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 course, 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.

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.


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.

Most courses last one semester and are worth 15 points. You must complete 120 points each year (360 points for the entire degree).

Year 1

You study the following courses:

Year 2

You study the following courses:

You also complete courses from your second major and your chosen minor(s).

Year 3

You study the following courses:

You also complete courses from your second major and your chosen minor(s).

Enrolment in courses is subject to meeting all requirements and availability of courses.

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
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Find out more about industry trends, job descriptions and what employers may be looking for.

Advertising and Brand Creativity

Key features
  • 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
See yourself as
  • A strong writer or visual communicator, with a vivid imagination
  • A boundary breaker, a trend spotter
  • Inquisitive
  • Hard-working and committed
Emma Hanley
Natassja Cox
Joy Wood
Jake Flashman
Emma Hanley
Great graduatesEmma HanleyMarketing Coordinator, ArchiProBachelor of Communication StudiesShe had her sights set on getting an Internz internship from her first year at AUT, says Emma Hanley who interned at Oxygen Eventworks in New York City.She had her sights set on getting an Internz internship from her first year at AUT, says communication studies alumna Emma Hanley who interned at Oxygen Eventworks in New York City after graduating from AUT. Since returning to New Zealand, Emma now works as a marketing coordinator for ArchiPro; a position she really loves.
Natassja Cox
Great graduatesNatassja CoxJunior Strategist, DDB New ZealandBachelor of Communication StudiesDeciding what to study was easy, says AUT communication studies alumna Natassja Cox who is currently working as a junior strategist at DDB New Zealand.Deciding what to study was easy, says AUT communication studies alumna Natassja Cox. After graduating at the end of 2018, Natassja went to Washington, DC, to intern at Goodworld; a role she got through the Internz International Scholarship Programme. Since returning to New Zealand at the end of 2019, she now works as a junior strategist at DDB New Zealand.
Joy Wood
Great graduatesJoy WoodGrowth and Partnerships Manager, Goodworld, Washington DCBachelor of Business
Bachelor of Communication StudiesShe had been dreaming of the Internz Scholarship since her first year at university, says Joy Wood who is now interning at Goodworld in Washington DC.She had been dreaming of the Internz Scholarship since her first year at university, says Joy Wood who is now interning at Goodworld in Washington DC through the Internz programme. As a growth and partnerships manager at Goodworld, Joy helps non-profit organisations reach their fundraising goals.
Jake Flashman
Great graduatesJake FlashmanArt Director, FCB West, San FranciscoBachelor of Communication StudiesHe has always been creative, says communications alumnus Jake Flashman who came to AUT to study a Bachelor of Communication Studies in Advertising Creativity.He has always been creative, says Jake Flashman who came to AUT to study a Bachelor of Communication Studies in Advertising Creativity. Through the Internz programme Jake is now based in San Francisco where he’s experiencing life as an art director at leading ad agency FCB West. He loves the variety of the work he is involved in, Jake says.

The information on this page was correct at time of publication. For a comprehensive overview of AUT qualifications, please refer to the Academic Calendar.

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