. Be able to evaluate existing advertising copy strategies and isolate main selling ideas.
4. Be able to use various creative thought processes to enhance creative thinking.
5. Be familiar with various headline and body copy formats for print and electronic media.
6. Know the differences of special-interest copywriting; public service announcements, corporate issue advertising, classified display, sales promotion, etc.
7. Know how to use research techniques to understand the needs of the consumer before writing the copy.
8. Know how to write all forms of advertising copy.

ADV 115: Advertising Creative Process, 4 credits

Examination of the nature and importance and applications of the creative process, complemented by a series of exercises, discussions and exposure to a variety of stimuli organized and presented in such a way as to help each student maximize his/her creative abilities at work, at home, and in the community.

Goals and Objectives
By the end of this course, Northwood wants students to:

1. Be comfortable with and have confidence in the power of his/her own inherent creativity.
2. Understand and know how to use a creative process.
3. Have a special appreciation for applied creativity, with special attention to the advertising discipline.
4. Be conscious of the unique creative dimension that punctuates the business/arts relationship.

ADV 210: Advertising Research, 4 credits

To orient the student to the purpose and role of research in making conceptual and creative recommendations. Includes strategy, execution, primary and secondary research techniques, sampling, questionnaire design, survey, and reporting.

Goals and Objectives
By the end of this course, Northwood wants students to:

1. Understand the difference between advertising and marketing research.
2. Understand the nature and use of advertising research and its role in decision-making.
3. Know the elements of the various concepts of advertising research: target market, competitive activity, positioning, pre-test and post-test copy, and audience.
4. Know primary and secondary research techniques.
5. Know the principles of sampling.
6. Be able to design an effective questionnaire and use it in a survey process.
7. Understand and know how to write a research report.
8. Be familiar with the various syndicated research reports.
9. Know how to track research technology trends and current research issues.
10. Be aware of social and ethical issues pertinent to advertising research.

ADV 211: Advertising Media, 4 credits

Examination, update analysis, and overview of major advertising media available for contemporary paid marketing communications. Relationships to financially accountable budget planning and media mix to reach maximum communications objectives. In-depth study of newspapers, magazines, business/trade publications, outdoor and other out-of home media, direct mail/direct response media, yellow pages, television, cable-TV, radio, videos, theatre/screen advertising, point-of-purchase, specialty, and new “in-testing” experimental media. A practical knowledge course.
Prerequisite: ADV 110

Goals and Objectives
By the end of this course, Northwood wants students to:

1. Know the strengths and weaknesses of various advertising media.
2. Understand how to buy media and create an appropriate media mix for a client.
3. Know how to set media goals and objectives.
4. Be able to perform a media analysis for current media campaigns.
5. Be able to write a complete media campaign.
6. Be familiar with techniques to help solve marketing problems with creative media plans.
7. Know the roles of advertising and agency media strategic planning.
8. Understand the financial accountability and need for documentations of media budget recommendations and decisions.
9. Understand the resources provided by syndicated and media research sources.
10. Be able to relate strategy objectives to client marketing plans.

ADV 299: Internship, 1-5 credits

The internship (an agreed upon number of hours of paid employment) is designed to provide the student with supervised on-the-job training. A contract between the college, student, and employer provides the groundwork. Objectives, evaluations, written log, and a study of the organization are designed to provide a realistic learning experience.
Prerequisite: Faculty approval

ADV 312: Advertising Campaigns, 4 credits

Review of historical and contemporary advertising and marketing communication campaigns. Analysis of consumer, business-to-business, national, and local campaigns (including volunteer, not-for-profit public service advertising). Students work in team groups to create and present a complete campaign supporting and coordinating all strategy, creative, media, and sales promotion aspects for final recommendation. Students on each team grade the work of their teammates within the group. This is the capstone course of Northwood’s Advertising program preparatory to entering upper level NU Management and Marketing BBA degree work. A practical knowledge and hands-on course.
Prerequisites: ADV  210, 211

Goals and Objectives
By the end of this course, Northwood wants students to:

1. Become familiar with advertising generally and advertising campaigns – how they are conceived and developed—specifically.
2. Become further acquainted with the creative process— in a hands-on way.
3. Refine presentation skills.
4. Enjoy an educational experience that can (a) benefit each student’s professional life, and (b) enhance the student’ awareness of and appreciation for advertising and the promotional process (c) prepare students for the kinds of work they will be involved in should they pursue a career in advertising

ADV 479: Current Advertising Issues Seminar, 4 credits

Examination of and discussion about major issues confronting the advertising industry – especially those issues being fueled by the traumatic changes that are sweeping over business generally and the advertising industry specifically.
Prerequisite: ADV 312

Goals and Objectives
By the end of this course, Northwood wants students to:

1. Be cognizant of how the advertising industry they inherit tomorrow is likely to be different from the one they are studying today
2. Develop concepts of how to respond to those changes in such a way as to make change an ally, not an enemy.
3. Synthesize and apply everything they have learned in the studies at Northwood, with emphasis on the marketing and advertising disciplines.