Teaching code

4S012735

Academic staff

Paola Signori, Massimo Melchiori

Coordinator

Paola Signori

Credits

9

Language

Italian

Scientific Disciplinary Sector (SSD)

SECS-P/08 - MANAGEMENT

Period

Primo semestre LM dal Sep 29, 2025 al Dec 18, 2025.

Courses Single

Authorized

Lessons timetable Moodle Seminars 0

Learning objectives

The course aims to delve into theoretical, technical, and practical marketing and communication skills, with the goal of acquiring abilities useful for proposing omnichannel solutions to corporate communication challenges. The approach is centered around omnichannel and cross-channel communication, aligned with modern digital conversational models. Special attention is given to the various phases of a marketing and communication plan, including defining communication objectives and targets, message and copy strategy, media selection, channel planning, editorial calendars, budgeting, and relevant metrics. Through a pragmatic and interactive teaching method, students will practice translating these decisions into an operational plan, integrating offline and online touchpoints. Project work on current topics will be proposed to learn and experiment with new techniques in visual coding, video, and podcasts, including the use of generative artificial intelligence.

Prerequisites and basic notions

This course does not cover the basic concepts of marketing and therefore requires a minimum level of preparation in the subject. Before attending this course, it is therefore recommended that students pass the Marketing Strategies and Analytics exam.

Program

Part One – Omnichannel Communication, Analysis, and Strategy
1. Communication models and their evolution. Conversational tactics. Single-channel, multi-channel, cross-channel, and omnichannel communication.
2. Communication planning. Communication in the marketing plan. The 5W model and the 9 areas of control. From marketing strategies (review of basic concepts) to strategic omnichannel communication.
3. Communication objectives (Why) and the hierarchy of effects model.
4. Analysis of primary and secondary communication targets (Who), analysis of learning models with FBG grid, analysis with Kvaerk Map, ELM (Elaboration Likelihood Model) persuasion strategies.
5. Customer Journey Mapping and Funnel Marketing. Touchpoints and omnichannel communication. Social listening. Profiling with User Personas.
6. From positioning to cluster-brand mapping. Laddering and brand value mapping. Purpose Marketing, Diversity and Inclusion Marketing, Communication for Sustainability. Defining the UVP, Unique Value Proposition, and the communication “campaign” (What).
Part Two – Media Planning and Content Creation
7. Message encoding. Content creation and omnichannel creative strategies (How). Social media marketing and the four functional areas of communication. Brand storytelling tactics. Testing phases (alpha testing, beta testing, market testing).
8. Communication with Generative Artificial Intelligence. Exercises and applications for certain digital media (website landing pages, digital advertising, IG reels, TikTok, LinkedIn content, gamification tactics on social media) and non-digital media (OOH, out-of-home communication; vehicle advertising; packaging, flyers).
9. Media selection (Where). Criteria for media selection (target audience criteria, marketing criteria, competitive criteria) and the architecture of the communication mix from an omnichannel perspective. Media planning. The channel plan. The PESO tactic (Paid, Earned, Shared, and Owned).
10. Media scheduling (When). Burst, spreading-continuous, flighting, pulsing tactics - techniques for optimising reach-frequency-continuity. Launch tactics. Gantt.
11. Budget and control (communication metrics, communication dashboard, technical, economic, and social effectiveness KPIs). How to draw up an omnichannel communication plan.

Didactic methods

Classes are held in Italian by two teachers. Teaching methods include lectures, with quick exercises or case studies to be analysed individually or in small groups, followed by a plenary discussion. Lessons may be video-recorded, however, please note that the classroom interaction part remains difficult for distance students to access. For some topics, exercises are assigned in Moodle. There is also a Telegram group for the course, for challenges and exercises to be carried out on this remote platform. All study material is available in Moodle, which will be updated throughout the course.

Learning assessment procedures

The exam offers two alternative options (A or B). In addition, bonus points can be earned by developing an optional project (C) proposed during the lessons.
A. Traditional mode = Compulsory written exam.
- Compulsory written exam in person to test theoretical knowledge of the entire programme (5 open questions and 1 applied exercise - duration 90 minutes), graded out of 30. To pass the exam, students must obtain a minimum grade of 18/30 in the written exam. Examples of open-ended questions and a mock exam will be discussed during the lessons. This option is recommended for those who adopt a more traditional study method.
B. Applied option = compulsory oral exam, with the submission and discussion of a marketing and communication plan.
- Marketing plan: this is a written document of no more than 20 pages (it can be developed as a group project, with a maximum of 3 members, on the 2025 case study of the Società Italiana Marketing). The plan must be submitted on Moodle and printed for the oral exam. There will be no advance assessment of the plan.
- Mandatory individual oral presentation of the plan (10 minutes of discussion + 5 minutes of questions) for the theoretical-technical discussion of the analyses carried out, justifying the strategies, operational decisions and related effectiveness measurement indicators. It should be noted that the oral presentation is not a descriptive presentation of the decisions taken, but a reasoned and motivated discussion based on the knowledge acquired during the course. It is therefore necessary to demonstrate knowledge of the programme content. This method is recommended for those who adopt an experiential and more pragmatic approach to studying.
C. Project work for bonus points is optional and consists of contests proposed by companies with specific objectives that will be presented in class and described in Moodle: for example, the SIM Marketing for Good Digital Challenge and Federvini's No Binge challenge will be proposed. Project work can be carried out individually or in teams.

Evaluation criteria

A. Assessment criteria for traditional methods=
-five open questions= the correctness of the answers is assessed in terms of theoretical and technical competence, as well as the ability to discuss the topic in an applied manner and propose correct examples. Each answer is worth up to 5 points. Total for the question section: 25 points.
-applied exercise= worth 5 points; the exercise will require some points of attention to be addressed, and the ability to apply and find suitable solutions to the proposed problem will be assessed. Examples of exam tasks are available on Moodle and will be presented in class at the end of the course for final exam preparation.
B. Assessment criteria relating to the application method=
The following assessment criteria for the marketing plan, including the individual oral presentation, evaluate communication, organisational, learning, application, critical and proactive skills. In particular: communication skills (layout and structure of the plan's content; oral presentation with confidence and mastery of the content); organisational skills (ability to organise logically and coherently); learning skills (demonstrating the acquisition of theoretical and technical knowledge); application skills (explaining the content of the plan in a reasoned manner, demonstrating the ability to apply theoretical and technical knowledge to real cases/examples); critical skills (ability to interpret data and evaluate the limitations of the various theories analysed); proactive skills (the contents of the plan are assessed in terms of the ability to suggest new ideas and solutions to the problems highlighted). The mark is individual and awarded out of 30.
C. The project work contributes to the accumulation of bonus points (from 0 to 3) to be added to the final grade and is assessed on whether it complies with the assignment specifications; the contents must demonstrate the acquisition of technical skills and application skills in accordance with the course programme. Bonus points remain valid until the end of the academic year in question (mid-September 2026).

Criteria for the composition of the final grade

The final mark out of 30 is obtained as follows:
A. Traditional method - written exam mark (minimum 18/30);
B. Applied method - integrated mark for the written plan and oral presentation (minimum 18/30);
C. In both methods, if the final mark is higher than 18/30, any bonus points relating to project work (0-3) are added.

Exam language

Italiano (English upon request)

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