Advertising and Brand Creativity Major - Bachelor of Communication Studies
Study advertising and collaborate with your classmates on advertising briefs, writing and designing ads for real products and clients.
Advertising is about thinking laterally and developing effective brand and product campaigns. You start with a blank piece of paper, do the hard work to get to a great idea and then choose various media to create a campaign. AUT is the only New Zealand university that teaches advertising creativity specifically and at degree level.
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This is part of the Bachelor of Communication Studies.
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You develop ideation, art direction and copywriting skills for print, radio, outdoor, television and digital advertising, as well as creative problem-solving skills and the ability to communicate information in a compelling way.
We work closely with the advertising industry, and you learn from guest speakers from leading advertising agencies and client companies like Google, TVNZ, Spark, MediaWorks, Saatchi & Saatchi, DDB, Colenso BBDO, FCB New Zealand and Film Construction.
Clients and agencies brief our students directly, and your completed ads may even be published in the media. Many students are also offered workplace experience at major advertising agencies. By the end of your degree you’ll have a professional portfolio to apply for work as a copywriter, art director and other roles in an ad agency.
Year 1
This year you take eight core courses that give you an overview of the media world and communication theories.
Semester 1 courses
- COMM505 Text, Image and Sound (15 points)
- COMM513 Media Technology and Society (15 points)
- COMM516 Media Production Foundations (15 points)
- DIGD507 Mahitahi | Collaborative Practices (15 points)
Semester 2 courses
- COMM512 Communication Ethics (15 points)
- COMM514 Intercultural Communication (15 points)
- COMM515 Media, Politics and Citizenship (15 points)
- COMM517 Media Production Studio (15 points)
Year 2
You take four courses related to advertising and brand creativity, exploring the advertising industry and its role on a global stage, creative strategies and principles, and trends in advertising.
Semester 1 courses
- ADVT671 Copywriting (15 points)
- DIGM603 Visual Communication (15 points)
- Plus two courses from your second major, minor(s) or elective courses
Semester 2 courses
- ADVT672 Advertising and Brand Creativity (15 points)
- ADVT673 Creative Principles and Strategy (15 points)
- Plus two courses from your second major, minor(s) or elective courses
Year 3
Our advertising and brand creativity courses help you develop a professional advertising portfolio you can use to apply for work as a copywriter, art director and other roles in an ad agency. You collaborate with your classmates on advertising briefs, writing and designing ads for real products and clients.
Semester 1 courses
- ADVT777 Advanced Art Direction and Copywriting (15 points)
- ADVT780 Applied Creative Strategies (15 points)
- Plus two courses from your second major, minor(s) or elective courses
Semester 2 courses
- ADVT778 Applied Creativity for Social Change (15 points)
- ADVT779 Industry Practice Studio (15 points)
- Plus two courses from your second major, minor(s) or elective courses
Year 1
This year you take the first of your core courses to give you an overview of the media world and communication theories, and start to take the first advertising and brand creativity courses.
Semester 1 courses (starting in July)
- COMM512 Communication Ethics (15 points)
- COMM515 Media, Politics and Citizenship (15 points)
- COMM516 Media Production Foundations (15 points)
- DIGD507 Mahitahi | Collaborative Practices (15 points)
Semester 2 courses (starting in February)
- COMM505 Text, Image and Sound (15 points)
- ADVT671 Copywriting (15 points)
- DIGM603 Visual Communication (15 points)
- Plus a course from your second major, minor(s) or elective courses*
Year 2
You continue to take courses related to communications and the media, and further explore creative strategies and principles, and trends in advertising.
Semester 1 courses (starting in July)
- COMM517 Media Production Studio (15 points)
- ADVT672 Advertising and Brand Creativity (15 points)
- ADVT673 Creative Principles and Strategy (15 points)
- Plus a course from your second major, minor(s) or elective courses*
Semester 2 courses (starting in February)
- COMM513 Media Technology and Society (15 points)
- ADVT777 Advanced Art Direction and Copywriting (15 points)
- ADVT780 Applied Creative Strategies (15 points)
- Plus a course from your second major, minor(s) or elective courses*
Year 3
Our advertising and brand creativity courses help you develop a professional advertising portfolio you can use to apply for work as a copywriter, art director and other roles in an ad agency. You collaborate with your classmates on advertising briefs, writing and designing ads for real products and clients.
Semester 1 courses (starting in July)
- COMM514 Intercultural Communication (15 points)
- ADVT778 Applied Creativity for Social Change (15 points)
- ADVT779 Industry Practice Studio (15 points)
- Plus a course from your second major, minor(s) or elective courses*
Semester 2 courses (starting in February)
- Four courses from your second major, minor(s) or elective courses*
*Because of timetabling and the prerequisites required for higher-level courses, you may not be able to take a second major if you start in July and want to complete your degree in three years. If you do a second major, you may need to do an additional semester.
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Majoring in advertising creativity will prepare you for a wide range of roles, including:
- Account director or planner
- Art director
- Copywriter
- Digital creative or strategist
- Media buyer/planner
- Strategic planner
- Web content creator
- Marketing manager
Find out more about industry trends, job descriptions and what employers may be looking for.
Other majors in the Bachelor of Communication Studies
- The only NZ university degree in advertising and brand creativity
- Supported by the advertising industry and CCC (Commercial Communication Council)
- Recognised by the International Design and Art Direction (D&AD) University Network
- Option to include subjects from across AUT in your degree
- A strong writer or visual communicator, with a vivid imagination
- A boundary breaker, a trend spotter
- Inquisitive
- Hard-working and committed
The information on this page was correct at time of publication. For a comprehensive overview of AUT qualifications, please refer to the Academic Calendar.