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Duke University

Advertising and Society

This course examines the relation of advertising to society, culture, history, and the economy. Using contemporary theories about visual communications, we learn to analyze the complex levels of meaning in both print advertisements and television commercials. About the Course The course covers a wide range of topics, including the origins of advertising, the creation of ads, the interpretation of ads, the depiction of race, class, gender, and sexuality in advertising, sex and selling, adverting and ethics, and the future of advertising. The lectures will discuss theoretical frameworks and apply them to specific advertisements. Course Syllabus Week 1: What is advertising and where did it come from? Week 2: Am I being manipulated by advertising? Week 3: What’s in an ad beyond that which meets the eye? Week 4: How do ads get made? Week 5: What do ads teach us about race, class, gender, and sexuality? Week 6: Does sex sell? Week 7: What is the future of advertising? Recommended Background No background is required; everyone is welcome! Suggested Readings Although the lectures are designed to be self-contained, we recommend that students refer to the free online textbook ADTextOnline.org. Other free resources will be suggested for each week’s module. Course Format Most videos will be lectures with instructor talking. Each lecture will be illustrated with PowerPoint slides, print advertisements, and TV commercials. The videos for each week will consist of segments that add up to about an hour. Each week will have one quiz that will appear as stand-alone homework. All resources beyond lectures will be available online to students at no charge. Most of these will be from ADTextOnline.org. Others will be visits to the sites of ad agencies in the US and abroad, open access websites that deal with course topics, and open-access journal articles.

Status: Culture
Status: Advertising Campaigns
Course12 hours

Featured reviews

EO

Reviewed May 20, 2018

Great course if you're interested in advertising or work for a creative agency. Professor is very knowledgeable and he includes classic as well as modern examples of advertisements.

CC

Reviewed Sep 1, 2017

This course is so informative and interesting, making me think about pursuing advertising so much! The professor is great with explaining complex ideas to simple ones. Love it!

RM

Reviewed Jul 23, 2017

Great course. The faculty is really good. He explains everything patiently. The ads shown in between help you understand well. Would like more such courses.

KB

Reviewed Feb 7, 2018

This course has really helped with my understanding and background knowledge of advertising, and the impacts of any developments in the advertising industry on modern day and future societies.

SS

Reviewed Oct 7, 2018

It was a great course where I learned a lot about not just advertisement but also the society we live in and how it effects the way advertisements have evolved over the years.

DD

Reviewed Mar 19, 2019

Great course. This course has helped me a lot in getting better in Advertising field. I recommend this course to everyone those who are trying to build a non technical profile like me.

SN

Reviewed Jul 18, 2017

It is a very broad course, which beautifully delves into the subject of advertising by using innumerable examples and references to make studying easier and more interesting.

KD

Reviewed Jun 14, 2018

What a great course! As an owner of an agency, a marketer and advertiser, I found it very eye opening and enjoyable. I learned a lot that I can apply to our business. Thank you Professor O'Barr.

GG

Reviewed May 2, 2017

I will never look at advertising with the same eyes. It made me understand a lot of our current society and economy. Really suggested if you want to become a more informed citizen and consumer.

SJ

Reviewed Aug 16, 2020

It's though us a marketing strategy.. How will the relationship between buyer and the customer in the society how the customers towards the buyers while purchasing the goods..

SP

Reviewed Jun 12, 2017

I am really grateful to Duke University for offering this excellent course. I will never see an advertisement from now on like I used to. I will try to relate all the topics I have learnt.

LV

Reviewed Jul 27, 2022

I really enjoyed the course and will use the material I learned to create a month-long learning program as a foreign language teacher of English for the 8th grade students of my school, in Israel.

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