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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: Branding
Status: Business Ethics
Course12 hours

Featured reviews

MS

4.0Reviewed Nov 26, 2021

Not a 5 star because practical aspect of ad making is missing. I would have loved to have an assignment where I could have made an advertisement for a product.

SC

5.0Reviewed Jun 27, 2023

Amazing course, well tailored and explanatory. It feels like a journey from known to unknown and the learning of new concepts with real life examples.

YY

5.0Reviewed Nov 20, 2016

Great course! It has helped me learn a lot and given me much more perspective on the world of advertising. I thoroughly enjoyed learning and discovering new things.

SS

5.0Reviewed Oct 8, 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.

SN

5.0Reviewed Jul 9, 2020

This course was not too difficult, the lectures were straight forward and entertaining to watch with all the neat examples. Definitely makes me look at advertisements differently now.

SP

5.0Reviewed Jun 13, 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.

CC

5.0Reviewed Sep 2, 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

5.0Reviewed Jul 24, 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.

KD

5.0Reviewed Jun 15, 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.

SS

5.0Reviewed Apr 14, 2022

This is one of the best free online Advertising Course I have attended. Some topics go into serious discussions and thought provoking and I really love the resources given to students.

EO

5.0Reviewed May 21, 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.

KB

4.0Reviewed Feb 8, 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.

All reviews

Showing: 20 of 229

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5.0
Reviewed May 3, 2017
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1.0
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