GRAP2413: Understanding Advertising Media

Main Assignment: 50%

This is an individual assignment in which you are required to conduct secondary research, analyse information and provide communication, creative and media strategies for a six month advertising plan.
Learning objectives
> Apply media terminologies correctly.
> Conduct and analyse consumer research to provide insights and inform creative and media strategy.
> Develop effective communication and creative strategies. > Demonstrate how to best communicate to target audience using available media.

Assignment due date and time:
9 am Friday, week 12 (For both hard copy and soft copy)

Requirements:

Select a product from the lecturer’s given product list to work on. At least 10 reliable sources of reference are required (image sources are not included). You are encouraged to find the best possible way to convey the advertising message in a creative manner. A structure for the assignment is suggested as follows:

1. Introduction

Outline the aims of the paper.

2. SWOT analysis

Conduct an in depth analysis of the product’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. External factors such as opportunities and threats should include an analysis of competitors, product category situation and any previous advertising campaign.

3. Communication and action objectives
Set communication and action objectives. Objectives must be ‘S.M.A.R.T’ and should be set up based on situations of the brand and research findings in the SWOT analysis section. No rationale required.

4. Strategic planning for IMC campaign
Provide a well thought through strategy on how your IMC campaign could meet with all of the key features of IMC based on Chitty, Barker & Shimp. Give a rationale of your plan for each key feature of IMC.

Please note that information, such as media landscape, media consumption and intermedia comparison, should be used to justify the relevant use of media. Explain how to achieve communication synergy by identifying a key message and a theme of execution.
5. Creative execution
How will the campaign be executed creatively based on the theme of execution? Explain the idea of execution of the main media. For example, a story of your TVC, how the key visual is presented on print ads, decoration of your booth, etc.

6. Media strategy Identify media vehicles, schedule of media placement and media buying tactics on a media flowchart. The schedule of media placement identifies the number of ads to appear and on which days, weeks and months. See provided example and template on blackboard.

7. Budget

Present your estimated budget breakdown in percentages on a pie chart. See provided example on blackboard. Where possible, use rate cards as a guideline for budget allocation. A brief explanation is required for your proposed budget. For example, the justification for the necessity of spending a lot of budget on certain types of media.
Submission Instructions:

> Submit soft copy via Turnitin. Save your Word document file name as your name_student ID_ class group number. In order to ensure your assignment has academic, please submit a soft copy via Turnitin BEFORE the due date and check the originality report.
> Or submit hard copy in the assignment drop box.

> In the case of late submission, students must inform their lecturer via email when they have put their assignment hard copy in the drop box so that an accurate penalty can be applied.

Assessment specifications:

> Word limit: maximum of 2000 words (+/- 10%). The statement of authorship, assessment sheet and reference list are not included in the word count. Specify the word count at the end of the document.

> The reference list must follow the Harvard Referencing Style.

> The content is to be typed in 12 point font, 1.5 line spacing.

> Double sided printing is preferred.

> Include a signed statement of authorship form as a cover sheet. No other cover sheet is required.

> Please read the assessment sheet, print it out and attach it to the last page of your assignment hard copy.