Digital Advertising and Brand Strategy Academy

The Digital Advertising and Brand Strategy Academy is an immersive summer course designed for high school students passionate about digital advertising and marketing. Students will learn how major entertainment companies, sports franchises, music labels, and streaming platforms build buzz, engage fans, and create viral moments through strategic digital marketing. Through hands-on projects, real-world case studies from the entertainment industry, and interactive workshops, students will develop practical skills in social media campaign development, fan engagement strategies, content creation for entertainment properties, analytics for measuring audience excitement, and influencer marketing within the entertainment landscape.

The program emphasizes the unique dynamics of marketing in entertainment and sports, where building anticipation, creating shareable moments, and fostering passionate fan communities are essential. By the end of the program, students will have created a professional campaign portfolio demonstrating their ability to market entertainment properties, engage audiences, and understand the digital strategies that make movies, shows, albums, and sporting events successful in today's social media-driven world.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course, students will be able to:

1. Understand core digital marketing principles including social media strategy development, audience analysis, content planning, platform optimization, and brand storytelling across multiple social media channels (Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, LinkedIn, Twitter/X).
2. Develop practical content creation skills including photography, video editing, graphic design, copywriting, and the use of industry-standard tools (Canva, CapCut, Adobe Express) to produce engaging, platform-appropriate content.
3. Analyze campaign performance using social media analytics, interpret key metrics (engagement rate, reach, impressions, conversions), and make data-driven recommendations to optimize digital marketing strategies.

Tangible Outcomes

Capstone Project (2 week course):

Students will individually create a focused social media campaign for an entertainment, media, or sports entity of their choice. Options include: a movie or TV show launch, a musician or content creator's promotional campaign, a sports team's season kickoff, an esports event, or a media company's brand awareness initiative. Students will receive feedback and complete a portfolio piece that showcases their understanding of entertainment marketing, fan engagement, and viral content strategy.

Field Trips

• Social media company or digital marketing agency in Los Angeles (e.g., influencer management firm, The Lighthouse, or digital advertising agency)
• Major brand headquarters or innovation center (e.g., entertainment company, fashion brand, Snap HQ)
• Venice Beach/Santa Monica for street photography and content creation workshop
• UCLA campus media facilities including student media organizations and content creation spaces (if possible)

Note: Information is subject to change as instructors finalize course content and syllabi.