INDIAN INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT BANGALORE
PGP
Marketing Communications
(Course Outline)
Instructor: Professor Seema Gupta
D-001, Ground Floor, Tel No. 3469
seemag@iimb.ernet.in
Teaching Assistant: Ashwani Singh
FPM (2010)
Marketing Area
ashwanis10@iimb.ernet.in
M: 8884371262
Executive Assistant: Gyanoba Rao
D-Block, Ground Floor, Tel No. 3120
gyanoba@iimb.ernet.in
The course is designed for those who desire to make a career in marketing as well as those who
wish to only enhance their understanding of marketing communications. With the fragmentation
of mass media and the emergence of new media such as internet and social media, marketing
communications has never been more exciting and challenging. The course will familiarise
students with the process of marketing communications management. The course engages with
the key decision areas in marketing communications management- communication strategy,
creative strategy, media strategy, and communication effectiveness. The course draws on
theoretical underpinnings of consumer behaviour to understand how advertising and
communications work. While the course enables the students to understand the micro issues of
advertising, it also enables seeing the linkages between advertising, marketing and business
strategies. The course not only focuses on advertising and media but also engages with other
forms of marketing communications such as public relations, product placements and word of
mouth. The course will also enable an understanding of how new media (internet and social
media) works and the challenges and opportunities it brings forth for the marketers. At the end of
the course students will be able to develop an integrated marketing communications plan.
The course will comprise of classroom lectures, case discussions, guest lectures and project
presentations. Guest lectures are integral to the course as they bring the contemporary world of
practice in the classroom. They may require some flexibility in scheduling and hence cooperation
of the class would be appreciated.
Text Book for the Course
Belch, Belch and Purani (2007), ‘Advertising and Promotion- An Integrated Marketing
Communications Perspective’, Seventh edition, Tata McGraw Hill, New Delhi.
Course Evaluation
Quizzes (Announced, Best 3 out of 4) 45 %
Group Project
30 %
Class Participation & Attendance
15%
Group Case Presentation
10%
75% attendance is compulsory
Session Plan
Module 1
Marketing Communication Strategy
Session 1
Readings
Introduction
1. Belch et al Ch 1 & 5
2. Developing combinations of message appeals for campaign
management
3. How Advertising works: What do we really know?
4. Repetitive advertising and the consumer
Session 2-3
Theoretical Models in Advertising
Readings
1. A Better Advertising Planning Grid
2. Modeling the determinants and effects of creativity in advertising
3. Belch et al Ch 6, 9
Session 4
Case
Marketing Communication Strategy
The Park Hotels: Designing Communications
Seema Gupta and J. Ramachandran, 2010, IIMB Case
1. The Experiential Aspects of Consumption: Consumer Fantasies,
Feelings and Fun
2. Communicating Experiences: A Narrative Approach to Creating
Service Brand Image
Readings
Module 2
Session 5
Case
Readings
Session 6
Case
Creative Strategy
Creative Message Strategy
Coke and Pepsi: From Global to Indian Advertising
Seema Gupta, 2010, IIMB Case
1. Belch et al Ch 8
2. Competitive reactions to advertising and promotion attacks
Managing a Creative Agency Business
DDB Mudragroup: Transformative Growth
J. Ramachandran and Seema Gupta, 2012, IIMB Case
Reading
1. Belch et al Ch 3
Session 7
Case
Creative Strategy for New Product Launch
Volkswagen in India
Seema Gupta, 2012, IIMB Case
Session 8
Guest lecture on Creative Strategy
Module 3
Media Strategy
Session 9
Readings
Media Planning- Concepts
1. Belch et al Ch 7, 10
2. Why three exposures may be enough
3. The concept of effective reach
Session 10
Case
Corporate Communications
BOSCH: Building the Brand in India
Seema Gupta, 2010, IIMB Case
1. Analyzing the Corporate Brand
2. Belch et al Ch 19
Readings
Session 11
Case
Readings
Print Media
Dainik Bhaskar: Aspiring Growth – To be given later
Seema Gupta, 2012, IIMB Case
Belch et al Chapter 12
Session 12
Reading
Evaluating Advertising Effectiveness
Belch et al Ch 19
Module 4
Integrated Marketing Communications
Session 13
Readings
Public Relations
1. Belch et al Ch 17
2. Public relations comes of age
Session 14
Case
Sports Marketing
Red Bull and Auto Racing: Sponsor or Own a Formula One Team
Hoyt and Foster, 2007, Stanford Case
1. Sponsorship Objectives and Components
2. The Sponsorship Commitment: Resources and Duration
Readings
Session 15
Case
Product Placements
Comparative Advertising
Fighting the Advertising Battle
Readings
Session 16
Case
Readings
Seema Gupta, 2011, IIMB Case
1. Audience response to product placements
2. Comparative Advertising in India: Need to Strengthen Regulations
Word of Mouth Advertising
Hasbro Games- Pox (A)
Godes and Ofek, 2004, HBS Case
1. How word of mouth advertising works
2. Word of mouth referrals
Session 17
Readings
Digital Advertising
1. Belch et al Ch 15
2. Social media: The new hybrid element of promotion mix
Session 18
Guest lecture on Digital Advertising
Session 19-20
Project Presentations
Suggested Reference Sources
Books
Ogilvy, David (1963) Confessions of an Advertising Man, Atheneum: New York.
Ogilvy, David (1983) Ogilvy on Advertising, Random House Vintage Books: New York.
Journals
Journal of Advertising
Journal of Advertising Research
Magazines
Campaign (www.campaignindia.in)
USP Age
Brand Equity
Advertising Age (www.adage.com)
Adweek (www.adweek.com)
Softwares (In IIMB)
Television Audience Measurement (TAM) Media Express- Television viewership/ TRP data
Television Audience Measurement (TAM) Media Analyzer Package (MAP) - Ad spend data
National Readership Survey (NRS) 2006 Segmentation data
E-Resources
World Advertising Research Center (WARC) – accessible through venus/library e- resources
www.agencyfaqs.com
www.exchange4media.com
www.tvadindx.com
www.tamindia.com
Organizations
Indian Society of Advertisers (www.insocietyad.com)
Advertising Agencies Association of India (www.aaaindia.org)
Public Relations Society of India (www.prsi.co.in)
Advertising Standards Council of India (www.ascionline.org)
American Association of Advertising Agencies (www.aaaa.org)
Public Relations Society of America (www.prsa.org)
Research Company Evaluating the Media Agency Industry (RECMA) www.recma.com
Discussion Questions for IIMB Cases
Session 3: The Park Hotels: Designing Communications
How would you rate The Park’s communication strategy? Which channel of communication is
the most important for The Park and why? Critically evaluate The Park’s performance in each
communication channel. How does The Park communicate with the institutional segment? How
does The Park communicate with the leisure segment? Analyze the advertising and the media
strategy of different players? Analyze The Park’s PR strategy.Analyze the PR strategy of major
players. What is meant by Brand Ambassador? Is Priya Paul the right brand ambassador for The
Park? How does The Park communicate about its Food and Entertainment? What are the
implications of using social media? Is The Park doing a good job on social media?
Session 4: Coke and Pepsi: From Global to Indian Advertising
Analyze the advertising strategy of each carbonated soft drink brand. What are the dynamics of
relationship between companies and advertising agencies? Comment on the advertising spends
strategy of the two companies and their brands. How do the two majors manage their product
portfolio? What is the role of advertising in the CSD industry? Comment on localization versus
globalization of advertising.
Session 6: DDB Mudragroup: Transformative Growth
What is the role of an ad agency? What is the difference in the philosophies of Saatchi & Saatchi
and Martin Sorrell? What is the role of mega agency in advertising industry? Do you agree with
Kamath’s creation of a four agency structure? Identify the strengths and limitations of each. How
does it compare with the new structure? Comment on the visual identity of the four agencies.
Comment on the creative strategy of Mudra and how does it compare with traditional agencies.
What is the implication of being a global agency versus a local agency? What is the role of
Kamath?
Session 7: Volkswagen in India
How would you rate Volkswagen’s positioning strategy? Critically analyze the communication
strategy of each of the VW’s brands. What are the issues and challenges that a late entrant faces
in communicating the brand? What communication strategy would you recommend for VW
going ahead?
Session 10: BOSCH: Building the Brand in India
Was Bosch justified in changing the name from MICO to Bosch? Why name change campaign
lasting three years? What is the challenge in communicating the name change to employees?
How would you rate Bosch’s communication strategy in phase I? How would you rate Bosch’s
media strategy for corporate campaign? How would you rate Bosch’s communication strategy
for OEMs? Critically analyze communication strategy for Aftermarket. What is the difference
between product advertising and corporate advertising? Critically evaluate Bosch’s PR
campaign? Has Bosch been effective in its communication? How should Bosch communicate in
2011? Should it use MICO?
Session 11: Dainik Bhaskar Group: Aspiring Growth
After the success in Maharashtra, which states should Dainik Bhaskar enter? What are the
reasons for the success of Dainik Bhaskar in different markets? Despite a predictable launch
formula, what makes Dainik Bhaskar tick? For what communication needs would an advertiser
use print media? What are the unique characteristics of language newspapers? How would you
rate the financial performance of Dainik Bhaskar? Critically analyze the performance of Dainik
Bhaskar in each of the markets. Critically analyze the performance of Dainik Bhaskar across
urban and rural markets and across SEC.