2010-11 academic year

Usos Acadèmics i Professionals de l'Anglès (20493)

Degree/study: Grau en Publicitat i Relacions Públiques
Year: 3r.
Term:1st, 1nd
Number of ECTS credits: 4 credits
Hours of studi dedication: 100/120 hours
Teaching language or languages: English
Teaching Staff: Blanca Fullana 

1. Presentation of the subject

Since the invention of the World Wide Web (Internet) and the globalization of the economy at the end of the last century, the context of corporate communications in today's businesses has radically changed. Communication strategies to reach any type of target group are challenged to anticipate stakeholders' interests, adapt the visual and language of messages, build brand content on top of product content and be ready to produce participation, feedback and response.  In this environment, defining and living brand values & corporate ethics becomes one of the key's indicators of an organization's overall equity. 

This course offers students a 360º vision on brand relevance -where it stands and how to build its value in the face of different audiences; understanding brand equity helps companies, institutions and organizations to be competitive in the context of today's global society.

It is expected to acquire a full understanding of how corporate PR -including press office and publicity strategies in combination with marketing, advertising and other common communication disciplines impact the brand perception of corporations today. In the context of today's digital world, students will also gain deeper understanding of when and where it's best to use each discipline, gaining a whole new panorama of platforms and communications tools and opportunities.

Knowing the professional world in this sector is widely Anglo-Saxon oriented, students will also be urged to learn and practice the most relevant terminology, concepts and trends in corporate communications and marketing PR directly in English language, thus allowing these future professionals hands on practice of a fundamental skill.

2. Competences to be attained

In terms of content, students will become knowledgeable of the major aspects of effective communications for building brand value; identifying the mission, vision, values of different brands, mapping stakeholders' approaches & practicing corporate messaging, storytelling and brand discourse techniques.

The review and analysis of top cases and briefings together with intense listening, reading and writing exercises will encourage students to fully interact with the class and practice the theory behind the subject of the course.

In specific skills, it is intended to help students:

•·         Be capable of using a third language (English) in the academic and professional context including competences in oral efficiency and through the analysis of real texts.

•·         Comprehend and effectively manage the specific terminology of the corporate communications environment and guide students into acquiring new specialty terminology and concepts

•·         Read and write different types of texts; including objectives and strategies in communications plans, articles, essays and specific papers and documents used in the corporate brand communications sector

•·         Practice and improve presentation, negotiation and commercial skills by technically and culturally adapting to the assertive and compelling oral competences demanded in the professional global environment of today

Students will practice:

•-       1minute individual interventions

•-       Oral presentations with visual and digital support

•-       Methods and language skills for group discussions

•-       Reading comprehension exercises of professional texts

•-       Writing techniques in terms of structure, editing, styling and formatting as internationally acclaimed

•-       Glossary search and research

3. Contents

•-          Corporate Communications role & relevance in today's organizations

•-          The concept of Brand Equity

•-          Trends in society today -the cultural, economical, environmental and social issues that any brand should address

•-          Executing Communication strategies: from market-share to mind-share focus

•-          Identifying Stakeholders to our Brand & Mapping the Influence Relationship flow

•-          Understanding how to build Brand Equity through multi-disciplinary and multi-functional communications strategies. General view on today's new context and IT platforms & opportunities

•-          Review of Case studies of some of today's most reputable Brands

4. Assessment

text

5. Bibliography and teaching resources

5.1. Basic bibliography

There will be several articles, reports and copy-right free documents that will be of compulsory read and that the teacher will distribute in class.

5.2. Complementary bibliography

  • ADAMSON Allen P. Brand Simple. Ed. Palgrave Macmillan, 2007.
  • BLACKWELL, Roger; STEPHAN, Tina. Brands that Rock!. New Jersey, USA: WILEY, 2004.
  • BROWN, Duncan & HAYES, Nick. Influencer Marketing. Ed. Elsevier,2008.
  • CHERNATOY, Leslie de. From Brand Vision to Brand Evaluation. Ed. Elsevier, 2010.
  • CRAINER, Stuart. The Real Power of Brands. Editorial Eresma&Celeste Ediciones, 1997.
  • GAY, Paul du. Organizing  Identity. Sage Publications, 2007.
  • GOBÉ, Marc. Emotional Branding. Allworth Press. 2001.
  • HARVARD BUSINESS REVIEW on Brand Management. Harvard Business School Press. 1999.
  • HOLLIS, Nigel. The Global Brand. Palgrave,Mcmillan Ed., 2010.
  • KAPFERER, JN. The New Strategic Brand Management: Creating and Sustaining Brand Equity Long Term. Kogan Page, 2008. (4th edition)
  • KORNBERGER, Martin Brand Society: How Brands Transform Management and Lifestyle, Cambridge University Press, 2010.
  • KOTLER, Philip. Marketing Management: Analysis, Planning, Implementation and Control. Upper Saddle River, N.J., USA: Prentice Hall, 1994.
  • MCKINSEY. Quarterly. A new era in governance. TRUST. New York: MCKINSEY & CO., 2004.
  • TRENTMANN, Frank The Making of the Consumer -edited by Berg, 2006

6. Metodology

Class lecturing and practice exercises and case studies.

7. Planning of activities

The calendar of the course runs for 10 weeks with 2 days of 2 hours a day per week and per student. In general, first day in the week will be dedicated to class content and explanations with the entire class, while second day in the week will be focusing on practices, case studies and exercises with students separated in two groups, permitting full participation and optimization of the course's development. There might be an exception of two/three weeks where teacher and students can negotiate specific timings to find extra full class time dedication to make sure content of the course is well in place to execute practice work.