International Advertising

You've grown up surrounded by billboards, TV commercials, vibrant ads, and catchy jingles – but have you ever wondered what lies beyond the surface of these messages? Advertising is not just about pretty pictures and catchy tunes; it's a sophisticated form of communication driven by strategies and objectives that aim to shape the way consumers think, feel, and act.

Advertising is all about brand building, creating a message and strategically selecting the right media to influence consumer responses. But how do you ensure that the consumer responds the way you intended? How do you cut through the clutter of all those other commercials and advertisements, and reach the consumer? To set objectives, you must have understanding of how these messages work. In this minor programme you will learn about the principles and practices that make advertising and an advertisement effective.

The programme takes place during one semester and contains the following courses:

The Brand Strategy course focuses on the key principles of strategic brand management, and on creating and sustaining brand equity. Students gain insights into advanced concepts such as Customer Based Brand Equity (Keller) Brand Architecture (Kapferer, Aaker), Brand Personalities (Jung, Aaker), and Evidence-Based Marketing (Sharp).

In the Creative Research course, students learn what makes an advertising campaign effective and how to identify areas for improvement by understanding the company's objectives, target audience, and competition. They will translate this knowledge into actionable advice for creating impactful, distinctive campaigns with a WOW factor.

The course Psychology of Marketing Communication explores how media and advertising influence our perception, memory, and actions, focusing on the psychological processes behind brand development and campaign effectiveness. Students will examine how we process and respond to media messages in different situations.

The course Cultural Values and Communication in an International Perspective examines the role of culture in shaping international marketing and advertising strategies. Students learn how cultural differences influence consumer behaviour, product design, branding, and communication. Through cultural research, they will develop strategies to adapt or standardize marketing approaches for new markets, ensuring successful product launches and cohesive global branding.

A crucial part of the minor program is the Final Creative Assignment. This assignment is both comprehensive and complementary to the other courses within the minor and serves as a master test in which students apply the knowledge and skills acquired throughout the minor by creating a campaign for a real client. Creative workshops are offered to teach students the necessary skills that they can use in designing their campaign and ultimately pitching it to the client.

Please note that the minor programme reflects a (logical) bundle of courses and should be followed as such. It is not possible to combine (two or more) programmes in one single period. By choosing this package you will have to participate in ALL the courses included.  

To enter this programme, you need a foundation of introductory course(s) in Marketing Management, and you need to be fluent in English writing and speaking (English language skills at CEFR level B2).

Please note: If your English language ability proves to be insufficient to participate actively in (parts of) the courses you have chosen, we cannot be bound to the Learning Agreement, neither can we guarantee to offer you the required amount of study load (EC’s). Teachers might request you to take a diagnostic test at the start of the course to check if your English language ability is sufficient to successfully participate in that specific course. In all cases it is up to the programme manager to decide if your English language ability is sufficient to be eligible for the programme/course.