Strategic Planning  (20497)

Degree/study: Bachelor's Degree of Advertising and Public Relations
Year: third.
Term:second.
Number of ECTS credits: 4 credits
Hours of studi dedication: 120 hours
Teaching language or languages: spanish
Teaching Staff: Mercè Elias and Jordi Torrents

1. Presentation of the subject

For communication to be efficient, it requires a strategy that answers the questions: "why do I have to communicate?", "who do I have to communicate to?" and, above all, "WHAT do I have to say?"

The account planners are the ones who establish "what needs to be said" in the advertisement agency: a clear and inspiring concept that can be used as a starting point in the creative department and that connects with the demands of the targeted public.

A methodology that combines analysis, markets research and creativity is needed for establishing "what needs to be said". It is a speciality that has gone beyond the advertisement agencies area and that has given rise to the brand development consultants.

This course deals with the fundamentals of the advertising communication strategic planning: its history and development, the theoretical concepts on communication strategy and brand construction and the methodologies and techniques applied.

 

2. Competences to be attained

1.      To understand the client briefing, to analyze the brand environment and to define the main problem to be solved.

2.      To properly apply research techniques to detect insights.

3.      To define consumer insights as a basis for the development of creative strategies.

4.      To pose a communication strategy.

5.      To apply ideas generation techniques to define hypothesis on the messages to communicate.

6.      To conceptualize: to know how to formulate communication concepts.

7.      To develop communication platforms or briefings for the message creative development.

8.      To know how to present and defend a brand and communication strategy.

 

3. Contents

1.1.      Theoretical contents:

•          The strategic planner role.

•          The construction of a brand.

•          Requirements for advertising efficiency.

•          Definition of a communication strategy process.

•          The strategic analysis: products/ services, brand, market, users and communication environment.

•          The strategic approach: problem definition.

•          The strategic approach: hypothesis generation.

•          The strategic approach: placement definition.

•          The strategic approach: communication platform.

•          Monitoring: communication strategy implementation; key performance indicators (KPI).

 

1.2.      Practical contents:

•          Strategic analysis: territories development/insights.

•          Hypothesis generation workshop: development of workshop pattern, preparation, moderation and participation.

•          Elaboration and presentation of the communication strategy and platform.

 

4. Assessment

•          40%        Practice.

•          60%        Exam: notes and readings.

 

5. Bibliography and teaching resources

5.1. Basic bibliography

•          John Steel. Verdades, mentiras y publicidad. Eresma & Celeste Ediciones.

•          Diversos autors. How to plan advertising. Edited by Alan Cooper. Ed. Account Planning Group + Cassell.

•          Articles by several authors.

 

5.2. Complementary bibliography

•          Naomi Klein. NoLogo. Paidós Contextos.

•          D. A. Aaker. Gestión del valor de la marca. Ed. Diaz Santos.

•          Estudios de caso en: www.warc.com/ContentAndPartners/IPA.asp.

•          Toni Segarra. Desde el otro lado del escaparate. Ed. Espasa.

 

6. Metodology

The methodology used in the course intends to be eminently participatory and focused on the professional practice. It includes:

-The discussion of practical cases and exercises in class.

-Expositions of key concepts and conceptual frameworks by the professor.

-Discussion about the readings contents.

 

This mixture of methodologies requires the previous preparation of each session by students, in order to make the best of the classes, capitalise on the joint business experience of the group and benefit from the advantages of the face-to-face learning.

 

7. Planning of activities

Week	Activities in the classroom	Activities outside the classroom
Week 2	Session Monday 10th January: Mercè Elias + Jordi Torrents. Syllabus presentation + strategic planner role.   Session Thursday 13th January: Jordi Torrents. Strategic communication planning. Concept and evolution.	Reading 1.
Week 3	Session Monday 17th January: Jordi Torrents. Contruction of a brand.   Session Thursday 20th January: Jordi Torrents. Advertising efficiency requirements + definition process of an advertising communication strategy.	Comentary of reading 1. Reading 2.
Week 4	Session Monday 24th January:  Mercè Elias Practice. Exposing a practical case.   Session Thursday 27th January: Jordi Torrents. Strategic analysis 1.	Practical case: briefings.
Week 5	Session Monday 31st January: Jordi Torrents. Strategic analysis 2.   Session del Thursday3 February: Jordi Torrents. Strategic analysis 3.	Comentary of reading 2. Reading 3.
Week 6	Session Monday 7th Februaroy: Jordi Torrents. The strategic approach: problem definition + territories definition.   Session Thursday 10th February: Jordi Torrents. The strategic approach: placement 1.	Comentary of reading 3. Sumitting the analysis phase of the practical case via email to Mercè Elias. Reading 4.
Week 7	Session Monday14th February: Mercè Elias. Practice: review of the strategic analysis projects.   Session Thursday 17th February: Mercè Elias. Phase 2 practice: workshop pattern guidelines.	Practical case: workshop pattern.
Week 8	Session Monday 21st February: Jordi Torrents. The strategic approach: placement 2.   Session del Thursday 24th February: Jordi Torrents. The strategic approach: placement 3.	Comentary of reading 4.
Week 9	Session Monday 28th February: Jordi Torrents. The strategic approach: types of advertising strategy.   Session Thursday 3th March: Jordi Torrents. The strategic approach: KPI definition.
Week 10	Session Monday 7th March: Mercè Elias + Jordi Torrents. Review workshop on the strategic approach.   Session Thursday 10th March: Mercè Elias and/or Jordi Torrents. Practice: presentation of the brand strategy.	Submitting the whole project via email: analysis + strategic approach.
Week 11	Session Monday 7th March: Presentation: Mercè Elias and/or Jordi Torrents. Practice: presentation of the brand strategy.   Session del Thursday10 March: Presentation: Mercè Elias and/or Jordi Torrents. Practice: presentation of the brand strategy.