The Future of Advertising

Tim Brunelle
Class # ADV 3041 01
Spring 2010
Class: Mondays 1:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.; Room 416
Office Hours: Mondays 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.; MCAD Cafeteria
Prerequisites: None

Course Description:
Advertising is still very much about the primacy and supremacy of ideas. But the industry and its craft are
rapidly evolving. Technology, media and the consumer are dramatically effecting financial, strategic, creative
and production decisions. Think of this class as preparation for a trip abroad. Whatʼs absolutely critical to know
in order to survive? What do you need to be fluent in? Where and who should you visit? Whatʼs your place in
the grand scheme? The Future of Advertising is as much about you—the future advertising practitioners,
clients and consumers—as it is about cutting edge techniques and practices. This semester-long course will
arm advertising students for a career in the era of digital as well as elicit their thoughts and opinions about the
trip weʼre all taking together. Weʼll study and develop online ads and campaign websites. Weʼll participate and
see how social media can play an effective role in new marketing. Weʼll delve into the inescapable role of
metrics and analysis. And content strategy. Weʼll immerse ourselves in mobile. Weʼll talk about how public
relations, customer service and HR are becoming marketing. Weʼll hear from and meet the new advertising
leaders to learn what they think your portfolio should say, be and do. Above all, weʼll focus on the power of
ideas in a digital age.

Objectives:
This course should practically and philosophically prepare students for the realities of advertising as it
evolves from traditional to digital. Portfolios will be enhanced and broadened with integrated ideas that
include online ads, campaign sites and other digital tactics. Weʼll encourage empathy and passion for these
newer forms, as well as provide direct experience with cutting-edge examples and personal experience.

Attendance Policy:
Attendance is mandatory. Roll will be taken. There are no officially excused absences. Two absences will
result in one full grade deduction. Any additional absences will result in the loss of one half of a letter
grade. Repeated tardiness will result in the loss of a letter grade. You are expected to be in class during
class work periods.

Assignments:
There will be one major, semester-long project—with multiple check-ins, as well as weekly blogging
assignments. Weekly assignments will involve online research, collaboration with your classmates,
developing concepts and persuasive writing. The one major project will require you to persue ongoing
research, develop ideas, then write and assemble text and images that explain and sell your ideas. Your
deliverables will be slideshow presentations (Keynote or PowerPoint) as well as blogging.

Grading Policy:
Your overall grade will be measured by attendance, class participation, weekly blogging and the one
major project—all of which will showcase your abilities to follow instructions, conduct independent
research and create and polish the work itself. In other words, can you rock?

Potential criteria for evaluating your project work and class participation includes: evidence of research,
efficiency of analysis, quality of concept and creativity, quality of verbal presentations/support,
appropriateness of selected concept to a given audience, formal strengths of solutions, ability to redirect
and advance solutions, and the quality of implementation and craft.
Special Needs:
Any student who has a learning disability or any special needs should feel free to speak to me after class
or during my office hours so that we can make arrangements for accommodations.

If you experience particular difficulty with the writing assignments, check out the MCAD Learning Center.
LC tutors can assist students at any stage of the writing process, including planning, pre-writing, drafting,
and revision. Tutors are also available for help with most software and with time management issues.

Portfolio Discussion/Reviews:
There will be several opportunities during the course for you to bring in your current portfolio so we can
review it, and everyone can benefit.

Course Blog:
Weʼre going to do a fair amount of writing, which will become public. This is called blogging. You will be
contributing to the course blog on a weekly basis, along with myself and our two course strategists, Paul
Isakson and Joseph Rueter. Weʼll all be posting here: http://mcad-foa2010.posterous.com/

Teaching Staff:
This course is taught by Tim Brunelle, CEO of Hello Viking (http://helloviking.com) and President of the
Minnesota Interactive Marketing Association (http://mima.org) along with help from the very talented Paul
Isakson (http://paulisakson.com) and Joseph Rueter (http://joseph.extendr.com).

Contact:
Email: tim_brunelle@mcad.edu
Twitter: http://twitter.com/tbrunelle

Office Hours:
By appointment on Mondays, 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. MCAD Cafe. Please email to arrange a meeting at
least 24 hours ahead of time.

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Course Outline
This outline represents the general content of The Future of Advertising. Specific topics, guest speakers,
trips to agencies and assignments are subject to change at any time.

Mon., Jan. 25
Class #1—“Ideas first” in the Age of Inter-Action
Topics: Letʼs introduce ourselves first—a little bit about me, a lot about you and our experiences with and
hopes for advertising, now and in the future. ¶ Housekeeping: Discuss how this class will function. ¶
Redefining advertising for the future—an overview of all the new terminology, technology, venues and
opportunities. ¶ Understanding two primary forces: Inter-Action and Relevant Data. How they transform
storytelling, communications and the business of marketing and advertising. ¶ Start up the course blog.
¶ Reveal and define the major assignment for the semester.

ASSIGNMENT (DUE 1/31/10): Write a post to the course blog by answering this question: “What is the
future of advertising?” (400 words minimum, more credit for citing examples via links).

NEXT CLASS: Bring in your current portfolio (whatever shape itʼs in) to present to the class. We want to
know what youʼve done and where you think youʼre headed.
Mon., Feb. 1
Class #2—Getting practical: Building your portfolio for the future
Topics: Letʼs review your current portfolios. Almost every assignment in class will affect and hopefully
enhance your portfolio. ¶ Review options for online portfolio development and display—and work, in
class, to get your current work online ASAP. ¶ Discuss the current marketplace for writers, art directors
and designers. Whatʼs expected of you? How are people leveraging digital tools to promote themselves?
What does it take to get hired? ¶ Watch a video of Rory Sutherland (Ogilvy UK Creative Director).

ASSIGNMENT (DUE 2/7/10): Write a post to the course blog about Edward Boches, our guest speaker
next week (400 words minimum, more credit for citing examples via links). How does Edward view the
future of advertising? How would you position yourself to get hired at Mullen?

Mon., February 8
Class #3—Re-thinking the ad agency, re-thinking yourself
Topics: From “Mad Men” to Google. From one-way marketing to conversation. From three mediums to
unlimited mediums. From global to hyper-local. From all-encompassing service to specialization. Letʼs
discuss how advertising agencies have mutated in the past five to ten years, focusing on the kinds of
work being done and the people doing the work. ¶ Examine how the primary forces of inter-action and
relevant data have impacted strategy, creative, production services, hiring, budgeting and agency morale.
¶ Debate the future of the agency and examine different current models of operation.

Guest speaker: Edward Boches, Mullen (http://is.gd/6aCum).

Evening event: Conversations About The Future Of Advertising (CATFOA)

ASSIGNMENT (DUE 2/14/10): Write a post to the course blog about the presentation by Edward Boches
in class (400 words minimum, more credit for citing examples via links and writing about CATFOA). What
did he say that changed your opinions? What surprised you and why? What did you disagree with? Etc.

Mon., February 15
Class #4—Strategy and Content Planning
Topics: Where does advertising begin? How do we formulate research and analysis that inspires great
ideas which ultimately show up on various screens to persuade an audience? Today weʼll discuss the
elements of strategy and the business of articulating and processing and producing effective content. ¶
Discuss how strategy and planning have evolved rapidly in the past 10 years ¶ Potential guest speaker.

ASSIGNMENT (DUE 2/21/10): Write a post to the course blog (400 words minimum, more credit for
citing examples via links) about digital strategy and the rapid evolution of marketing over the past 10
years—how has technology, data and consumer empowerment changed everything?

ASSIGNMENT DUE (2/22/10): Check in on status of your major assignment.

Mon., February 22
Class #5—Distribution (e.g. Media)
Topics: First, letʼs check in on the status of your work for the major assignment. How is your research and
strategy shaping up? What insights have you uncovered? Etc. ¶ Then, letʼs focus on “the new creative,”
e.g. Media. How is advertising distributed today, versus 20 years ago—and why are the changes so
significant? What are the driving forces in technology, culture and process that have shaped the evolution?
Who and what are the major players and why? ¶ Potential guest speakers.

ASSIGNMENT (DUE 2/28/10): Subject TBD—Write a post to the course blog (400 words minimum, more
credit for citing examples via links).
Mon., March 1
Class #6—Having advertising ideas in 2010
Topics: Letʼs get to work on your major assignment. Letʼs discuss where you insights are leading you and
how those might turn into vibrant ideas. ¶ Weʼll deconstruct the process of having advertising ideas (then
vs. now; messaging vs. functionality; media vs. technology), and debate the value of relevancy. ¶ How do
you succeed in breaking-through and developing remarkable insights and expressions in todayʼs
economy and culture? ¶ Potential guest speakers.

ASSIGNMENT (DUE 3/7/10): Write a post to the course blog about Faris Yakob, our guest speaker next
week (400 words minimum, more credit for citing examples via links). How does Faris view the future of
advertising? How would you position yourself to get hired by Faris?

Mon., March 8
Class #7—Defining the Modern Ad Campaign
Topics: Today is about putting all the pieces together; today is about integration—across messaging,
functionality, content plan, media and functionality. How does a marketer determine the best mix of media
and ideas to go to market? How might infrastructure (e.g. customer service, product design and human
resources, etc.) act as elements of a marketing campaign? How might a brand measure the sum effect of
its efforts in the marketplace?

Guest speaker: Faris Yakob, EVP Chief Technology Strategist, McCann Erickson (NY) and blogger
at Talent Imitates, Genius Steals
http://catfoa.blogspot.com/2009/12/announcing-catfoa-2010.html
Evening event: Conversations About The Future Of Advertising (CATFOA)

ASSIGNMENT (DUE 3/14/10): Write a post to the course blog about Farisʼ presentation (400 words
minimum, more credit for citing examples via links and attending CATFOA). What did he say that changed
your opinions? What surprised you and why? What did you disagree with? Etc.

ASSIGNMENT DUE (3/15/10): Check in on status of your major assignment.

Mon., March 15
Class #8—Building blocks: Paid Search and Online Ads (e.g. Acquisition)
Topics: Weʼll start by reviewing the status of your work on the major assignment. How are your ideas
developing? What media and functionality have you explored? ¶ Then weʼll focus on todayʼs topic:
Advertising is, in part, about acquiring customers. Meet the modern tools. ¶ History, examples and basic
Internet Advertising Bureau formats. ¶ Paid Search process: Strategy, Measurement, Analytics,
Copywriting, Optimization. ¶ Online ads process: Strategy, Creative, Media, Production, Metrics/Analysis/
Optimization. ¶ Examples from One Show Interactive, Cannes, etc. ¶ In-class guest speakers.

ASSIGNMENT (DUE 3/21/10): Subject TBD—Write a post to the course blog (400 words minimum, more
credit for citing examples via links).

Mon., March 22
Class #9—Building blocks: The digital ecosystem (websites and social integration)
Topics: Today weʼll discuss all manner of “presence”—e.g. Marketing Campaign sites vs. Corporate vs.
Product sites vs. Social Media sites—and how these different venues work together to create a holistic
brand experience. ¶ Discuss roles within a marketer and/or agency environment to produce and maintain
these venues. ¶ Discuss usability, design, content strategy, technology, development ¶ Potential guest
speakers.
ASSIGNMENT (DUE 4/4/10): Subject TBD—Write a post to the course blog (400 words minimum, more
credit for citing examples via links).

ASSIGNMENT DUE (4/5/10): Check in on status of your major assignment.

Mon., March 29
NO CLASSES, Spring Break

Mon., April 5
Class #10—Building blocks: Empowering Data
Topics: Weʼll start by reviewing where youʼre at with the major assignment. Whatʼs your content strategy?
How is your design and writing working out? ¶ Then weʼll focus on telling stories with data—one of the
fundamental changes occurring in business, advertising and creativity. ¶ How do we make strategic,
creative, media and budgeting decisions now, in this chaotic, global system? Guidance often lies in the
data we gather in the “digital base” (site traffic stats, keywords, online media research). ¶ Weʼll dig into
data-driven ideas (both messaging and functional) and the growing trend of opening up information to
better serve customers and drive innovation.

ASSIGNMENT (DUE 4/11/10): Subject TBD—Write a post to the course blog (400 words minimum, more
credit for citing examples via links).

Mon., April 12
Class #11—Touring the agencies of the future
Topics: Letʼs take a tour outside MCAD and meet local examples of new, future-oriented advertising/
marketing agencies. Letʼs see how the same tools that enable new forms of advertising are also enabling
new forms of ad agencies.

ASSIGNMENT (DUE 4/18/10): Write a post to the course blog about Hashem Bajwa, our guest speaker
next week (400 words minimum, more credit for citing examples via links). How does Hashem view the
future of advertising? How would you position yourself to get hired by Hashem and Droga5?

Mon., April 19
Class #12—Portfolio review
Topics: Bring in your portfolios again. Letʼs see whatʼs evolved and discuss how your work can continue
to grow in the digital space; how you can leverage the work youʼre doing to establish and maintain
interest from potential employers. ¶ Letʼs also see where your work is at on the major assignment.

Guest speaker: Hashem Bajwa, Director of Digital Strategy, Droga5

http://catfoa.blogspot.com/2009/12/announcing-catfoa-2010.html
Evening event: Conversations About The Future Of Advertising (CATFOA)

ASSIGNMENT (DUE 4/25/10): Write a post to the course blog about Hashemʼs presentation (400 words
minimum, more credit for citing examples via links and attending CATFOA). What did he say that changed
your opinions? What surprised you and why? What did you disagree with? Etc.

ASSIGNMENT DUE (4/26/10): Check in on status of your major assignment.

Mon., April 26
Class #13—The Future of the Past
Topics: Weʼll begin with a formal, final review of your work on the major assignment. Youʼre due to
present, in-class next week, so how are things shaping up? ¶ Then weʼll dive back into traditional media
(TV, Radio, Out-Of-Home and Print) to see how theyʼre adapting to and evolving (or not) with the times.
What can we learn about the impact of technology to media and advertising in the past that might help
keep us in-tune and prepared for changes in the future?

ASSIGNMENT (DUE 5/2/10): Subject TBD—Write a post to the course blog (400 words minimum, more
credit for citing examples via links).

*** MAJOR ASSIGNMENT DUE (5/3/10): Present your major assignment in-class. ***

Mon., May 3
Class #14—Mobility, e.g. “Location, location, location”
Topics: First half of class—presenting your major assignments. Each of you will have approximately 15
minutes (depending on class size). Youʼll present from the foundation of a Keynote or Powerpoint deck.
¶ Then weʼll dive into the rising power of location-based advertising, its utility and the growing power of live
and movement-centric applications connecting brands with fans. ¶ How might the mobile web (which is now
more ubiquitous than laptop/desktop use) affect marketing? ¶ Guest speakers are definite.

ASSIGNMENT (DUE 4/18/10): Write a post to the course blog about Colleen DeCourcy, our guest
speaker next week (400 words minimum, more credit for citing examples via links). How does Colleen
view the future of advertising? How would you position yourself to get hired by Hashem and Droga5?

Mon., May 10
Class #15—“Ideas first,” redux
Topics: Recap our understanding of storytelling, communications and the business of marketing and
advertising thatʼs rapidly evolved over the past 10 years and is radically evolving today. ¶ Continue
discussion on the value of being “always in beta,” the evolution of brands as media, empowered
consumers, Marketing as Utility, etc. ¶ Focus on the core of advertising now and in the future: Ideas first.

Guest speaker: Colleen DeCourcy, Chief Digital Officer, TBWA Worldwide

http://catfoa.blogspot.com/2009/12/announcing-catfoa-2010.html
Evening event: Conversations About The Future Of Advertising (CATFOA)

ASSIGNMENT (DUE 5/14/10): Write a post to the course blog about Colleenʼs presentation (400 words
minimum, more credit for citing examples via links and attending CATFOA). What did she say that
changed your opinions? What surprised you and why? What did you disagree with? Etc.

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