| Unit name | Effective Marketing Communications |
|---|---|
| Unit code | EFIMM0062 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | M/7 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12) |
| Unit director | Mrs. Parry-Lowther |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
None |
| School/department | School of Management - Business School |
| Faculty | Faculty of Social Sciences and Law |
Why is this unit important?
This core unit aims to introduce students to the theoretical principles and practical application of strategic marketing communication and the development of a range of tools, techniques, and skills vital for future careers and further study in marketing. In addition, the unit explores contemporary legal and ethical dilemmas and issues surrounding effective marketing communication.
The unit brings to life the theory and how it is implemented in practice, exploring real campaigns, how they connect with theory and their impact and challenges in today’s global market.
Whatever your involvement in marketing turns out to be, you will benefit from learning the theory and practice of marketing communications. By understanding what it takes to create an effective marketing communications campaign, you can help ensure they deliver their intended benefits, and also learn how to reduce the risks of failure, which is all too common in marketing communication campaigns.
How does this unit fit into your programme of study?
The Effective Marketing Communications unit is one of the four mandatory units on the MSc Marketing and is therefore central and significant to progression and achievement on the degree programme.
Effective marketing communication has proven essential for organisations to survive and to manage their reputation, the unit will allow students to develop and apply their academic knowledge within this field.
A strong understanding of marketing communication will benefit anyone whose would like to build on their degree course and enter a career in marketing or use their knowledge within; start-ups, agencies, consultancy, public or private sector companies.
An overview of content
The module considers how to devise an effective communications strategy and then implement this plan in a coherent and co-ordinated fashion through agreed communications processes, tools and techniques. Attention is also paid to important legal and ethical issues associated with marketing communications.
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit?
By learning marketing communication theory and applying it to practice, you will develop a critical, integrated, and holistic understanding of what marketing communication campaigns are, and how they can be managed in organisations.
This will equip you with marketing tools with which to explore and explain marketing campaigns more generally.
You will develop an appreciation for theoretical debates around complexity, uncertainty, risk, and the social aspects of marketing work.
You will gain confidence and techniques on how to create and evaluate effective communication campaigns in a range of situations by using critical reflection, team building skills and agility.
You will resolve ethical challenges associated with the strategic planning of marketing communication and be able to discuss the relative merits of methods of campaign evaluation.
Learning Outcomes
ILO1 - Develop a critical, integrated, and holistic understanding of marketing communication campaigns and their management within organisations.
ILO2 - Explore and explain marketing campaigns, enhancing analytical and interpretive skills.
ILO3 - Evaluate and explore techniques to inform the creation of effective marketing communication campaigns, using critical reflection, appreciating a range of perspectives, developing team-working skills, and applying your own insights.
ILO4 - Identify legal and ethical challenges and engage in theoretical debates around complexity, uncertainty, risk, and the social aspects of marketing work.
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example, a 20-credit unit will take you 200 hours of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time (teaching will be delivered through lectures, tutorials, drop-in sessions and discussion boards), directed learning tasks, independent learning and assessment activity. See the Faculty workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks (formative):
Optional online quizzes enable you to assess your emerging foundational knowledge of marketing communication theory. These also prepare you for the summative assignments.
As part of your weekly lectoral you will work in groups to generate peer-to-peer learning and provided with guidance and feedback on your marketing communication ideas and solutions. This helps you reflect on and improve your marketing communication ideas before you submit for summative assessment.
During in-class activities, lecturers will provide opportunities for you to reflect on your learning and receive guidance. This complements several other touch points, both online and in person (e.g., discussion boards, Q&A in classes) where you can ask questions and raise problems. These help you prepare for your individual assessments.
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):
You will have a choice of 3 different marketing communication options for your individual summative assessment on this unit. Regardless of which option you choose, you should display the material in a PowerPoint presentation narrated with a 10min audio recording (100%). The PowerPoint should not include any animation or sound other than your own voice narrating the Power-Point.
You will be required submit:
1. A cover page with your student and Unit number attached, a 10 min. audio-narrated PowerPoint where you present your creative work for the target market, and importantly narrate the theory and industry insight used to develop your campaign, together with a full reference list.
Students have a choice of three marketing communication options to create and submit together with a 10min. narrated Power-Point presentation where explaining the theory and research used. (Failure to submit your narration will result in assessment failure).
The alphabetical ref. list using Harvard referencing, should be included as slides at the end of the creative posts, together with the cover sheet, - which will not count as part of the 3 or 2 creative slides.
All learning objectives are covered by the summative assessment.
When assessment does not go to plan
Where a student has failed the unit and is eligible to resubmit, the unit overall will be reassessed using the same method as above but on a different marketing communication challenge.
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. EFIMM0062).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The assessment methods listed in this unit specification are designed to enable students to demonstrate the named learning outcomes (LOs). Where a disability prevents a student from undertaking a specific method of assessment, schools will make reasonable adjustments to support a student to demonstrate the LO by an alternative method or with additional resources.
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
