Advertising Strategies in Media - FMS368 Spring 2026
Course
Lessons
Here is the course outline:
Session 1 - Course Introduction
Feb 4 3pm .. 5:45pm
Topic: Course introduction: Advertising and IMC, the consumer, roles of creativity, Marcom, advertising agency structure overview. Description: Lecture: Introducing basic terms, relationship between marketing and advertising. The expectations and your interests will be discussed. Reading: Study the pdf lecture Assignments/deadlines: For week 2 - Prepare a short PPT introduction of yourself for the next class - Graded as part of the class activity and engagement grade. Questions what to focus on will be provided. Class 2 starts with Review questions from week 1 lecture - Prepare to gain activity points! Kahoot format – volunteers wanted |
Session 2 - Practice Creative Process
Feb 11 3pm .. 5:45pm
Review Questions from class 1 – 10 minutes Topic: Practice the creative process Description: Lecture: The roles of an art direction and copywriting + Creative methods – creativity in practice. In-class short presentations: Student introductions as per the homework from class 1. In-class exercise – Improve your skills of the art direction and copywriting, brainstorming, practice teamwork. Understand the roles of visuals and copy in advertising (text). Reading: Pdf Lecture 2. Study also relevant textbook chapter/s to the current lecture topics. Assignments/deadlines for week 3: 1. Homework 2 – Graded as part of the class activity and engagement grade. Select the members of your team to work with on the team parts throughout the course – a team should consist of various members with useful expertise to enhance the cooperation. Up to maximum of 5 team members per team – DUE by week 3 to NEO + to be discussed in class. 2. Class 3 starts with Review questions from week 2 lecture - Prepare to gain activity points! Kahoot format – volunteers wanted |
Session 3 - Roles of Creativity
Feb 18 3pm .. 5:45pm
Review Questions from class 2 – 10 minutes Finishing off lecture 2 - Creative Methods. Topic: Lecture 3: What makes a good ad? What makes a great ad? The Role of Creativity, Creative pyramid + Practical In-class Project – Bring your laptop: Ethical and social issues, correctness, gender ads – potential manipulation in advertising. Description: Lecture: We will discuss why some ads are mediocre and why it is important to make advertising communication creative to deliver the message. Social aspects and potential communication controversies in advertising will be analyzed. Reading: Pdf lecture 3. Study also relevant textbook chapter/s to the current lecture topics. Assignments/deadlines for week 4: 1. Written Assignment 1, individual work – 10% Study potential controversies in advertising, analyze 3 categories in writing – Short written analysis DUE to NEO drop box. 2. Class 4 starts with Review questions from week 3 lecture - Prepare to gain activity points! Kahoot format – volunteers wanted |
Session 4 - Project “Yellow Ribbon Run”
Feb 25 3pm .. 5:45pm
Review Questions from class 3 – 10 minutes Topic: Advertising agency structure. Introduction to the practical portion of course – “Yellow Ribbon Run” Project Reading: Pdf lecture 4. Study also relevant textbook chapter/s to the current lecture topics. Students get familiar with all the project materials provided by week 5. Assignments/deadlines for week 5: 1. Practical Long-term team project, part 1, 5% - Each team / ad agency prepares a PPT presentation which will be presented by the team in person and placed to NEO drop box: Create your ad agency identity. Follow the project description in NEO. Each team member must place the team PPT presentations to NEO drop box for every team part. 2. Class 5 starts with Review questions from week 3 lecture - Prepare to gain activity points! Kahoot format – volunteers wanted |
Session 5 - Secondary and Primary Research
Mar 4 3pm .. 5:45pm
Review Questions from class 4 – 10 minutes Long-term Project, Part 1 Agencies team presentations, 5% - Present your team, the agency logo, and the mission statement. Support with formal research and proper academic reference. POTENTIAL GUEST VISIT - PREPARE YOUR QUESTIONS RELATED TO AN ADVERTISING AGENCY BUSINESS, THEIR WORK, CLIENTS, ETC. Topic: Secondary and Primary Research Description: The lecture will explain the importance of research in getting to know more about brand communication, potential customers, and competitors. Practical part in class - Bring your laptops: Students will learn to understand research objectives, will prepare, and send out survey and interview questions – as part of the class activity. The teams will conduct the research analysis and present their findings in week 7. Reading: Pdf lecture 5. Study also relevant textbook chapter/s to the current lecture topics. Assignments/deadlines for week 6 + 7: 1. Class 6 starts with Review questions from week 5 lecture - Prepare to gain activity points! Kahoot format – volunteers wanted |
Session 6 - Prep work for Midterm
Mar 11 3pm .. 5:45pm
Review Questions from class 5 – 10 minutes Topic: Practical class – Bring your laptops: Students work together with their team members to share the secondary and primary research analysis and results to complement their background understanding of the selected project. They may add the findings of the other members to their overall understanding. From that, they will try to develop an area of most interest in terms of media channels which they would like to work on for the final project. Team consultations with the lecturer. Reading: Relevant textbook chapter/s to the current lecture topics. Assignments/deadlines for week 7: 1. Midterm team presentations Midterm PPT presentation, Part 2, 15%, +10% team effort - Time limit of 30 - 40 minutes for each agency’s presentation: Present to class the team understanding of the secondary and primary research. 2. Submit Self-assessment form (10%!) to evaluate the team cooperation of the first two team parts. MUST be submitted by each student by week 7! |
Session 7 - Midterm Team Presentations
Mar 18 3pm .. 5:45pm
Topic: Midterm - Team presentations The Self-Evaluation form must be submitted to NEO drop box before the Midterm! Description: In-class: Practical project Part 2 - Agencies team presentations, time limit of 30 - 40 minutes for each agency presentation. Assignments/deadlines for week 8: Incorporate feedback from the Midterm presentations for teacher’s review. Midterm break from March 30 - April 3. |
Session 8 - Consumer segmentation/Influencers
Mar 25 3pm .. 5:45pm
Topic: Consumer segmentation, Maslow pyramid of needs, Targeting, Relationship marketing. Description: This lecture will present the importance of segmenting the customers into smaller groups with similar interests for more effective targeting and the reach. Reading: Pdf lecture 6. Each student selects relevant chapter/s to support the proposals for their individually written document (+ academic style of citing, in-text references, and bibliography as part of the document). Assignments/deadlines for week 9: 1. Practical Long-term project, Part 3, 10% – Individual work, Define the target group/s + potential influencer/s. 2. After the midterm break: Class 9 starts with Review questions from week 8 lecture - Prepare to gain activity points! Kahoot format – volunteers wanted |
Session 9 - The Creative Brief
Apr 8 3pm .. 5:45pm
Review Questions from class 8 – 10 minutes Topic: Creative Brief. Description: Advertising objectives, communication strategy, Big creative idea as the goal of the creative brief. We will discuss the categories of Creative Brief by Robert Graup. Practice the topic in class with the teacher. Reading: Pdf lecture 7 + relevant textbook chapters reading. Assignments/deadlines for week 10: 1. Practical Long-term project, Part 4, 10% - Individual work Each student selects individually relevant chapter/s to support their written Creative Brief document (+ Add proper academic reference to your formal support). It is important to write the brief without the assistance of the ChatGPT AI, especially in the category of the Useful idea. If AI is used, it must comply with the AAU rules (see the syllabus!). 2. Class 10 starts with Review questions from week 9 lecture - Prepare to gain activity points! Kahoot format – volunteers wanted |
Session 10 - Creative workshop + Guest lecture (Brand + Brand Activation)
Apr 15 3pm .. 5:45pm
Creative workshop 2 – 4 pm Guest visit – At last! From 4 – 5:30 pm Review Questions from class 9, Creative Brief – 10 minutes - Moved to week 11 The lecture topic and written assignment 2, task description, 5%, will also be moved to week 11. No Homework for week 11! |
Session 11 - Brand + Brand Activation Lecture
Apr 22 3pm .. 5:45pm
Review Questions from class 9, Creative Brief – 10 minutes Topic: Brand Building, Brand activation – moved from week 10 Reading: Pdf lecture 8. Assignments/deadlines for week 12: 1. Written Assignment 2, 5%: Research Brand activation - Individual research of great brand activation ideas examples. Short, individually written paper + 3 slides PPT to present in class 12 2. Class 12 starts with Review questions from week 11 lecture |
Session 12 - Media Channels + Practical part of class
Apr 29 3pm .. 5:45pm
Review Questions from class 11, Brand + Brand Activation – 10 minutes Topic: Media channels + Communication ideas development Lecture: Media channels Description: Case studies of proper use of media channels. Topic 2: Final Project Communication ideas development – Practical part of class. Reading: Pdf lectures 9 + 10 (Media) Assignments/deadlines for week 13: 1. Class 13 starts with Review questions from week 12 lecture - Prepare to gain activity points! Kahoot format – volunteers wanted 2. For week 14: DUE in two weeks! – Final presentations of the Long-term team project, Part 5: Full project development presentations, incl. creative ideas and media channels executions, 15%, PPT Team presentations. Submit the filled, detailed Self-Assessment Form for team cooperation by week 14, 10%! Reading: Relevant textbook chapters |
Session 13 - Field trip to an Ad agency
May 6 3pm .. 5:45pm
Meeting in class 2.05 - at 15:00 pm for Review Questions from class 12, Media Channels – 10 minutes Topic: The business of an Advertising agency, class field trip – VCCP ad agency. Description: Tour of one of the top advertising agencies in Prague. We will discuss client-agency relationships, and an advertising agency business. Prepare relevant questions, investigate, be active. Graded as part of the class activity and engagement grade. |
Session 14 - Final team presentations - 15%
May 13 3pm .. 5:45pm
Topic: Final agency / team presentations DUE, + Submit to NEO, 15% Assignments/deadlines: 1. Each student submits the Final team presentation to NEO 2. Submit the filled Self-assessment form! Course wrap up. |