Syllabus
Master of Science in Applied Nutrition
APN 720 – Nutrition Branding Using Social Media – Fall AB 2019
Credits - 3
Description
Branding strategies and Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC) plans will be examined. Branding choice and graphic design, appropriate tools for branding and social media engagement and strategies to maximize the impact of social media on branding efforts will be explored. Topics include IMC analysis, mapping and auditing the competitive landscape approaches to increasing efficacy of social media engagement.
Materials
Melissa S. Barker, Donald I. Barker, Nicolas F. Bormann, Mary Lou Roberts, & Debra Zahay
(2016), Social Media Marketing – a strategic approach, 2nd Edition. Cengage Learning.
ISBN-13: 978-1-305-50275-8
ISBN-10: 1-305-50275-2
Additional course materials are provided within the course.
Learning Objectives and Outcomes
Program Outcomes
- Evaluate strategies for the ability to increase return on investment (ROI) in multimedia campaigns for health and wellness
- Analyze and communicate the impact of social analytics and social media campaigns on nutrition-related business to a variety of audiences
- Employ principles of ethics in social media as they apply to nutrition and wellness
- Create Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC) plans with a focus on nutritional branding
- Develop business assets for a competitive nutrition and wellness market
Course Outcomes
- Utilize various social media channels for branding and marketing
- Develop brand strategies for social media marketing
- Research audience behavior and needs to define target segments and develop appropriate strategies to achieve marketing objectives
- Develop appropriate strategies to achieve marketing objectives
- Examine the competitive landscape of social media activities for a brand
- Create social media marketing campaigns with targeted objectives and measurable outcomes
- Utilize appropriate metrics to monitor and measure effectiveness of implemented strategies
- Develop a marketing budget and examine return on investment
- Develop effective marketing strategies and tactics using social media outlets in a comprehensive Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) Plan
- Create and present a project using audio/visual techniques
Assignments
8 Checkpoint Assignments: A series of short papers and activities intended to build skills necessary to succeed in the key assessments.
Key Assessment Part 1, IMC Plan: An Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) Plan for a health and wellness based company
Key Assessment Part 2, IMC Plan Presentation: A presentation of your IMC Plan in an audio-visual format
Discussion Board:
You will be required to participate in discussions. Initial posts are due on Sundays, and responses are due by Tuesday. If the initial post and response are not submitted within the discussion week you will be given a zero. Posts submitted after the discussion week will not be graded.
Your success in the course relies on robust discussion, critical thinking, and peer response. Weekly posts responding to prompts posed are meant to facilitate a deeper understanding of the broader themes of the course as well as enrich the readings, handouts, and lectures. Your initial response should be no less than 400 words. Peer-responses should be no less than 200 words and must be thoughtful, contain compliment as well as constructive criticism, and maintain a professional tone.
Specific statements about nutrition and health outcomes should be supported appropriately with citations of peer-reviewed research.
Furthermore, in regard to all assignments, please observe the following:
- All assignments must be completed using AMA formatting where appropriate.
- Written assignments should be double-spaced, using a 12-point Times Roman or another professional font
- All times refer to Eastern Time (ET).
- All questions about assignments and all questions, in general, should be sent through email.
Writing Statement
As professionals in the field, you will consistently be expected to clearly and concisely articulate advanced concepts for diverse audiences at a variety of educational levels.
Graduate students are expected to produce their best quality work, including screening their work prior to submission for clarity, grammatical, spelling, formatting and mechanical issues.
While there is often a portion of each assignment’s rubric dedicated specifically to grammar, spelling, mechanics, and formatting, it is critical to understand that failure to submit work that has been adequately proofed may result in a reduction of points in other areas of the rubric. These may include, but are not limited to metrics rating professionalism or content knowledge and synthesis; work submitted in graduate courses should provide evidence of strategic reading, writing, and academic speaking skills essential for success in the discipline.
Grading Policy
Your grade in this course will be determined by the following criteria:
Grade Breakdown
Syllabus Contract | 1 |
Discussion Board (7 @ 3 Points Each) | 21 |
Checkpoint Assessment #1: Executive Summary/Overview | 8 |
Checkpoint Assessment #2: Competitive/Market Analysis | 8 |
Checkpoint Assessment #3: Target Market | 8 |
Checkpoint Assessment #4: Goals | 8 |
Checkpoint Assessment #5: Selected Social Media Platforms | 8 |
Checkpoint Assessment #6: Timeline and Monitoring Plan | 8 |
Checkpoint Assessment #7: Budget | 8 |
Checkpoint Assessment #8: Return on Investment | 8 |
Key Assessment, Part 1: IMC Plan | 9 |
Key Assessment, Part 2: IMC Plan Presentation | 5 |
TOTAL | 100 POINTS |
Grade Scale
Grade |
Points Grade |
Point Average (GPA) |
A |
94 – 100% |
4.00 |
A- |
90 – 93% |
3.75 |
B+ |
87 – 89% |
3.50 |
B |
84 – 86% |
3.00 |
B- |
80 – 83% |
2.75 |
C+ |
77 – 79% |
2.50 |
C |
74 – 76% |
2.00 |
C- |
70 – 73% |
1.75 |
D |
64 – 69% |
1.00 |
F |
00 – 63% |
0.00 |
Schedule
Weekly Dates
Week One: 8/28 – 9/3
Week Two: 9/4 – 9/10
Week Three: 9/11 – 9/17
Week Four: 9/18 – 9/24
Week Five: 9/25 – 10/1
Week Six: 10/2 – 10/8
Week Seven: 10/9 – 10/15
Week Eight: 10/16 – 10/22
Week Nine: 10/23 – 10/29
Week Ten: 10/30 – 11/5
Week Eleven: 11/6 – 11/12
Week Twelve: 11/13 – 11/19
Week Thirteen: 11/20 – 11/26
Week Fourteen: 11/27 – 12/3
Week Fifteen: 12/4 – 12/10
Week Sixteen: 12/11 – 12/15
Major Assignment Due Dates
Syllabus Contract
|
9/3 |
Discussions
|
Every Sunday and Tuesday
|
Checkpoint Assignment 1: Executive Summary/Overview
|
9/10
|
Checkpoint Assignment 2: Competitive/Market Analysis
|
9/17 |
Checkpoint Assignment 3: Target Market
|
9/17 |
Checkpoint Assignment 4: Goals
|
9/24
|
Checkpoint Assignment 5: Selected Social Media Platforms
|
10/1
|
Checkpoint Assignment 6: Timeline and Monitoring Plan
|
10/15
|
Checkpoint Assignment 7: Budget
|
10/29
|
Checkpoint Assignment 8: Return on Investment
|
11/5
|
Key Assessment 1: Final Product
|
11/19
|
Key Assessment 2: Video Presentation
|
11/26
|
Week One: Introduction to Social Media Marketing and Brand Development
Weekly Learning Outcomes
- Discuss the importance, history, and myths of social media
- Define a social media plan and explain the steps involved in creating a social media strategy
- Review the components of the Integrated Marketing Communications
Lectures
- Intro to APN 720 Course lecture
- Lecture 1: Introduction to Social Media Marketing and Brand Development
Readings
- Required:
- Chapters 1 in course text.
- Kumar, S, Bhaskar, PK. Social media branding and brand image development-Concepts and cases. International Journal of Research in Management & Social Science. 2014; 68 -72
- Recommended: The brand called you. Fast Company Website. https://www.fastcompany.com/28905/brand-called-you
Discussion
- Introductions and First Impressions
Week Two: Understanding the Rules of Engagement in Social Media
Weekly Learning Outcomes
- Develop an executive summary for a fictional brand or company
- Write a mission/vision statement for an Executive Summary for a fictional brand or company
Lectures
- Lecture 2: Understanding the Rules of Engagement in Social Media
- Video: How to Create a Mission and Vision Statement (With Examples) link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pu40g1XN-U4
Readings
- Required: Chapter 4 in course text.
- For Assignment: “Writing a Compelling Executive Summary” and “Composing a Brief Summary” on pages 271-273 in Chapter 15.
- Recommended: Best and Worst Practices Social Media Marketing. Top Rank Marketing Blog Web site. http://www.toprankblog.com/2009/02/best-worst-practices-social-media-marketing/
Assignment
- Checkpoint Assessment #1: Executive Summary/Overview
Week Three: Understanding the Market and Target Audiences
Weekly Learning Outcomes
- Utilize research about audience behavior to define target segments and develop appropriate strategies to achieve marketing objectives
- Identify target audiences and marketing personas
- Assess the competitive market and conduct a SWOT analysis
- Determine the target markets you belong to
- Evaluate the impact of social media marketing in your own life
- Describe the target audience for an IMC plan
Lectures
- Lecture 3: Understanding the Market and Target Audiences
Readings
- Required: Chapters 2 and 3 in course text.
- For Assignment:
- “Conducting a Competitive Analysis” (on pages 275-278) and “Identifying a Target Market (on pages 280-281) in Chapter 15
- Greenwood, S, Perrin, A, Duggan, M. Social Media Update 2016. Pew Research Center. 2016. http://www.pewinternet.org/2016/11/11/social-media-update-2016/
- Brooks, Gail, Heffner, Alan, Henderson, Dave. A SWOT analysis of competitive knowledge from social media for a small start-up business. The Review of Business Information Systems (Online), 18(1). 2014; 23-34.
- Recommended:
- Vinerean, S, Cetina, L, Dumitrescu, I, Tichindelean, M. The effects of social media marketing on online consumer behavior. International Journal of Business and Management 8 (14). 2013; 66-79. http://dx.doi.org/10.5539/ijbm.v8n14p66
- An, Jisun, Cho, Hoyoun, Kwak, Haewoon, Ziyaad Hassen, Mohammed, Jansen, Bernard J. Towards automatic persona generation using social media. In Future Internet of Things and Cloud Workshops (FiCloudW), IEEE International Conference on, pp. 206-211. IEEE, 2016. DOI 10.1109/W-FiCloud.2016.51
- How Cisco achieved 281% ROI with Social Listening. Salesforce Blog Web site. http://blogs.salesforce.com/company/2013/08/cisco-social-listening.html
- What is Search Engine Optimization? Search Engine Land Web site. http://searchengineland.com/guide/what-is-seo
Assignments
- Checkpoint Assignment # 2: Competitive/Market Analysis
- Checkpoint Assignment #3: Target Market
Discussion
- Target Markets and Rules of Engagement
Week Four: Setting Goals for a Social Media Plan
Weekly Learning Outcomes
- Develop SMART goals that align with the mission and vision of a fictional brand/company
Lectures
- Lecture 4: Setting Goals for a Social Media Plan
Readings
- Required: Chapter 5 in course text
Assignment
- Checkpoint Assignment #4: Goals
Week Five: Selecting Social Media Platforms
Weekly Learning Outcomes
Students will be able to:
- Determine which social media platforms would be best suited for a brand
- Evaluate the social media habits of a target audience
- Determine how various social media platforms might be used to effectively market to your target audience
- Determine the best social media platforms for marketing health/wellness products
Lectures
- Lecture 5: Selecting Social Media Platforms
Readings
- Required: Chapters 6 in course text
- For Assignment: Review Chapter 2 (pgs. 31-39) and “Selecting Platform-Specific Tactics” on pages 282-289 in Chapter 15 of course text.
- Recommended :
- Levy, A. How to Choose the Best Social Media Platform for Your Business. Entrepreneur. 2013. https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/230020
- Loss, J, Lindacher, V, Curbach, J. Online social networking sites—a novel setting for health promotion? Health & place 26. 2014; 161-170. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2013.12.012
- De Choudhury, M, Ringel M, Meredith, White, RW. Seeking and sharing health information online: Comparing search engines and social media. In Proceedings of the 32nd annual ACM conference on Human factors in computing systems, pp. 1365-1376. ACM, 2014.
- How do I create a page? Facebook Web site. https://www.facebook.com/help/104002523024878
- Getting started with Twitter. Twitter Web site. https://support.twitter.com/articles/215585
Assignment
- Checkpoint Assignment #5: Selected Social Media Platforms
Discussion
Week Six: Monitoring Social Media
Weekly Learning Outcomes
- Examine how to evaluate an implemented IMC Plan for quantitative and qualitative outcomes
- Identify and defend how specific insights from Facebook would be useful in monitoring your implemented IMC plan
Lectures
- Lecture 6: Monitoring Social Media
Readings
- Required: Chapter 13 in course text
- Recommended:
- Facebook Insights. Facebook Web site. https://www.facebook.com/help/178043462360087
- Google Analytics Web site. https://www.google.com/analytics/#?modal_active=none
- Google Trends now shows the Web’s obsession in real time. Wired Web site. http://www.wired.com/2015/06/google-trends-real-time/
- Bartholomew, D (2013) “Unlocking Business Performance” http://www.amecorg.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Social-Media-Valid-Framework2013.pdf
- Kill Useless Web Metrics: Apply The “Three Layers Of So What” Test. Occam’s Razor Web site. http://www.kaushik.net/avinash/kill-useless-web-metrics-apply-so-what-test/
Discussion
Week Seven: Creating a Social Media Timeline
Weekly Learning Outcomes
- Create a timeline for social media marketing efforts
- Develop a monitoring system to evaluate the success of your social marketing plan
Lectures
- Lecture 7: Creating a Social Media Timeline
Readings
- Required: Chapter 14 in course text
- For Assignment:
- “Monitoring” and “Tuning” (on pages 291-294) in Chapter 15
- HOW TO: Get Started With Google Analytics. Mashable Web site. http://mashable.com/2011/05/23/how-to-use-google-analytics/#I1nJymiRh8qT
- Recommended:
- The Complete Guide to Choosing a Content Calendar: Tools, Templates, Tips, and More. Buffer Social Web site. https://blog.bufferapp.com/all-about-content-calendar
- The Socialdraft Drag & Drop Scheduling Calendar (video). YouTube Web site. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TtXAgNDVWvs
Assignment
- Checkpoint Assignment #6: Timeline and Monitoring Plan
Week Eight: Mobile Devices in the Social Media Environment
Weekly Learning Outcomes
- Explain the connections of social media to the mobile environment
- Determine the ways that mobile devices can be used to enhance brand identity
- Describe how mobile devices can be used to market products and services in the health/wellness industry
Readings
- Required: Chapter 12 in course text
- Recommended:
- Mobile Internet Access Grows Across Age Groups. Marketing Charts Web site. http://www.marketingcharts.com/online/mobile-internet-access-grows-across-age-groups-53034/
- 90% of US Mobile Internet Time Said Spent in Apps. Marketing Charts Web site. http://www.marketingcharts.com/online/90-of-us-mobile-internet-time-said-spent-in-apps-58693/
- Smartphone Internet Users’ Leading Mobile Website Access Methods. Marketing Charts Web site. http://www.marketingcharts.com/online/smartphone-internet-users-top-mobile-website-access-methods-50573/
Discussion
- Week 8: Mobile Devices in Branding and Marketing
Week Nine: Creating a Social Media Budget
Weekly Learning Outcomes
- Develop a comprehensive budget for a social media marketing plan
Lectures
- Lecture 8: Creating a Social Media Budget
Readings
- Required: “Budgeting” (on pages 294-298) in Chapter 15
- Recommended:
- Stefko, Robert, Bacik, Radovan, Fedorko, Richard. Spendings on social media as part of marketing budgets. Polish journal of management studies 8. 2013; 243-250. https://www.infona.pl/resource/bwmeta1.element.baztech-8dc42c71-c77e-4af2-95a4-25dae2df6cb1/content/partDownload/fc272b58-4c25-3c64-8472-e9e2e9e79d0c
Assignment
- Checkpoint Assignment #7: Budget
Week Ten: Understanding Return on Investment (ROI)
Weekly Learning Outcomes
- Calculate a projected Return on Investment (ROI) from the successful implementation of social marketing strategies
Lectures
- Lecture 9: Understanding Return on Investment (ROI)
Readings
- Required:
- “Calculating Return on Investment” (on page 298) in Chapter 15
- Hoffman, D, Fodor, M. Can You Measure the ROI of Your Social Media Marketing? MIT Sloan Management Review. 2010. 41-49
Assignment
- Checkpoint Assignment #8: Return on Investment
Week Eleven: Using Social Media Tools to Brand Yourself and Showcase Products/Services
Weekly Learning Outcomes
- Discuss the marketing benefits of blogging, podcasts, webinars, streaming video, photo sharing sites, and video marketing
- Reflect on the challenges inherent in the creation of an audio/visual marketing presentation
Lectures
- Lecture 10: Using Social Media Tools to Brand Yourself and Showcase Products/Services
Readings
- Required: Chapters 7, 8 and 10 in course text
Discussion
- Social Media Tools for Branding
Week Twelve: Final Comprehensive Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) Plan
Weekly Learning Outcomes
- Develop a comprehensive Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) plan with targeted objectives and measurable outcomes
- Draw conclusions about the overall plan and vision for incorporating your IMC Plan
- Utilize appropriate metrics to monitor and measure the effectiveness of implemented social media marketing strategies
Readings
- Required
- Chapter 15 (pages 269-271, 299)
Assignment
- Key Assessment, Part I: Final IMC Plan
Week Thirteen: IMC Plan Presentation
Weekly Learning Outcomes
- Develop a professional visual presentation to showcase an IMC plan
Readings
- Required: Chapters 9 and 11 in course text
- Recommended: Top 10 YouTube tips for small businesses. Mashable Web site. http://mashable.com/2010/04/23/youtube-small-business/#m3L6bIdaSiq3
Assignment
- Key Assessment, Part II: Video Presentation
Week Fourteen: Effectively Communicating on Discussion Boards
Weekly Learning Outcomes
- Assess elements of IMC Plan audio/visual presentations
- Utilize constructive techniques to communicate critical feedback of IMC Plan audio/visual presentations to professional colleagues
Lectures
- Lecture 11: Effectively Communicating on Discussion Boards
Readings
- Required: Fuller, M, Allen, T. Let’s Have a Tweetup: The Case for Using Twitter Professionally. Archives of pathology & laboratory medicine, 140(9), 2016; 956-957. https://doi.org/10.5858/arpa.2016-0172-SA
Discussion
- IMC Plan Presentation Feedback
Week Fifteen: Review of IMC Plan and Social Media to Develop Brand Identity
Weekly Learning Outcomes
- Review the components of an Integrated Marketing Communications Plan
- Review strategies for using social media to develop brand identity
Lectures
- Lecture 12: Review of Developing an IMC plan and using Social Media to Develop Brand Identity
Readings
- Required: Batra, R, Keller, KL, Integrating Marketing Communications: New Findings, New Lessons, and New Ideas. Journal of Marketing, 80(6), 2016. 122-145. DOI: 10.1509/jm.15.0419
Week Sixteen: Reflection on Nutrition Branding Using Social Media
Weekly Learning Outcomes
- Reflect on what you have learned about nutrition branding using social media
Discussion
Student Resources
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Policies
AMA Writing Style Statement
In keeping with the requirements of the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, the American Medical Association (AMA) Manual of Style, 11th edition is the required writing format for this course and is available at both UNE libraries under the title "AMA Manual." Additional support for academic writing and AMA format is provided throughout the coursework as well as at the UNE Portal for Online Students.
Online resources: AMA Style Guide
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Make sure to cite your sources appropriately as well as use your own words in synthesizing information from published literature. Webinars and workshops, included early in your coursework, will help guide best practices in AMA citation and academic writing.
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Late Policy
Assignments: Assignments submitted after the due date and time will receive a deduction of 10% of the total possible grade for each day it is late. After three days, the assignment will not be accepted. No assignments will be accepted after the course ends.
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