Strategic Marketing in Creative Industries

Course Number 1914

Associate Professor Anita Elberse
Winter, 20 Sessions
Paper

Career Focus

The term "creative industries" refers to industries that supply goods that are commonly associated with cultural, artistic, or entertainment value, such as film, television, music, publishing, the performing arts, sports, fashion, advertising, and other areas within the media and entertainment sector.

The course is primarily designed for students pursuing a career in the creative industries, or who plan to work in companies that advise or support those sectors. It may also be interesting for students seeking to advance their knowledge of strategic marketing in the context of a challenging, rapidly changing environment.

Educational Objectives

The course starts with an examination of the defining properties of creative industries, and the consequences for effective or "winning" marketing strategies. Subsequent modules explore (1) how to optimally allocate marketing resources both within a project and across a portfolio of projects (for example, does it pay to bet heavily on likely blockbusters?), (2) how to approach the management and marketing of creative talent (and in particular of superstars), and (3) how new digital technologies are changing creative industries. The course ends with an examination of firms that fall outside the core creative industries but seemingly face similar challenges or opportunities.

Cases focus on established and emerging firms, products, and people in media, sports, and other cultural, artistic or entertainment industries. Examples include Boca Juniors, Grand Central Publishing, LeBron James, Maria Sharapova, Marquee, Marvel Enterprises, MGM and Tom Cruise, New York City, Octone Records, Real Madrid, Radiohead, The Metropolitan Opera, The CW, and Warner Bros.

Course Content and Organization

The course will consist of around 20 sessions as well as a final project. Grading will be based on class participation and the final project.