Zara Idrees
DEPARTMENT OF MASS COMMUNICATION
Advertising and Public Relations
Course Outline
Zara Idrees
MCOM 103A: Advertising & Public Relations
Instructor
Zara Idrees
zaraidrees@fccollege,edu.pk
Office Hours: Tue-Thurs 9.30 - 10:30 am
Mon 11.00am - 12.00 pm
Room 20, Sinclair Hall
Course Information:
Credit Hour: 3
Course Name
MCOM 404: Community Journalism
Section A
Tues, Thurs
Room
E 229
8:00 – 9.15am
Pre Requisites:
MCOM 201
COURSE OVERVIEW
Advertising is an ever-changing, creative discipline, the power of which is remarkable in
its ability to inspire, influence and communicate. Its study is more important today than
ever before especially for the students of journalism and business. The goal of this course
is to present advertising as a business marketing tool, a creative process, a dynamic
hybrid discipline that draws upon various arts and sciences to influence our everyday
lives. The study of advertising and public relations gives students, regardless of their
major field of study many valuable tools to use in any subsequent profession. These
disciplines evoke enthusiasm and creativity and we want this energy to be visible in all
other ensuing projects that the students take up in future in their respective fields.
LEARNING GOALS:
At the end of this course students will be able to:

The study of advertising will teach students to think and plan strategically.

Learn to gather and analyze primary and secondary research data and compute
and evaluate alternative course of actions.
Zara Idrees

Teach them how to cooperate with teams in developing creative solutions to
problems.

Learn how to analyze competitive proposals and understand why people behave
the way they do.

Be able to express their ideas with clarity and simplicity as well as defend their
point of views from others.

Appreciate and assess the quality of different creative endeavors and use their
experience to speak with knowledge, confidence and conviction.
TEACHING AND LEARNING METHODOLOGY
a. Lectures:
The lectures delivered in the class will enable students to understand the fundamentals
concept of Advertising & PR. Students will be given details of relevant advertising and
PR projects for analysis so that they are able to understand the conceptual and practical
framework of these processes.
b. Case Studies:
Different advertising and PR campaigns will also be discussed in order to understand the
concept and practice of these two disciplines worldwide.
Portfolio:
During the whole semester students will be given different tasks with certain deadlines.
These tasks will include designing of a mini advertising campaign comprising of print,
electronic, digital and outdoor ads. A public relations campaign will also be included in
the portfolio.
This portfolio may be individual or group task according to the convenience of the class
and availability of the resources.
c. Presentation & Viva:
There will be final presentation of the portfolio along with presentation and viva in the
last week of the semester.
d. Assignments:
Students will complete their assignments during the whole course. These assignments are
to be submitted in the form of soft and hard copies.
Zara Idrees
GRADING AND CRITERIA
Mid Term
Quiz
Final Paper
Portfolio
Assignments
Presentation &Viva for Portfolio
: 20%
: 06%
: 30%
: 30%
: 06%
: 08%
100
Though assessment criteria for papers, assignments and term paper will be explained
before each work but general standards will be as follows:
Grading Legend:
Grades
A
AB+
B
BC+
C
CD+
D
F
Quality Pts
4.00
3.70
3.30
3.00
2.70
2.30
2.00
1.70
1.30
1.00
0.00
Numerical Value
93-100
90-92
87-89
83-86
80-82
77-79
73-76
70-72
67-69
60-66
59 or below
Meanings
Superior
Good
Satisfactory
Passing
Fail
Texts and Readings
Arens, W.F.& Schaefer, D.H., (2007). Essentials of Contemporary Advertising, Mc Graw
Hill Irwin, N.Y.
While, other reading materials will be delivered in the form of notes, in class handouts,
books and websites at the time of particular lecture.
Class Conduct

Students are expected to be in class on/before scheduled time.

Class participation will be reflected in student’s grades.

Questions by students are welcomed.
Zara Idrees

Respect and tolerance for each other is mandatory. Difference of opinion should
be respected.

Unnecessary conversations during lecture or video/audio will not be tolerated

Cell phones should be either switched off or on vibrate in class and put aside
during exams. No texting is allowed while class is in progress.

Absence from class should be informed beforehand.

Assignments have to be submitted on or before the day of submission.

Plagiarism is strictly prohibited and will result in the cancellation of the
assignment.
COURSE OUTLINE
WEEKS
Week 1
26th &
28thAug
TOPICS
ACTIVITY/ ASSIGNMENT
Introduction to Advertising,
Activity 1: Students will be
Advertising & the Marketing process,
encouraged to share their
Economics: The growing need for
perception on what they
advertising.
understand about advertising.
Week 2
The Economic, Social & Regulatory
Debate 1: Students will
2nd & 4th
aspects of Advertising.
identify the economic and
Sep
ethical impact of advertising on
society.
Week 3
11th & 13th
Sep
Week 4
14th & 16th
Sep
Communication and the Advertising
Activity 2: Bring their favorite
Process. Understanding Consumer
Ad to class for discussion.
Behavior.
Creative Strategy & the Creative
Activity 3: Students will be a
Process.
given a product on which they
Developing the Big Idea.
must come up with creative
ideas for an Ad campaign.
Week 5
25th & 27th
Sep
Delivering the Big Idea,
Assignment 1: Students will
Designing a Creative Layout.
render their Big Idea in the
form of a creative layout for
evaluation of the design
Zara Idrees
process.
Week 6
Copywriting for Print, Electronic &
Assignment 2: Students will be
30th Sep,
Digital Media.
asked to write a suitable slogan
& 2nd Oct
and copy relating to a Product
they have chosen for the Ad
they are to design.
Week 7
7th
Producing Ads for Print, Electronic &
Assignment 3: Students will
Digital Media.
design an Ad, keeping in view
& 9th
the principles they have
Oct
covered so far in their
coursework.
Week 8
Mid term
14th & 16th
Oct
Week 9
Print Advertising;
21st & 23rd Magazine & Newspaper.
Oct
Assignment 4: Students will
start working on a mini
Advertising campaign
encompassing a Print, Outdoor,
Electronic & Digital Ad.
Week 10
Electronic Advertising;
28th & 30th TV & Radio.
Oct
Task 1: Students will design a
magazine or press Ad.
Week 11
Digital Interactive Media:
Task 2: Students will design a
4th & 6th
Advertising through the Internet.
storyboard for a TV
Nov
Week 12
11th & 13th
Nov
Outdoor Advertising
commercial.
Introduction & Historical background of
PR
Task 3: Students will design a
The Role of Public Relations
product. An Outdoor Ad will
Difference between Advertising & Public
Relations.
also be designed.
layout for the website of a
Zara Idrees
Week 13
The Public Relations Job;
18th & 20th Activities & Tools.
Nov
Week 14
Activity 4: Students will be
shown a Public Relations
Crisis management
campaign.
Basic components of a PR plan
Activity 5: Students will be
25th & 27th RACE – ROPE
Nov
SWOT Analysis
asked to bring examples of
Public Relations campaign in
class for discussion.
Week 15
Formulating response strategies
Assignment 5: Students will be
2nd & 4th
Defining Effective Communication
required to make PR
Selecting Communication Tactics
campaigns on the topics
Dec
assigned to them in class.
Week 16
Presentation of the final portfolio;
9th & 11th All previous work, the Mini Ad campaign
Dec
& the PR campaign will be submitted.
Week 17 1) Final Exam
16th &
18th Dec