module specification

This module explores the theoretical and practical matters of strategic decisions in music business marketing processes. Strategic relationships within the music business are especially intensified as a result of transformation of consumer behaviour, economic and business structures and modes of development in content promotion and delivery.

The module will critically and strategically examine the applications and roles of Marketing, Public Relations, Communications and Engagement models in music online, both in theory and practice.

The practical component consists of industry-supported real-life interactive marketing campaigns involving all students. The practical application of Strategic Management theory, Marketing and Public Relations, user/audience Engagement concepts/tactics, and state of the art digital communications/promotions techniques will form the focus this module.

The research component of this module will be central to the success of live marketing and publicity campaigns involving all students on this module.

This module will thus focus on Graduate Employability by enabling final year students to apply their knowledge attained across a number of disciplines taught on the Degree. They will be able to test such theoretical knowledge attained in practical settings. It will also enhance their communication, planning, reflection and presentation skills.

Moreover, this module will enable students to apply a synthesis of skills and knowledges attained throughout their Degree by means of field-based, industry-focused problem-solving and decision-making, self-management and time-management. Finally, they will be able to both apply, and critically reflect their digital literacy and numeracy skills in campaign planning and market research, analysing data, application of knowledge and especially – in Career Management.

Working with real-life clients and evaluated by Marketing Experts and Industry Partners including our Visiting Professors, students on this module will be enabled to enter the World of Work through this enterprise- and innovation-based module, with a starting point that would provide them with a unique competitive edge, and with the support of our Business Relations and Employability Team. This module should be delivered as an integral part of our Work-Related Learning Portfolio.

Module Aims:
1. Enabling student attainment of the mastery of marketing planning and innovation in creative enterprises within Music/Media Industry contexts.
2. To examine, explore and apply the skills necessary for the purpose of marketing, public relations and communications modelling in music and digital media, in both theory and practice.
3. To analyse and reflect on strategic roles of Marketing and PR in Music and Interactive Media with practical reference to various sectors of the industry.
4. To evaluate and pragmatically address real-life inter-relationship between content-owners, artists, various music companies, media and audiences (users/consumers/fans).
5. To apply the theory of marketing and strategic management to practical commercial imperatives in music by enabling real-life experience of industry environments.
6. To apply constructive and practice-based reflective critique of unconventional Music Marketing and Public Relations approaches and techniques by going beyond textbook definitions and developing testable marketing solutions.
7. To enhance graduate employability through real-life industry practice, decision making, creative work and liaising with lead Experts, expanding and documenting students’ enterprise skills through distinct, industry-based projects centred on their vocational programme of study.

1. Strategic marketing and PR environment for music, its psychological and sociocultural context. LO1

2. Market segmentation, targeting and positioning for the music and media industries.

3. Marketing strategy, policy and marketing decisions; attaining competitive advantage in music.

4. Music and media product, service and brand planning, implementation and development; branding and innovation for product, service and brand life cycles and matrixes. LO2

5. Applying market research and intelligence for the music industries, focusing on the use of digital media services and techniques for data collection, analysis and targeting.

6. Implementing promotion and communication tools: social media PR and advertising; brand development and publicity; personalised online marketing with delivery and digital distribution.

7. Critical evaluation of the database of Orchard Lab case studies. LO3

8. Laboratory practice with digital tools for design, content packaging and targeting.

9. Practical work combining online and offline tools in digital and spatial environments.

10. Marketing campaign field evaluation methods with reflective teamwork.

11. Contextualising independent music marketing projects within broader industry contexts.

12. Critical and ethical issues in music and media marketing.

This Work-Related Learning, business/practice-orientation module will utilise a combination of teaching and learning methods, addressing a variety of learning styles. These include seminars, tutorials, workshops, peer- and team-study, group tasks and interactive learning. Students will be encouraged to reflect and draw on own experiences, aspirations and goals to facilitate inclusive learning. In this instance, special attention is paid to practical work-insights attained in the Lab and fieldwork.

Inclusive, active and collaborative learning will form the pivotal tactics for learning on this module. This will include: peer-moderated study and teamwork; the use of video, audio and online resources and VLEs; student-centred learning activities will include class interaction, problem-solving tasks and roleplay; uploading and reviewing team-based materials in ungraded formative assessment which will facilitate further class-collaboration among students.

Problem-solving activities will be facilitated by the lecturers in seminars and workshops, encouraging team effort and individual student input. Tasks in class and in preparation for classes will include research- and investigation-driven exercises utilising a variety of sources such as music business blogs, market research reports and industry trade body websites.

The proposed format for class delivery and class contact time will consist of 3-hour workshops held in classrooms and labs as well as field-testing done independently.

Special industry events including practice, showcases and VP training days would supplement the module’s T/L - these will include The Orchard Lab Grand Plenary held each Spring, with Industry Experts, VPs and Partners forming the Panel.

Students will be able to utilise VLEs, such as WebLearn and interact through digital media supplied this way, to facilitate independent guided learning and inquiry.

Inquiry- and research-focused learning will form the central part of student-focused activities in class and in independent study. Students will be expected to attend all classes and do so prepared for class, this being further facilitated through tasks given between seminars and lectures on a weekly basis. Independent inquiry, research and reflection will be facilitated through the use of multiple academic and industry resources through our digital library and online sources, books and journal articles as well as news entries from leading music business publications.

Formative assessment – authentic assessment plays a pivotal role in this WRL module. Mentoring, feedback, feedforward from Industry Experts, VPs, Clients and Partners will enable students to attain practical evaluation and advanced application of their work.

On successful completion of this module students will be able to:

1. Research and plan for, develop and refine marketing objectives, tools, and procedures for implementation in advanced interactive music marketing.

2. Organise, implement and reflect on online marketing campaigns developed for practice.

3. Evaluate, assess and critically appraise their marketing projects within the context of music strategy, attaining the highest order of feedforward from Industry Leaders, VPs and our Course Partners.

Assessment will consist of three components, combining formative and summative methods, designed for experiential learning and feedforward – to suit the format and enhance employability [as per CPED inclusive curriculum guidelines] i.e. peer-assessment of group projects, panel orals, and work-based learning log/reflection:

1. Peer-assessment – using assignment criteria, “Question Time” format. Following the first seven weeks of guided student work within The Lab and timed to follow-up on the WRL/Employability/Business Relations events/festival in w.7. In teams, students will present and defend their marketing project plans before peers. Moderated by ML/MT, this peer-assessment event/process will enhance student experience of the pragmatic, vocational nature of this module and their degree, further engaging them in competitive and motivational aspects of this module and their chosen industry practice.
Weighting – 20%
LO1

2. Orals/Group presentation/Orchard Lab Plenary-style showcase event before a Panel of experts: showcasing, pitching and defending the marketing, PR and/or branding campaign of each team, including the organisational analysis of its effectiveness after twenty weeks of work on the Lab project, accompanied by incremental project data and formulated with the aid of both 1) A1 feedforward (above) and incremental ML/MT/VP/Mentor-led feedforward communicated/delivered to each team as the Lab projects evolve over the course of the year.
Weighting – 30%
LO2

3. Individual written CWK/Portfolio (reflective) containing the in-depth evaluation of the experiential learning process that took place within the industry context and problem-solving skills within a critical marketing context, also addressing the Panel’s (Industry Experts’ and Module Tutors’) feedforward (A2 to A3 feedforward). The 2500-word portfolio will address the Business/Employability rationale and justification of each individual student’s contribution to each campaign in its full context. This paper will contain a section addressing the theoretical and methodological underpinning of each campaign. Overall format will facilitate vocational/experiential, practical orientation.
Weighting – 50%
LO3

Textbooks:
Core Text:
Eyal, N. (2014). Hooked: How to build habit-forming products. Penguin

Other Texts:
Baker, B. (2013) Guerrilla Music Marketing Handbook: 201 Self-Promotion Ideas for Songwriters, Musicians & Bands on a Budget, Spotlight Publications.
Bernays, E (2005) Propaganda. Brooklyn, NY: Ig Pub.
Bilton, C. (2017) The Disappearing Product: Marketing and Markets in the Creative Industries, Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd.
Boguski, A & Winsor, J (2009) Baked in: Creating Products and Businesses That Market Themselves, Chicago: Agate
Chaffey, D. and Smith, PR (2017) Digital Marketing Excellence: Planning, Optimising and
Du Gay, P (ed) (1997) Production of Culture/Cultures of Production, London: Sage Publications
Evans, M J, Moutinho, L and Van Raaij, W F (1996) Applied Consumer Behaviour, London: Addison-Wesley
Gregory, A (2000) Planning & Managing a PR Campaign, London: Kogan Page
Hesmondhalgh, D (2002) The Cultural Industries, London: Sage Publications
Integrating Online Marketing, 5th Edition, Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group.
Jenkins, H (2006) Convergence Culture: Where Old and New Media Collide, NYUP
King, M. (2009) Music Marketing: Press, Promotion, Distribution, and Retail, Berklee Press Publications.
Kolb, B. (2016) Marketing Strategy for Creative and Cultural Industries (Mastering Management in the Creative and Cultural Industries), 1st Edition, Routledge.
Kotler et al (2005) Principles of Marketing, London: Prentice Hall
Lancaster, G. and Massingham, L. (1999) The Essentials of Marketing, Prentice Hall
Lathrop (2003) This Business of Music Marketing & Promotion, London: Billboard Books
Lieberman, A and Esgate, P (2002) The Entertainment Marketing Revolution: Bringing the Moguls, the Media and the Magic to the World, New Jersey: FT/Prentice Hall
Passman, D. (2006) All you need to know about the Music Business, London: Penguin
Rentschler, R. (ed) (1997) Making it Happen: The Cultural and Entertainment Industries Handbook. Kew, Victoria, Centre for Professional Development.
Shaw, S. (2011) Airline Marketing and Management, 7th Edition, Ashgate.
Smith, PR, Zook, Z (2011) Marketing Communications: Integrating Offline and Online with Social Media, London: Kogan Page
Theaker, A, (2007) Public Relations Handbook, London: Routledge
Theaker, A, (2016) Public Relations Handbook, London: Routledge
Thornton, S and Gelder, K (1997) The Subcultures Reader, London: Routledge
Todorovic, M (2016) Rethinking Strategy for Creative Industries: Innovation and interaction, London: Routledge
Troilo, G. (2015) Marketing in Creative Industries: From creativity to customer value, Palgrave Macmillan.
Yin, R (2003) Applications of Case Study Research (Applied Social Research Methods), London: Sage
Yin, R (2003) Case Study Research: Design and Methods: 005, London: Sage

Journals:
Convergence, Sage
Journal of Marketing Management, T&F
Journal of Strategic Marketing, T&F
Marketing Science Journal, INFORMS

Websites:
www.themmf.net
www.musicbusinessworldwide.com
www.digitalmusicnews.com
www.prsformusic.com
www.musicindie.com
www.youtube.com/user/midem
renmanmb.com
pitchfork.com

Electronic Databases:
Mintel UK
Statista
(a variety of industry reports)

Social Media Sources
Linkedin.com