Marketing Communications MA

University of Westminster, London

Discussing advertising for a brand is something that everyone can do, but identifying the important issues and the concepts used in its execution in order to arrive at a detailed analysis is something that comes from practice and experience. By frequent and varied application, it is anticipated that a critical understanding of advertising and brand management will be gained.

This module explores the role of brand strategy within the context the marketing communications environment, evaluates contemporary concepts of brand strategy and examines their application to a broad range of organisations. The module is delivered through lectures, workshops and seminars with assessment that are focussed on the student?s ability to apply and integrate the concepts to analyse, formulate and recommend future strategic propositions.

The Consumer Psychology and Research module draws on psychology, sociology and economics. You will be exploring the theoretical underpinnings of consumer behaviour and apply these learnings, especially in the context of greater consumer choice, the changing face of technology, media, shopping channels, and globalisation. You will also learn the fundamentals of primary and secondary research to aid better understanding of consumers and the market and apply this to marketing communications decision making.

This module introduces the contemporary digital marketing environment. A range of innovative and disruptive approaches to digital marketing communications are considered in the contemporary business environment in a sustainable business context. Students will engage with material actively as a community of practice through classroom and online engagement, considering strategic, tactical and ethical perspectives and applying these to a range of contexts.

Over two semesters this module will guide you through the two stages of the IMC Project (The Proposal and The Plan), helping you to synthesise content from other modules with contemporary issues and theories from the industry. As well as ensuring that you have a clear vision of what modern IMC is, and what is expected at both (assessed) stages, it will also be the unifying core of the course, from induction through the Residential Weekend, to the final submission of their IMC Project (The Proposal and The Plan).

This module explores those strategies and tools that focus on Sales Activation, to engage consumers and deliver a short-term sales advantage. This module will examine the key disciplines of Sales Promotion, Shopper Marketing, Field Marketing, Direct Mail & Email Marketing and Customer Relationship Marketing - much against a background of retailing and e- & m-commerce.

This module considers public relations? (PR) role in marketing and corporate communications and in both short- and long-term brand building. It examines PR?s origins, scope, character and applications in creating and defending corporate and brand reputation in today?s business environment. It investigates the use of PR tools and strategies to build and maintain stakeholder relationships, create trust, manage online reputational risk and evaluate PR value.