In TexasMedia, studying advertising media means much more than learning how to create a media plan or how to place a buy. It's about the thinking process one takes to understand consumer behavior patterns, new theories and models of media consumption, brand building, and ever-changing media environments. It's also about how to reach consumers when they are provided with more media choices than ever before and when they can opt out of receiving advertising messages altogether.
The TexasMedia way of understanding media is the ultimate left and right-brain experience. On one side are the inspired investigators who research and dream. On the other are the realists who can manage budgets large and small, keep executions on strategy and meet deadlines. Budgets and accountability are both harsh realities of media and the best ideas are only theoretical until they are put in action. Therefore, it is also important that our students are taught the basic how-to’s of media needed to bring their ideas to life. We have found that students of media will naturally migrate more to one side or the other, but they will all be well-rounded by being exposed to both sides of this spectrum.
This simple question is at the core of what we do. We require students to ask themselves these questions everyday, following every lecture and every project…
• So what do I really think about what I've learned?
• So what does it matter to me and my future?
• So what means it has to be done that way and not this way?
• So what else do I need to know?
Texas Media graduates must become investigators if they are to be successful both now and in the exciting, yet ambiguous future this field will hold.