Advertising is taught in public and private universities in Pakistan as part of mass communication and business administration subjects, mostly as a combination of advertising and public relations.
Pakistan’s oldest university --University of the Punjab-- first introduced advertising as a part of the journalism course and later introduced it as an optional course of the degree at MA level.
In Karachi -- the economic capital of the country -- University of Karachi also started offering optional courses.
Gradually, advertising has become a main course but has not been introduced as a specialised subject.
"With the continuous growth of media, especially the electronic media, the scope of advertising is increasing. Electronic media and advertising cannot be separated," says Dr Mugheesuddin Sheikh, former dean of the Punjab University and currently teaching at the University of Central Punjab.
Sheikh says after making advertising an optional subject in the PU, the university has also started teaching its different components and has undertaken many case studies on advertisements.
The Mass Communication department in the PU has also introduced a course in Integrated Marketing Communication.
He emphasises the need to further institutionalise this subject because of its increasing scope. "The subject of advertising now includes the fields of arts, creativity, graphic designing, copy writing, editing, production, finance, and marketing. It can flourish as an independent discipline and a comprehensive subject with serious efforts."
Sheikh believes there is a need to think about setting up an institute of advertising and public relations. He says advertising is taught as a main subject in higher grades. He urges professional institutions like Pakistan Advertising Association, Pakistan Broadcasters Association, All Pakistan Newspapers Society, press institutes, and academics to develop liaison and play a role in it.
There are a few independent organisations offering diploma in advertising other than universities. Late S. H. Hashmi is known as the pioneer of advertising business in Pakistan. He had formed an institute that offered diploma in advertising. However, his family neglected it after his demise, according to some teachers of the Karachi University, where advertising is taught as part of Mass Communication studies in the last semester.
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"In the last semester, among four main courses, one is about advertising," says Prof. Tahir Masood of Department of Mass Communication, Karachi University.
He agrees that there is a need to broaden the scope of advertising courses into a comprehensive discipline. However, he also takes into account the role of schools vis-à-vis language proficiency, creativity, etc.
Masood says we also need to realise the scope of advertising in the industry. For example, currently, "the economy of the country is not good and when the industry does not generate good income it will not spend on advertising, and impact the employment opportunities."
He admits, however, that the scope of this subject will remain limited. "With an emphasis on the subject of advertising in the private and public educational and diploma-offering institutes, this scope can be further enhanced for which liaison is needed."
Currently, he says, "advertising agencies are employing copywriters and editors from all fields on the basis of language proficiency and creativity. According to different surveys, 60 per cent people buy or prefer things on the basis of advertisement. This percentage is huge and shows the importance of advertisement. And making it a comprehensive discipline can increase its value, quality and output."