Global Media: The Art of Persuasion Business & Communication Program Fall 2017 Semester - Rome

We are constantly exposed to thousands of advertising messages, but do we really know how advertising really affects us, the economy, and society as a whole? What differences are there between the way we advertise the same goods in different countries, such as the US and Italy? This course is designed to help anyone, not just communication and journalism students, know and understand why and how persuasive messages used in advertising and public relations actually work. It provides a basic understanding and overview of the advertising process and industry, and will help you to better understand the ideal and normative functions of our mass media system and to understand the effects on individual thought and behavior.

Is it true that advertising has always supported and reflected mass culture? If so, what does advertising say about our society and ourselves? How are we availing ourselves of it, and how or under what circumstances might we change our relationship with it? Is advertising a tool to motivate, forgive, and forget? Is it an instrument of propaganda selling a world of escape, the last (virtual) never-never-land for the masses? Are we now or have we ever been easy prey to it or just reluctant bystanders? Does advertising reflect different historic periods and societal concerns, and how? Does it contribute to nation-building? To what extent have historic and cultural events and concerns affected the image of America as institutionalized, gift wrapped, and marketed by the advertising industry?

During the course we will make frequent comparisons between American and Italian ways of researching the market and advertising goods. We will talk with guest speakers from local advertising-related firms, and focus many of our discussion on real-life Italian case studies.