Sound Advertising Production (22771)

Degree: Advertising and Public Relations
Year: 3rd
Trimester: 2nd
Number of ECTS credits: 6 credits
Language of teaching: Catalan
Professor: Lluís Mas Manchón

1. Presentation of the subject.

This subject focuses on learning how the sound code and the sound technologies are used to produce sound messages according to the different advertising genres in platforms such as radio, web, podcast, live, events soundtrack, etc. Therefore, this subject is very practical.

 

2. Competences.

As a general competence, the student will learn how to apply the main characteristics of sound to communicate and advertise. These messages should have high technical, expressive and strategic standards.

 

 

Instrumental Competences:

 

-To identify and strategically apply the characteristics of the sound code to the persuasive objectives of advertising.

-To identify and apply the characteristics of radio and other sound channels to advertising.

-To differentiate and characterize the different sound advertising genres.

 

Systemic Competences:

 

-To produce sound messages.

-To use and combine the elements of the sound code within the sound production of advertising formats.

-To write and give structure to the different advertising formats.

-To apply the skills of sound editing.

 

 

 

Interpersonal Competences:

 

-To make constructive criticism on current advertising formats in radio.

-To learn how to listen and conceive reality as a sound landscape.

-To express ideas through sound.

-To listen to different sound platforms: radio, podcast, webs...

 

3. Contents

1. The sounds of the world and the brand.

   1. What is sound.

   2. Sound source and acoustics entities.

   3. Sound image.

   4. Branding, brand personality.

   5. Experiential marketing. Soundtrack.

 

2. Oral text and literary script.

   1. Sound Storytelling.

   2. Type and structure of the radio commercial.

   3. Oral text.

   4. Linguistic structure.

   5. Instructions on the literary script.

 

3. The sound code.

   1. Voice and words.

   2. The music.

   3. The effects.

   4. Silence.

   5. Functions and emotions.

   6. Instructions on the technical script.

 

4. Advertising locution.

   1. The voice.

   2. Locution.

   3. Style, attitude and register.

   4. Phonesthetic expression.

   5. Vocal Stereotype.

   6. Voices in advertising.

   7. Prosody: intensity, duration and pitch.

 

5. Editing: space and time design.

   1. Point d'ici.

   2. Synchrony.

   3. Space and sound landscape.

   4. Sound planning.

   5. Sound narration.

   6. Sound edition.

 

6. Advertorial and corporate sound.

   1. Type of radio programs.

   2. Reports, columns, stories.

   3. The interview.

   4. The advertorial.

   5. Podcast and corporate sound.

 

7. The radio.

   1. Characteristics of the medium.

   2. Advertising process. Formats.

   3. Myths and stigma of the radio.

   4. Sound images.

   5. The star-announcer.

   6. The targetization.

   7. The glamour.

   8. The radio-theater.

 

8. Sound perception and audiovisual language.

   1. Acoustics and perception.

   2. Sound wave.

   3. Psychoacoustics parameters.

   4. Sound dimensions of the audiovisual language.

 

9. History and radio schedule.

   1. Records and history.

   2. The stations.

   3. Characteristics of the Spanish radio.

   4. Schedule.

   5. The educative and collective radio.

   6. Radio and youngsters.

   7. Manipulation and radio.

   8. New formats.

 

10. Research applied to sound.

10.1. Introduction.

10.2. Objectives.

10.3. Theoretical framework.

10.4. Hypothesis.

10.5. Method.

10.6. Results.

10.7. Conclusions.

 

 

4. Assessment and exams resit.

The learning outcomes are assessed with the marks obtained in the different week assignments based on essays and sound production according to the following proportion:

 

-Weekly assignments: 20% of the overall assessment.

-Assignment 1 (individual): 30% of the overall assessment.

-Assignment 2 (groups of 5): 40% of the overall assessment.

-Attendance and in-class exercises (theory and practice): 10% of the overall assessment.

 

Attendance and participation in class, and motivation in general, are very important and will be taken into consideration in the final assessment.

 

To pass the subject, the final mark should be above 5. In addition, the student must submit at least 80% of weekly assignments, and both the assignments 1 and 2 with a mark above 3 (on 10).

 

The students with "passing grade" or "absent" will not have the option to do the exam resit. Only those students that have "failed" can do the exam resit. The student can only resit the failed assignments (always with a mark above 3). These students must redo or resubmit the weekly assignments or the individual assignment 1 (radio ad). In case of having failed the assignment 2 (advertorial), the students must submit a written report with all aspects to be improved in the advertorial. This report's maximum grade will be 5.

 

The following table summarizes the assessment and the exams resit:

 

Activity	Weekly assignments	Assignment 1 (individual)	Assignment 2 (in group)		Attendance, participation and in-class exercises
Value of the assessment	20%	30%	40%		10%
Criteria of assessment	To submit the 80% of assignments in this part.	To obtain a grade equal or above 30/100.	To obtain a grade equal or above 30/100.		There is not a minimum grade to pass this part.
Requirements to pass the subject	To obtain a grade equal or above 30/100 in each part, and that the average mean of the four parts be above 50/100.
Requirements to do the exams resit	The student should have submitted the assignments 1 and 2. The student should have obtained a grade equal or above 30/100 in each part, But, the student should have failed in the final grade.
Exam resit	Resubmit the missing or failed assignments.	Resubmit assignment.	Report on improvements in the advertorial.	No need to resit this part.
Requirements to pass the subject	Besides obtaining a mark equal or above 30/100 in each of the parts, the student must have and average mean of the four parts equal or above 50/100.

 

6. References and teaching resources.

6.1. Basic references:

-BETÉS RODRÍGUEZ, K.: El sonido de la persuasión. Relatos publicitarios en la radio. CEU, Valencia, 2002.

-MUELA MOLINA, C.: La publicidad radiofónica en España. E. Internacionales Universitarias, Madrid, 2001.

-RODERO, E.; ALONSO, C.M. y FUENTES, J.A.: La radio que convence. Manual para creativos y locutores publicitarios. Ariel, Barcelona, 2004.

-RODERO, E.: "Publicidad sí, pero no radiofónica", Área Abierta, nº 20, 2008.

 

6.2. Complementary references:

-ALONSO, C.M.: El canto de las sirenas. Comunicación y persuasión en la publicidad radiofónica. UPSA, Salamanca, 2004.

-FERNÁNDEZ, M. y PENA, A.: La publicidad en la radio. Diputación de Pontevedra, Pontevedra, 2000.

-FERRER ROSELLÓ, C.: La publicidad en la radio. Instituto Europeo de Marketing, Madrid, 2001.

-GARCÍA GONZÁLEZ, A.: Producción publicitaria en la radio. Publicaciones Universidad de Vigo, Vigo, 1998.

-MAS MANCHÓN, LL. Discurso Informativo 2.0. La estructura formal, textual y oral de la noticia en el siglo XXI. UOC Oberta, Barcelona, 2014.

-RODERO, E.: Producción Radiofónica. Cátedra, Madrid, 2005.

-SCHULBERG, B.: Publicidad radiofónica. El manual autorizado. Mc Graw Hill, Madrid, 1992.

 

6.3. Teaching resources.

In the Aula Global (Virtual Campus), the student can see the weekly assignments and submit them. In addition, the presentations used by the professor and many other resources (examples, case studies or readings) will be uploaded in this platform.

7. Method.

This is a production subject. Therefore, it combines theoretical knowledges and basic and instrumental competences for a proper production of the different sound advertising formats.

 

The theoretical sessions (Mondays 10:30h) combine the professor's lecturing with many examples, case studies, debates and in-class exercises.

The seminar sessions (the rest of the week depending on the seminar group, 10:30h) focuses on the student's individual and in-group work following the professor's instructions. Each of these sessions corresponds with the weekly theoretical outcomes. Besides, in each seminar session, the student will be given the correspondent phase of the main assignments 1 and 2, which will be uploaded in the Aula Global during the week before the following seminar sessions (so they can have an assessment feedback).

 

8. Program of activities.

Week	Activity in-class/type of activity	Activity out-class/type of activity
Week 1 (11/01)	-Presentation of the subject. -Discover what is sound and what is listening. -Analyze the sound acoustically and deconstruct it in its parameters. -In-class assignment "Learn to listen".	-Submit the idea of a radio ad (40 seconds) specifying: product, definition and description, main ideas and media planning.
Week 2 (18/01)	-Think of the adequacy of the ideas submitted to the sound code. -Brand Name: case study.	-Improve the literary script of Vivesoy. -Practice of locution. -Create a literary script.
Week 3 (25/01)	-Analyze the oral text of the radio ad. -Define the strategies. -Design the preproduction requirements: music and effects.	-Add the other sound elements in the script. -Design the definitive technical script.
Week 4 (1/02)	-Revision of the definitive script with all instructions. -Practice the interpretation. -Record voice. -Clear recordings.	-Make the locution of the radio ad. -Review the sound planning and the editing techniques. Search for music and effects.
Week 5 (8/02)	-Finish the preproduction. Ad music and effects. -Learn the editing techniques. -Post-produce the radio ad.	-Post-produce and finish the radio ad. -Submit the radio ad (assignment 1) during the week before the following seminar session.
Week 6 (15/02)	-Listen, analyze and correct the radio ads. -Assess them orally in class. -Brainstorming on innovative sound advertising actions and formats.	-Define the idea of the advertorial (5 minutes of duration, 5 people groups), by specifying the product (definition and description), objectives and planning.
Week 7 (22/02)	-Present the projects. -Correct the scripts: adequacy to radio medium, norms of oral text and structure of the advertorial. -Think of music, effects and editing.	-Elaborate the technical script with all instructions.
Week 8 (29/02)	-Present and review the definitive scripts. -Preproduction phase: select music and effects. -Production phase. Record voices.	-Select the sound elements for post-production.
Week 9 (07/03)	-Production phase of projects. -Postproduction.	-Submit the advertorial.
Week 10 (14/03)	[Monday is the only class of the week, from 9:30 to 12:30h, as this is the first exams week] -Submit the advertorials. -Listen the advertorials, analyze and comment on them.