Communication 3690
Making Brands Stick
Spring 2014
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COM 3690:
Making Brands Stick
Class time: Monday & Wednesday, 11:50 AM – 1:10 PM
Class location: CRCC 115
Professor:
Jakob (Jake) Jensen, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Communication
Department of Health Promotion & Education
Email: jakob.jensen@utah.edu
Office: LNCO 2618
Office Hours (by appointment only): Monday & Wednesday: 9 – 11 AM
Teaching Assistant:
Elliott Sawyer, B.A.
Masters Student
Department of Communication
Email: elliott.sawyer@utah.edu
Office: LNCO 2930
Office Hours: By appointment and Tuesdays 12:00PM - 1:45PM
Course Description:
Thousands of years ago, skilled craftspeople began imprinting – or branding – their work with an
identifiable logo (e.g., name, symbol). This practice has evolved over the centuries to become a
central approach to strategic communication. In COMM 3690, students will learn about the
history, practice, and theory of brand communication. The course will focus primarily on
identifying aspects of branding that increase the efficacy of the strategy (i.e., make the brand
stick). COMM 3690 is an ideal course for students in the Strategic Communication sequence or
for those with interests in marketing, advertising, public relations, event planning, or graphic
design. COM 3690 is also well-suited for students interested in pursuing an MBA, MPP, MPH,
J.D., or PhD.
Learning Objectives:




Understand basic tenets of branding
Understand research and practice related to the construction of powerful narratives
Understand research and practice related to psychometrics/measurement
Understand how branding is implemented in various settings/contexts
Communication 3690
Making Brands Stick
Spring 2014
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Required Text:
Tybout, A. M., & Carlkins, T. (2005). Kellogg on Branding (1st Edition). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley &
Sons.
Requirements and Grading:
Assignment
% of final grade
Test #1
Test #2
Test #3
Test #4
10%
20%
35%
35%
Plus/Minus System:
COM 3690 uses a plus/minus system with one twist: there is no A+ or A- because the U does not
recognize an A+ (thus making the A- problematic). More details concerning the grading scheme
are included below.
Grade Calculation:
One's course grade will be determined by the (weighted) average of the grades on the tests. Each
test will receive a percentage (and a letter grade to help students interpret their score), with
numerical equivalents as follows:
Test Grade
90% and up
87% and up
83% and up
80% and up
77% and up
73% and up
70% and up
67% and up
63% and up
60% and up
59% and below
Letter Grade
A
B+
B
BC+
C
CD+
D
DF*
*Students that score lower than a 55% will be assigned a grade of 55% (so that one low grade
cannot jeopardize their chances of passing COM 3690). However, students who cheat, do not to
show up for the test, or otherwise exhibit poor behavior will receive a zero (00%). Also, students
who take the test at an alternative test time for a non-University approved reason will not be
eligible to receive the 55% float.
For example, a student who received an 83% (B) on the first test, a 68% (D+) on the second test,
and a 94% (A) on the third test, and an 81% on the fourth exam would have a course average of
83.5%.
Communication 3690
Making Brands Stick
Spring 2014
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(test 1 % × test 1 weight) + (test 2 % × test 2 weight) + (test 3 % × test 3 weight) + (test 4
% × test 4 weight)
(83% × .10) + (68% × .20) + (94% × .35) + (81% × .35) = 83.5%
(8.3) + (13.6) + (32.9) + (28.35) = 83.5%
To convert the course average into a course grade, the following scale will apply:
Course Average
90% and up
87% and up
83% and up
80% and up
77% and up
73% and up
70% and up
67% and up
63% and up
60% and up
59% and below
Course Grade
A
B+
B
BC+
C
CD+
D
DF
Thus, our hypothetical student would have a B (83.5% is above 83% and below 87%).
ADA Statement:
Any student who, because of disability, may require some special arrangements in order to meet
course requirements should contact the professor immediately so that the necessary
accommodations can be made.
Academic Dishonesty:
Students are expected to conduct themselves in an honest and professional manner. Any attempt
(successful or not) to behave dishonestly will result in an automatic zero for the course. For
information on proper conduct at the University of Utah, see:
http://www.regulations.utah.edu/academics/6-400.html
Lecture Attendance:
Students are expected to be in class; however, attendance is not formally recorded for lecture. If
a student misses a lecture, then she/he is responsible for making up the missed material. Lecture
material is not repeated and lecture notes are not available from the professor or teaching
assistants.
Extra Credit
Communication 3690
Making Brands Stick
Spring 2014
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Professor Jensen will announce extra credit opportunities in class. Do not email Professor Jensen
asking if you have “missed” extra credit opportunities because of an absence. It is the
responsibility of the absent student to learn, from their classmates, what has transpired in lecture.
Exam Attendance:
Students are required to be in attendance and on time for all exams. Any student that arrives after
the official start of class on a test day will be docked 1 letter grade for every 10 minutes of
lateness. In other words, a student who is 40 minutes late for the exam has failed.
Do not miss exams. Class exams are a priority and all other activities are secondary. Professor
Jensen rarely gives make-up exams and unapproved absences are recorded as an F (0.0%).
If a student wants to miss an exam for a University-sponsored activity (e.g., playing in a
volleyball tournament), then the student must contact Professor Jensen (at least) two weeks in
advance of the absence. If a student fails to contact Professor Jensen in this time period, then the
absence is not excused. Students requesting this type of absence should bring a note from a
coach as well as evidence that the absence cannot be avoided.
Professor Jensen reserves the right to refuse any excuse at any time regardless of documentation.
Students should approach Professor Jensen at the end of lecture to gain approval.
Going Over Exams:
Students can request a hand grade of any exam in COM 3690. Professor Jensen asks that this
only be done in situations where the student truly believes something may be amiss (i.e., the
grade is counter to expectation). After requesting the hand grade, the student will receive an
email reporting the results. While Professor Jensen does offer hand grading, he does not meet
with students to “go over” exams. Material is taught in class, all exam questions are evaluated for
fairness, and hand grading is offered to catch any possible errors in test entry.
Note:
Professor Jensen reserves the right to alter this syllabus at any time. He will announce any
changes in class. Students are expected to routinely check the online syllabus for changes.
Communication 3690
Making Brands Stick
Spring 2014
Spring 2014 Calendar
Date
General Topic
Jan. 6
Jan. 8
Jan. 13
Jan. 15
Jan. 20
Jan. 22
Jan. 27
Jan. 29
Feb. 3
Feb. 5
Feb. 10
Feb. 12
Feb. 17
Feb. 19
Feb. 24
Feb. 26
Mar. 3
Mar. 5
Mar. 10
Mar. 12
Mar. 17
Mar. 19
Specific Topics Covered
Unit 1: Branding Basics
Introduction to Branding; The
Introduction to Kellogg Book (pp. 1 – 10)
Challenge of Branding
Brand Positioning
Ch. 1 & 14
Designing Brands I; Overview of Ch. 2
Creative Suite (CS)
Designing Brands II; Production;
Storyboarding
NO CLASS
MLK DAY
Brand Meaning
Ch. 3 & 15
Exam 1
Unit 2: Narratives & Branding
Narratives; Narrative
Green & Brock (2000)
Transportation
Narratives; Narrative
Yale (2013)
Believability
Narratives; Narratives that
Dillard et al. (2010)
Address Forecasting Errors
Competitive Brand Strategies;
Ch. 4, 5, & 16
Brand Extensions
Building Brands through
Ch. 6, 7, & 17
Effective Advertising: Brand
Portfolio Strategy
NO CLASS
PRESIDENT’S DAY
Exam 2
Unit 3: Measurement & Branding
A History and Overview of
Jensen et al. (2014)
Psychometrics; Information
Overload
Efficiently and Effectively
Bigsby et al. (2013)
Evaluating PSAs
Character Recognition as an
Rimal et al. (2013)
Alternative Measure of Exposure
Perceived Effectiveness;
Ch. 13 & 20
Davidson’s Third Person Effect;
Measuring Brand Value
NO CLASS
SPRING BREAK (March 9 – 16)
NO CLASS
SPRING BREAK (March 9 – 16)
NO CLASS
PROFESSOR JENSEN GONE TO CONFERENCE
Physiological Measurement; Eye
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Communication 3690
Making Brands Stick
Spring 2014
Tracking
Mar. 24 Exam 3
Unit 4: Branding Across Contexts
Mar. 26 Worksite Campaigns
Morgan et al. (2010)
Mar. 31 Relationship Building and CRM Ch. 8
Apr. 2
Brand Strategy for Business
Ch. 9 & 10
Markets; Services Branding
Apr. 7
Branding in Technology
Ch. 11, 12, & 19
Markets; Building a BrandDriven Organization
Apr. 9
Long Campaigns and Open
Briefs
Apr. 14 Campaigns and Communication Gazmararian et al. (2013)
Technology
Apr. 16 Exam 4
Apr. 21 NO CLASS
Apr. 23 NO CLASS
*There is no Final Exam in COM 3690. Thus, April 16th is the last day of class.
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