module specification

This module explores the theoretical and practical matters of strategic decisions in the marketing aspects of the creative industries (e.g. music industry, events, fashion, theatre). Strategic relationships within the Cultural and Creative Industries 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 strategically examine the applications and roles of Marketing, Public Relations and communications models to creative content, events and media in both theory and practice.

The practical component consists of industry-supported real-life digital marketing campaigns involving all students. The practical application of Strategic Management theory, Marketing and Public Relations concepts/tactics, and state of the art digital communications/promotions techniques will be the focus this module. Work will be done in teams utilising digital labs at the University.
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 the final year students to apply their knowledge of a number of disciplines and test the theory in practice, and also enhance their communication and presentation skills, problem solving and decision making, self-management and time-management, numeracy skills in campaign planning and market research, analysing data, application of knowledge and especially - career management.

Visiting Professors and Industry Partners will take a mentoring role in this module, through special events, presentations and student enterprise showcases such as the Grand Plenary, established as an annual event in 2011, with an expert panel judging student work.

Introduction to the Events, Music, Sport and Tourism Industries (LT4012), Introduction to Marketing (MC4004) or other Level 4 module in media or marketing/PR

1. To examine, explore and develop the skills necessary for the application of marketing, public relations and communications models to music, events, creative content and interactive media in theory and through practice.
2. To analyse the strategic role of marketing and PR practice in music, events, creative content and digital media with reference to different sectors of the industry and scales of operation.
3. To identify and practically address the real-life inter-relationship between content-owners, artists, promoters, various music companies, media and audiences/users/consumers.
4. To introduce real life applications of strategic management, business theory, practice and commercial imperatives in the creative sectors and an array of cultural industries.
5. To offer a constructive and practice-based critique of alternative marketing and public relations approaches and techniques in music, events, creative content and online media management.
6. Develop and document employability-related skills by undertaking defined, industry-based project centred on the student's programme of study.
7. Apply marketing theory to live campaigns by gaining experience of industry environments.
8. Enhance graduate employability through real life industry practice, decision making, creative work and liaisons with key industry players.
9. To develop and refine the understanding of innovation and creative enterprise in an industry context.
10. To go beyond the textbook definitions of creative strategy and develop real life marketing solutions.
11. To draw on research and enhance student employability through empirical marketing enterprise workshop and showcases.

The following Core Skills will be Introduced (I), Practiced (P) or Assessed (A), as presented in the table below:

1.  Academic Reading   I, P
2. Researching I,P,A
3. Analysing Data I,P,A
4. Application of Knowledge and Presenting Data  I,P,A
5. Academic Writing/literacy I,P,A
6. Notemaking I,P
7. Communicating/Presenting – orally and in writing, including inter-cultural communication I,P,A
8. Critical Thinking and Writing I,P,A
9. Problem Solving and Decision Making I,P,A
10. Memorising I,P,A
11. Self/Time management, including self-efficacy I,P,A
12. Self assessment/reflection, including awareness of and management of emotions I,P,A
13. Interpersonal, including. collaborating / working with others, cross cultural awareness, having a positive attitude, negotiation and persuasion I,P,A
14. Digital literacy and IT skills I,P,A
15. Numeracy/quantitative I,P,A
16. Enterprise skills, including taking initiative, being creative, leadership, completing tasks and projects, taking calculated risks I,P,A
17. Commercial Awareness, including vision, corporate social responsibility and governance I,P,A
18. Career management I,P,A

1. The strategic marketing environment for culture, creativity and media.
2. Market segmentation, targeting and positioning for the creative and cultural industries.
3. Marketing planning, tactics and the marketing mix; competitive advantage in cultural and creative industries.
4. Creative and Cultural Industry product/service/brand planning and product/service/brand development; branding and innovation; product, service and brand life cycles; growth share matrix.
5. Market research and intelligence for Creative and Cultural Industries focusing on the use of digital media services and techniques for data collection and analysis.
6. Promotion and communication mix: advertising; media development and publicity; personalised online marketing; public relations; sales support; digital distribution; digital analytics.
7. Media PR and Public Relations practice: traditional media and new digital models.
8. Entertainment product placement, client branding, strategic integration and sponsorship.
9. Live and recorded music: ticketing, reviews, format, download, streaming and media promotion.
10. Marketing evaluation methods with behavioural analysis.
11. Practice-based approaches, teamwork in entertainment marketing and media PR.
12. Social and ethical issues in music and media marketing.
13. Case study analysis (40 in-house case studies in our own project database)
14. Events, showcases, fairs, competitions.
15. Practical digital tools incl. the use of curatorial services, blogs and streaming platforms for cultural and creative product marketing.

This module will be delivered as a series of 1.5 hour lectures and 1.5 hour workshops. Blended learning is at the core of this module and ICT assets including software and ICT Labs are essential for delivery, training, experience and marketing practice. Weekly lectures will focus on key tasks and concepts. Teaching and learning through weekly workshops integrated with the lecture subject and marketing/PR task. Workshops will focus on group activities: tasks, communications, problem solving and case analysis, research skills and applications including the use of digital platforms and learning by doing, brainstorming and presentations. All of this will be connected to key industry contexts. Guest speakers from our Industry Partners will be invited to lecture and deliver workshops.

Blended learning plays a central role: strategies such as formative assessment through online collaboration, feedback, use of cloud computing and delivery methods such as streaming; in summative assessment best practice will continue with the use of mp3 and other digital audio formats for assessment feedback sent by weblearn and google drive. Online teaching materials used systematically and in conjunction with in-class interaction through lectures and seminar tasks.

Reflective learning will focus on both formative and summative assessment. Students will be required to write reflective accounts regarding any aspect of collaborative work and assessment planning. This will form part of formative and summative assessments, online and in class.

Employability will be enhanced through 1) in-depth understanding of subjects through experience: practical application of key skills through real life industry tasks (syllabus); 2) specific activities geared towards the application of reflective practice in individual and group work; 3) assessment requirements are directly connected to the impact which is made on the practical study task involving real life industry clients (formative/summative assessment)

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

1. Critically apply marketing principles to their chosen creative or cultural sector (music, events etc.) by demonstrating a practical understanding of industry structures, relations and functions through live, industry-set marketing campaign tasks.
2. Analyse and evaluate marketing and PR strategies of entertainment businesses and creative organisations that use music, events and media content as part of their marketing; these analyses and evaluations will be rooted in practical work and conceptual background to the creative solutions based on critical evaluations of theory.
3. Provide an informed and reflective discussion of alternative approaches to marketing and communications techniques and their relevance to organisations in the industry through marketing plans, logs, reflective diaries, presentations, reports, and work flow analyses.
4. Evaluate the relevance and effectiveness of alternative media for communication with reference to creative media and entertainment organisations in a range of contexts and communicate this effectively to clients, ranging from corporate bodies to performers, creators, producers, brands, artistes, events managers or other clients.
5. Working in well managed teams with set goals and deadlines, construct an industry marketing plan for a digital media promotion campaign for a creative product aimed at bringing a real-life artist, brand, event production, live entertainment format or digital media service to the market, and which contains appropriate communication, pricing, place and promotion strategies.
6. Reflect and evaluate their individual and group work through and address both strengths and weaknesses in the context of pragmatic applications of transferable skills, subject specific knowledge and exercises in leadership.

This assessment will have three components:

1. Individual 1500-word report/marketing analysis based on the first seven weeks of work within The Orchard Lab
   20%
2. Group presentation of the marketing plan and analysis of its effectiveness after twenty weeks of work on the Lab project – 20%
3. Individually written 4000-word research report containing the in-depth (reflexive, with field notes and business data) evaluation of the experiential learning process that took place within the industry context and problem-solving skills within a critical marketing context 60%

Todorovic, M with Bakir, A (2016) Rethinking Strategy for Creative Industries: Innovation and Interaction. London and NY: Routledge
Bernays, E (2004) Propaganda. NY: Ig Publishing
Rolston, C P, Macy, A, Hutchison, T and Allen, P (2016) Record Label Marketing: How Music Companies Brand and Market Artists in the Digital Era. Focal Press
Hewison, R and Holden, J (2011) The Cultural Leadership Handbook. Gower Publishing Ltd.
Hills, E (2003) Creative Arts Marketing. Routledge
Brassington, F and Pettitt, S (2012) Essentials of Marketing, London: Pearson
Du Gay, P (ed) (1997) Production of Culture/Cultures of Production, London: Sage Publications
Croteau, D. and Hoynes, W. (2005) The Business of Media: Corporate Media and the Public Interest, London: Sage Publications
Doyle, G. (2013) Understanding Media Economics, 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
Jenkins, H (2006) Convergence Culture: Where Old and New Media Collide, NYUP
Eco, U (1990) Travels in Hyper Reality. Harcourt Publishers ltd.
Kotler et al (2015) 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
Passman, D. (2015) All you need to know about the Music Business, London: Penguin
Theaker, A, (2007) Public Relations Handbook, London: Routledge
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
Rentschler, R. (ed) (1997) Making it Happen: The Cultural and Entertainment Industries Handbook. Kew, Victoria, Centre for Professional Development.
Smith, PR, Zook, Z (2011) Marketing Communications: Integrating Offline and Online with Social Media, London: Kogan Page
Mintel (2015) ‘Digital Trends Spring – UK’,  London: Mintel International group Ltd
Mintel (2015) ‘Internet-enabled Home Entertainment’ - UK,  London: Mintel International group Ltd
Mintel (2015) ‘Online Spending Habits – UK’, London: Mintel International group Ltd
Mintel (2014) ‘Paid-For vs Free - Consumer Attitudes to Pricing in Media and Music’ - UK, London: Mintel International group Ltd
Mintel (2013) ‘Entertainment on Demand – UK’, London: Mintel International group Ltd