COMMS 104G Advertising and Society

A critical examination of advertising and advertisements focusing on the role advertising plays in consumer culture. Advertisements from a diverse range of media are studied in order to analyse how advertisements construct and disseminate meaning. The course investigates how advertising engages with the logic of wider cultural and global transformations with consideration given to both consumer and industry perspectives.

Restriction: FTVMS 110, 110G  

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

1. Demonstrate an understanding of the historical development of advertising and its place within commodity culture.
2. Demonstrate an understanding of the key critical debates regarding advertising's significance as a commercial tool and a cultural form.
3. Analyse formal devices and signifying practices used by print, television and online advertisements.
4. Critically assess the way that advertising participates in discourses of gender and sexuality, race and ethnicity, nationalism, and sustainability.

'I loved this course and found it incredibly interesting. The workshops were always a joy to go to as the practical activities were both fun and educational. The lecturers were very helpful and always gave meaningful feedback which really helped us to understand what we could improve on. I also really liked hearing from people from the industry as it gave insight into what it is like to be a designer in the real–world.'

'I enjoyed looking at ad examples in lectures. It was a good break from the content and helped to put it into perspective.'

View the Digital Course Outline

Contact the Student Hubs

Browse Course Catalogue