Units of Assessment

Weighting towards Module Mark (%)

Group project 

60% 

Exam         (2 hours) 

40% 

Qualifying Condition(s) A weighted aggregated mark of 40% is required to pass the module. 

It is critical that resources allocated to marketing tools are used effectively as they play key roles in business success. Marketing communication plays an especially important role in communicating the brand positioning to designated target audiences. In order to achieve effectiveness in these areas, a thorough understanding is required of the marketing communications role in the strategic marketing planning process.  

This module is designed to provide students with a fundamental framework for understanding marketing and marketing communications at a strategic level within various contexts. The module introduces students to the concepts, issues, theory and practice of marketing and integrated marketing communications using an integrated and theoretical platform for the description and analysis of marketing and of marketing communications. As such it will provide a foundation for further study, and expose students to concepts which many of them will be able to then observe in a commercial setting during their professional training year. 

·               To offer students an in-depth knowledge of the tools and strategies of marketing and integrated marketing communications.  

·               To provide students with an understanding of how marketing and marketing communications work in practice, taking into account the context (domestic or international) and culture.  

·               To enable students to critically evaluate alternative marketing strategies based on issues including consumer trends, market and audience characteristics, strategic and operational objectives, positioning, planning and implementation.  

On successful completion of this module, the students will have demonstrated an ability to:   

·               Demonstrate an understanding of core marketing and marketing communications concepts and principles   

·               Discuss and analyse the scope and characteristics of marketing and marketing communications strategy   

·               List, describe and evaluate marketing and marketing communication tools   

·               Critically evaluate the relationship among markeing, marketing communications and consumer behaviour  

·               Discuss and evaluate the role marketing communications play in supporting a brand's marketing objectives 

·               Critically evaluate the methods used in the planning, implementation and management of marketing and marketing communications in various contexts   

·               Identify and critically evaluate alternative approaches to key marketing and marketing communications activities  

·               Evaluate the link among marketing, marketing communications and other corporate activities  

·               Be able to discuss and evaluate different approaches and designs to marketing and marketing communications  

·               Identify and analyse social and ethical issues relating to markeing and marketing communications policies, procedures and practices. 

1. Introduction and evolving aspects of marketing  
2. The Marketing Mix and STP (Segmentation, Targeting and Positioning) 
3. Consumer behaviour 
4. Marketing and consumer research 
5. Relationship marketing (RM) and customer relationship management (CRM) 
6. Introduction to Marketing Communications (MC), Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) and Evolving aspects of IMC
7.The Communication Process 
8. Brand culture and marketing communications 
9. Integrated Marketing Communications and Marketing strategy and planning process  
10. Marketing and marketing communications ethics 
11. E-Marketing and marketing communications 
12. Communicating brands internationally 

The learning programme will include a lecture series supported by seminars and the use of ULearn to facilitate student participation. 
 

The teaching and learning strategy is designed to encourage an understanding of the origins and development of the discipline; develop a knowledge of the principal areas within the discipline and the application of these principles in practice. 
 

The teaching and learning methods include lectures and seminars, incorporating appropriate video footage, case studies and seminar exercises. 
 

Assessment Strategy:  

The assessment strategy is designed to encourage an appropriate depth of conceptual understanding, through the requirement for critical evaluation of marketing communications techniques and processes. 

Essential Reading 
Fill, C. (2009), Marketing Communications: Interactivity, Communities and Content, 5^th Edition, Essex : FT Prentice Hall.  
 

Recommended Reading 
Baines, P., Fill, C. and Page, K. (2008), Marketing, Oxford: Oxford University Press.  
 

Belch, G. and Belch, M. (2004), Advertising and Promotion: An Integrated Marketing Communications Perspective, Boston : McGraw Hill – Irwin. 
 

Brownlie, D., Saren, M., Wensley, R., and Whittington, D. (ed.) (1999), Rethinking marketing: Towards critical marketing, London : Sage.  
 

Brown, S. (1995), Postmodern marketing, London : International Thomson Business Press.  
 

De Pelsmacker, P., Geuens, M. and Van den Bergh, J. (2007), Marketing communications: A European perspective, 3rd Ed., Essex : FT Prentice Hall. 
 

Duncan, T. (2002), IMC: Using advertising and promotion to build brands, International edition, New York : McGraw-Hill.  
 

Hackley, C. (2009), Marketing: A critical introduction, London : Sage.  
 

Hackley, C. (2009), Advertising and Promotion in Integrated Marketing Communications, London : Sage.  
 

Holt, D.B. (2004), How brands become icons: The principles of cultural branding, Boston, MA : Harvard Business School Press.
 

Kimmel, A. (ed.) (2005), Marketing Communication: New Approaches, Technologies, and Styles, Oxford: Oxford University Press. 
 

Rossiter, J. and Bellman (2005), Marketing Communications, Harlow : Pearson Education.  

Saren, M., Maclaran, P., Goulding, C., Elliott, R., Shankar, A., and Catterall, M. (2007), Critical Marketing: Defining the field, Oxford : Butterworth-Heinemann.  
 

Schroeder, J.E. and Salzer-Mörling M. (2006), Brand culture, New York : Routledge.  
 

Shimp, T.A. (2007), Integrated marketing communications in advertising and promotion, 7th ed., Mason OH: Thomson-South Western.  
 

Tanaka, K. (1994), Advertising language: A pragmatic approach to advertisements in and , London : Routledge.  
 

Wells, W., Moriarty, S. and Burnett, J. (2006) Advertising: Principles and Practice, New Jersey : Pearson.  
 

Yeshin, T. (2006), Advertising, London : Thomson.  
 

Background Reading 

Journals 
In addition there are a number of key Journals that include: Journal of Marketing Communications; Journal of Marketing Management; European Journal of Marketing; International Journal of Advertising; Journal of Marketing Management, Advertising Age. 
 

Students are informed they need to carry out a broad reading of the literature, and the use of international journal articles is expected.