Overview

This unit introduces students to the key principles and practices of advertising in a dynamic industry context. Graduates will be equipped to understand the key issues affecting advertising in the 21st Century and apply this to inform communications planning, management, implementation and evaluation.

Requisites

Teaching periods
Location
Start and end dates
Last self-enrolment date
Census date
Last withdraw without fail date
Results released date
Semester 2
Location
Hawthorn
Start and end dates
04-August-2025
02-November-2025
Last self-enrolment date
17-August-2025
Census date
31-August-2025
Last withdraw without fail date
19-September-2025
Results released date
09-December-2025

Learning outcomes

Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:

  • Identify and evaluate the key concepts of advertising theory and how they have evolved in new media landscape
  • Critically analyse communications practices and models related to consumer behaviour, media metrics and strategy
  • Apply key advertising concepts to the implementation of consumer and brand research designed to inform strategic communications
  • Develop a strategic communications campaign based on research findings, key media audience metrics and professional reflection techniques

Teaching methods

Hawthorn

Type Hours per week Number of weeks Total (number of hours)
Online Lecture (asynchronous) 1.00 12 weeks 12 
On-campus Class 2.00 12 weeks  24
Specified Activities Various 10.00 10 weeks  100
Unspecified Activities Independent Learning 1.17 12 weeks  14
Total Hours:   150

Assessment

Type Task Weighting ULO's
Communication Campaign Report and PresentationGroup 50% 1,2,3,4 
ProjectIndividual/Group 50% 1,2,3,4 

Content

  • The evolution of advertising – context for learning
  • Persuasion vs influence
  • Communication theories
  • Regulations and issues
  • Consumer Behaviour
  • Consumer insights
  • Traditional & digital media
  • Media Metrics and analytics
  • Strategic creative
  • Evaluation techniques
  • Presenting ideas
  • Client Management & Development
  • Graduate Attribute – Communication Skills: Verbal communication
  • Graduate Attribute – Communication Skills: Communicating using different media
  • Graduate Attribute – Teamwork Skills: Collaboration and negotiation
  • Graduate Attribute – Teamwork Skills: Teamwork roles and processes
  • Graduate Attribute – Digital Literacies: Information literacy

Study resources

Reading materials

A list of reading materials and/or required textbooks will be available in the Unit Outline on Canvas.