COM 5526 - Marketing Communication Management

Fall 2008

Instructor: Steven McClung, Ph.D.

Class Schedule:
Monday 6:30 - 9:00 p.m.
4130 University Center "C".

Office Hours:
1 :30 - 4:00 p.m. Monday and by appointment.

Office:
UCC 3131

Contact:

Contact me by e-mail.
I check it frequently and there is a written record of your question. Your phone calls drop out and it's difficult to tell what you're saying on my message machine.

smcclung@fsu.edu
Office: 644.9125

Required Course Materials:

Canzer, B. (2006) E-Business: Strategic Thinking and Practice. Houton Mifflin. ISBN 0-618-51988-2. You can buy this book here.

Suggested reading:

Langer, M. (2000). Putting Your Small Business on the Web.

Emerick, D., Round, K. (2000). Exploring Web Marketing and Project Management.

Course Description:

This course examines the role of communication in the business environment, specifically, the marketing function, research, and implementation of communications in the business arena. This course will look at the importance and role of marketing research, theory, management structure and communication, public relations, advertising and consumer research, consumer data management and consumer behavior.

The class is structured to provide you with the tools to be a successful business communications professional, and to be able to understand the context in which you will perform and implement these skills. The course depends on student-centered learning and participation. The course culminates in the development of an integrated marketing communication plan for an e-commerce company.

This course is particularly "real world" as former students have taken their plans from this class and actually started businesses after graduation. Here's an example Atlanta Pet Au Pair

Course Objectives:

1. Understand the management of marketing communication in the contemporary business environment and the technologies that are used to reach targets.

2. To understand the principles and goals of e-marketing in the contemporary marketplace.

3. To master the usage of marketing (communication) databases like Simmons, PRIZM, and SRDS.

4. To assemble and develop a viable e-marketing business plan with emphasis on the management of marketing communication utilizing both measured and unmeasured media.

5. To conceptualize and execute market research for a click-and-mortar business including situation analysis and identification of target market(s).

Course Policies :

Missed or late assignments cannot be made up unless arrangements are made prior to the due date. All deadlines are firm and final.

Grades:

Your grade will come from four requirements in the class.

1. Presentations/Quizzes = 20%. These are presentations from resources you research and provide for class discussion. You will be asked to present a presentation from at least four different sources. The material will be presented as a Powerpoint of Flash presentation. This information will correspond to the subject of the corresponding week. For example, when we cover consumer data management, you will give a presentation on the new technologies marketers are using to communicate with their customers. These are basically case studies about related topics.

Your materials should be available for everyone in the class who may want to use them. We will create a pool of resources so that everyone will have enough different perspectives and ideas to create their final projects with. I will post them on the course Blackboard site. These presentations will take place in the first weeks of the course. If you miss a presentation, for any reason, you don't get the presentation points, no exceptions, no excuses.

2. Discussion = 5%. This is a case study or analysis that you will present in class. It will be based on the Copley readings or a contemporary Marketing Management Communication issue. You are encouraged to present a case or situation that is current, and/or related to e-tailing and its specific Marketing Management Communication problems.

3. Midterm Exam = 30%. The dates will be announced. The material will be based on the readings, class discussion and student presentations.

4. Final Project = 45%. For the final project, you will be asked to team up with another student(s) and work in teams. The final project is a marketing proposal for an e-commerce company. This proposal should contain, a product, whether a service or physical object, a marketing plan, marketing research, extensive audience/consumer research concerning why the product/service would be a viable e-business, media plan and management of the marketing communication (branding, positioning, advertising and PR).

NOTE: Choose your partner wisely. After you have made your choice, there will be no changes, no matter the circumstances.

Grading Scale

93-100% = A
92-90% = A-
89-87% = B+
86-83% = B
80-82% = B-
79-72% = C
71-65% = D
64-0% = F

Assignments and Responsibilities:

You will be responsible for four areas of the course, the presentations, discussion, mid-term examination and final project.

Presentations:

A twenty minute Power Point on at least three aspects of your topic. These presentations deal with subjects such as management structure, audience research, funding, marketing of the site, or other relevant issues.

Discussion:

A class like this works better if everyone is involved. Do your part.

Mid-Term Exam:

Based on all materials in the texts, class discussions and handouts.

Project:

The final project is the culmination of the course. This will be a proposal that includes a print business plan, with accompanying situation analysis, media plan, and a complete plan for all marketing communication including unified branding, positioning, advertising, and promotion. Everything should also be submitted in multimedia form either on a CD or as a PDF file.

Academic Honor Code:

I expect you to do your own work. That means you are responsible for every facet of the project, including the web site. You may not get outside help on any stage of the project or presentations. Use your own ideas based upon the materials and ideas presented in the class and from other resources. I have never, and never will, tolerate plagiarism. The University has policies concerning plagiarism which you can review. Just don't do it. If plagiarism is found, it will be dealt with severely and to the fullest extent that the university allows.

Students are expected to uphold the Academic Honor Code published in The Florida State University Bulletin and the Student Handbook. The Academic Honor System of The Florida State University is based on the premise that each student has the responsibility

(1) to uphold the highest standards of academic integrity in the student's own work,
(2) to refuse to tolerate violations of academic integrity in the university community, and
(3) to foster a high sense of integrity and social responsibility on the part of the university community.

Please see the following links for a complete explanation of the Academic Honor Code.

Honor Code

Student Handbook

The Department of Communication expects students to communicate effectively in all written and oral communication. Proper attention to grammar, spelling, punctuation, and proofreading in all work is expected. Assignments showing inadequate attention to syntax and mechanics will receive a lowered grade. Assignments turned in with more than four typographical errors will receive a lowered grade. I reserve the right to return inadequate work without a grade. You will be expected to return the work for a second review and the grade assigned will reflect your failed first attempt.

Americans With Disabilities Act:

Students with disabilities needing academic accommodation should:

(1) register with and provide documentation to the Student Disability Resource Center;
(2) bring a letter to the instructor indicating the need for accommodation and what type. This should be done during the first week of class.

For more information about services available to FSU students with disabilities, contact the

Student Disability Resource Center
Dean of Students Department
08 Kellum Hall
Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL 32306-4400
(850) 644-9566 (voice)
(850) 644-8504 (TDD)
SDRC@admin.fsu.edu

Student Disabilities Web Site.

(This syllabus and other class materials are available in alternative format upon request.)

Course Content and Outline:

The schedule is subject to change during the course of the semester.

Date	Topic	Assignment
Aug 25	Course Introduction, Reading assignment.	Chapters 1-3
Sept. 1	No Class, Labor Day
Sept. 8	Measured Media, Unmeasured Media	Presentations. Chapters 4-6
Sept. 15	Demographics, psychographics and segmentation.	Presentations. Chapters 7-9 Prizm Data
Sept. 22	Situation Analysis, Perceptual Mapping	Presentations. Chapters 10-11 Read manual for the Simmons Data (Choices II).
Sept. 29	Target Audiences and Markets Simmons Data base	Presentations.
Oct. 6	Exam 1	Presentations.
Oct. 13	Branding, Color, Positioning, Creative	Presentations.
Oct. 20	Media Planning, Quantcast	Presentations.
Oct. 27	Situation Analysis Draft Due.	Presentations.
Nov. 3		Presentations.
Nov. 10	Marketing Communication draft(s) due.	Presentations. RaisingMoney.com | bplans.com | Starting a business | Business Plans.org | Score |
Nov. 17	Media Plan Draft	Presentations.
Nov. 24	HTML Tutorial	Presentations.
Dec. 1
Dec. 8	Projects Due

 

Syllabus Change Policy

This syllabus is a guide for the course and is subject to change with advanced notice.

© 2008, Steven McClung, Ph.D.