Module 1

Module 1: Evaluate the characteristics of brands, and its importance for firms and consumers (Evaluate) (6 hours)

1. Introduction to brands: Why do brands matter? Examples of strong brands, what can be branded?
2. Relevance of Brands: Influence of brands on consumer decision making; Branding challenges and opportunities, understanding steps in strategic brand management process.
3. Steps in building brands; Brand resonance – steps in building brand resonance.
4. Brand Value Chain: Stages in the brand value chain, creating customer value, brand equity and customer equity.

Module 2

Module 2: Attain a thorough understanding of how consumers develop brand attitudes and behaviours and apply this understanding in creating brand equity (Apply) (6 hours)

1. Meaning of CBBE, sources, brand building blocks, resonance, judgments, feelings, performance, imagery, and salience.
2. Measuring sources of Brand Equity: Capturing customer mind set, Research techniques in capturing customer insights.
3. Segmenting and targeting, segmentation in a strategic contact, segmentation bases, criteria for evaluating segmentation schemes, examples.
4. Understand and analyze brand positioning, Brand knowledge and brand mantra, creating mental maps and perpetual spaces, updating positioning over time.
5. Brand elements, criteria for selecting brand elements.
6. The concept of perceived, value pricing, channel strategies, direct versus indirect channels.
7. Developing, integrated Marketing communication, criteria for integrated marketing communication, evaluation and choice of communication options.

Module 3

Module 3: Analyze the issues, techniques and decision options in planning and managing brands (Analyze) (6 hours)

1. Branding in digital era- key issues, Brand engagement Ways/process to leverage secondary associations, issues in leveraging secondary associations
2. Relevance of measurement in management, link to modern accounting concepts, developing a brand equity measurement system, components and scope of a brand equity measurement systems, Brand audit
3. Outcomes of brand equity- Measuring market performance of brands, comparative approaches, holistic approaches, valuation approaches, comparison of different approaches, examples.
4. Case presentation and discussion, Case 01: Mountain Dew: Selecting New Creative

Module 4

Module 4: Able to apply the acquired knowledge on branding to make informed and more successful decisions in real – world branding problems. (6 hours)

1. Developing Brand Architecture Strategies, Brand portfolios and hierarchies, corporate branding.
2. Introducing and Naming New Products and Brand Extensions, Advantages and disadvantages.
3. Managing brands over time, Brand reinforcement, Brand revitalisation.
4. Managing brands over geographic boundaries Case presentation and discussion, Case 02: Heineken N.V.: Global Branding and Advertising

Module 5

Module 5: Be able to work effectively in a term to prepare professional, logical and coherent report and presentation on brand management and marketing strategies (Create) (6 hours)

1. Case presentation and discussion, Case 03: Dove: Evolution of a brand.
2. Student Project Presentations.

Course Description

In the ever-changing world, where consumers are confronted with multitude of alternatives to choose from, a strong brand can have a great impact on his/her purchase decision. While it is often possible to imitate product designs or manufacturing processes, the consumers belief, perception, attitudes and associations about the organisation cannot simply be imitated. Therefore, increasingly many firms, irrespective of the offerings that they provide, have realised that brands are the most valuable assets and hence are investing profusely to take their brand in the top of customers’ mind. However, it is still a difficult question for many marketers as how to evaluate the current value of the brand and how to make the wise allocation of resources. Branding is a core elective in marketing that builds upon the lessons learned in marketing core courses and provides deeper insights on two interrelated issues: consumer psychology and brand management. The concepts of branding taught in this course will be relevant for any type of organization (public or private, large or small, etc.). Students will also engage in research, developing marketing strategies, and produce a strategic plan for a product/brand of their choice.

Course Outcomes& Learning levels

This course aims to introduce concepts in Strategic Brand Management and provide a basic and fundamental understanding of the brand management decisions that must be made to build, measure, and manage a brand. Particular emphasis is also placed in understanding consumers’ evaluations of brand which will help improve managerial decision-making with respect to brands. The course is divided into five modules with distinct learning outcomes for each. Upon completion of this course students are expected to:

1. Evaluate the characteristics of brands and its importance for firms and consumers (Evaluate);
2. Have attained a thorough understanding of how consumers develop brand attitudes and behaviors and apply this understanding in creating brand equity (Apply);
3. Analyze the issues, techniques, and decision options in planning and managing brands (Analyze);
4. be able to apply the acquired knowledge on branding to make informed and more successful decisions in real-world branding problems (Apply);
5. Be able to work effectively in a team to prepare professional, logical and coherent report and presentation on brand management and marketing strategies (Create).

Evaluation Pattern

*Based on assignments / Tests / Quizzes / Case Studies / Projects / Term paper / Field visit report.

1. Strategic Brand Management: Building, Measuring, and Managing Brand Equity, 5th Edition 2020, by Kevin Lane Keller, Vanitha Swaminathan, Ambi M. G. Parameswaran, Isaac G Jacob, Pearson.