Critical Path – Winter 2024
v1 Revised: January 5, 2024
MKTG 4510 0LA – Emerging Issues in Marketing
Professor: Larry Zolob
Monday 1:30 – 4:10pm - Lakeshore Campus - Classroom Delivery – Room L3001
Contact Information
Primary Contact: Blackboard Course Messages
Email: larry.zolob@humber.ca (for medical or similar emergencies)
Cell: 647.201.3920 (ONLY for time-sensitive emergencies: text/whatsapp)
Office Hours: Contact me via Blackboard Course Messages for see me in class for an appointment
Method of Evaluation
15% - In-Class Activities, Homework (Individual and Group)
15% - Individual Assignment – Digital Oral Presentation
15% - Group Assignment - Report
25% - Mid-term Exam
30% - Final Comprehensive Exam
3% - Extra Credit
Weekly Reading (‘Content’) and Preparation
The Critical Path below specifies the content to be covered in each class. Your professor will give you
guidance as to whether you are to read the material before class or if you can wait until after the lecture.
Readings may be updated throughout the semester to keep them current, but will be finalized at least 2
weeks in advance.
Class/Homework Activities (15% plus 3% Extra Credit)
Five (5) activities will be required. As seen in the Weekly Schedule, they are a mix of individual and group,
in-class and out-of-class. There are usually no make-ups for these activities (see later section on Absences
and Accommodations), so it is important for students to put their best foot forward on each attempt.
Students cannot re-submit assignments to improve grades.
There are also three (3) extra credit activities listed, resulting in eight (8) total activities.
Assignments (30%)
We will have one individual and one group Assignment submission. The assignments will be timed earlier
in the course to free the class up for Capstone activities which will peak later in the semester. Assignments
will be introduced in class on the dates noted in the Weekly Schedule below. The group Assignment will
be completed in Capstone groups and is designed to support your Capstone project. Students not in SEM8
will be added to a group for projects and activities.
Exams (55%)
Exams are in class and will be closed book. Approach will vary from demonstration to application of
knowledge of subject material. Essay-style questions will be extensively used.
Weekly Schedule & Resources
The schedule below provides weekly details on topics, assignments and activities. The schedule is mostly
set, but should technically be considered fluid, and will be updated throughout the semester subject to
many factors including guest speaker availability, illness, weather, Capstone priorities, etc. You should
expect that the schedule 2-3 weeks out is mostly set. Version # is supplied at the head of this document to
help you understand if/when changes have been made and posted.
The schedule also includes links to required reading. Some may live within Humber’s Library Resources
and will require logon access. Select materials (e.g. cases) will need to be purchased by students; total cost
for any materials or resources for this course will be nominal
Weekly Schedule – First Half of Course
Week
Date
Topic, Activities, Assignments
1
Jan 8
2
Jan 15
3
Jan 22
4
Jan 29
5
Feb 5
6
Feb 12
Launchpad: Course, Capstone, Career
Activity 1: Individual in-class (Extra Credit 1%) – no preparation needed; participation-based
Content: The Algebra of Happiness (video 10m)
Stop Searching for your Passion (TEDx video 10m) Defining the Skills for the Future World (McKinsey)
Marketing Reboot: Process, The Marketing Plan, Your Resume as Marketing Communication
Introduce Assignment 1 (Individual)
Introduce Activity 5
Due: Groups List (Capstone) – Jan 21 (by course message to Professor)
Due: Select presentation date for Activity 5 – Jan 21 (link in Activity 5 instructions in blackboard)
Content: Use this Marketing Framework to Build a Cult Brand
Storytelling: Reports, Presentations and Data
Activity 2: Individual homework – Data – due Jan 28 (2%)
Activity 3: Group homework – Presentation Upgrade - due Feb 4 (4%)
Activity 4: Group homework – Dots&Dashes or Pyramid outline – due Mar 17 (Extra Credit 1%)
Content: 7 Ways to Structure your Presentation…. (Visme) How to Master Data Storytelling (Visme)
7 Effective Tips for Presenting Data (video 7m) Storytelling in PowerPoint (video 10m)
Data Storytelling: Turning Data to Decisions (video 14m)
PowerPoint Storytelling (video 8m) 5 Small Changes to Improve your Presentations Forever (video 9m)
10x your PowerPoint Skills with AI (video 10m) Excel AI (video 8m)
Business Communications in Marketing: emails, live presentations, communicating upward
Activity 5a: Individual in-class presentation (4%)
Content: The Secret to Business Writing (Crash Course video 10m) 8 Email Etiquette Tips (HBR video 7m)
15 ways to Calm your Presentation Nerves (Inc.) How to Start a Speech (Science of People video 7m)
10 tips for Effective Presentations to Senior Leadership (video 15m)
7 PowerPoint Mistakes that are killing your presentation (video 10m)
Marketing Values: Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) & Equity
Activity 5b: Individual in-class presentation (4%)
Activity 6: Group Gillette case homework due Feb 11 (3%)
Content: What is Corporate Social Responsibility? (Sustainability Illustrated video 10m)
Aunt Jemima Gets a New Name (video 7m)
Why Corporations Fail to do the Right Thing (The Atlantic – subscribe for free trial)
What is Diversity Marketing? (learn.g2)
Identify Opportunity using Empathy and Design Thinking: Journey Mapping & Interviews
Class Activity – Journey Maps
Introduce Assignment 2 (group)
Activity 5c: Individual in-class presentation (4%)
Due Feb 23: Individual Assignment 1 (15%)
Content: What is Customer Journey Mapping? (Brand Master Academy video 5m)
How to Create a Customer Journey Map (Brand Master Academy video 13m)
Uxpressia free CJM and Persona templates (optional resource)
User Interviews (NN Group) Design Tool: Ethnography (Darden Publishing video 7m)
Feb 19
FAMILY DAY – NO CLASS
Supplemental Content for Mid-Term Exam (from Activity 5 Presentations):
Weekly Schedule – Second Half of Course
Week
Date
Feb 26
Topic, Activities, Assignments
7
Mar 4
Mid-Term Exam (25%)
8
Mar 11
9
Mar 18
10
Mar 25
11
Apr 1
12
Apr 8
Thinking Differently: Innovation and Creativity
Activity 5d: Individual in-class presentation (4%)
Activity 7: Small Group In-Class Activity Brainstorm (Extra Credit 1%)
Content: Job to be Done (Clay Christensen video 5m)
Job to be Done – Milkshake Example (HubSpot Marketing video 7m)
The Creative Curve Book Summary
Allen Gannett Explains How to be Creative (Aaron Watson Business video – first 32m)
Disrupting Beliefs: A New Approach to Business Model Innovation (McKinsey & Company)
Guest Speaker, Greg Leach (TBC): Project Management, SaaS Pricing, Careers in Entrepreneurship
Activity 8: Guest Speaker Report – Individual (2%)
Content: The Ultimate Guide to SaaS Pricing Models (Cobloom)
How to Know if you’re meant to be an Entrepreneur? (TedX video 16m)
Marketing Principles and Social Media Use in B2B
Activity 5e: Individual in-class presentation (4%)
Due Mar 22 (TBC): Group Assignment 2 (15%)
Content: The Ultimate Guide to B2B Marketing (learn.g2)
B2B vs B2C Buyer Decision Process (SOCO Sales Training)
Handout(s)
Technology and Marketing in the Future
Content: Meet the Next Normal Consumer (McKinsey)
Handout(s)
The Creator Economy & Course Wrap-Up
Content: The Future of the Creator Economy (Epidemic Sound)
The Future Belongs to Impact-Driven Creators (Rolling Stone)
The Creator Economy is Changing, but can it Thrive? (Financial Times)
The Rise, Fall and Reboot of Clubhouse (CNBC)
Handout(s)
13
Apr 15
READING WEEK – NO CLASS
Final Comprehensive Exam (30%)
Supplemental Content for Final Exam (from Activity 5 Presentations):
TBC
(see next page for policies)
Late Policies
All activities and assignments with an assigned due date/time in Blackboard are subject to a late
submission penalty. Students will receive a 5% deduction for submitting 1 to 60 minutes late, according to
the deadline. Students who are 61 minutes to 24 hours late will receive a 10% deduction. Students who
are 24 hours + 1 minute late will receive a 20% deduction with a further 10% penalty being applied every
subsequent 24 hours. The % deduction is off the maximum mark e.g. if the assignment is worth 50 marks,
a 10% deduction represents a deduction of 5 marks off the grade; if your grade is 41/50, your final posted
grade will be 36/50.
Late penalties are applied in all cases, including internet challenges. If your location of study has
unreliable internet service, plan to complete assignments ahead of time to not incur penalty charges.
Documented emergencies (ie health, accident, death in the family) are the only exception.
In-Class activities, tests and exams can be held at any time during class. If a student arrives late to class
and the activity has already taken place, a make-up or time extension will not be allowed.
Students generally arriving late to class for any lecture are expected to arrive quietly so as not to disturb
the lecture. The professor will not repeat information already shared in class; students are to consult
classmates for lecture notes, instructions and content missed due to lateness.
Student Personal Challenges, Absences and Accommodations
Accessible Learning Services provides formal accommodations on assignments, exams and activities for
students who qualify. If you are having unforeseen personal challenges that will otherwise affect your
ability to complete exams, assignments or activities on time or at all, you must immediately inform your
professor (once you are not in physical or mental distress), to advise of the situation and explore
opportunity for accommodation. For this class, the following policies apply for extensions and make-ups:
• No make-ups for missed tests, exams, or in-class activities except for documented emergencies
• Late penalties for homework or assignments can only be reduced for documented emergencies
• Students receiving accommodations for documented emergencies must submit the assignment or
complete the make-up within two weeks of the original date or receive a grade of 0. Longer
extensions require advance permission in writing from your professor
• Students who do not coordinate accommodations for absences in advance of a due date will have
regular late penalties applied, resulting in a grade of 0 after ten (10) days.
Student Engagement Responsibilities
Students are expected to be engaged in the course and develop conscientious habits to collect and study
course information. Students are responsible for collecting and understanding at least the following
information (recommended engagement practices in parentheses):
• Welcome Message (prior to beginning of the course)
• Critical Path – this entire document (beginning of the course, weekly, and when advised of changes)
• Announcements (enable notifications / log on to Blackboard at least every 48 hours to collect
messages)
• Course Messages and email (check at least 2-3 times per week)
• Lecture Slides (found in Class Slides and Materials Folder; review at least weekly as some
important/upcoming information is shared at beginning and/or end of slides)
• Professor commentary in lectures is also testable. No notes are provided by the professor;
students must attend lectures to take notes or request these from another student
You are free to participate or engage in class lectures and discussions as you wish. If you are attending
class but not engaged, we ask that you respect the learning of other students by remaining quiet; noise
and conversation is audible throughout these smaller classes no matter where you sit.