CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES IN ADVERTISING
COMM 380-1 FALL 2010 (107) T/R 12:15-1:30 P.M.
MAYBANK 211
“You can tell the ideals of a nation by its advertisements”
Norman Douglas, “South Wind” (1917)
Instructor: Patrick Harwood, Department of Communication
Office: R.S. Small Library, Room 126; I also have a box at the Communication Department, 5
College St., Room 203 (next to Physicians Auditorium)
Phone: 953-2212 (office); 224-3112 (cell/text) Fax: 953-7037 (Comm. Dept.)
E-mail: harwoodp@cofc.edu
Office Hours: MWF 11-11:50 a.m. and TR 1:45-2:45 p.m.
Homepage: www.cofc.edu/~harwoodp (site will be used for course material)
Course Description and Objectives: Advertising is more influential than many of us may even
realize as far as who we are, think we are, or want to be. To quote our course textbook, “The
objects that we use and consume cease to be mere objects of use; they become carriers of
information about what kind of people we are; or would like to be.” This semester we will
examine those elements of advertising we often take for granted, including the complicated
relationship between advertising and our senses of individual, group, and national identity and
purpose. A goal of this course is to make you a more critical consumer of advertising.
In this class, we will:
¾ Consider the history of advertising in relationship to its role in capitalist societies
¾ Examine different ways to assess the quality and success (or not) of advertisements
¾ Learn about the how advertising plays to our psychological and sociological desires and
aspirations
¾ Learn about semiotics or how signs and symbols are commonly used in advertising
¾ Have much student input in discussions about past and current advertising
Course Textbook: “Ads, Fads, & Consumer Culture” by Arthur Asa Berger (3rd edition,
Rowman and Littlefield Publishing)
Other Readings: Many other readings will be posted/linked on our class website which is my
C of C website at http://www.harwoodp.people.cofc.edu/
Homework and Quizzes: There will be regular assignments in which you’ll be asked to write
short papers based on readings and topics we discuss. There may also be quizzes based on
chapters from our textbook. Check plusses will be given to assignments completed successfully,
checks to ones that are just OK and check minuses to poor or late work. I give 2.5 points per
check plus; 2 points for checks; and 1.5 for check minuses. The total of these marks at the end of
the term will determine your Homework/Quiz score. Example: 20 pieces @ 2.5 each = 50
points. Note: No work in this class can be emailed to me. I do not accept work this way.
Tests and In-Depth Papers: There will be a midterm exam and a final exam (not cumulative).
Tests will be in the form of true/false and multiple choice questions; terms and definitions; short
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answers and essays. There will be three “letter grade” Critical Analysis papers (3-5 pages) you
will write. These will be spaced equally throughout the semester and will cover the key issues
we go over at each juncture. Detailed guidelines will be provided for each paper.
Advertising/Promotion “Fan or Foe" Discussions: Each class three students will come to
class ready to discuss three current, recent or past print or broadcast ads, ad campaigns or
promotions. Talk about what you like and/or dislike about each. Bring in the ads if they are
print. For broadcast and other ads, you can use the overhead computer system to share with the
class. So be prepared to quickly find them on the Internet, You Tube, etc. You can also put
material on a flashdrive and show it to the class that way.
Attendance Policy: Roll will be taken every class via a sign-in sheet. Five or more unexcused
absences results in an automatic final grade deduction of half a letter grade.
Test Grading Scale: A 94-100; A- 90-93; B+ 87-89; B 84-86; B- 80-83; C+ 77-79; C 74-77;
C- 70-73; D+ 67-69; D 64-66; D- 60-63; F 59 and below
Final Grade Determination:
Midterm Exam
Final Exam
Critical Analysis Papers (3)
Homework, Quizzes, “Fan or Foe” Presentations
25 percent
25 percent
30 percent
20 percent
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Weekly Schedule
Please note: This schedule may be changed, added to, and modified class-to-class and week-toweek so you are not encouraged to print this part of the syllabus
Also note: Monday, Aug. 31 is the drop/add deadline date. It is the last day to get a 100 percent
refund. Tuesday, Oct. 6 is the last day to withdraw with a “W” mark.
Week 1—August 24 and 26
• Look at class website and syllabus
• Student information sheets
• Advertising Defined
• Advertising History
• How Advertising Has Changed
• Contemporary Issues in Advertising
• Homework for Tuesday, Aug. 31
o Read Chapter 1, “Advertising in American Society”
o Be ready for Ch. 1 quiz on Tuesday!
Week 2—August 31 and Sept. 2
• Sign up for “Friend or Foe” Presentations which will start next week
• Types of Ads and Ways to Advertise
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Homework for Thursday: Read “Mad, Mad World of Advertising” from Delta’s
Sky Magazine—find it online through link on our class website
Do homework assignment related to the above article. Homework is posted on the
class website. Print it and write in answers using available space or type responses
Thursday in class—view episode of “Mad Men”
Week 3—September 7 and 9
• Tuesday “Friend or Foe” Presentations: Katie Keidel and Brett Silios
• Thursday “Friend or Foe” Presentations: Caroline Henning, Meredith O’Connor,
Tim Buske
• Tuesday: Preview Chapter 2, “Consumer Cultures”
• View website and videos about the influential Martin Agency in Richmond, Va.
• Homework for Thursday, Sept. 9: Read Chapter 2 and complete the questions in
the handout (also posted on the website). Use space available on handout or type
responses on separate paper.
• Thursday: Exposure to Advertising
• Homework for Tuesday, Sept. 14: Document a Single Day’s Exposure to
Advertising. From the time you get up until you go to sleep (and in your dreams!)
document every bit of exposure to advertising—the TV commercials you see, the
billboards you see, radio spots you hear, online ads, sales items in the mail,
everything. Type a list with the times and places you were exposed to advertising
Week 4—September 14 and 16
• Tuesday Presentations: Melissa Karim, Heather Kent
• Thursday Presentations: Charles Williams, Liz Mitchell, Palmer Conrad
• Tuesday: Talk about Advertising Exposure exercise
• What’s positive about advertising?
• Thursday: The Role and Importance of Branding (Chapter 4)
• Homework for Tuesday, Sept. 21:
o Read Chapter 4, “Running It Up a Flagpole…”
o Complete homework handout—need to type response on separate paper
• Building Brand Loyalty
• Students List all Brands They Use, Wear, Eat and Consume on a Given Day
• What are Your Favorite Brands and Why?
Week 5—September 21 and 23
• Tuesday Presentations: Mills Goettee, Kinsey Green, Sigourney Schipper
• Thursday Presentations: Rosie Frederick, Elizabeth Vincenti, Katherine Willis
• Discuss Critical Analysis Paper No. 1 (due Tuesday, Sept. 28)
• Homework for Thursday, Sept. 23:
o Examine Three Recent Purchases, at Least One of Which was a
Major/Expensive Purchase
o What Lead You to These Purchases? What Went in to Your Process? Did
Advertising Influence Your Choices? What other brands did you consider?
o This paper should be typed
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Thursday: Cover Chapter 5, “Sexuality and Advertising”(PowerPoint)
BP Image Restoration Efforts (PowerPoint)
Homework for Tuesday, Sept. 28: First Critical Analysis Paper is due on Tuesday.
See posted guidelines for topics and format
Week 6—September 28 and 30
• Tuesday Presentations: Sarah Marie Glass, Gunnar Wilmot, Peyton Epps
• Thursday Presentations: Samantha Flax, Justin Scott
• Critical Analysis Paper No. 1 Due Tuesday, Sept. 28
• Tuesday PowerPoint: Chapter 7, “The Marketing Society”
• Homework for Thursday, Sept. 30: Go the Nielsen-Claritas website My Best
Segments (Detailed Customer Segmentation Profiling) at www.mybestsegments.com
• On the right side of the site, in the “Welcome USA Today Readers” banner, enter
the zip code of where you live in the Chareston area and then your zip code back
home (most likely your parents house). For each location:
o List each full address (your Charleston address and parents’ address/city)
o List the PRIZM Segments for each address (they should match the names
listed in book on pages 125-6
o Review the descriptions for each segment
o Then do a zip code look-up using one of the other programs- P$CYCLE or
ConneXions- and review these characterizations
o Once you’ve absorbed all of the information, write a short paper assessing
whether you think the categories and generalizations listed for your
addresses are accurate—why or why not?
o Do you think there is useful information through this service that marketers
could find useful in targeting you and your neighbors for products and
services?
o What products and services can you think of that you and your neighbors
would or may be receptive to as far as advertising and marketing efforts?
• Thursday: Preview Midterm Exam (Exam is Thursday, Oct. 7)
• Top Brands in Different Product Categories
Week 7—October 5 and 7
• Tuesday Presentations: Holly Stafford, Christine Lindner, Anna Kerner
• Tuesday: View video: Behind-the-Scenes at a Florida ad/marketing agency
• Thursday, Oct. 7- Midterm Exam
Week 8—October 12 and 14 (No Class Tuesday- Fall Break)
• Thursday Presentations: Tyler Marshall, Derek Banov, Seth Larsen
• Thursday: Chapter 6,“Political Advertising” PowerPoint
• Homework for Tuesday, Oct. 19: Read Chapter 6 and complete homework sheet
(handout and posted)—Handwrite or type responses.
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Week 9—October 19 and 21
• Tuesday Presentations: none
• Tuesday’s Class:
o Collect Chapter 6 homework
o Belk Logo Redesign
o Five Retail Leaders…and Laggards
o Viral Videos/Guerilla Marketing
o “The Apprentice” show on creating viral videos
• Thursday Presentations: Jessica Stinson and Hannah Ashe
• Analyzing Print Advertisements (Chapter 8)
• Ads as Popular Art, as Commercial Art
• 15 Things to Analyze in Print Ads
• Homework for Tuesday, Oct. 26:
o Read Chapter 8, “Analyzing Print Advertisements
o Analyze the Bono and wife Louis Vuitton print ad using the 15 steps listed on
pages 138-140. Copy of the ad is distributed in class Thursday
Week 10—October 26 and 28
• Tuesday: Guest Speakers—Melanie Crowley, Clear Channel Radio and Todd
Turner, Adams Outdoor Advertising
• Homework for Thursday, Oct. 28: Complete additional Chapter 8 homework
(handout given in class Tuesday)
• Thursday “Friend or Foe” Presentations:
• Critical Analysis Paper No. 2 Details—Due Tuesday, Nov. 9
• Videos: Print Ad Design Elements and Keys to being a Successful Ad Salesperson
Week 11—November 2 and 4
• Tuesday Presentations: Rosie Frederick, Maureen Ealy, Mike Andrews
• Thursday Presentations: Kyle Kramer
• Analyzing Television Commercials (Chapter 9)
• 15 Ways to Analyze and Assess TV Commercials
• Apple’s 1984 MacIntosh Computer Super Bowl Commercial
• The “Super Bowl” of Advertising—the best in print and broadcast
• Homework for Thursday, Nov. 4:
o Read Chapter 9, “Analyzing TV Commercials”
o Using this Brett Favre Wrangler jeans commercials as a case study, write
about each of the 15 “things to consider in a complex TV commercial” in
terms of this spot (see pages 154-5):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TOfcD37GRQE
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Reminder: Critical Analysis Paper No. 2 is due on Tuesday, Nov. 9
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Week 12—November 9 and 11
• Critical Analysis Paper No. 2 Due Tuesday, Nov. 9
• Tuesday Presentations:
• Tuesday: You Tube Analytics and Insights; AdSense; digital video editing “crash
course”
• Thursday Presentations: Ethan Chabot and John Grew
• Thursday: Preview Tuesday’s CofC speakers
• Watch “Mad Men” finale
Week 13—November 16 and 18
• Tuesday: Guest Speakers: Michael Haskins and Meredith English from the
College’s Division of Marketing and Communications
• Thursday Presentations: Meredith Rourke
• More on Website Analytics; view rest of “Mad Men” finale
Week 14—November 23 and 25 (No class Thursday—Happy Thanksgiving!)
• Tuesday: Guest Speaker: Jason Kirby, Publisher of Charleston Outdoors
magazine
Week 15—November 30 and Dec. 2 (last week of classes—all classes end Monday, Dec. 6;
exams begin Wed., Dec. 8 and end on Wed., Dec. 15)
• Discuss Critical Analysis Paper No. 2 topics and Final Exam Study Guide
Final Exam Date—Tuesday, Dec. 14, 12-3 p.m.
• Final Critical Analysis Paper Due on Exam Date (can be turned in earlier)
December 22- Final grades available on Cougar Trail
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