COMS204-17S1 (C) Semester One 2017

Advertising and Cultural Consumption

15 points

Details:
Start Date: Monday, 20 February 2017
End Date: Sunday, 25 June 2017
Withdrawal Dates
Last Day to withdraw from this course:
  • Without financial penalty (full fee refund): Friday, 3 March 2017
  • Without academic penalty (including no fee refund): Friday, 19 May 2017

Description

Advertising has become a central component of our contemporary cultural environment that finances all of the communication industries. However, the effects of advertising may lie far outside only the funding of media systems. This course explores the increasingly strained relationship between advertising, consumerism, identity, the environment and citizenship. We'll take a critical approach to the most ubiquitous form of media messaging that exists: the advertisement.

This course explores key debates surrounding advertising and our present consumer culture. More specifically it aims to:
Provide an overview of the contemporary advertising industry, looking at how it is organized and how it is changing
Consider the role of advertising in organising the symbolic environment
Examine the visual and textual approaches advertisers use to influence our consumption
Explore the debates surrounding the impact of advertising on patterns of consumption
Examine issues arising from the growth of transnational advertising
Explore the debates surrounding the impact of advertising on children, the environment and other media systems
Present attempts to circumvent commercial power by those outside of mainstream culture

Learning Outcomes

  • By the end of this course you should be able to demonstrate the following knowledge and skills:

  • Understand the development and structure of the contemporary
    advertising system
  • Identify the range of techniques and strategies adopted by advertisers
  • Understand the symbolic meanings embedded in visual and textual messages
  • Explain the impact of commercial messaging on the environment
  • Know the difference between a product and a brand
  • Explain the impact of commercial messaging on children
  • Discuss the relationship between advertising and other media industries
  • Contemplate attempts to circumvent commercial power in society
  • Understand some of the meanings implicit in the politics of consumption
  • Produce arguments over advertising proliferation and the effects on local cultures
  • Apply critical analysis to advertising content

Prerequisites

15 points at the 100 level in COMS. Students without this prerequisite, but with at least a B average in 60 points of relevant courses, may enter the course with the approval of the Department Coordinator or the Undergraduate Coordinator for COMS.

Course Coordinator

Linda Jean Kenix

Assessment

Assessment Due Date Percentage  Description
Online quizzes 10% Ten short quizzes on Learn.
Library exercise 5% Submit on Learn.
Ad Analysis and Campaign Development 25%
Essay 30% Word limit: 2000.
Final test 30% Test will be held on the last day of class.

Textbooks / Resources

All readings are available on the Learn page for this course. You should have completed the readings before coming to class and be prepared to discuss what you’ve read.

There is no other official textbook for this course.

Indicative Fees

Domestic fee $732.00

International fee $2,975.00

* All fees are inclusive of NZ GST or any equivalent overseas tax, and do not include any programme level discount or additional course-related expenses.

For further information see Language, Social and Political Sciences .

All COMS204 Occurrences

  • COMS204-17S1 (C) Semester One 2017
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