MBM402B Brand Management

• Topics

  Brands are valuable assets that can provide firms with long-lasting competitive advantage. How to  build, measure, and manage brand equity over time is the central theme of this course. The first part of the course focuses on the two sources of brand equity; brand awareness and brand associations. 

  The following topics will be covered in the course:

  • Brand Equity (Conceptualizations and measurement)
  • Brand Awareness
  • Brand Associations
  • Brand Positioning
  • Corporate Social Responsibility
  • Brand Trust
  • Brand Extensions
  • Strategies for leveraging secondary brand associations (alliances, sponsorships, endorsements, etc.)
  • Brand Architecture

• Learning outcome

  After completing the course the candidate:

  Knowledge

  • Has advanced knowledge of the components of brand equity.
  • Has an understanding of the sources and consequences of brand equity.
  • Has knowledge of methodological approaches for measuring brand equity.
  • Has up-to-date knowledge of contemporary concepts, such as brand experience and brand engagement.
  • Has knowledge of strategies for leveraging secondary brand associations.
  • Has knowledge of brand architecture and brand extension strategies.

  Skills

  • Can conduct analyses to develop a brand positioning strategy.
  • Can use theory to develop plans for tactical brand positioning.
  • Can analyze practical cases for leveraging secondary brand associations and make suggestions for improvements.
  • Can communicate (orally and in academic writing) theoretical and practical branding issues and strategies.  

  General competence

  • Can apply theory on practical branding issues.
  • Can analyze practical branding issues in the field.
  • Can communicate about academic issues, both with branding specialists and the general public.

• Teaching

  The course consists of a combination of plenary lectures of three hours every week, and small group-based supervision sessions (digital and physical). There will be no recording.

• Recommended prerequisites

  Basic knowledge about marketing and consumer behavior. We recommend students to take the course in Consumer Behavior prior to the course in Brand Management, but that is not a formal requirement.

• Compulsory Activity

  None.

• Assessment

  The final grade is composed of the following two components:

  • Written term paper in groups (60%)
  • Oral presentation and defense (40%)

  Each group should consist of 3 to 6 students. If the course has more than 80 students enrolled, groups of up to 7 members will be permitted.

  The assignment questions for the term paper will be distributed to students during the first lecture. Feedback on the paper will be provided throughout the semester, and the final version is to be submitted a few weeks after the last lecture. The term paper should be approximately 20-30 pages in length, excluding references and appendices.

  A final grade will be awarded to the group. Both the written and the oral presentation and defense must be passed in the same semester. 

• Grading Scale

  A - F.

• Literature

  Course book: Keller, K.L. (2020). Strategic Brand Management: Building, Measuring and Managing Brand Equity. Fifth Edition.

  Selected articles posted in Leganto