JOUR 4263:
Capstone: Strategic Communication Campaigns
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Basic Information
Prerequisites
Course Description
Expected Competencies
Competency Goals
Assignments and Activities
Workload
JOUR 4263: Capstone: Strategic Communication Campaigns (4 credits)
- Multi-section course.
- Lecture twice a week.
- 4 Credits.
Prerequisites
- Major status
- JOUR 3004W, JOUR 3201 or 3202, JOUR 3251, MKTG 3001, and (JOUR 3241 or JOUR 3279 or JOUR 4259 or 4261)
Course Description
This course provides an in-depth look at all aspects of strategic communications culminating in the development of a strategically sound communications campaign. Emphasis is on “real-life” examples of campaigns, their creation and development. All essentials of developing a strategic campaign are covered, including advertising strategy, positioning, developing creative, consumer research, planning and setting objectives, relationship marketing, media strategies, budgeting, public relations programs and promotion.
This course is designed to bring together all aspects of communications planning that you have gained from previous classes. The class will focus on the integration of various techniques and elements available to most effectively create a strategic communications campaign.
This course will simulate the teamwork involved in working in a strategic communications agency. Case studies will be used extensively to apply the theory to the practice in a meaningful, memorable way.
Expected Competencies
Students who enroll in 4263 will bring substantial competencies to this course. They must have completed JOUR 3004W, JOUR 3201 or JOUR 3202, JOUR 3251, Mktg 3001, (3241 or 3279 or 4259 or 4261), jour major or approved IDIM major or ICP major or BIS major. All students should have the following skills:
- Competent at research.
- An understanding of the fundamental principles of marketing strategy and tactics.
- Fluent in the language of marketing and branding in addition to strategic communications.
- Experience in working in a team setting.
Competency goals for 4263
Improve Business Management Knowledge:
- Develop the ability to produce a plan book, which serves to provide depth to the presentation and to be a useful surrogate for those not able to attend the presentation.
- Develop, strengthen and reinforce strategic planning and campaign management capabilities.
- Study successful/unsuccessful campaigns and learn process management methods serving in various functional roles on communications teams.
- Help students learn about various influences affecting the outcome of communications campaigns-budgets, competition, timeframes etc.
Improve Analytical, Critical Thinking and Research Capabilities:
- Improve strategic communication assessment/measurement capabilities.
- Develop strategic skills specifically in the area of understanding what communications should do and how it should do it.
- Expand knowledge of quantitative/qualitative research methods, especially various databases and services available to communications professionals.
- Learn to evaluate potential outcomes, determine value added and to justify strategic communication recommendations.
Additional Skills:
- To demonstrate understanding of the vital role of the brand as a central and unifying element in communications strategy.
- Improve interviewing, report writing and creative development capabilities.
- Improve presentation and small-group leadership skills.
Assignments and activities
The content of the course is geared to prepare students at a professional level for a career in the field. Assignments vary by instructor but generally include projects, such as:
- Review strategic communication campaigns from videos, texts and current literature.
- Study and analyze current strategic communications issues and campaigns in the local community. (Emphasis on guest speakers and live cases.)
- Review selected social science and communication theories.
- Conduct research on local cases, provide detailed analysis and present multiple campaign reports and recommendations, including creative executions and media plans.
- Review creative brief formats and review with a strategic communications professional working in the metro Twin Cities.
Workload
- Students work independently and in groups.
- 7 to 12 hours per week outside class on a variety of tasks, assignments and activities.
The balance of the tasks, assignments and activities changes throughout the semester.