Course Title: Design and develop an integrated marketing communication plan

Part B: Course Detail

Teaching Period: Term1 2016

Course Code: MKTG7926C

Course Title: Design and develop an integrated marketing communication plan

School: 650T Vocational Business Education

Campus: City Campus

Program: C6146 - Advanced Diploma of Advertising

Course Contact : Sally Parrott

Course Contact Phone: +61 3 9925 5175

Course Contact Email:sally.parrott@rmit.edu.au


Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff

Contact: Liz Eades (email: liz.eades@rmit.edu.au)
Consultation outside scheduled class time by appointment only.  Please email using your student email account requesting an appointment, providing your mobile number.

Nominal Hours: 60

Regardless of the mode of delivery, represent a guide to the relative teaching time and student effort required to successfully achieve a particular competency/module. This may include not only scheduled classes or workplace visits but also the amount of effort required to undertake, evaluate and complete all assessment requirements, including any non-classroom activities.

Pre-requisites and Co-requisites

None

Course Description

This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to identify and evaluate the range of marketing communication options and media, to design an integrated marketing communication plan, and to develop a marketing communication brief and creative brief reflecting client needs and preferences.

It applies to individuals working in a supervisory or management marketing or advertising role, within a marketing or advertising team or media organisation.


National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria

National Element Code & Title:

BSBMKG523 Design and develop an integrated marketing communication plan

Element:

1. Determine marketing communication requirements

Performance Criteria:

1.1 Confirm marketing communication purpose and objectives with client
1.2 Obtain comprehensive client and product information
1.3 Review outcomes of previous marketing communication with client
1.4 Confirm budget allocation with client

Element:

2. Develop marketing communication brief

Performance Criteria:

2.1 Develop brief, ensuring it contains a client profile, purpose statement and objectives reflecting client needs
2.2 State marketing communication objectives in measurable terms and provide specific guidelines on what is to be accomplished by marketing communication
2.3 Define key characteristics, competitive factors and market situation facing product or service
2.4 Include a summary of information on target audience, and legal and ethical constraints

Element:

3. Design integrated marketing communication strategy

Performance Criteria:

3.1 Select marketing communication options appropriate for marketing communication brief
3.2 Critically analyse advantages and disadvantages of each marketing communications variable and media vehicles for product or service
3.3 Determine media characteristics matching brief requirements
3.4 Analyse media consumption habits for primary and supplementary marketing media among target audiences
3.5 Evaluate media styles against the brand character of product or service being marketed
3.6 Compare advantages and disadvantages of selecting multiple media in a media plan
3.7 Develop and apply criteria for selecting multiple media combinations

Element:

4. Select and recommend media for marketing strategy

Performance Criteria:

4.1 Select media vehicles that match requirements of marketing brief for product or service
4.2 Recommend primary and secondary marketing media that meet target audience preferences
4.3 Ensure recommended media meet the brief, client’s requirements, and legal and ethical constraints

Element:

5. Develop creative brief

Performance Criteria:

5.1 Identify creative content for chosen media using consumer language in the brief
5.2 Identify pitch or appeal for product or service in the brief that meets client requirements
5.3 Identify supporting information required for consumer understanding of product or service in the brief
5.4 Ensure budget for creative work, consistent with overall marketing budget, is contained in the brief
5.5 Incorporate deadline for creative work consistent with overall media schedule in the brief


Learning Outcomes


This course is structured to provide students with the optimum learning experience in order to demonstrate the skills and knowledge required to identify and evaluate the range of marketing communication options and media, to design an integrated marketing communication plan, and to develop a marketing communication brief and creative brief reflecting client needs and preferences.


Details of Learning Activities

Students will participate in a combination of group and individual learning activities. These activities will be provided through a combination of face to face teacher/student delivery, tutorials, exercises and self-paced learning sessions (which will be provided for completion outside of the schedule class time) each week.
The concepts learned will be explored through the investigation of real world (agency presentations) and simulated environments.


Teaching Schedule

Schedule for MKTG7926C Design & Develop an Integrated Marketing Communication Plan

Further details can be found on Blackboard for dates of each session
Please note that due to industry involvement, dates may move - please check Blackboard for any adjustments.

Session
Topic Assessment
1 Course Induction
• Course delivery details
• Assessment details and Assessment Task & Feedback Guide (including: Grading, Plagiarism, Appeals, Extensions, Feedback, Submission requirements, Resubmission policy, Course support documents, Online learning environment, Where to get support - Student study support)

Embracing the new media landscape & consumer mindset
• Consumer attitude
• Advertising from a marketing communications perspective
• Legislations impacting the media industry
• Developing a marketing communication brief from the client brief

Assessment 1: Group project briefing

 

Assessment 1 : Group Project Part A
due Friday 5pm
(Marketing communication brief)

2

Understanding the company & its consumer/customer
• Developing a research plan
• The situation analysis
• The company analysis
• The consumer analysis
• Product usage
• Understanding the customer journey and pathway to purchase


 

3

Mapping out the situation
• Market analysis
• Product and brand analysis
• Competitive analysis

Converting findings into communication goals
• Pursuing brand equity
• Defining problems and identifying opportunities
• Setting and testing objectives (marketing, communication and media)

 
4 Building a marketing strategy
• Marketing vs advertising communication strategy
• 5 major strategy elements
• Managing and protecting brand equity
• Positioning the message and a product or service
 
5

Devising the campaign concept
Setting the creative space
• Brainstorming and big idea generation

Defining the consumer touch points / establishing the tactical mix
• Message vs Media approach
• Developing the integrated marketing mix

Assessment 1: Group Project Part B
due Friday 5pm
(Integrated marketing communication plan)
6 Plan the media strategy and tactics
• Media decisions and the campaign process
• Basic Media decisions (objectives, strategy, tactics)
• Implementing the media plan
Presentation of Assessment 1: Group Project Part B
7 Creative Brief Writing
• Developing and finessing the creative brief

Presentation of Assessment 1: Group Project Part B

 

8 Evaluate the effectiveness of the campaign
• Evaluation as a strategic concern
• Measuring effectiveness argument for and against
• Methodology and practices of measurement
• Measuring and evaluating digital, social and unique marketing communication tactics

Assessment 3 - Individual: Online quiz #1
due no later than 5pm Friday

Assessment 2: Group Project briefing

9

Developing the Plans Book
• Approaching and writing the plans book
• Bringing it all together

Group Assessment team work - IMC Plan

Assessment 1 Client Presentation at Client Offices (if applicable) (TBC)
10 Group Assessment team work - IMC Plan  
11 Group Assessment team work - IMC Plan Assessment 3 - Individual: Online quiz #2
due no later than 5pm Friday
12 Finalise the IMC Plan and Creative Brief  
13 Lock down the pitch
Preparation, Planning and Finalising the presentation
Group Assessment 2 Part A and B
due Friday 5pm
(IMC plan and Creative Brief)
14 Group Assessment Presentation to client Group Presentation to client (client offices)
Presentation schedule located on Blackboard
15 Student Interviews and feedback Assessment 3: Part B Interviews
(as per schedule)
16

Student Interviews and feedback
Resubmits

Assessment 3: Part B Interviews
(as per schedule


Learning Resources

Prescribed Texts

The following texts have been prescribed to assist students in the application of theories. These three (3) texts will be particularly helpful in completing the required tasks:
•Parente, D 2015, Advertising Campaign Strategy, A Guide to Marketing Communication Plans, Fifth Edition, Thomson Publishing, USA
•Kavounas Taylor, A 2013, Strategic Thinking for Advertising Creatives, Laurence King Publishing UK


References

•Arens, Weigold, & Arens, 2008, Contemporary Advertising, 25th Edition, McGraw-Hill Publishing, USA
•Belch and Belch, Advertising and Promotion, 6th edition, McGraw-Hill Publishing.
•Belch, Belch, Kerr, Powell., 2012, Advertising: An Integrated Marketing Communication Perspective, McGraw Hill, AUS
•Drewniany, B.L. & Jewler, A.J., 2014, Creative Strategy in Advertising, 11th Edition, International Edition, Wadsworth Cengage Learning
•Rossiter, J.R., & Bellman, S., 2005, Marketing Communications Theory and Applications, Pearson Prentice Hall
•Sayre, S 2005, Campaign Planner for Integrated Brand Communications, 3rd Edition, Thomson South-Western
•Shaw, M 2012, Copywriting. Successful Writing for Design, Advertising and Marketing, 2nd Edition, Laurence King Publishing
•Sissors & Baaron, Advertising Media Planning, Sixth Edition, McGraw Hill Publishing
•Wells, Spence-stone, Moriarty, Burnett, Advertising, Principles and Practice, Australasian Edition, Pearson Education •Internet – publisher and media supplier websites
•Software and Databases – Roy Morgan Asteroid, GNPD / Euromonitor, IbisWorld, Factiva and other industry related software and databases.

An additional resource students will find useful from a creative perspective is:
• Barry, P 2012, The Advertising Concept Book, 2nd Edition, Thames & Hudson, UK


Other Resources

Weekly learning materials will be available on the Blackboard. However, it is possible that the instructor may provide handouts on occasions that have not been uploaded onto the course Blackboard. Should a student be absent from class when a handout is provided, it is the students’ responsibility to ensure they obtain a copy from a fellow student.


Overview of Assessment

Assessment Methods

Assessment methods have been designed to measure achievement of the requirements in a flexible manner over a range of assessment tasks, for example:

  • direct questioning combined with review of portfolios of evidence and third party workplace reports of on-the-job performance by the candidate
  • review of final printed documents
  • demonstration of techniques
  • observation of presentations
  • oral or written questioning to assess knowledge of software applications

You are advised that you are likely to be asked to personally demonstrate your assessment work to your teacher to ensure that the relevant competency standards are being met.

Performance Evidence

You must provide evidence of the ability to:

  • produce an integrated strategic marketing communication plan for presentation to a client, including:
    - purpose statement
    - definition of target audience
    - analysis of product or service
    - legal and ethical constraints
    - marketing communication functions and media vehicles chosen, with rationale for each
    - creative brief for media options
    - schedule for creative work
    - budgetary allocation for each media vehicle.

Knowledge Evidence

To complete the unit requirements safely and effectively, the individual must:

  • outline economic, social and industry trends relevant to choice of appropriate media options
  • analyse industry products or services to recommend appropriate media options
  • summarise key provisions of relevant legislation, codes of practice and national standards affecting marketing operations
  • explain principles of consumer behaviour and influences on buyer behaviour
  • summarise range of marketing communication options for different markets
  • describe and contrast range of media vehicles for marketing communication options.

Feedback

Feedback will be provided throughout the semester in class and/or online discussions. You are encouraged to ask and answer questions during class time and online sessions so that you can obtain feedback on your understanding of the concepts and issues being discussed. Finally, you can email or arrange an appointment with your teacher to gain more feedback on your progress.

You should take note of all feedback received and use this information to improve your learning outcomes and final performance in the course.


Assessment Tasks

Assessment 1 – Group Assessment (Industry based project)

Part A: due 5pm Friday, Week 1 (Marketing Communication Brief)
Part B: due 5pm Friday, Week 5 (IMC Plan) (presented in Week 6 and 7)

Weighting: Total 20% (5% Marketing Communication Brief, 15% IMC Plan)

Overview of assessment:
Students will be required in teams of 3 to complete marketing communication brief, and a fully integrated marketing communication plan in the form of a presentation; and potentially presentation to the client (TBC).

Task:
This plan will require students to demonstrate their ability to determine the appropriate marketing communication requirements based on a client briefing session; to develop a marketing communication brief; design an integrated marketing communication strategy and plan by evaluate trends, deeply evaluating the target market and demonstrate understanding of key motivations for purchase and action, select appropriate media and communication tools, ensure all relevant legislative issues are addressed and incorporated within their recommendations, deliver a program that is fully costed, scheduled and within budget.  Up to three (3) student groups may then be selected to pitch to the client a summary of their plan.

The assessment is broken into 2 significant parts:

Part A: Marketing Communication Brief
A marketing communication brief to confirm alignment between the group’s understanding and the client’s brief (not more than 2 pages – excluding appendix)

Part B: an Integrated Marketing Communication Plan
Construct a fully referenced strategic integrated marketing communication plan that responds to the marketing brief.  The plan must developed using Microsoft PowerPoint and all notes must be contained within the notes area of each slide.  The plan must be sufficient to pitch the rationale, marketing, media and conceptual creative approach within 15 mins, allowing for an additional 5-7 mins of question time. Schedules for team presentation to RMIT will be available on Blackboard Week 4.

Full and further details and instructions in relation to Part A and B can be found on the Course Blackboard under Assessments.

Grading:
Interim grades will appear in Blackboard grade centre for the Communication Brief, Report and Presentation. Explanation of the interim grades are as following:
“COMP” for Competent – for a result between 5.0 and 10.0
“NYC” for Not Yet Competent for any result between 0 and 4.9 (one resubmission granted)
“DNS” for Did not Sit/Submit and no approved extension (one submission granted no later than 10 working days from the original due date)
As this is a group piece of work responding to a client brief, extensions will not be granted except under exceptional circumstances.  Where an individual student has a known condition that may impact the performance of the individual student or that of the group and its ability to submit the work on time, it is recommended that the student contact the Disability Liaison Unit to apply for the appropriate assistance.  Due to the intensity of this unit of study, it is recommended this is attended to within the first week of the semester in order to assist team members and the individual with any reasonable adjustments required.
Where a student group receives a NYC or DNS, they are required to attend to the resubmission and upload the corrected work by the date listed in the feedback for a maximum pass for all team members.

Feedback:
Feedback on the report will be provided as per university policy. Where resubmissions are required, it is the responsibility of the students to check the due date listed in the feedback sheet and resubmit within that timeframe. If the resubmission does not occur within the required date and time, a not competent will be awarded and a fail for the unit will be recorded.
It is the individual and team’s responsibility to monitor blackboard to be aware that the feedback has been posted.

 

Assessment 2 – Group Assessment (Industry based project)

Part A: 5pm Friday, Week 13 (Presentation)
Part B: 5pm Friday Week 13 (Creative Brief)
Week 14 Presentation to the client

Weighting: Total 40% (30% IMC Plan, 10% Creative Brief)

Overview of assessment:
Students will be required in teams of 4 to complete a fully integrated marketing communication plan in the form of a presentation; along with a creative brief using the instructed template.

Task:
This plan will require students to demonstrate their ability to determine the appropriate marketing communication requirements based on a client briefing session; to develop a marketing communication brief; design an integrated marketing communication strategy and plan by evaluate trends, deeply evaluating the target market and demonstrate understanding of key motivations for purchase and action, select appropriate media and communication tools, ensure all relevant legislative issues are addressed and incorporated within their recommendations, deliver a program that is fully costed, scheduled and within budget; and lastly construct a creative brief utilising appropriate language, pitch and appeal, supporting information, timelines and budget. Student groups will then be required to pitch off to the client their summary plan and creative.

The assessment is broken into 2 significant parts – a presentation; and a creative brief.

Part A: an Integrated Marketing Communication Plan
Construct a fully referenced strategic integrated marketing communication plan that responds to the marketing brief. The plan must be developed using Microsoft PowerPoint and all notes must be contained within the notes area of each slide. The plan must be sufficient to pitch the rationale, marketing, media and conceptual creative approach within 15 mins, allowing for an additional 5-7 mins of question time. Schedules for team presentation will be available on Blackboard Week 13.

Part B: creative brief
Construct a creative brief utilising appropriate language, pitch and appeal, supporting information, timelines and budget utilising the instructed template.

Further details and instructions in relation to the tasks above can be found on the Course Blackboard under Assessments.

Other information in relation to the assessment:

It is a requirement as a student studying at RMIT, that you have an appropriate computer or device for study. Therefore, students are expected to have a fully functional and connected computer or device to the RMIT blackboard by the start of Week 1.  It is expected that all students bring with them their laptop to all sessions throughout the semester.  

Peer Assessment/Rating
In addition to the Individual contribution questions, Students should note this assessment is peer rated. Students whose peers rate them to have contributed at lower levels to the rest of the group for any part of the group assessment, and cannot demonstrate equal contribution if requested, may have their individual final grade reduced.  The rating process requires students in order to receive their final grade and feedback, to submit a rating of themselves, and that of each of the team member. Students will be required to not only rate, but also comment on the performance and contribution and performance in relation to the completion of the assessment.
Rating and comments will be on the following areas:
• Contribution: did the team member contribute equally to the assessment throughout the ENTIRE assessment?
• Availability & Accessibility: was the team member available for ALL team meetings; and was the team member accessible and timely on responding to phone or email.
• Quality: did the team member take care to provide quality contributions to the group assessment; and in instances where the quality was not strong, did the team member work to deliver better quality by redrafting the work themselves?
• Reliability: did the team member deliver as promised ie on time?
Where a student has been consistently marked down by team peers, the individual’s result may be lower than that of their team members.

 

Assessment 3 – Individual Assessment (Online quiz & Interview)

Quiz #1: submission any time up to 5pm Friday Week 8
Quiz #2: submission any time up to 5pm Friday Week 11
Interview: as per schedule during either Weeks 15 or 16

Weighting: Total of 40% (Quizzes 25%; Interview 15%)

Assessment Overview
Students will be iquizzed by way of two online quizzes within the blackboard environment. In addition to theory and process questions to demonstrate individual knowledge and understanding, students will be required to attend an individual interview and submit evidence of their individual contribution to both of the group assessments.

Task:
Students will be required to complete two individual online quizzes. Each quiz has been constructed to present students with 10 - 15 questions – based on theory or process.  Students will have a maximum of 30 mins to respond to the questions in each quiz.  Questions will be presented in a variety of formats, some open ended, some multiple choice, some short essay. Questions will be drawn randomly for each student from pools of questions (theory and process) and based on the prescribed text and content covered during the schedule classes.

Required materials for Assessment:
In order to complete the Quiz components successfully, student are expected to have available at the time of attempting the assessment, the following:
• A reliable internet connection (as drop outs will not be accepted as the reason for not passing the assessment)
• A non-scientific calculator (not one within a mobile or smart phone)
• Copy of the prescribed text (Parente)
• A copy of the materials covered during the schedule class time

In order to complete the Interview component, students are expected to have available for submission the following:
• All your working documents for the sections of the two group assessments that you personally completed, along with evidence of your work presented in an A4 diplay folder.
• Copy of the client brief and other materials supplied by the client for Group Assessments

More detailed information in relation to each component and assessment task can be located on the Blackboard under Assessments.

Assessment Feedback:
Feedback on the assessments will be provided as per university policy. Where resubmissions are required, it is the responsibility of the students to check the due date listed in the feedback sheet and resubmit within that timeframe. If the resubmission does not occur within the required date and time, a “not yet competent” will be awarded and a fail for the unit will be recorded.
It is the individual’s responsibility to monitor blackboard to be aware that the feedback has been posted.

Grading:
• Interim grades will appear in Blackboard grade centre for the Communication Brief, Report and Presentation. Explanation of the interim grades are as following:
“COMP” for Competent – for a result between 5.0 and 10.0
“NYC” for Not Yet Competent for any result between 0 and 4.9 (one resubmission granted)
“DNS” for Did not Sit/Submit and no approved extension (one submission granted no later than 10 working days from the original due date)
As this is a group piece of work responding to a client brief, extensions will not be granted except under exceptional circumstances. Where an individual student has a known condition that may impact the performance of the individual student or that of the group and its ability to submit the work on time, it is recommended that the student contact the Disability Liaison Unit to apply for the appropriate assistance. Due to the intensity of this unit of study, it is recommended this is attended to within the first week of the semester in order to assist team members and the individual with any reasonable adjustments required.
Where a student group receives a NYC or DNS, they are required to attend to the resubmission and upload the corrected work by the date listed in the feedback for a maximum pass for all team members.
 

Submission Requirements:
Format:
Work to be completed using software as per instructed, and saved in the native file format, pdf as per instructed.  The assessments must be uploaded to the assessment tab in your course blackboard shell by required date. Work sent by email will not be marked.
Work submitted after the deadline and without one of the forms below will not be accepted or marked.

Assessment deadline extensions:
Ensure that you submit assessments on or before the due date. If you think you might not make the due date due to circumstances beyond your control, you must apply for an application of extension time BEFORE the due date:
You can apply for an extension of seven or fewer days from the original due date for submission of assignments, projects, or essays. You must lodge it no later than one working day before the original submission due date. See link below for eligibility criteria and forms.
If your performance in the assessment is affected by unexpected circumstances, you should consider applying for Special Consideration. Information on the process and application forms for extension time and special consideration can be found at: http://rmit.edu.au/browse;ID=ls0ydfokry9rz.

Always retain a copy of your assessment tasks (hard copy and soft copy).
When you submit work for assessment at RMIT University you need to use a cover sheet that includes a declaration and statement of authorship. You must complete, sign and submit a cover sheet with all work you submit for assessment, whether individual or group work. Cover sheets for submission of work is available from the Student forms website.

Resubmission:
It is the student’s responsibility to check their results and complete resubmissions by deadline set (usually within 2 weeks of receiving feedback/results). Students are entitled to one re-submission per assessment. All resubmissions will be marked to competent or non-competent only, no grades will be given. All resubmissions must be received before 5pm Friday Week 16.


Assessment Matrix

Full details on how this course is assessed against the Unit elements and performance criteria plus critical aspects of evidence can be found in the Learning and Assessment Tool available from your course teacher.

Course Overview: Access Course Overview