Creative Advertising BA(Hons)

We'll explore brands, the fundamentals of marketing communications, and the essential techniques for creating an ad. You'll also familiarise yourself with different creative roles and departments in agencies.

Taking on workshops, crits and studio-based activities, you'll learn art direction, copywriting, planning, pitching and creative problem-solving techniques, while our dedicated technician will help you develop your Adobe suite skills.

Modules

Design and Art Direction

Learn the creative process from scamps to ads. Learn to arrange typography and imagery for maximum effect.

Copywriting

Write engaging copy for different channels, from radio and TV to social media. Learn about modes of writing and experiment with developing a tone of voice for brands.

Creative Problem Solving

Work collaboratively in teams to use different methods to explore real world problems. Come up with innovative solutions and ideas to tackle them.

Professional Practice 

Practice the art of pitching and create a self promotional film. Learn how to present yourself confidently and memorably to your audience. Work on content production, whilst rotating creative partners on a weekly basis.

Adland

What can advertising history teach us today? In this module, you'll explore the stories from Adland's past and discover lessons that are still useful today.

Strategy and Planning

In this module, you'll develop the skills to listen to the voice of the consumer. You'll explore techniques for gathering audience insights and learn how to put together a professional creative brief.

This year is all about applying your skills from Year one. You'll progress beyond ad creation to multimedia, multichannel campaigns and tackle fully-fledged briefs. You'll hone your collaborative skills by working in creative teams, and have the chance to complete a work placement or find an industry mentor to help with your career aspirations.

Alongside this, you'll use theories to critically reflect on technology's impact on brands and consumers, and join industry debates and scholarly discussion through speculative work.

Modules

Media Lab

In this module, you'll experiment with new creative tools for content production. Create experiences and tell stories that work across a sweep of digital technologies such as AR/VR, algorithms, platforms and environments.

Campaign Creation

You'll work on a range of briefs to develop fully-fledged advertising campaigns. This includes creating content for video, radio, online, print and social media.

Optional modules

Consumer Behaviour

Learn theories and methods from behavioural science to understand the psychology behind human behaviour and decisions.

Work Placement

Develop employability skills specific to the creative industries. Discover and reflect your career options, undertake a short work experience and document your personal journey.

Brand Creation

Learn about brands. Create a brand from scratch and launch it via an advertising campaign.

You'll begin to shape your professional and creative identity by immersing yourself in a series of live or self-initiated briefs. These include a final-year integrated marketing communications project accredited by the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM). You'll also develop your entrepreneurial skills to help you turn your ideas into business plans.

Modules

Advanced Campaign Creation

Work on a live brief and pitch to real clients every two weeks. Previous brands for these briefs include: BBC, Museum of London, Ted Baker, Spaceport Cornwall, Avis, Sane (mental health charity), WKD, National Trust, YHA, Confused.com, Waterwise.

Final Year Project (CIM accredited)

Design and conduct primary market research for a brand. Develop a fully integrated campaign based on your findings. You will have the option of further gaining Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) professional qualification before graduation.

Start-up

Start your own real business using a 'seed fund' from the university. Learn methods and techniques for testing and developing a business model for your side hustle.

Final Portfolio

Work on live and competition briefs for brands such as Nike, Adidas, Durex, Lego, Twitter, Burger King and GiffGaff. Produce a distinctive portfolio that will be exhibited in London during the summer.

Why study an Integrated Foundation Year route?

If you’re taking on a new subject that you haven’t studied in depth before, have been out of education for a while or have a non-standard educational background then an Integrated Foundation Year degree may be the right choice for you. It is a four-year degree with an Integrated Foundation Year to start, which allows you to explore the primary elements of your subject before progressing on to the remaining three years of the BA(Hons) degree.

What you'll study in your Foundation year

If you choose this pathway, you'll study five core modules in your Foundation year. These are all designed to help you explore the foundational elements of your subject. You'll gain relevant technical skills, learn to experiment and take risks, develop an understanding of professional practice, have opportunities to work across disciplines and collaborate with other students on live project briefs.

Modules

Explore

You'll begin your foundation year by working collaboratively with others to explore themes of the future. You'll take risks, experiment through play and be supported to break through barriers.

Technique

You'll take subject-specific workshops and develop essential technical and practical skills in your area of study. You'll also enhance your analytical and organisational abilities.

Apply

You'll work with your peer group to think beyond discipline by addressing a societal or global issue. You'll then showcase your work to your peers and deliver and accompanying evaluation of your process.

Industry

You'll enhance your creative and practical skills in your subject specialism by responding to typical industry briefs, underpinned by focused research and experiments. You'll also gain industry insights through guest lectures and workshops.

Launch

You'll develop your unique identity in your specialism through the production of a self-initiated body of work. Your final project will be the bridge to your next year, fully supported by evaluative reviews and critical analysis of the work you have created.

After the Foundation year, you progress into Year One of the full three-year degree, equipped with a deeper knowledge of your subject, a clear understanding of your strengths, and develop a practical and technical skillset and the confidence to excel in your chosen subject. 

The Integrated Foundation Year pathway for this course is new for entry year 2023 and subject to validation.