MASTER IN
Creative
Advertising
AWARDED BY
NABA NUOVA ACCADEMIA
DI BELLE ARTI MILANO
Premise and Overview
“Turbulence: chaotic, bubbling, swirling, frenetic,
threatening to drown us all, is the breeding ground for
personal, team and organizational renewal.
The paradox of positive turbulence is one business
leaders today cannot afford to ignore: the energizing,
disparate, invigorating, unpredictable force that often
feels like chaos is the same creative energy that can
provide continuous success and organizational renewal.
Without such risk-­taking, without embracing uncertainty,
many of today’s leading businesses will be tomorrow’s
failure”.
— Stanley S. Gryskiewicz
The Master in Creative Advertising, is dedicated to
all graduated students who desire to deepen their
knowledge of the advertising creation process through
an exploration of its contemporary manifestations,
master in creative advertising
particularly its evolution from the classic “mass
advertising” era (one-to-many communication) to a
more compelling “personal” and interactive age (oneto-one communication), that has been fostered by the
development of the internet and new media.
The fulcrum of teaching, as well as the methodology
of the research, is experimentation with creative
storytelling, designed as a multi-media connection
able to evolve the apparent chaos of contemporary
communication into a project that is not just functional,
but also attractive, distinctive and seductive.
A project that should be once ductile and cross
disciplinary (literature, cinema, television, radio, music,
posters, animation, video games, internet, digital
world and social media) and supported by a solid
communication insight process, which will forge creative
expertise in contemporary and future advertising.
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Programme Summary
Information
qualification
Academic Master Degree
programme title
Master in Creative Advertising
programme type
Full Time
frequency of intake
Once or twice per year
start months
September
course leader
Moreover, the Academic environment ensures students a
wide range of first-class opportunities such as:
• to live in an international and communication-oriented
city like Milan (i.e. design and fashion studios, adv
agencies, television, research lab, companies, etc);
• to study in an international school where different
cultures meet (about 50 different countries) allowing
students to develop a open-thinking experience;
• to participate in NABA’s extended international
network and be in touch with most of the teachers
who are internationally renowned professionals in the
field.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of the course, the student will:
Alessandro Baici
• understand the importance of the creative thinking in
contemporary advertising approach;
language of instruction and assessment
• develop a strong “problem-solving” research and
insight methodology;
English
(The module in Creative Writing will be held both
in English for international student and in Italian
for Italian students)
Programme Aims
and Objectives
The Academic Master program graduates top-level
profiles specialized in the field of contemporary creative
advertising arts.
The Academic Master in Creative Advertising is a
program where students learn how to create advertising
campaigns that people notice, enjoy, share and
pass around. It covers all contemporary media, from
traditional arts through to digital and more interactive
environments. The aim is to prepare students for creative
problem solving and strategic thinking beyond the
technologies involved. With this purpose, the course
has been designed to enable students to analyze,
develop and present valid solutions to specific business/
communicative problems. The focus of the course will
be on creative thinking, on generation of ideas and on
the roles of creative team (copywriter and art director)
approaching the marketing communication industry.
A main purpose is to engender in students the practice
of managing and filtering information (a core value in
modern communication) with a mix of functional and
creative criteria, to finally turn it into a precise and
interesting presentation art that is relevant to those who
are meant to receive it.
• assume the principles used for a valid creative strategy
plan within the most advanced marketing environment;
• experience creative writing and creative design;
• evaluate and critically discuss the concept of an
advertising idea and its application;
• recognize the basic design and creative principles for
different media and different communication scenarios;
• gain experience from participating in real international
case studies and workshops;
• develop teamwork and creative presentation skills;
• manage and deploy creative and effective advertising
campaigns.
Career Opportunities
There are many careers options to consider in the
Creative Advertising field.
Graduates from the Master Course can find gainful
employment in different sectors like advertising
companies, communication agencies, design studios,
corporate, as:
• Creative Coordinator / Project Leader (Overall Creative
Supervisor);
• Strategic Planner (Storyteller, Strategic Brand and
Scenario Consultant);
• Media Planner (Media Expert and Buyer);
• Creative Account;
• Copywriter;
• Art Director.
The course also aims at developing sophisticated
and complete understanding of appropriate research
methodologies and insights as used in Creative
Advertising projects, providing a platform for inter and
cross-disciplinary working, team-working and cultural
interaction.
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Entry Requirements
Criteria for Admission to the Programme (including
relevant English language score required).
Eligibility conditions for entering the Master Course are:
• Bachelor Degree
• English Language Knowledge: IELTS 5.0
Applicants are required to submit the Application
Package, including:
• Application Form (full and satisfactory completion)
• Previous education and/or professional certificates
• Transcripts of previous study paths
• IELTS 5.0 level Certificate or Equivalent
• Detailed Resumé
• Statement of purpose
• Portfolio of projects or Application tasks
• At least two reference letters
The course is particularly addressed to candidates
holding a university degree/academic diploma in the
communication, advertising, graphic design, media
design, visual arts, marketing or in any other humanities
and disciplines related to the project fields.
Admission of students with different degree or diploma,
as well as professionals with a significant experience in
the program field, will be taken into consideration if the
applicant is motivated by a research interest towards the
program topics.
At the end of the program the student will receive a
Academic Master Diploma (60 ECTS credits).
All the admissions will be evaluated on a first basis
through a no-strings-attached interview with the course
leader. The interview can be either conducted personally
or via web or telephone.
3. An internship period, during which all students
will have the opportunity to experience life in a real
communication agency.
4. A guide and support in building the student’s personal
portfolio and the development of a group or individual
master project, conceived as a final thesis, in order to
obtain the final degree evaluation.
1. Detox, the introduction course.
The initial part of the Master aims to introduce
and welcome students to the world of advertising,
exploring all aspects of success and cultural impact
and, simultaneously, to drive them into a careful and
common-ground acquisition of languages​​, terminology
and methodologies leading to a correct strategic design
based on a highly creative spirit.
Historical analysis of the campaigns that have innovated
the world of advertising and influenced the language and
approach to international creativity is combined with
the acquisition of research tools for the identification
and decoding of all socio-cultural and strategic design
related: from sociological research applied to the analysis
of consumer behavior up to a correct interpretation
of marketing and creative brief. Aside the theoretical
learning, students will experience creative writing and
quick visualization techniques by reaching a personal
language in story-telling and drawing.
PROCESS WORKFLOW
History of Modern advertising
Italian advertising and graphic design historical
background
Classic and contemporary ADV agency environment
Consume sociology and Customer insight
Creative writing and creative quick visualization
ADV Planning and Strategy
programme structure
Study Plan
General Overview
According to the global vision of the Master, the learning
programme has been divided into four main steps:
1. An introduction course, called “Detox”, with
the purpose to initialize all students to a common
background, mostly built by the acquisition of historical,
social, psychological and cultural advertising literature
and terminologies.
2. An intensive workshop series, core of the Master,
needed to bring and expand all knowledge acquired
from theoretical lessons into practical and real
professional exercises, supported by learn-by-doing
methodologies.
master in creative advertising
2. The Workshop Series, a real
problem-solving factory.
Workshops deal with the crucial aspects of creative
advertising. Within four specific workshops, based on real
case histories and developed on different applicative media
areas, students will extend the understanding of creative
and practical side of advertising, by considering the various
and evolving problems which challenge the professional in
any communication environment and process.
Workshops will work as a mix of specific lessons and
laboratory experiences, in which students will be
encouraged to have brainstorming, develop ideas,
concepts, strategies and apply techniques, in response
to given, real-life advertising and more extended
communication exercises, seeking to resolve complex
and structured problems with the best creative solutions.
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Each workshop has been structured in a unique workflow
and process, to remark the need of a methodological
process at any creative moment. Each activity is
supported by a series of custom-made lectures and
lessons dedicated to specific subjects driven by the
workshop leader. During the laboratory activities,
students work is constantly monitored by all teachers
involved, as well as by specific visiting lecturers and
advisors.
Experienced professionals will follow the student
throughout the creative process, from the decoding of
the briefing, through the construction of the project
contents, up to the completion of the final result.
PROCESS WORKFLOW
Introduction to main topic and case presentation
by workshop leader
Briefing formulation
Workshop 1: Printed in memory.
Research, scenario and target definition
Printed and below-the-line advertising
Concept / Strategy planner / Copy
(magazine, newspaper, direct advertising, billboard
and more)
Creative Laboratory
In order to carry out a complete advertising project
ready to be optimized on printed media (classic
magazines, newspapers) and “below the line”
(monographs, brochures, literature design and direct
advertising), the first workshop explores the structural
elements of language, visual and graphic design used
for traditional advertising as anticipation of the evolving
process of social and commercial migration from
paper to screen. The module will also include a careful
analytical study of external billboard advertising, with a
main focus on the necessary skills - typography, image
care and layout prototyping - indispensable to create a
quick and effective message.
PROCESS WORKFLOW
Introduction to main topic and case presentation
Briefing formulation
Research, scenario and target definition
Concept / Strategy planner
Creative Laboratory
Competition / mentoring
Workshop 2: The great persuasion.
Competition / mentoring
Workshop 3: interactive, iterative,
informative.
One-to-one communication
(direct marketing, information management, online,
social and more)
After an historical and deep overview about the different
approach of one-to-one communication (classic direct
marketing) compared to mass-media communication,
the workshop will introduce students to the world of
personal media, online hyperspace and social sharing,
facing the problems of creativity applied to digital
interfaces. Much more than considering this argue just
by a technical point of view, the new creative advertiser
should be able to rise his vision to a communicative
level, absorbing the true essence and philosophy of
the new media revolution. Understanding the real value
of information management, the power of connected
communities and networks, the importance of cultivating
the user fidelity, together with the knowledge of
all socio-cultural aspects characterizing the niches
target and attitudes, students will acquire the ability
to challenge themselves in one of the most difficult,
chaotic, complex and constantly evolving entourage.
Broadcast communication
PROCESS WORKFLOW
(radio-cinema-tv-video-multimedia and more)
Introduction to main topic and case presentation
Definition and exemplification of consumer insight,
brand positioning, goals analysis, narrative and
visualizing techniques are at the essential core of this
workshop module, mostly focused in achieving the
more appropriate and creative design process for radio
advertising, television and cinema commercials, video
production and all cross-media messages that are
strongly influenced by the use of animation and motion
graphics.
Briefing formulation
Research, scenario and target definition
Concept / Strategy planner
Creative Laboratory
Competition / mentoring
In this area, students training will care the enhancement
of all the techniques and multimedia devices and tools
currently available, to accelerate a more creative and
original approach to this kind of advertising.
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Workshop 4: Mixin’ the mix.
Enriched communication systems
(media coordination and declination, message finetuning, guerrilla marketing, special events, promotions,
brand awareness)
The last workshop module sees all the skills acquired
by the students come together in a main project of
integrated communication, expanding all the previous
experience at more wider level and touching all kinds of
ultra-specialized and unconventional advertising, where
teamwork is mandatory. After acquiring solid results
from research, analysis and brief decoding, students will
try to extend and modulate their creative projects across
different media (from paper to web) in order to achieve
a new agility in the creativity process and development.
A classic presentation of the entire project will turn the
final laboratory activity a true moment of individual
and group awareness and grow, during which class
discussion and post-analysis observations will play one
of the most important learning role.
4. Portfolio building and final
master project.
The portfolio preparation (one week), planned on
individual specific objectives and skills, is an essential
step to strengthen the self-esteem and awareness of
each participant. Through an accurate selection of the
best results emerging from the workshop activities and
with the suggestions of all working teams, students will
be supported to package their best valuable projects
with the most idle presentation tools. Teachers, course
leaders and visiting experts will also participate at the
gradual definition of individual portfolio.
The final master project is an individual or group thesis
which has the purpose to collect and demonstrate the
skills each student has acquired during the Master.
Therefore, it can be used as a valid final evaluation tool
by an internal commission formed by courses leader,
teachers and all experts participating the learning
process. More specific information and requirement
about final master project will be determined and
revealed during the course.
PROCESS WORKFLOW
Introduction to main topic and case presentation
Research, scenario and target definition
Learning Teaching and
Assessment Strategies
Concept / Strategy planner / Content architecture
Our Learning and Teaching Strategy
Briefing formulation
Creative Laboratory
Competition / mentoring
3. Internship, much beyond the
academic level.
The internship is the final step of workshop series,
because a real experience working period is considered
a key moment inside the whole Master learning process.
Internship should be adapted to each student according
to deep a balanced evaluation of individual skills and
expectations; in this way we can assure to address the
perfect career kickoff to each student.
The first kind of internship consists in a work stage in
a real advertising / communication agency or within a
major company communication / marketing branch.
There is also an in-campus internship which takes place
over the course, shaped as an intensive workshop time
in collaboration with a company firm and consisting
in the development of an integrated and specific
communication project (i.e. the resolution of a design
problem, or the brainstorming platform for a new
product or service).
master in creative advertising
In the following paragraphs you’ll find information on
the What and the When of our learning, teaching and
assessment framework.
The programme of Master Course in Creative Advertising
is workshop-based, supported by seminars, tutorials,
lectures, work in progress sessions, critiques and a series
of tutored projects. Through a pro-active relationship
with the Course Staff and Project Leaders, students
will lead their project work and be supported through
consultative and advisory tutorial guidance.
But first a short glimpse on the Who.
We call ‘Course Leader’ the teacher who coordinates
the study program, generates ideas and networking
about it within and without the faculty, choosing
visiting professors, coordinating the assessment and the
workshop themes.
On the other hand we call Project Leader professionals and
teachers chosen among the experts of the field, whose job
is proposing a brief, providing mentorships to students and
taking part in the assessment of the projects.
We call Visiting Professors leading personalities, Italian
and international, working in the field, designers and
thinkers chosen by the academic staff among the most
inspiring personalities working in the discipline and
across the disciplines. Meeting and discussing with
top people will not only offer to the student a chance
of a transformative encounter but also of a careerperspective enrichment.
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Lectures are usually used for the presentation and
discussion of theoretical issues. They will often be
supported by group discussions, which provide an
opportunity for interaction between Faculty Staff and
groups of students, and allow students to extend and
examine the issues raised.
During all presentations, a discussion on the outcome
of the project is held by the Course Leader, the Project
Leader, a project assistant, a company representative
(when involved), together with the students to stress
the understanding of weaknesses and strengths of each
project and to support students in their personal growth.
Some Components require students to work in small
groups or in couple (acting as copywriter and art
director). This is carefully managed to ensure that all
students are aware of effective team processes.
Comments are also part of the final assessment given
to students after the presentation. The Course Leader
and the Project Leader are available to further discuss
assessments with students when required.
Formal teaching is supplemented by a range of visiting
lecturers and visiting professionals; students will have
the chance to attend presentations by designers, artists,
critics, industry professionals and academics from other
institutions.
Students work in multi-cultural and international
teams to enhance their capacity for teamwork as well
as to expose them to a comparison with different
backgrounds and cultures.
Our Teaching Methods
The teaching and learning methods employed on the
Course are designed to help students achieve their
individual aims and objectives as well as those of the
Course. The Course operates prioritizing an original
“learning by designing” approach. The primary vehicle
for learning is therefore the project work.
Emphasis is placed on:
• learning and applying a “problem setting” approach,
ensuring that students hone their critical skills and
apply them throughout their work process;
• fostering a personal creative style and developing
original expression;
• developing research skills, which will enable students
to source relevant materials, assimilating and
articulating relevant findings;
• conceiving concepts and visions accounting for
strategic choice implications. These would encompass
aspects of marketing, as well as issues pertaining
to the requirements of a company brief (when
applicable);
• Student work is constantly supported by the Course
Staff, Project Leaders, Project Assistants as well as
visiting lecturers, advisers and designers.
Lectures
Lectures encompass key lectures, case histories and
discussions on a selected range of topics for each
module. The course leader also invites designers,
researchers, critics, thinkers, and companies to present
their work and ideas as a link between the specific
discipline perspective and the broader cultural/economic
context.
Workshops
Workshops are designed to give students a working
knowledge of different core subjects. All set projects
start with a presentation of a brief, which outlines
the subject, scope and purpose of the workshop. The
workshop culminates in an open presentation to the
whole Course Staff and invited critics.
master in creative advertising
Students are exposed to different points of view and
personalities in the design field, working with designers
and companies. One of the purposes of this exposure is
to give students the broadest view of the design field
possible in order to support them in the selection of the
area in which to concentrate their future careers.
Practical/Labs
Practicals and Labs introduce different tools &
techniques aimed at developing skills, addressing
specific stages of the design process. In Practical/Labs
sessions, students work both in groups and individually
in order to complete assignments.
The lab provides specific dedicated classes to students
every year in order to enhance their practical and
technical abilities.
Internship
The internship is the final step of a process in which
the student is followed singularly, and as a result of a
deep and balanced evaluation of the student’s skills
and aspirations, in order to build a career which fits the
student’s aims.
Final Master Project
The Final Master Project is an individual advertising
project in which students investigate a set theme or their
own production (in this case, the final output will be
represented by a professional portfolio). The Final Master
Project culminates in an open presentation delivered
during the Master Exams to the whole Course Staff,
External Examiners and invited critics.
The Final Project represents a self-reflective analysis that
arises in a creative and strategic project.
When collaboration with Companies is set for the Final
Master Project, the focus remains on the educational
side giving priority to the effective student’s learning by
carrying out a project in a “close-to-reality” environment.
Companies’ representatives provide feedbacks to
students, moderated by Faculty, but they are not
involved in Final Master Project assessment.
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Assessment System
The main goal of the assessment is monitoring the
design and conceptual skills’ development described
in the general outline of the learning program – and we
pursue it by evaluating individually each student with a
1 to 100 mark given at the end of every workshop, and
through a qualifying examination given at the end of
each theory lessons’ cycle. The admission mark to the
final exam is calculated by arithmetic average which
takes in consideration all the 1 to 100 marks taken
after each workshop. Students will also receive a 1-100
evaluation for the final project. The Creative Advertising
overall evaluation will be given on the basis of an average
between the mark obtained for the final project and the
average mark obtained during the workshop.
Eventually every student is evaluated with a 1 to 100
mark, to which the Master Commission will add an
oral overall evaluation on his or her learning process.
Students whose final mark is over 70 / 100 will receive
‘distinction’.
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