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Invent a product and pitch its campaign in this 3-week marketing and advertising program for middle school students at UCLA.
Rated 4.3 out of 5 for the instructor by students who took this course in 2026.
Course Description
A logo catches the eye; a message makes a brand memorable. Create both, then try responding when a fictional company gets something wrong.
In this course your student will explore how marketing, advertising, and public relations work together. Familiar brands and commercials make the choices visible. They’ll explore product, price, promotion, and where a product is sold, analyze logos, and invent a product with its own name and visual identity.
Advertising exercises explore attention, persuasion, slogans, and storytelling. After critiquing existing ads, teams will create a poster, video script, or jingle for their own campaign. A fictional company mistake brings public relations into the picture: students will write a press release or social post and decide how to address the audience without losing trust.
The final campaign presentation connects the product, logo, ad, and PR plan. Your student will explain why those choices belong together and what they are meant to communicate.
This three-week course for middle school students takes place at UCLA in Los Angeles, California. The program is developed by UCLA and offered in partnership with Summer Discovery. Residential and commuter options are available.
What You Will Do
• Examine a familiar product’s price, promotion, and where it is sold
• Analyze logos, slogans, brand identity, and advertising techniques
• Invent a product and define its name, audience, and visual direction
• Create a story-based ad as a poster, video script, or jingle
• Respond to a fictional brand problem with a PR message
• Present a campaign connecting product, advertising, and PR
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the course, students will be able to:
• Explain the different purposes of marketing, advertising, and public relations
• Connect a product’s audience with choices about branding and persuasion
• Explain how a campaign’s messages work together to build trust
You’ll leave with your original brand campaign and a certificate of completion.
Why Marketing and Advertising Skills Matter
Marketing asks students to connect a product with a real audience. That requires more than a clever logo. They must think about what the product offers, how it is priced and presented, where people encounter it, and which message will earn attention. Advertising then turns that strategy into a focused piece of communication.
Public relations tests judgment under pressure. A response to a mistake must acknowledge the issue, protect credibility, and fit the brand’s voice. Together, these activities strengthen audience awareness, persuasive writing, visual communication, collaboration, and the ability to explain why a campaign choice makes sense.
Who Should Attend?
For students who have completed 6th, 7th, or 8th grade.
This course suits students who notice a clever ad, enjoy inventing products, or wonder why a brand gets their attention. Writing, design, business ideas, and presenting can all contribute to a team campaign. Your student will create with classmates and explain the choices behind the work. No previous marketing or design experience is required.
Your Summer at UCLA
UCLA gives middle-school students an energetic place to learn, have fun, and experience campus life in Los Angeles. The setting brings together science, technology, creativity, entertainment, and culture, helping new subjects feel connected to a wider world of ideas.
The program combines hands-on academics with friendships, campus activities, clear routines, and support as students become comfortable in a large university environment. Students can try new challenges, share interests with peers, and build confidence through participation without needing to decide where those interests will lead. For families, UCLA offers a structured middle-school experience that balances substantive learning with fun, community, and age-appropriate independence. Students leave with new memories and a clearer sense of what they may want to explore next.
Summer Discovery Certificate of Completion
After successfully finishing this course, you will be awarded a certification of completion for your accomplishment.
*This is a preview, not what you will receive