INTEGRATED AND DIGITAL MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS - 2023/4

Module Overview

This module provides students practical and theoretical knowledge of International Marketing in contexts, operations, and strategies. It aims to develop students’ critical thinking and ability to apply and adapt theories to cases in international marketing.

Module provider

Surrey Business School

Module Leader

SAJJAD Farhana (SBS)

Number of Credits: 15

ECTS Credits: 7.5

Framework: FHEQ Level 7

Module cap (Maximum number of students): N/A

Module Availability

Semester 2

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

N/A

Module content

Indicative content includes:

• Introduction to integrated marketing communications (IMC) and evolving aspects of IMC


• The communication process


• Target Groups and Choice of Media Channels


• IMC planning


• Advertising & media strategy


• Advertising strategy & how advertising agencies work


• E-marketing communications & new media


• Brand culture and marketing communications


• Communicating brands internationally


• Research in marketing communications


• Ethics of marketing communications

Assessment pattern

Alternative Assessment

Individual project.

Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy is designed to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate knowledge, critical thinking, and application of theory, creativity, and problem-solving skills in marketing communications.

The summative assessment for this module consists of:

• Group Project (50%)


• Individual assignment (50%)

Both assessment 1 and 2 require the students to identify and critically examine the various core concepts underpinning integrated and digital marketing communications as a marketing discipline (LO1), and the various strategies and tactics of integrated and digital marketing communications (LO2). For both assessments, students must identify and explain the role that integrated and digital marketing communications play in supporting a brand’s marketing objectives (LO3). As the students must make recommendations regarding future integrated and digital marketing communication strategy for various brands, they must identify and discuss social and ethical considerations that impact the brand and its communication possibilities (LO4).

Students will develop their subject knowledge and cognitive/analytical skills during each assessment by identifying and critically analysing the target audience, the marketing goals and competitors for a particular brand. Moreover, the students will critically assess the I&DMC of the product/service/organization by identifying particular channels and message designs which the product/service/organization uses to communicate with consumers and make a recommendation for the next marketing communication campaign. To achieve this aim, students will have to critique and justify their ideas to each other and in the written assessments.

Students will gain various practical, professional and transferable skills across the assessments. For assessment 1, students will have to engage in creative thinking as a group and execute a creative piece via the production of a commercial video (LO5). The students will gain practical experience and transferable skills in the planning, design, and execution of a creative brief. In addition, students will develop teamwork skills and acquire competencies relevant for a career in marketing.

Assessment 2 is an individual essay with a reflective component (of the group work experience in assessment 1). Students will develop their subject knowledge, cognitive/ analytical skills in completing an individual assessment of the message strategies used in marketing communications. This reflective component of this assignment further serves to develop the student’s ability to work as part of team, and to facilitate self-awareness and personal development as both professional and transferable skills.

Formative Feedback 

Students will receive formative feedback throughout the module through lecture sessions, seminars and dedicated consultation hours.

For assessment 1, each group will receive feedback using a detailed rubric as the marking scheme and comments indicating aspects on which the students performed particularly well and those that could be improved.

For assessment 2, students will also receive feedback using a detailed rubric as the marking scheme and comments indicating aspects of the analysis and reflection that were addressed well, and aspects that could be improved.

Module aims

• Provide an in-depth knowledge of the various strategies and tactics constituting integrated marketing communications
• Provide a theoretical and practical understanding of the planning, execution, and evaluation of various communication media
• Provide the opportunity to be creatively involved in the process of creating an ad commercial

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

The learning and teaching strategy is designed to give students the opportunity to gain knowledge and understanding of various, key concepts underpinning integrated marketing communications by being actively involved in the lectures and seminars. This module adopts a student-centred interaction approach and encourages group work and knowledge spilling. 

The lectures present the theoretical concepts and discussions around them, and seminars involve working on real cases pertaining to integrated and digital marketing communications.

The assessment components as explained below in more detail, emphasise the practical element of this module, which is relevant for students who are interested in pursuing a career in marketing or want to gain experience in marketing on a graduate program. The analysis of advertisements and the production of a commercial gives students insight into the operational and creative side of marketing, which is relevant for any marketing manager. Thus, the learning and teaching strategy of this module combines theory, creativity, and application.  

Indicated Lecture Hours (which may also include seminars, tutorials, workshops and other contact time) are approximate and may include in-class tests where one or more of these are an assessment on the module. In-class tests are scheduled/organised separately to taught content and will be published on to student personal timetables, where they apply to taken modules, as soon as they are finalised by central administration. This will usually be after the initial publication of the teaching timetable for the relevant semester.

Reading list

https://readinglists.surrey.ac.uk
Upon accessing the reading list, please search for the module using the module code: MANM018

Other information

Employability

This module helps students to understand the application of theoretical concepts, particularly, in integrated marketing communications which provides them with a better understanding of the real business world issues and how to develop strategies accordingly. Further, the transferable skills gained through this module such as critical thinking, problem solving, report writing will enhance their employability potential.

Sustainability

It is of paramount importance, now more than ever, to encourage students to be more aware of the impacts which our actions have on society. This module discusses, ethical marketing practices by companies and there are assignment elements related to sustainability and ethics to provide students with the ability to critically evaluate the current marketing concepts.

Programmes this module appears in

Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2023/4 academic year.