1. Advertising & Society
Unit number Unspecified
Unit title Advertising & Society
Version No. 1
Level H
Credit value 20
(ECTS equivalent credit value - 10)
PRE-REQUISITES AND CO-REQUISITES
AIMS
This unit will use advertising as a critical field of enquiry drawing upon historical and
contemporary ideas of alienation, art, hedonism, myth, symbolism and narcissism. In debating
and assessing advertising through a critical lens; this unit will ask students to reflect and engage
with ideas, concepts and categories often neglected. Debates on desire, difference, notions of
identity and aesthetics are routinely applied to advertising – but with a different vocabulary and
framework. This unit will ask you to engage with classical debates on aesthetics, human nature
and identity by creating campaign ideas based on these insights.
INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES
Having completed this unit, the student is expected to:
1. Have an awareness, understanding and knowledge of key philosophical debates
2. Apply and critically evaluate concepts in relation to advertising both historically and in a
contemporary setting
3. Link diverse ideas and categories and use these creatively within an advertising
campaign
4. Critically reflect on advertising not only as an industry but also as a sphere of artistic and
social endeavour
5. Critically interrogate advertising through diverse schools of thought such as art,
philosophy, aesthetics and technology
LEARNING AND TEACHING METHODS
It is intended to teach this module within a standard seminar bloc; the initial hour will broadly
outline the thematic content to be followed by class discussion, presentations and critical
reflection through case studies and examples. Students will lead the remaining time of the
seminar directing discussions drawing insights and ideas from both the literature and examples.
It is expected that students will start to draft and sketch initial ideas and creative concepts for
discussion in class.
ASSESSMENT
Summative Assessment
CMC Undergraduate Framework; Draft Unit Proposal for Level H (Awaiting approval)
December 2010 1
Advertising & Society

2. ILOs 1-3 will be assessed by 60% coursework.
ILO’s 3-5 will be assessed by 40% exam.
Indicative Assessment Information
Students will need to sign up for a formative seminar presentation in week one; although not
graded feedback on presentation, understanding and applicability of ideas and concepts will be
provided within one week.
Students will be summatively assessed via:
Portfolio of creative solutions and ideas linking products and services to themes explored in class
(at least three artefacts) and short essays linking the ideas and theories to the creative output
(each at 1500 words) 60%
Final exam worth 40%
INDICATIVE CONTENT
Historical Context
Narcissism
Alienation
Use value versus Exchange Value
Art as advertising
Hedonism
Myth
Narrative
Postmodernism
INDICATIVE KEY LEARNING RESOURCES
Cronin, A. (2004), Advertising Myths, Routledge, London
Ewen, S., (2001), Captains of Consciousness, Basic Books, New York
Goldman, R., (1992), Reading Ads Socially, Routledge, London
Hovland, R. & Wolfburg, J., (2010), Advertising, Society and Consumer Culture, M.E. Sharpe,
New York
Schudson, M. (1984), Advertising, The Uneasy Persuasion, Basic Books, New York
Wernick, A., (1991), Promotional Culture, Sage, London
Williamson, J. (1978), Decoding Advertisements, Marion Boyars, London
CMC Undergraduate Framework; Draft Unit Proposal for Level H (Awaiting approval)
December 2010 2
Advertising & Society