Strategic Communications in the Digital world

Task one Individual critical evaluation (worth 60%)

Critical evaluation essay format – third person language supported by reference and data sources
Consumers live in a digitally enabled world. Marketing communications messages are received through mobile and online sources as well as through traditional channels. Consumers themselves generate content, giving and receiving ‘advertising’ messages and interpreting campaigns in a way that was unheard of before internet and mobile communications broke traditional boundaries.
In this essay you should critically evaluate marketing communications in the digital world.

1. Explain how audience engagement with marketing communications messages has       changed in the last ten-20 years, both on and offline.  (PAST - around 800-1000 words) 
2. Critically analyse how integrated marketing communications (IMC) campaigns persuade  and influence. Give current examples of where marketing communications messages are     effective. Identify examples where campaigns fail. Most importantly, explain why. (PRESENT  around 1000 - 1200 words )
3. Identify trends and potential directions for marketing communications in the next five   years, justifying and supporting your choices. (FUTURE - around 500 words)

Support your arguments with appropriate theories of marketing communications and reference current debate. (e.g. Integrated Marketing Communications and RACE framework)

Support all your statements with textbooks, academic journals, news media and specialist sources and examples. There are many ideas for sources in the reading list in this workbook.

You need to identify specific consumer/ audience segments rather than discuss ‘all consumers’, which is too vague. You can apply your discussion to a product or service sector if you wish but you must explore the wider strategic implications for marketing communications as a whole as well as focusing on one product or service category.

Indicative word count 2500 +/- 10%

What you write is more important than the word count.
Word count does not include contents list, tables, charts or references.

There will be interactive meetings and assignment workshops before the deadline to discuss your draft with tutors.