Spring, 2015
COMM 3630 - Absolute Communication
T,H / 10:45 AM - 12:05 PM LNCO 2950
Instructor: William Payton
Email: billp72@gmail.com
Phone: 801.836.7304
Class Overview:
Welcome to Absolute Communication! The goal of this class is to offer the unique experience of learning
the operations of an advertising agency while performing work for an actual client. The first lecture each
week is focused on discussion and review of strategic communication concepts (and specific campaigns),
while the second class is devoted purely to a project that you and a group of students, your team, will
complete for a local client.
The project will be an excellent opportunity for you to apply the principles you have learned in school
thus far, and provide a powerful piece of work to add to your portfolio. You will also benefit from
working with your team as this is reflective of a “real-world” agency. These will help you prepare to
successfully interview for a job position.
This class will require that you:
 Create a resume
 Create or add to your portfolio by
 Creating an advertising campaign for a client and then presenting it to the client
Class time will be focused on the requirements. This focus will include coverage of specialty areas
outlined in the class schedule. The class will be enjoyable and rewarding if you engage in it.
Objectives:
1. To understand the roles strategic communication, advertising, public relations, campaigns
3. To learn how to develop a strategic campaign
4. To develop a strategic campaign for an organization
5. To learn and demonstrate oral presentation abilities
6. To demonstrate the ability to present ideas in a well-written and professional document
7. To demonstrate the ability to work as part of a group
8. Prepare for my career
Text:
There is no assigned textbook for this class. Readings will be assigned, and will be provided through
Canvas, but no book will have to be purchased. Enjoy your extra cash. Topics will be presented and
submitted for discussion and elaboration IN CLASS, so plan to attend each day. Readings must be
completed prior to class. There will likely be an occasional quiz prior to the discussion.
Attendance:
The easiest way to pass this course is to show up for class. Class discussions are designed to help you
learn the proper format and steps necessary to complete your individual client campaigns. Two absences
for the semester will be excused, and any additional absences will result in a 10 point deduction from
your individual final project grade per absence. After 5 total absences you will fail the class. Leaving
class early also counts as an absence. Contact me by email PRIOR to class if an emergency arises.
Exceptions will be made at my discretion.
Final Project
The culminating assignment in this class is your final project, which will involve creating a strategic ad
campaign for a local client. This client might be located and selected by your group, and you will present
the project to your client. This project will be a wonderful addition to your portfolio if you put forth the
effort to make it such.
The project will involve thorough research into the messaging efforts currently in use by your client and
an analysis of their effectiveness; identification of key publics (and opinion leaders, if applicable) with
self-interests, strategies, and tactics for each public outlined; creative work; an overview of which media
channels should be utilized for effective messaging and justification for each channel; an implementation
calendar allowing for the execution of your plan; and several other elements. A full outline of the project
will be provided in class to allow for advance planning but be prepared for both primary (focus groups,
surveys, etc.) and secondary (Google, local news, etc.) research to drive your plan.
In addition to the project (which will be in pdf format), a presentation should also be created that provides
an overview of your plan. This will be presented on the last three days of class. A grading rubric will be
given later in the semester which outlines the specific criteria that need to be met. Note that 75 points of
your grade this semester (see below) comes from your group members’ evaluations of your contribution
to the group, so make sure you are both present and engaged! The class as a whole will also evaluate your
presentation, and their scores account for 25 points of your grade this semester. More details on the
project are forthcoming. Be creative and have fun with this assignment!
Grades:
Project Score
Group Member Evaluations
Presentation Score
Class Presentation Evaluations
Misc. points, quizzes, assignments, etc.
TOTAL (may vary)
100 pts.
25 pts.
50 pts.
50 pts.
75 pts.
300 pts.
*Grading scale and syllabus are subject to change at instructor’s discretion.
Grades will be based on the following percentages:
100-90%
A
89.99-87%
B+
86.99-84%
B
83.99-80%
B79.99-77%
C+
76.99-74%
C
73.99-70%
C69.99-67%
D+
66.99-64%
D
64.99-60%
D59.99% on
F
Content Accommodation: The University recognizes that students’ sincerely-held core beliefs might
make it difficult for students to fulfill some requirements of some courses. It is the student’s obligation to
determine, before the last day to drop courses without penalty, when course requirements conflict with the
student’s sincerely-held core beliefs. We will not make content accommodations in this class.
Course Schedule:
The “live” schedule will reside on Canvas, for you to review each week. The schedule below will serve as
a general outline of the semester, although it is subject to change at any time.
Schedule *subject to change
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Jan 13 Introduction, expectations, welcome to class
Jan 15 Team development, arrive prepared to speak about your current strengths, strengths you
hope to develop while in the class, and special areas of expertise. You will have 3 minutes.
Jan 20 What is a PR agency? discussion of client needs, what we might offer, and components
Jan 22 Introduction of teams, Situation Analyses
Jan 27 Perspectives on human behavior, Branding, Case studies
Jan 29 SWOT analysis
TH
Feb 3 Establishing objectives and budgeting, some spend a lot and some spend far less and
establish brands, why? Chapter 7, “Advertising and Promotion: An Integrated Marketing
Communications Perspective” by George E. Belch and Michael A. Belch, Eighth Edition,
McGraw-Hill Irwin.Website: http://www.mhhe.com/belch8e Please read prior to class
Feb 5 Research, secondary and primary research methods and design
Feb 10 Using Research for Effective Communication Planning; Qualtrics
Feb 12 Group Meetings: 10:45-Group 1; 11:10-Group 2; 11:35 Group 3: Research goals and
design Due
Feb 17 Carry out primary research
Feb 19 Group Meetings: 10:45-Group 1; 11:10-Group 2; 11:35 Group 3: Primary Research Due
Feb 24 Relationship Building: Direct Marketing, personal selling, sales promotion, public
relations, sponsorship, corporate advertising
Feb 26 Group Meetings: 10:45-Group 1; 11:10-Group 2; 11:35 Group 3: Strategies and tactics
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Mar 3 Using digital, social, and other electronic media
Mar 5 Group Meetings: Your Strategies and Tactics Due
Mar 10 Calendaring and Budgeting & Implementation and
Mar 12 Communications Management
Mar 17 Spring Break
Mar 19 Spring Break
Mar 24 Creativity, strategy, the process, execution
Mar 26 Group Meetings: 10:45-Group 1; 11:10-Group 2; 11:35 Group; your creative approach
Mar 31 Building your résumé, your portfolio, interviewing skills, Guest Lecturer?
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Apr 2 Group Meetings10:45-Group 1; 11:10-Group 2; 11:35 Group 3 Outline the final stretch
Apr 7 Ethics and Professionalism; Executive Summaries and Business Presentations; Review
the requirements for the project and presentations.
Apr 9 Individual meetings: Resumes and portfolios
Apr 14 Discussion of final presentation
Apr 16 Group Meetings: 10:45-Group 1; 11:10-Group 2; 11:35 Group 3
Apr 21 Final wrap up; finding internships
Apr 23 prep for presentations
Apr 28 Project Presentations Individual Portfolios Due
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Your final project and presentation will count as the final exam.
Scholarship/Professionalism/Honesty:
Students are encouraged to arrive on time, prepared, and ready to participate in class discussions. Quizzes
will occasionally be given in class. These will be arranged to open at the beginning of class and close a
few minutes later. There will be no makeup opportunity.
Students who habitually arrive late (or fail to arrive at all) will lose points as outlined above. The same is
true for students who lack professionalism. Part of professionalism is honesty. Cheating in this class will
not be tolerated. If you are caught cheating or plagiarizing you will fail the final assignment, and your
fate is left in the hands of the Department Chair. Students generally cheat due to one of two reasons:
either they choose to be lazy, or they do not understand the material. I cannot help you with the former,
but I will make myself available at any time to help you with the latter. If you are struggling with certain
concepts in the class PLEASE contact me via email and we'll work through them together. If I don't know
the answers to your questions, I will do my best to help you find them.
Accommodations:
ADA: The University of Utah seeks to provide equal access to its programs, services, and activities
for people with disabilities. If you need such accommodation in this class, please provide reasonable
prior notice to the Center for Disability Services, 162 Olpin Union Building, 801-581-5020
(V/TDD), http://disability.utah.edu/.
I am happy you are here! Enjoy the class!