Universitat Internacional de Catalunya
The Advertising Industry
Other languages of instruction: Catalan, English
Teaching staff
Email.
Introduction
In order to introduce students, from their first year, to an industry undergoing constant transformation and offering the majority of the career opportunities available to graduates of the programme, the course Advertising Industry provides a broad overview of the advertising market and its professional, business, and institutional environment.
Pre-course requirements
No.
Objectives
- To acquire a global understanding of the advertising market and its professional, business, and institutional environment.
- To understand the regulations governing the advertising sector and to apply ethical principles and professional codes of conduct.
- To identify the main stakeholders involved in the advertising industry.
- To understand the dynamics and ongoing evolution of the contemporary advertising market.
Competences/Learning outcomes of the degree programme
- CN03 - Identify the key stakeholders, departments and professional roles within advertising and public relations agencies, understanding their functions in the design and implementation of communication campaigns.
- CN06 - Identify the main models and strategies used in institutional and crisis communication management within the field of public relations.
- CN07 - Identify emerging trends in digital communication, social media and interactive environments for planning advertising and public relations activities in digital and multi-platform contexts.
- CP04 - Manage creative communication projects in advertising and public relations, optimising technical, material and time-related resources.
- CP05 - Manage relationships between advertisers and agencies effectively, applying media planning and buying strategies in multi-channel advertising and public relations environments.
- CP08 - Manage corporate communication budgets and advertising and public relations campaigns, optimising resources and drawing on a broad understanding of the economic context and the advertising and public relations industry.
- HB07 - Analyse macroeconomic data and market statistics using digital tools, including artificial intelligence.
Learning outcomes of the subject
Students will be able to:
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To analyse audiences to predict consumer behaviour using artificial intelligence.
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To acquire a basic understanding of organisations in the advertising and public relations sectors, their structures, and the legal, economic and ethical frameworks within which they are established and develop.
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To describe the current landscape of the production and distribution of goods and services at local and global levels, identifying the main microeconomic factors and macroeconomic indicators.
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To manage brand positioning by defining and communicating a brand’s purpose and values, using artificial intelligence-based tools to monitor brand perception on social media and adjust strategic messaging.
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To identify successful business ventures at local and international levels, as well as the main steps involved in developing and launching a business.
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To identify the main products, professional roles and specialised terminology associated with companies operating in the creative industries.
Syllabus
- The advertising industry: origins, evolution and current context. Advertising as an economic and cultural industry within the communication system.
- Evolution of the advertising system: agency models, the shift from product advertising to brand advertising, and from mass communication to digital communication.
- Key actors in the advertising system: advertisers, advertising agencies, media agencies, consumers, and new actors within the advertising ecosystem.
- The advertising market: structure of the Spanish market, advertising expenditure, advertising sectors, and main trends.
- Types of agencies and internal structures: agency models, departments, professional roles, and project-based working practices.
- Professional profiles in the advertising sector: traditional roles, new digital roles, and professional competencies.
- Advertising as a business: the agency’s business logic, remuneration models, and major communication groups.
- The strategic and creative process in advertising: research, insight, briefing, creative development, and campaign production.
- Digital transformation and advertising effectiveness: changes in media consumption, platforms, new touchpoints, metrics, and KPIs.
Bibliography and resources
Montañés, F. (2015). Una historia de la publicidad y el consumidor en España: 50 Aniversario Anunciantes. Asociación Española de Anunciantes.
INFOADEX. (2025). Estudio InfoAdex de la Inversión Publicitaria en España 2022. InfoAdex.
Pérez Ruiz, M. A. (2004). La publicidad en España: Anunciantes, agencias y medios, 1950-1980. Fragua.
http://www.aeap.es (Asociación Española de Agencias de Publicidad) http://www.aedemo.es (Asociación Española de Estudios de Marketing) http://www.agep.es (Asociación de Agencias españolas de publicidad) http://www.aimc.es (Asociación de investigación de medios de comunicación) http://www.anuncios.es (Revista de actualidad del sector)
http://www.autocontrol.es (Asociación Autocontrol de la publicidad) http://www.clubdecreativos.com (Club de recreativos)
http://www.elpublicista.es (Revista de actualidad del sector)
http://www.iabspain.net/ (Interactive Advertising Bureau)
http://www.infoadex.es (Consultora de inversión publicitaria)
http://www.ipmark.es (Revista de actualidad del sector) http://www.periodicopublicidad.com (Revista de actualidad del sector) http://www.programapublicidad.com (Programa de actualidad del sector)
https://controlpublicidad.com/ (Revista de actualidad del sector) https://www.anunciantes.com/ (Asociación Española de anunciantes) https://www.lahistoriadelapublicidad.com/ (centro de documentación publicitaria) https://www.reasonwhy.es/ (Revista de actualidad del sector)
https://publitv.cl/ (Canal de TV para transporte público)