Strategic Planning (20497)
Degree/study: Bachelor's Degree of Advertising and Public Relations
Year: third.
Term:second.
Number of ECTS credits: 3 credits
Hours of studi dedication: 30 hours
Teaching language or languages: spanish/catalan
Teaching Staff: Mercè Elias, Jordi Torrents and Agnès Rovira
1. Presentation of the subject
Effective communication requires a strategy, one that responds to the questions: why am I going to communicate?, to whom am I going to communicate? and, above all, WHAT am I going to communicate?
In an advertising agency, this is the work of the strategic planners, or "account planners", who determine "what is to be said": a clearly-defined, inspirational concept that will serve as a starting point for the creative department and connect with the demands of the public to whom the campaign is addressed.
Establishing "what to say" requires a specific methodology that combines analysis, market research and creativity. It is a specialization that has transcended the confines of the advertising agency and given birth to the independent brand development consultancy.
This subject covers the fundamentals of strategic communication planning: its history and development; the theoretical concepts behind strategic communication and brand building; and the methodology and techniques involved.
2. Competences to be attained
- Understanding the client's brief, knowing how to analyze the brand's environment and define the main problem to be resolved.
- Using research techniques correctly to detect insights.
- Defining consumer insights as a basis for developing creative strategies.
- Developing a communication strategy.
- Applying idea generation techniques to define hypothetical communication messages.
- Conceptualizing: how to create communication concepts.
- Creating communication platforms or briefs for the creative development of messages.
- Presenting and defending brand and communication strategies.
3. Contents
3.1. Theoretical content:
• The role of the strategic planner
• Building a brand
• Requirements for effective advertising
• The process of defining a communication strategy
• Strategic analysis: products/services, brand, market, users and communication environment
• The strategic approach: defining the problem
• The strategic approach: generating hypotheses
• The strategic approach: defining positioning
• The strategic approach: the communication platform
• Monitoring : implementing the communication strategy: KPI's
3.2. Practical content:
• Strategic analysis: development of territories/insights
• Hypothesis generation workshop: establishing workshop guidelines, preparation, moderation and participation
• Execution and presentation of strategy and communication platform
4. Assessment
• 40% Practical exercises
• 60% Examination: class material and readings
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Task |
Exam |
Practical Task |
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Value assessment |
60% |
40 % |
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Evaluation criteria |
To pass the exam you have to reach a grade higher than 3/10 |
To pass the practical work you have to reach a grade higher than 3/10 |
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Minimum requirements to pass the subject . |
Get an average grade practice + exam for 5/10 |
Get an average grade practice + exam for 5/10 |
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Minimum requirements to qualify for recovery |
Have completed the practical work. |
Have completed the practical work. |
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Activity for recovery |
To obtain a note in the retest than 3/10 and averaging with practical work is greater than 5/10 To obtain a note in the retest than 3/10 and averaging with practical work is greater than 5/10. |
The note of practical work will be kept to calculate the average with the recovery exam. |
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Minimum requirements to pass the subject (recovery) |
Get an average grade practice + exam for 5/10 |
Get an average grade practice + exam for 5/10 |
5. Bibliography and teaching resources
5.1. Basic bibliography
• Cristina Sanchez-Blanco. Planificación Estratégica. Pub. Universitas (2011)
• John Steel. Verdades, mentiras y publicidad. Pub. Eresma & Celeste Ediciones (2000)
• Articles by various other authors.
5.2. Complementary bibliography
•
• Toni Segarra. Desde el otro lado del escaparate. Pub. Espasa. (2010)
• Naomi Klein. NoLogo. Pub. Paidós contextos (2001)
Case studies at: www.warc.com/ContentAndPartners/IPA.asp
6. Metodology
The methodology employed in this course is intended to be highly participative and oriented toward a professional application. It will include:
- Presentation of key concepts and conceptual frameworks by the instructor
- Class discussions of practical cases and other exercises
- Discussion of assigned readings
This "mix" of methodologies will require participants to prepare for each session in advance, so that they may take the greatest advantage of class time, benefit from the collective work experience of the group and obtain hands-on training in this field.
7. Planning of activities
Strategic Planning 2012 Group 1 (Spanish)
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Week
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CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES |
ACTIVITIES OUTSIDE CLASS
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Week 1
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Monday session 7/1: ALL + Mercè Elias + Jordi Torrents Presentation of course plan + The role of the strategic planner
Thursday session 10/1: ALL + Jordi Torrents Strategic analysis: internal, product, market
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Week 2
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Monday session14/1: ALL + Jordi Torrents Strategic analysis: consumer
Thursday session17/1: ALL + Mercè Elias Practical exercise: practical case study + keys for strategic analysis
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Reading 1: John Steel
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Week 3
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Monday session 21/1: ALL + Jordi Torrents Commentary on Reading 1 + Strategic analysis: brand and communication
Thursday session 24/1: ALL + Jordi Torrents Strategic analysis: defining the problem and opportunities
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Reading 2: Chap. 4: El Planner y el Brand Management
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Week 4
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Monday session 28/1: ALL + Jordi Torrents Commentary on Reading 2 + Building a brand
Thursday session 31/1: ALL + Jordi Torrents Defining brand territories
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Reading 3: Chap. 7: Planning Internacional
Thursday 31/1: Strategic analysis practical assignments due by email to [email protected]
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Week 5
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Monday session 4/2: ALL + Mercè Elias Practical exercise: review of best projects
Thursday session 7/2: ALL + Jordi Torrents Commentary on Reading 3 + Positioning
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Week 6
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Monday session 11/2: ½ GROUP + Mercè Elias Practical exercise: workshop - hypothesis generation
Thursday session 14/2: ½ GROUP + Mercè Elias Practical exercise: workshop - hypothesis generation
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Reading 4: Chap. 3: La relación del planner con los creativos |
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Week 7
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Monday session 18/2: ALL + Jordi Torrents Commentary on Reading 4 + The strategic approach: the brand platform
Thursday session 21/2: ALL + Jordi Torrents Communication strategy: types of advertising strategies 1
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Reading 5: La elaboración del brief creativo.
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Week 8
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Monday session 25/2: ALL + Jordi Torrents Commentary on reading 5 + Types of advertising strategies 2
Thursday session 28/2: ALL + Jordi Torrents Copy strategy
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Week 9
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Monday session 4/3: ALL + Jordi Torrents Requirements for effective advertising
Thursday session 7/3: ALL + Mercè Elias One half of the class will present their final projects
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Thursday 7/3: All final projects due by email to [email protected]
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Week 10 |
Monday session 11/3: ALL + Mercè Elias One half of the class will present their final projects
Thursday session 14/3: ALL + Jordi Torrents New trends
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Strategic Planning 2012 Group 2 (Catalan)
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Week
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CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES |
ACTIVITIES OUTSIDE CLASS
|
|
Week 1
|
Monday session 7/1: ALL + Agnès Rovira + Mercè Elias. Presentation of course plan + The role of the strategic planner
Thursday session 10/1: ALL + Agnès Rovira. Strategic analysis: internal, product, market
|
Reading 1: John Steel
|
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Week 2
|
Monday session14/1: ALL + Agnès Rovira. Commentary on Reading 1 + consumer analysis
Thursday session17/1: ALL + Agnès Rovira. Strategic analysis: brand and communication
|
Reading 2: Chap. 4: El Planner y el Brand Management
|
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Week 3
|
Monday session 21/1: TODOS + Mercè Elias Practical exercise: case study + keys for strategic analysis
Thursday session 24/1: ALL + Agnès Rovira. Strategic analysis: commentary on Reading 2. Defining the problem and opportunities
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|
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Week 4
|
Monday session 28/1: ALL + Agnès Rovira Building a brand
Thursday session 31/1: ALL + Agnès Rovira Defining brand territories
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Thursday 28/1: Strategic analysis practical assignments due by email to [email protected]
Reading 3: Chap. 7: Planning Internacional
|
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Week 5
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Monday session 4/2: ALL + Agnès Rovira Commentary on Reading 3 + positioning
Thursday session 7/2: ALL + Mercè Elias Practical exercise: review of best projects
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Reading 4: Chap. 3: La relación del planner con los creativos |
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Week 6
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Monday session 11/2: ALL + Agnès Rovira Commentary on Reading 4 + The strategic approach: the brand platform
Thursday session 14/2: ALL + Agnès Rovira Communication strategy: types of advertising strategies 1
|
Reading 5: La elaboración del brief creativo.
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Week 7
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Monday session 18/2: ALL + Mercè Elias Practical exercise: hypothesis generation workshop
Thursday session 21/2: ALL+ Agnès Rovira Commentary on Reading 5 + Types of advertising strategies 2
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Week 8
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Monday session 25/2: ALL + Agnès Rovira Copy Strategy
Thursday session 28/2: ALL + Mercè Elias Final projects tutorial
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Week 9
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Monday session 4/3: ALL + Mercè Elias Final projects tutorial
Thursday session 7/3: ALL + Agnès Rovira Requirements for effective advertising
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Thursday 7/3: All final projects due by email to [email protected] |
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Week 10 |
Monday session 11/3: ALL + Agnès Rovira New trends
Thursday session 14/3: ALL + Mercè Elias Presentation of final projects
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