Course unit details:
Marketing Communications in the Digital Age
| Unit code | BMAN24352 |
|---|---|
| Credit rating | 20 |
| Unit level | Level 2 |
| Teaching period(s) | Semester 2 |
| Offered by | Alliance Manchester Business School |
| Available as a free choice unit? | No |
Overview
This course builds on students’ marketing knowledge from previous courses with a specific focus on marketing communications and the digital environment. The course will introduce students to a diverse range of marketing communications tools and encourage students to critically consider their application in the digital environment. Academic understanding will be supported by practical application through the use of case studies and a practice-oriented assessment task.
Pre/co-requisites
| Unit title | Unit code | Requirement type | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Principles of Marketing | BMAN10101 | Pre-Requisite | Compulsory |
Available as option for BSc Mgt/Mgt Specialism, ITMB, and IM. Core for BSc Management with Marketing Specialism.
Aims
The course introduces students to the role and importance of marketing communications in the contemporary marketing landscape. This involves a focus on digital communications tools alongside offline marketing communications tools, at both the strategic and tactical/operational level.
Learning outcomes
Students will develop a critical understanding of how and when academic models and theories do and do not apply in practice and will thus be encouraged to demonstrate a reflective approach to the study of marketing communications in the digital age.
In addition to domain knowledge of marketing communications, with its many implications for understanding the commercially infused world we all live in, students will be asked to develop their critical thinking skills for analysing the likely effectiveness of different communications methods. These will create a useful foundation for any students who go on to work as a marketing communications professional, or who have to help organizations with communications work.
Syllabus
• Integrated marketing communications (IMC) and branding
• Competitive Market Analysis in the Digital Age
• IMC campaign planning
• IMC in the digital age: practitioner’s perspective
• Theories of communications
• Marketing Communications Mix
o Advertising
o Social Media and user generated media
o Search engine optimisation (SEO)
o Public Relations
o Sponsorship
o Direct marketing
o Sales promotions
• Media planning and evaluation
Teaching and learning methods
Lectures: 22 (Includes a drop-in assignment clinic)
Workshops: 10 - Practical key skills in applied contexts.
Independent study hours 168
Methods of delivery: lectures and workshops. Additional, supporting materials (e.g. links to My Learning Essentials workshops/online resources) will be signposted on Canvas each week.
Knowledge and understanding
- Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the contemporary marketing communications environment, including the opportunities and challenges posed by digital technologies.
- Describe the strategic value of a range of marketing communications tools and demonstrate how they can be integrated to produce an effective marketing communications campaign.
Intellectual skills
- Reflect on the learning experience of developing an integrated marketing communications campaign plan
Practical skills
- Evaluate given marketing communications situations and apply knowledge of a range of integrated marketing communications theories to suggest creative and feasible solutions.
Transferable skills and personal qualities
- Be able to develop an integrated marketing communications plan.
- Communicate academic and applied knowledge, concepts and ideas professionally and creatively.
Employability skills
- Other
- Through guest lectures from industry practitioners, students will also develop a critical understanding of how and when academic models and theories do and do not apply in practice and will thus be encouraged to demonstrate a reflective approach to the study of marketing communications in the digital age.
Assessment methods
Formative Assessment Task
Bullet point outline of plan for group project.
Informal feedback in workshops – Class activities.
Summative Assessment Task
1) 40% group coursework.
Peer scoring will be used in severe cases of group non-contribution to a maximum of +/- 20% of marks and will not exceed 20% of marks
2) 60% individual coursework
Please note that this assessment requires AI use as part of the assessed task (Category D: AI-integrated).
Feedback methods
• Informal formative feedback and discussion during lectures and workshops.
• Summative feedback on group and individual assignment
• Responses to student questions via Canvas, padlet and emails.
• Formative feedback provided on tasks provided outside of lectures and workshops
Recommended reading
The following set texts are proposed for core reading each week, in addition to a reading list of journal articles:
- Pelsmacker, P. de, Geuens, M. and Bergh, J. van den. (2018). Marketing communications: a European perspective. Sixth edition. Harlow, England: Pearson.
- Smith, P.R. and Zook, Ze. (2020) Marketing Communications: Integrating online and offline, customer engagement and digital technologies. 7th Edition, Kogan Page.
- Chaffey, D. & Ellis-Chadwick, F. (2019). Digital Marketing: Strategy, Implementation & Practice, 7th Edition, Pearson.
Study hours
| Scheduled activity hours | |
|---|---|
| Lectures | 22 |
| Practical classes & workshops | 10 |
| Independent study hours | |
|---|---|
| Independent study | 168 |
Teaching staff
| Staff member | Role |
|---|---|
| Alexander Gunz | Unit coordinator |
Additional notes
Other staff involved: Dr Giselle Bate and guest speakers from industry as appropriate.
Pre-requisites: BMAN10101 Principles of Marketing
Co-requisites: None
Dependent courses: None
Programme Restrictions:
BSc Management/Management (Specialisms)
BSc International Management
BSc ITMB
Core: BSc Management (Marketing)
Please note: AI forms part of the assessment method for this course unit. For more information, please see:
