LEARNING OUTCOMES
This class will teach students the value of creativity within
marketing. Creativity and innovation are often evoked in
company mission statements, but more often than not,
companies fail at fostering either of them within their ranks.
Students will learn to understand why and how creativity fails
within organizations, and how to avoid these pitfalls. The focus
of the course is explicitly on group and organizational
creativity, particularly cross-functional creativity and its
importance for functions such as new product development and
marketing communications. A special emphasis in this course
will be the use of ethnographic methods for creative problem
solving. Students in this course are encouraged to think of
themselves as future change agents within organizations. They
will learn the tools to build processes and spaces for creativity
with tangible results. The overall purpose of this class is to
increase students appreciation for creativity and to how to
foster it within the entire organization, especially for marketing
operations.
Knowledge
• Understand the antecedents and pitfalls of a creative
marketing organization
• Understand how creativity is fostered and mobilized
across different marketing functions
• Understanding how different marketing research
methods vary in creating new knowledge
• Understand the role of creativity for business and
society
• Understand how creativity informs strategy
Skills
• Processes of brainstorming and inclusive group
creativity that align different organizational players
towards a common marketing goal
• Ability to apply creativity techniques to develop
innovative marketing solutions (e.g., new product
development, promotional efforts, etc.).
• Experience in ethnographic fieldwork and problem
formulation
• Ability to change organizational culture that embraces
creativity
• Ability to create marketing strategies that take
advantage of consumer creativity
Perspectives
• Recognize how organizational creativity is necessary for
innovation and a key organizational feature
• Understand that creativity is not an inherent talent based
function, rather a trainable skill that can and should be
embedded into an organizational culture
• Recognize the role of change agents and champions of
creativity
• Recognize common misconceptions of creativity, such
as the genius myth and breakthrough technologies, and
appreciates the value of innovation as a key difference
• Recognize the wide ethical concerns of creativity
including societal issues and consumer-marketer power
struggles
Credits: 6
Schedule: 09.01.2023 - 17.02.2023
Teacher in charge (valid for whole curriculum period):
Teacher in charge (applies in this implementation): Henri Weijo
Contact information for the course (applies in this implementation):
CEFR level (valid for whole curriculum period):
Language of instruction and studies (applies in this implementation):
Teaching language: English. Languages of study attainment: English
CONTENT, ASSESSMENT AND WORKLOAD
Content
valid for whole curriculum period:
Brainstorming, divergence and convergence techniques, service
building, brand storytelling, ethnographic methods, deep
problem-solving
Assessment Methods and Criteria
valid for whole curriculum period:
Students will be evaluated based on their class participation (especially during lectures), reflection papers on the readings, and a group assignment. The group assignment will be the biggest contributor to the overall grade. In the final assignment, students will have to create a concrete plan for changing an organization’s creative culture. Groups are expected to complete peer evaluations to ensure balanced participation. Grading: The course grade will consist of the following components: • Class Attendance, Participation and Preparation • Quizzes and Class Exercises • Group Project and Final Presentation • Individual Creativity Assignments The final breakdown and balance between these elements will be announced at the beginning of the course.
Workload
valid for whole curriculum period:
The course includes lectures, readings, individual assignments, and
group work conducted both in class as well as outside of it
DETAILS
Substitutes for Courses
valid for whole curriculum period:
Prerequisites
valid for whole curriculum period:
SDG: Sustainable Development Goals
8 Decent Work and Economic Growth
9 Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
12 Responsible Production and Consumption
FURTHER INFORMATION
Further Information
valid for whole curriculum period:
The number of students admitted to the course is restricted to
50.
Priority is given to (1) Aalto BSc Marketing students, (2) Aalto
MSc Marketing students, (3) Aalto students studying a MSc
minor study package in Fashion Management, (4) Aalto BIZ
exchange students, (4) open university students, (5) JOOstudents,
(6) BIZ students.III (2022-3) spring,
III (2023-4) spring