New Approaches for Teaching Advertising: Looking through the Lens of Social Justice to Affect Career Behaviors and Choices

This exploratory study reviewed how a way of teaching advertising and strategic communication through the lens of social justice and as an active agent to impact society influenced student perspectives. Weaving together engaged scholarship and engagement of hope as a framework for investigation, an introductory advertising course was designed to incorporate social justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Students were interviewed about their learnings, feelings, and career hopes and choices. Assignments and year end reflections were also examined for ideas of social justice and pedagogical approaches. Findings indicate students are knowledgeable of the power and influence of advertising and are sensitive to social justice and DEI issues and the role of brands advocating these ideas. A structure for emphasizing social justice in an introductory advertising course is offered.