Culminating Experience

For my advertising capstone class, I was tasked with choosing a topic of my choice that resonated with me and how I could solve a problem within that topic.

Project Description: The project consists of two parts: a 2,000-word research essay and a visual infographic presentation. The essay examines emotional advertising through the lenses of Natural Sciences, Social Sciences, and Humanities. It analyzes real-world brand campaigns to illustrate how emotional tactics can either deepen trust or backfire when perceived as inauthentic. The presentation translates this research visually, presenting core insights, case studies, and a proposed model for ethical emotional marketing.

Scope: In my essay, I clearly define the issue, give background and context, provide relevant evidence and perspectives from multiple lenses, provide brand case studies, a policy proposal to show how I will fix the issue.

Approach: The project integrates knowledge from natural sciences (neuroscience of emotional processing), social sciences (social identity theory and brand psychology), and humanities (Kantian and virtue ethics). It draws on academic coursework in Communication and Media Ethics, Organizational Communication, and Advertising Creative Direction, alongside hands-on experience from my graphic design internship.

Outcome: Provides a clear, ethical framework for brands to use emotional marketing responsibly. I conclude that emotional advertising is not inherently unethical, but must be aligned with authentic values and transparent intent to maintain consumer trust.