Journalism 345: Principles and Practice of Strategic Communication  Fall 2019

Stacy Forster, Faculty Associate Ran Tao, Teaching Assistant Vilas 5058 Vilas 5050@stacylf9 (Twitter and Instagram) Office hours: Tuesday 12:30-2:30 p.m. Student office hours: Thursday 11 a.m. to noon This course meets face to face on Tuesday and Thursday from 9:30 to 10:45 a.m. in Vilas 2195 Credits: 4 The credit standard for this course is met by an expectation of a total of 180 hours of student engagement with the course learning activities (at least 45 hours per credit), which include regularly scheduled instructor:student meeting times [at least two throughout the semester as well as regular meetings in class each week], reading, writing, ethics session, press conference, pitch presentation and other student work as described in the syllabus. Grades and materials for this course can be found on Canvas at https://canvas.wisc.edu/courses/167813 COURSE DESCRIPTION Introduction to strategic communication for students interested in advertising, public relations, health communications and political campaigns. This course is designed to provide students with grounding in the basic concepts that strategic communication practitioners use to do their jobs. You will receive a basic understanding of the following areas:

● The strategic communication industry, including advertising and public relations firms ● The ethics and regulation of strategic communication ● The role of strategic communication in the process of marketing products, ideas and people ● Elements of strategic communication campaigns and the associated professional specialties

Prerequisites: J202 COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES This class is a survey of the field and will emphasize breadth over depth. For students who are taking this course as a single exposure to strategic communication, it will provide a broad overview of the field from both professional and social standpoints. For students interested in pursuing careers in strategic communication, this course will serve as a foundation for higher-level courses. The course includes content concerning research and account planning, campaign management, creative message development, media buying and planning, and public relations. Students will also be exposed to the academic study of strategic communication in society.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS  1. Exams There are two exams for this course. Exams will consist of objective questions, and each exam is worth 100 points toward the final grade. Exams are not cumulative. Each exam covers approximately half of the class. Any information presented in the readings or in the lectures may appear on the exams. 2. Group project The group project revolves around a strategic communication campaign. The class will be divided into groups of five to seven students who will form an agency that will pitch a strategy to win an account. Each group will have:

1. A research director/account planner 2. An account director/brand manager 3. A creative director/copywriter 4. A media/interactive director 5. A public relations/promotions director

Based on the position assigned, students will be responsible for that part of the campaign and will work with their agency to create an integrated marketing plan. Basic campaign goals Both campaigns are for casual restaurant brands, though they are fundamentally different. Your budget for media expenditures is $20 million. Here are the two clients:

Purina Dog Chow is a legacy dog food brand 

Pet owners’ willingness to splurge on their furry friends has prompted a surge in sales of pet-related products, including high-end dog food and new additions like pet probiotics. But brands like Dog Chow, which are seen as lower quality, don’t have the same appeal to pet owners who increasingly treat their canine pals like members of the family. Purina’s parent company has moved to consolidate its advertising business — that’s where you come in. In this hypothetical example, the company is looking for a new agency to develop a year-long, nationwide campaign in the United States starting as early as January 2020. The goal of this campaign will be to create a cohesive brand identity for Dog Chow across the country to reach an audience you identify. Your campaign must:

1. Improve existing perceptions of Dog Chow. 2. Expand awareness of the brand’s qualities. 3. Promote one cohesive brand identity that can be applied across all national platforms. 4. Maintain the brand’s loyal fan base while inviting others to learn about the brand. 5. Consider and attempt to address issues related to the evolving pet industry.

 

Hill’s Science Diet is a former niche premium brand that’s going mainstream  

The name of Hill’s Science Diet tells you what you need to know about the product — it’s pet food based on the science of nutrition. It used to be sold through veterinarians, but it’s now available in specialty pet stores and online channels. The brand’s reputation as a healthy option for pet owners took a hit in recent years as it faced a series of recalls, including a widespread one earlier this year because its products included too much Vitamin D. What can you do to help Hill’s Science Diet survive and thrive in this challenging environment? In this hypothetical exercise, the company is looking for a new agency to develop a year-long, nationwide campaign in the United States starting as early as January 2020. Your focus is on renewing and refreshing the image of Hill’s Science Diet for an audience you will identify. Your campaign must:

1. Improve existing perceptions of Hill’s Science Diet — they need rehabilitation after the recalls. 2. Expand awareness of the brand’s qualities. 3. Promote one cohesive brand identity that can be applied across all national platforms. 4. Maintain the brand’s loyal fan base while inviting others to learn about the brand. 5. Consider and attempt to address issues related to the evolving pet industry.

Important note: To maintain a level playing field, groups are forbidden from contacting the clients or their representatives. You may, however, visit pet stores, talk to consumers and follow social media accounts as a prospective customer. The decision to focus on these particular products was made for several reasons:

1. These clients raise social and ethical concerns for strategic communicators. 2. These two products are similar but require very different strategic perspectives, goals and agendas. 3. Both are reacting to a changing marketplace and face internal and external challenges. 4. The issues related to marketing a consumer product like dog food are complex and present interesting

challenges to strategic communicators. 5. Each brand has its own public relations challenges.

Agency positions In the first week of the semester, you will be given the opportunity to indicate your preferences for your preferred position for our campaign project. As much as possible, position assignments will be made according to students’ preference rankings. Here are the positions: Account planner/research director : Responsible for the situation analysis , which traces the history and industry trends, brand analysis, consumer analysis, media usage analysis, category creative analysis, and public opinion and stakeholder analysis. ( Note : Other group members, as part of their responsibilities, will provide some of the information for the situation analysis.)

Account director : Responsible for the campaign strategy , which includes the objectives, target audience definition, selling strategy, and product and issue positioning. Creative director/copywriter : Responsible for the creative plan , which includes the message strategy, the creative brief, the campaign theme, slogan or mascot, and multiple examples of print, broadcast and online executions that illustrate the character of the campaign. This job may be split into copywriter and art director roles. Media and interactive director : Responsible for the media plan , which includes the selection of print and broadcast vehicles, creation of a media flowchart and the budget spreadsheet. This group member is also responsible for interactive and non-traditional media placements. Public relations and promotions director : Responsible for the PR and promotions plan , which includes a public opinion analysis, reputation management, media placement options, product promotions and events, as well as press releases and press packets. This job may be split into public relations and promotions roles. For a better understanding of what’s involved in each these various positions, please see the campaign project manual at j345manual.journalism.wisc.edu . To get a sense of what the campaign project is like, you may find previous years’ final campaign books in the Journalism Reading Room (2130 Vilas) or on the manual website. Once agencies have been formed, you will also collectively make a decision about the name and structure of your agency. 3. Outside class meetings As noted in the Timetable, this class mandates attendance at meetings that occur outside the scheduled class time. Attendance at these outside class meetings is required. (Being late for these meetings results in a five-point deduction from your participation grade, which is discussed below, and an absence results in a 10-point deduction.) If you can’t make them because of work or other school obligations, you must let me know in advance to make alternate arrangements. Team meetings with instructor/teaching assistant After turning in your draft of the situation analysis but before submitting the drafts of the other sections, all members from each group must meet with the instructor outside of class to review their progress. This meeting will take about an hour. Two group meetings with the TA will follow this later in the semester, each lasting an hour. Details about signing up will be shared later. Be sure to select a time when all group members can attend. Press conference For this outside class meeting, the three strategic communication agencies working on each account will work as one to host a press conferences for journalists from Journalism 335. Pitch meeting Each group project agency will pitch their campaign to a panel including the instructor, teaching assistant and guests, as well as the other students from the class. Each group will be competing with the other agencies also assigned to a given client. Class members and the panel will vote to decide which agency wins the account. The winner selected by the class and the winner selected by instructors/guests will be named separately, with the account awarded to the winner of the guests’ vote. See j345manual.journalism.wisc.edu for details about the pitch meeting and how to prepare.

Professional development session You’ll be required to attend a professional development session during the semester — these activities generally involve interacting with a professional in strategic communication to enhance your professional development and career planning, as well as to learn about industry trends. Opportunities to complete this requirement posted on the course website under the “Professional Development” tab. You’re responsible for attending one of the sessions and filling out the online form with your reactions to the event. If by the end of the semester you haven’t attended an event and filled out the form, you’ll lose 10 points from your participation grade (see more below). 4. Participation and attendance Students are expected to be actively engaged in class — asking questions, offering answers, raising issues, and contributing to class discussions and the Twitter conversation — in addition from participation in your group project. I will take attendance at each class meeting, and students who aren’t engaged or who regularly miss class will lose participation points at my discretion. Those who are missing from any of the campaign planning meetings or outside class meetings will have 10 points deducted from their participation grade for each absence. There are class sessions where we will be discussing required readings — students must complete those and fully participate in the discussion, and the instructor may give a quiz that counts toward the participation grade. Those who are late or leave early from any meeting will lose five points. If you know you’ll miss class ahead of time, please let me know as soon as possible. I am usually understanding about conflicts as long as you communicate them with me ahead of time.  COURSE GRADING Course grades will be based on performance of the following exams and assignments: Exams Points Exam 1 100 Exam 2 100 Group project Draft of situation analysis 10 Draft of campaign strategy 10 Group project campaign

○ Group grade 40 ○ Individual grade 60

Group project pitch meeting 40 Group project peer evaluation 30 Press conference Press kit and media contact sheet 10 Press conference 10 Participation and attendance 40 Total: 450

Group project-related grades Group members will work together on some activities and assignments: Campaign plan The campaign plan constitutes 150 points toward your final grade. This grade is broken down into three parts: the two graded rough drafts (10 points each), the group grade (40 points), and the individual grade (60 points). All assignments and parts of the campaign plan should be submitted to the appropriate dropbox in Canvas. The campaign plan should be detailed and highly polished. It will be graded for evidence of critical thinking, problem solving and the integration of ideas from the course. Strategic decisions should be clearly identified and supported by research and reasoning. The completed document should be roughly 40-50 pages long. Drafts of all sections of the campaign will be turned in, although only the situation analysis and campaign strategy will be graded. The group grade will be based on the totality of the campaign. Does the campaign make sense? Are the ideas innovative and creative? Did your group work well together? Are the different aspects of your campaign coordinated? Is it truly an integrated marketing plan with media and interactive, public relations and creative all helping support your strategy? Everyone must pull their weight, and a group may decide to “fire” a member who is not participating at the appropriate level. The individual grade will be based on our assessment of your component of the plan. For example, if you are the media/interactive director, do your media selections and media strategy make sense? Have you supported your part of the finished document with the appropriate rationale? Are your planning and buying choices creative and well reasoned? Are your decisions consistent with and successfully integrated with other aspects of the campaign? Pitch meeting Groups will present their campaign plans in the form of a pitch meeting. The grade for the pitch meeting presentation will be based on the quality and skill with which the agency presents an oral summary of its campaign plan. The judges will especially be watching for how you articulate the goals and strategies of the campaign, as well as the rationale behind the examples of the creative executions for the campaign. The pitch meeting grade (as evaluated by the instructors’ ratings of your performance) is worth 40 points toward the final grade. Group project peer evaluation The peer evaluation will be an evaluation of your contribution and performance on the group project by the rest of the members of your group. At the end of the semester, each group member will fill out an assessment of the contribution and participation of other group members. This evaluation is worth 30 points of your final grade. Winning pitch and extra credit At the end of the pitch meeting, the instructor and the J345 students working for the other client will vote on which agency should be given the account based on their pitch. The panel of judges will award 10 extra credit points to the winning account for each client based on their evaluations of the campaign plans books and the pitch. The group winning the student vote for each client will receive five extra credit points. (Yes, you can win both.)

Grades will be based on the following percentage distribution: 93 to 100 = A 83 to 88.99 = B 71 to 78.99 = C Below 61 = F 89 to 92.99 = AB 79 to 82.99 = BC 61 to 70.99 = D These percentage breaks may be altered to make the grading curve more generous, but not more difficult. Rounding is not automatic and is done at my discretion. Final grades are not curved. Additional extra-credit opportunities may be announced during the semester. Students can participate in a maximum of three additional extra credit opportunities worth one point each. COURSE POLICIES Students must notify me within the first two weeks of class of any specific days that you will miss class for religious observance or school-related activities. If a student cannot complete an assignment or take an exam at the scheduled time, arrangements must be made in advance with the instructor. Failure to give prior notice to the instructor will result in the reduction of one letter grade level (at a minimum) from the earned score. Exceptions may be made for unusual circumstances as determined by the course instructor. Late submission of an assignment will result in a reduction of grade points. Assignments are due by the start of class unless otherwise directed. You will lose one letter grade if an assignment is not turned in by the established deadline, and another letter grade each day after that. Permission for a student to receive an incomplete grade is at the discretion of the instructor and must be accompanied by a written contract for completion of course requirements. Failure to take exams, complete assignments or attend class are not acceptable reasons for an incomplete. COURSE MATERIALS There is a series of selected readings that are available through the electronic reserves for this course. You can reach them through the Files section of Canvas. Students must access any Google Drive documents through their UW accounts. All students must also use the the following: Campaign project manual (available at j345manual.journalism.wisc.edu ) This manual includes detailed instructions for the class project — get to know it well! Lecture slides (available on Canvas) These provide a summary of important information presented in class and in the readings, though not every important detail discussed in class will appear. You’ll want to study them for the exams. Lecture slides for each class will be posted on Canvas prior to each class. SCHEDULE Topics, readings and assignments are on the Schedule and Readings Spreadsheet at go.wisc.edu/j345fall2019schedule .

RULES, RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES  See the Undergraduate Guide’s Rules, Rights and Responsibilities

ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT By enrolling in this course, each student assumes the responsibilities of an active participant in UW-Madison’s community of scholars in which everyone’s academic work and behavior are held to the highest academic integrity standards. Academic misconduct compromises the integrity of the university. Cheating, fabrication, plagiarism, unauthorized collaboration and helping others commit these acts are examples of academic misconduct, which can result in disciplinary action. This includes but is not limited to failure on the assignment/course, disciplinary probation or suspension. Substantial or repeated cases of misconduct will be forwarded to the Office of Student Conduct & Community Standards for additional review. For more information, refer to studentconduct.wiscweb.wisc.edu/academic-integrity/ . You should all know what plagiarism is — using someone else’s words, design or thoughts in your own work. This involves cutting and pasting material from others, using images for which you don’t have the rights, taking from stories or papers written by other students, or fabricating material. Your work should only include your own writing, paraphrased material or direct quotes from sources. If you have questions about plagiarism or whether what you’re doing is wrong, please ask. You will not be punished for asking, but you will be disciplined for plagiarism. Like many instructors in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication, I may use Turnitin software to maintain academic integrity. Once a student has submitted an assignment, it will be compared with published or submitted material, such as websites, print publications and a database of prior papers. I will receive a report with a “similarity score” and details about possible matches between a student’s story and other sources. After reviewing that report, I — not the software — will evaluate and decide whether or not there has been plagiarism or other academic misconduct. Your assignments will kept in the global Turnitin database. If I determine there has been academic misconduct, punishment will include an F for the course and referral to the Division of Student Life for discipline by the university. In the real world, this could cost you your job. ACCOMMODATIONS FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES This syllabus is available in alternative formats upon request. The University of Wisconsin-Madison supports the right of all enrolled students to a full and equal educational opportunity. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Wisconsin State Statute (36.12), and UW-Madison policy (Faculty Document 1071) require that students with disabilities be reasonably accommodated in instruction and campus life. Reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities is a shared faculty and student responsibility. Students are expected to inform me of their need for instructional accommodations by the end of the third week of the semester, or as soon as possible after a disability has been incurred or recognized. I will work either directly with you or in coordination with the McBurney Center to identify and provide reasonable instructional accommodations. Disability information, including instructional accommodations as part of a student's educational record, is confidential and protected under FERPA.

If you need learning accommodations of any kind, please see me within the first two weeks of class. I’m happy to work with you and your TA to make any necessary arrangements. For more information, refer to http://mcburney.wisc.edu/facstaffother/faculty/syllabus.php DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION Diversity is a source of strength, creativity, and innovation for UW-Madison. We value the contributions of each person and respect the profound ways their identity, culture, background, experience, status, abilities and opinion enrich the university community. We commit ourselves to the pursuit of excellence in teaching, research, outreach and diversity as inextricably linked goals.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison fulfills its public mission by creating a welcoming and inclusive community for people from every background – people who as students, faculty and staff serve Wisconsin and the world. https://diversity.wisc.edu/