Course Syllabus Advertising Strategy 454

Phone: 847-491-2714

E-mail: d-rucker@kellogg.northwestern.edu

Office hours: Tuesdays 4:30-5:30, or by appointment

Olay Daily Facials (Group): 25 points

Live Case (Group): 45 points

Final Exam: 50 points

Class Participation: 15 points
Total: 150 points
To prepare for class discussion, students are expected to complete assigned readings in advance and come prepared to discuss critical questions raised in the readings. Course assignments are designed such that difficulty and weighting increase as the course progresses. The logic for this approach is that the most important assignments occur when you have the most learning and knowledge to aid you. Thus, while the live case and the final exam are demanding and challenging, it is anticipated that, through case readings and class discussion, your own knowledge and abilities will have improved to allow you to rise to the occasion.
*Requests for reevaluating a case must be presented in a written paragraph explaining why the case should be reexamined. This request must be provided no later than a week following the return of the case to the class, and can result in no change (most common), an increase, or a decrease in points awarded.


Schedule of Course Topics, Readings, and Assignments

Date	Topic	Core Readings	Assignment Due
Jan. 9th	Week 1: Introduction to Advertising and Targeting	Modules 1 (all), 2 (all), and 3 (p. 30-47) Cases: 7UP (p. 16), Hallmark (p. 61)
Jan. 12th Friday Make-up	Week 2: Targeting for Growth	Module 3 (48-60) Cases: Norelco (p. 47), JIF (p. 65), W.W. Grainger (p. 73)
Jan. 16th	Week 3: Consumer Insight	Modules 4 (all) and 5 (all) Cases: Marlboro Man (p. 92), Milk Mustache (p. 104), Yellow Tail (p. 115)	Roaring Fork Beer Case
Jan. 23rd	Week 4: Insight and Brand Positioning	Module 6 (p. 122-133) Cases: Altoids (p. 108), Berol 226 (p. 158), Dunkin vs. Starbucks (p. 111), Miller Lite vs. Bud Light (p. 154)
Jan. 30th	Week 5: Positioning: Frame of Reference & Point of Difference	Module 6 (p. 133-151) Cases: Subway (p. 152), Mastercard (p. 175)
Feb. 6th	Week 6: Sustaining & Changing a Brand’s Position	Cases: Grape-Nuts (p. 164), Diner’s Club (p. 163), Apple Computer (p. 173), Škodka (p. 188)	Olay Daily Facials Case
Feb. 13th	Week 7: Media Strategy	Module 7 (p. 209-226) Cases: Awareness-Usage Survey (p. 252), Ingersoll Cutting Tool (p. 254)
Feb. 20th	Week 8: Media & Creative Strategy	Module 7 (p. 226-251) and 8 (p. 265-275) Cases: GRPs (p. 260), Mountain Dew (p. 259), Vicks (p. 261), No Doz and Liquid Plumr (p. 263)
Feb. 27th	Week 9: Creative Strategy	Module 8 (p. 275-285) Cases: Burger King (p. 293), RAZR (p. 298), Perrier (p. 278)	Live Case Due
Mar. 6th	Week 10: Measuring Ad Effectiveness, Campaigns	Module 8 (p. 285-292)	Live Case Presentations
Final Exam Case Due March 13th