International Advertising

Our International Advertising Minor is designed for aspiring marketers, communicators, and creative individuals seeking to explore the strategic aspects of global advertising. If you have a keen interest in designing effective campaigns, navigating diverse markets worldwide, and shaping strategic brand communication, this program is for you! 

Admission

To enter this programme, you need a foundation of introductory course(s) in Marketing Management, and you need to be fluent in English writing and speaking (English language skills at CEFR level B2).   

The Examination Board determines which minors do not have a higher professional education level and/or have an unacceptable overlap with the compulsory curriculum of your own study programme. Check at the page Not allowed minor courses under your institute which minors are not allowed. This page will be updated from 29 February 2024 for the 2024-2025 minor offer. 

Content

You’ve grown up surrounded by billboards, TV commercials, vibrant ads, and catchy jingles – but have you ever wondered what lies beyond the surface of these messages? Advertising is not just about pretty pictures and catchy tunes; it’s a sophisticated form of communication driven by strategies and objectives that aim to shape the way consumers think, feel, and act. 

In today’s interconnected world, the importance of international advertising cannot be overstated. Brands seeking global recognition and market presence must navigate diverse cultural landscapes, economic environments, and consumer behaviours. Crafting a compelling advertising strategy is not just a choice; it is a necessity for brands aiming to thrive globally.  

Advertising is all about brand building, creating a message and strategically selecting the right media to influence consumer responses. But how do you ensure that the consumer responds the way you intended? How do you cut through the clutter of all those other commercials and advertisements, and reach the consumer? To set objectives, you must have understanding of how these messages work. In this minor programme you will learn about the principles and practices that make advertising and an advertisement effective.   

Learning objectives

During the minor, you will learn to: 

  • Develop an understanding of the strategic elements of international advertising;
  • Design impactful and effective advertising campaign concepts that:
  • Align with the brand identity, 
  • Suit the target audience, 
  • Integrate within the cultural context of the international environment, 
  • Are purposefully designed to enhance perception and influence consumer behavior, 
  • Ultimately contribute to building brand equity in an international context. 

Courses

The programme takes place during one semester and contains the following courses: 

Course unit title  ECTS 
Branding Strategy  5 
Cultural Values and Communication in an International Perspective  5 
Creative Research  5 
The Psychology of Marketing Communication  5 
Final Creative Assignment 10
Total ECTS 30

A crucial part of the minor program is the Final Creative Assignment. This assignment is both comprehensive and complementary to the other courses within the minor and serves as a master test in which students apply the knowledge and skills acquired throughout the minor by creating a campaign for a real client. Creative workshops are offered to teach students the necessary skills that they can use in designing their campaign and ultimately pitching it to the client. 

Please note that the minor programme reflects a (logical) bundle of courses/subjects and should normally be followed as such. It is not possible to combine (two or more) programmes in one single period. By choosing this package you will have to participate in ALL the courses included.   

Assessment

Assessment takes place through:  

  • Assignments; Group projects and individual assignments  
  • Exams; Oral and written  

Literature

You will receive a definite reading list before the start of the minor.

Schedule

The timetable and the teaching days are not yet known.

With the exception of the first teaching period of the academic year (starting September), the lesson and test schedules are always posted on Mijn Rooster four weeks before the start of each teaching period. The schedule for the first teaching period of the academic year can be found on the site three weeks before the start. The most up-to-date schedule is always visible on Mijn Rooster. 

At HU, full-time education may be scheduled between 08:30 and 19:00.

Additional costs

N/A

Reviews

I loved it especially the Copywriting and Psychology course. They were a welcome addition the knowledge I have gained through my previous studies. The knowledge was taught very well, and I wished for both courses to last much longer, but unfortunately, we only had 5-6 months.

Cultural differences and brand strategy were great as well, though a lot of the knowledge and literature were familiar to me, I still was able to learn a lot of new things. Lasty the creative research and final task. Creative research was something I already knew therefore it was not as interesting to me as the other courses. The final task on the other hand could be a little more. Just more. We just had only one session in the beginning of the course, and we were able to make a list of questions which we send to the lecturer, though we never received the answers. We had to do all by ourselves even though the lecturer offered to help with communicating with the company/organization. I know the course intends to inspire the students to work independently and it would have been nice to maybe schedule a session every few weeks in present to compare results. For my group it was fine, but I knew others struggled a lot.

Lastly one big remark is for the lecturers to respond. This is not a remark for all lecturers, but though some responded within hours, other responded either rarely, never, or only with one word. Leaving the students with more or unanswered questions.

But overall, I am very glad to have chosen this minor. I had the opportunity to add a lot to my knowledge and meet a lot of interesting people. As well as getting to know and fall in love with the city of Utrecht.

Jana, student Marketing and Management, age 22

Now that this minor has ended, I can look back on how my experience went. During this minor I learned a lot of knowledge and skills. The most important skill for me that I have grown in is presenting assignments and topics. I have always had trouble with this and in fact Mrs. Anita Cox has always complementedme, which gave me a very good feeling and confidence. That’s why I want to thank her for that. Also, the topics and assignments gave me more knowledge about international advertising.

What I liked most about this minor was the diversity of people. I’ve actually made friends from all over the world and it’s been great working together in groups every time.

In the end I would recommend this minor to others. I have learned a lot, made nee friends and had a great time.

Shana, student International Business at HU, age 22

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