Marketing Communications: The Customer's Journey

Marketing Communications: The Customer's Journey

Instructor: Caleb Simmons

Included with

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4 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

Beginner level

No prior experience required

7 hours to complete

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

4 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

Beginner level

No prior experience required

7 hours to complete

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

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Shareable certificate

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There are 4 modules in this course

How do customers move from first hearing about a brand to becoming loyal advocates?

This non-credit online course in marketing communications, offered by the University of Arizona Online through Coursera, is designed for working professionals and adult learners who want to up-skill or re-skill in advertising and media strategy while exploring college-level coursework on a flexible basis. You’ll learn to map the customer journey, apply integrated marketing communication principles, and select the right mix of traditional, digital, paid, owned, and earned media channels for awareness, engagement, conversion, and loyalty. Through real-world examples and hands-on exercises, you’ll develop media strategies with SMART objectives and KPIs, and gain practical skills to create campaigns that move customers from awareness to advocacy. This course offers a low-risk way to experience college-aligned learning, making it an excellent starting point for professionals considering continued education or a future pathway into University of Arizona credit-bearing programs. By the end of this course, you will be able to: 1. Explain the stages of the customer journey and how advertising objectives differ at each stage. 2. Evaluate traditional, digital, owned, and earned media channels to select the best options for awareness, engagement, conversion, and loyalty. 3. Develop a media strategy aligned with customer goals, including SMART objectives and key performance indicators (KPIs). 4. Apply integrated marketing communication principles to create campaigns that move customers from awareness to advocacy. This the second course in the Management of Marketing Communications specialization. The other two courses are: - Marketing Communications: Intro to Consumer Behavior - Marketing Communications: Culture and Messaging Learners who complete this course and successfully pass the final exam may be eligible to earn University of Arizona credit through the credit‑by‑exam process. This option provides a flexible pathway for those interested in applying their learning toward future academic goals. For questions about eligibility, requirements, or next steps, please contact CAPE‑Info@email.arizona.edu.

Learn how customers move from first hearing about a brand to becoming loyal advocates. This module introduces the key stages of the customer journey and shows how marketing communications can guide customers through each step. You’ll practice setting clear goals and choosing the right media channels to create an effective journey.

What's included

6 videos4 readings1 assignment

6 videos Total 39 minutes

The Customer's Journey - Part 1 7 minutes
The Customer's Journey - Part 2 7 minutes
The Customer's Journey - Part 3 5 minutes
Traditional Advertising - Part 1 6 minutes
Traditional Advertising - Part 2 8 minutes
Traditional Advertising - Part 3 8 minutes

4 readings Total 40 minutes

Effective Social Media Marketing Through Customer Journey Mapping 10 minutes
Optional: The Customer's Journey Slides 10 minutes
6 Types of Advertising Media Channels 10 minutes
Optional: Traditional Advertising Slides 10 minutes

1 assignment Total 30 minutes

Module 1 Quiz 30 minutes

This module explores how brands use paid advertising alongside owned and earned media to build awareness, engage audiences, and drive conversions. You’ll learn the strengths and limitations of digital advertising formats such as search, display, and social ads, and discover how owned channels (like websites and email) and earned media (such as SEO, reviews, and word-of-mouth) contribute to long-term brand equity. The focus is on practical strategies for integrating these channels into an effective marketing communications plan.

What's included

7 videos4 readings1 assignment

7 videos Total 50 minutes

Paid Digital Marketing - Part 1 8 minutes
Paid Digital Marketing - Part 2 7 minutes
Paid Digital Marketing - Part 3 6 minutes
Owned and Earned Media - Part 1 9 minutes
Owned and Earned Media - Part 2 6 minutes
Owned and Earned Media - Part 3 6 minutes
Owned and Earned Media - Part 4 7 minutes

4 readings Total 40 minutes

What is Digital Advertising? Types, Benefits & Examples (+Pro Tips!) 10 minutes
Optional: Paid Digital Marketing Slides 10 minutes
Paid Media, Explained in 400 Words or Less 10 minutes
Optional: Owned and Earned Media Slides 10 minutes

1 assignment Total 30 minutes

Module 2 Quiz 30 minutes

This module examines how brands become powerful cultural symbols by connecting with shared beliefs and values. You’ll learn how ideologies shape consumer identity and behavior, and how myths and icons communicate these ideals. The module also explores how symbols acquire meaning within cultures, how meanings shift over time, and why managing brand symbolism is central to integrated marketing communications.

What's included

5 videos5 readings1 assignment

5 videos Total 45 minutes

Symbols - Part 1 8 minutes
Symbols - Part 2 8 minutes
Ideologies - Part 1 9 minutes
Ideologies - Part 2 9 minutes
Ideologies - Part 3 10 minutes

5 readings Total 50 minutes

What becomes an icon most? 10 minutes
Whiskey: Marketplace Icon 10 minutes
Optional: Symbols Slides 10 minutes
Identity Myths and Storytelling Are Keys To Building Iconic Brands 10 minutes
Optional: Ideologies Slides 10 minutes

1 assignment Total 30 minutes

Module 3 Quiz 30 minutes

This module provides an opportunity to demonstrate what you’ve learned throughout the course. You will complete a short quiz and submit your final assignment, applying concepts from customer journey design, media strategy, and cultural branding.

What's included

2 assignments

Instructor

Caleb Simmons

University of Arizona

1 Course 1 learner

Offered by

University of Arizona

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To access the course materials, assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience when you enroll in a course. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid. The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.

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