Preparing for your course

As part of your preparation for the course, we invite you to explore the creative and strategic impact of marketing and advertising in today’s media landscape.

Your task over the summer is to research a marketing or advertising campaign that you find particularly compelling, innovative or thought-provoking. This may be from a well-known brand, a public awareness initiative, or an independent campaign that stands out for its creativity or message.

Use your reading list of websites, independent magazines, or archive platforms to help you.

When selecting your campaign, consider:

• What makes the idea or execution distinctive?
• How does the campaign communicate with its audience?
• What platforms or media channels were used?
• What kind of response or cultural relevance did it generate?

Once you've selected your example, save three visuals or screenshots that reflect what you find most interesting about the campaign. These can be stored on your phone, printed, or collected digitally.

In your first week, you'll be asked to share your images and discuss your chosen campaign in an informal session. This isn't assessed; it's intended to encourage discussion, help break the ice, and get you to begin thinking critically and creatively about your field.

Have fun exploring, surprise us and be bold in your choices.

• Kotler, P., Armstrong, G., Harris, L.C. and He, H., 2019. Principles of marketing. Harlow: Pearson Education.
• Chaffey, D. and Ellis-Chadwick, F. (2022). Digital Marketing: Strategy, Implementation, and Practice (8th Edition). Pearson.

Many of these magazines are costly, but you don’t need to buy them all. Most are also available via AUB Library subscriptions.

• Aesthetica
• Aperture
• Dazed
• Elephant
• I-D
• Holiday
• Pop
• Selvedge
• The Beauty Papers
• The Gentlewoman
• Fantastic Man

• https://www.wallpaper.com/art
• https://www.wgsn.com/en
• www.nowness.com
• www.showstudio.com (Nick Knight, the founder, is an AUB alumnus)
• https://www.vice.com/en

Classic films with iconic style and creative impact– we’ll add to this list when you are here.

• A Clockwork Orange (1972) – Kubrick’s stylised dystopia is known for its provocative visual language. It blends brutalist architecture, surreal interiors, and striking costumes to create a disturbing yet influential vision of the future.
• Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961) – The film helped define modern elegance through its visual minimalism and urban sophistication. Audrey Hepburn’s portrayal of Holly Golightly became a lasting symbol of aspirational style and cosmopolitan charm.
• Metropolis (1927) – Metropolis is a pioneering Art Deco work of science fiction, celebrated for its monumental set design and visual effects. Its aesthetic legacy can be seen in countless depictions of dystopian futures, from cinema to architecture.
• Barbarella (1968) – This cult science fiction film is renowned for its imaginative world-building and playful, sensual tone. Its use of avant-garde costume and pop-art design helped shape the visual language of camp and retro-futurism.
• The Wicker Man (1973) – Set within an isolated rural community, the film’s use of natural landscapes, folk imagery and ritualistic detail created a haunting atmosphere that redefined the visual potential of British horror.
• The Virgin Suicides (1999) – Sofia Coppola’s debut established her signature ethereal aesthetic. Through soft lighting, muted colour palettes and dreamlike pacing, the film captures adolescence's emotional distance and fragility.
• Blade Runner (1982) – Ridley Scott’s vision of a decaying future Los Angeles redefined cinematic world-building. With its fusion of noir cinematography, urban decay and neon-lit atmospheres, the film continues to shape the aesthetic of science fiction.