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2023/2024  KAN-CBCMO1002U  Marketing Communication

English Title
Marketing Communication

Course information
Language English
Course ECTS 7.5 ECTS
Type Mandatory
Level Full Degree Master
Duration One Quarter
Start time of the course Autumn, Second Quarter
Timetable Course schedule will be posted at calendar.cbs.dk
Study board
Study Board for cand.merc. and GMA (CM)
Course coordinator
  • Gülen Sarial Abi - Department of Marketing (Marketing)
Main academic disciplines
  • Communication
  • Marketing
Teaching methods
  • Blended learning
Last updated on 01-06-2023

Relevant links
Learning objectives
Marketing communications strategy is developed by companies to communicate the voice and the story of the brands to consumers for achieving the marketing objectives. These communications translate the value proposition of the company into compelling brand narratives that can create, maintain, or modify brand image in the minds of the consumers.

The brand narratives are delivered to consumers through a variety of channels including advertising, digital marketing, personal selling, public relations, sales promotions, and other promotional tools. Moreover, consumers also share their brand narratives with each other through word of mouth and social media.

The ultimate goal of companies is to increase consumer engagement, which will eventually be reflected in increased sales through developing and disseminating relevant brand communications.

At the end of the course, the successful student will be able to:
  • Define, compare, and use relevant theoretical perspectives and concepts covered in the course.
  • Explain and discuss the practical applicability of the various theoretical perspectives and concepts.
  • Drawing on various theoretical perspectives and concepts, independently establish a framework for developing and analysing marketing communication strategies and initiatives.
  • Discuss the relationship between a specific practical problem of marketing communication and broader marketing/branding strategies by means of an established framework.
  • Present a solution to a particular practical problem that is grounded in theoretical perspectives covered in the course.
  • Follow academic conventions of written presentation.
Examination
Marketing Communication:
Exam ECTS 7,5
Examination form Home assignment - written product
Individual or group exam Group exam
Please note the rules in the Programme Regulations about identification of individual contributions.
Number of people in the group 4-5
Size of written product Max. 25 pages
Assignment type Project
Release of assignment Subject chosen by students themselves, see guidelines if any
Duration Written product to be submitted on specified date and time.
Grading scale 7-point grading scale
Examiner(s) One internal examiner
Exam period Autumn
Make-up exam/re-exam
Same examination form as the ordinary exam
If a student misses the deadline for handing in the exam or fails to pass the exam, the student will be required to do a new Marketing Communications Plan alone for a new brand within the defined deadline of the make-up or the re-exam.
Description of the exam procedure

The course culminates in the production of a Marketing Communications Plan, which will give the students hands-on experience with the intricacies of marketing communications that achieve marketing objectives. A Marketing Communications Plan is the next step after the developments and approval of the marketing plan for the organization. It provides the tactical level of detail to the marketing communications portion of the marketing plan.

 

The exam requires the students to choose a particular brand as a case for which they will develop their own Marketing Communications Plan by applying their learnings from the course in order to assess the target market and develop an appropriate marketing communications plan for the brand going forward.

 

The exam will be completed in groups. More detailed information about the exam will be provided during the course. 
Course content, structure and pedagogical approach

Marketing Communication is changing constantly, as the world is increasingly dynamic. The widespread diffusion of social media and the loss of message content control makes it increasingly difficult for the firm to manage information received by the marketplace. Consumers’ experiences can and do become viral in their communications with just few keystrokes. Further, the traditional marketing communications are also widely used and those basic marketing tools are not to be neglected.

 

Because of the changing nature of marketplace communication and customer dynamics, this course is designed to expose you to what is going on today in Marketing Communications and to make you think about what the future might look like. An important goal is to provide you with a tool kit and perspectives for thinking that you can take forward in your careers and further develop with your own professional learning. It will cover topics in the utilities of mission of a marketing communication, to whom the communication is addressed, what story to be communicated, where and how the story will be delivered as well as how much will be spent on marketing communications and how the impact of the marketing communications will be assessed.

 

The course first introduces the concept of Strategic Communication. Then, it delves deeper into the concept of Marketing Communication. In line with this, the content of this course is divided into three main learning modules: 

 

Module 1: Strategic Intent

 

This module covers the mission and the market for the marketing communications strategy of a brand.

 

Module 2: Strategic Execution

 

This module introduces the process of crafting the strategic marketing communications for a brand. It covers what message to be delivered and how the message will be delivered through the use of different media within the marketing communications strategy of a brand.

 

Module 3: Strategic Impact

 

This module reviews the methods of measuring and interpreting the impact of the strategic marketing communications of a brand. It covers typical approaches of assessing how much money will be spent and how the impact of the marketing communications will be measured for a brand.

 

 
Description of the teaching methods
The course uses blended learning as a teaching method. Blended learning creates a powerful learning environment for students, which we intend to use to its fullest potential. Accordingly, teaching method includes combination of online material with lectures, individual and group work, and discussions.

The course is highly interactive with a corresponding expectation that students engage in these interactions.
Feedback during the teaching period
Feedback will be provided as part of the teaching in the form of oral and written dialogue between students and the teacher. Feedback is both teacher and student driven. It will be possible to receive ongoing feedback from the teacher regarding the different parts of the Marketing Communication Plan that the students will independently work in groups throughout the course.

At the end of the course, it will also be possible to receive feedback on the exam papers in written format and related to the performance of the student compared to the learning objectives.
Student workload
Teaching 30 hours
Preparation 126 hours
Exam 50 hours
Expected literature

As reference course books, the course will use:

 

*For students who have some background knowledge in marketing and marketing communications: Marketing Communications Objectives, Strategy, Tactics by John R. Rossiter, Larry Percy, and Lars Bergkvist, Sage Publications Ltd. 

* For students who do not have any background knowledge in marketing and marketing communications: Advertising and Integrated Brand Promotion by Angeline Close Scheinbaum, Thomas O'Guinn, and Richard J. Semenik, Cengage Learning 

 

However, these books will only to be used as reference books to topics discussed in class. The discussions and course material will not be limited to only the reference course books.

 

More readings and case studies will be assigned during the term. Since, the course is in blended learning format, students will receive online materials to watch and listen, articles/cases to read before/after lectures to support the topics discussed in lectures. 

 

As supplementary material, there are several books that provide useful perspectives and ideas on marketing communications like Contagious, Why Things Catch On by Jonah Berger and Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Some Die by Chip Heath and Dan Heath. More suggestions will be provided to students during the term.

 

For some web resources related with marketing communications, students can refer to: www.adage.com; www.adweek.com; www.gettyimages.com.
Last updated on 01-06-2023