New Technologies for Advertising and PR

Teaching a new course this summer at NYU called New Technologies for Advertising and Public Relations.

New technologies are empowering customers, fragmenting media, and collecting massive amounts of data on consumer behaviors. People are spending less time with traditional venues such as newspapers, radio, and television and devoting more attention to digital media that are mobile, online, and televisual - such as high definition television, streaming movies, and digital gaming experiences. Classified ads and the 30 second spot are two advertising forms on the endangered list. Social Media has emerged as an overall communication framework which has challenged both the advertising and public relations model of one-way communication mediated through an agency. User participation through dialogue and content creation/sharing/syndication are producing a new set of expectations in the marketing mix. Media metrics have also developed an “informating” quality that tracks the connections and transactions of the link economy and compiles virtual profiles and identities.

This course examines state-of-the-art technologies instrumental in successful advertising and public relations. It reviews advertising and public relations through an economics and media analysis framework that establishes the value of advertising and examines the codes and meaning-creating practices used in effective advertising and public engagement strategies. The course will cover emerging technologies in design, interaction, and message creation. It will also examine techniques involved in computer imaging, digital videography, lighting effects, sound editing, and printing that enhance the media experience and make messages more effective.. Students will develop in-depth knowledge in an area of their choice that involves the latest techniques associated with new technologies such as online search, mobile smartphones, social media, or high definition digital television.