32997 - BRAND MANAGEMENT

Contenuti

*** IL CORSO SI TERRA' NEL SECONDO SEMESTRE - FEBBRAIO 2023 ***

 

Course philosophy

The basic philosophy for this course is to blend theory and practice of brand management.

Branding is both an art and a science.

While theory has not gained deserved attention in corporate situations, appropriate frameworks and models and familiarity with past successful and unsuccessful branding strategies, managers can make better and more informed decisions that are more likely to succeed.

While the course has obvious relevance for those contemplating marketing/communication or consulting careers, it is also appropriate for a range of professionals as there is little in business that doesn’t at some point wrestle with branding issues.

Learning outcomes

Students are expected to develop a comprehensive understanding of brand management and how brands affect the company’s performance and how it can drive superior financial results.

Students will learn how to identify brand meaning and to measure brand strength for any particular marketing offering and will be expected to have an understanding of how to develop brands – from strategy to implementing a ‘brand plan’, conduct brand market research, develop advertising and promotion, and understand how brands can be extended utilizing existing brand equities. The student will also be expected to learn how brand pricing, distribution, and communications affect brand equity.

They will also learn how to measure brands’ effectiveness.

The course (and project participation) will also provide exposure to "real life" brand positioning, strategic brand management, brand portfolio strategies and brand planning.

Course policies

1. Regular attendance is highly recommended because of the nature of the course.

2. Be prompt and seated so we can begin class on time. If you have an unforeseeable issue that requires you to be late or leave early from class, please notify me prior to class.

3. You may use your laptops in class to work on content for this class only.

4. Please be particularly prompt, respectful, attentive and engaged with guest speakers. They are generously donating their time and wisdom for your benefit.

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Course contents (see also list of topics and class schedule)

1) What is brand management and why brands matter: the science of branding A comprehensive set of lectures of branding following and reviewing Lane Keller "Strategic Brand Management" integrated by selected reading and brand chats:

- Opening perspectives on Brand Management

- Developing a Brand Strategy

- Designing and Implementing Brand Marketing Programs

- Measuring and Interpreting Brand Performance

- Growing and Sustaining Brand Equity

2) The real life. A set of guest speakers who will introduce us to the daily corporate life and practical examples of branding issues (usually 2-3 guest speakers during the course)

3) Brand cases. Selected brand cases to foster the learning of brand principles and exercise critical thinking.

4) Brand project teamwork: A "class meets real life" exercise on one of the Top 100 brands, to prepare a compelling plan with a corporate flair; an entertaining way to learn more about brands and show your skills at practice !

 

SCHEDULE AND LIST OF TOPICS

Class #1

Introduction to Brand Management.

Why Brands matter.

Strategic Brand Management

[Review chapter 1 Lane Keller]

The Brand is me. Optional assignment. Due class #3.

 

Developing Brand Strategies and Brand Positioning

[Review chapter 2 Lane Keller]

Top 100 Brands Interbrand (pick your own brand for Brand Analysis Project)

Class #2

Brand resonance, the Brand Value Chain

[Review chapter 3 Lane Keller].

Brand elements, building brand equity

[Review chapter 4 Lane Keller]

Begin work on Brand Analysis Project (short briefing will be given by instructor in the second part of the class)

 

Roster for Brand Analysis Project communicated

Top 100 Brands Interbrand (pick your own brand for Brand Analysis Project)

Class #3

Designing brand programs (product strategy, pricing strategy, channel strategy)

[Review chapter 5 Lane Keller]

 

Building brand equity, and use of Integrated Marketing Principles

[Review chapter 6 Lane Keller]

 

The "brand is me" optional assignment due.

Class #4

Branding online; social media building and new online brands

[Review chapter 7 Lane Keller]

 

Secondary Brand Associations to build Brand Equity

[Review Chapter 8 Lane Keller]

 

Class #5

Executive Guest + Buffer for specific topics

 

Briefing on Mid Term test

 

====== MID TERM BREAK ======

 

Class #6

Measuring Brand Performance

[Review chapter 9 Lane Keller]

Measuring sources and outcomes of brand performance

[Review chapter 10 Lane Keller]

 

Briefing on Mid Term test

 

Class #7

Brand Architecture Strategies

[Review chapter 11-12 Lane Keller]

 

Class #8

 

Naming strategies and brand extensions

[Review chapter 13 Lane Keller]

 

Managing brands over time

[Review chapter 14 Lane Keller]

 

Class #9

 

Managing brands in a global environment

[Review chapter 15 Lane Keller]

Final considerations

[Review chapter 16 Lane Keller]

 

Class #10

Brand Analysis Project - presentation session (1)

Any individual session should not exceed 15 minutes (minimum three speakers per group are required)

Testi/Bibliografia

Required course material

Strategic Brand Management

Author: Kevin Lane Keller

Publisher: Prentice Hall

Fifth Edition

Readings/Bibliography

1) Jennifer L. Aaker “Dimensions of brand personality" JOMR 1997 (*compulsory reading)

2) David Aaker "Brand extensions: the good, the bad and the ugly" MIT Sloan Management Review 1990 (*compulsory reading)

3) David Aaker "Should You Take Your Brand to Where the Action Is? HBR 1997 (*compulsory reading)

b) On customer

4) Ranjay Gulati - James B. Oldroyd “The quest for customer focus" HBR 2005

5) John Gourville- Michael Norton “Consumer Behaviour and the Buying Process" HBR 2019

6) Martin Christopher "From brand values to Customer Value " JOMP 1996

7) Sunil Gupta "Segmentation & Targeting" HBR 2019

c) On digital age

8) Donald C. Edelman "Branding in the Digital Age: You’re Spending Your Money in All the Wrong Places HBR 2010

9) Douglas Holt "Branding in the age of social media" HBR 2016

10) David Bell - Santiago Gallino - Antonio Moreno "How to win in an omnichannel world" HBR 2019

d) On fashion and luxury

11) HBR "Luxury branding below radar" HBR 2015

12) Thomai Serdari - Carlos Torelli "Can Dolce e Gabbana recover from its mistakes in China" Knowledge@Wharton, Upenn

13) Steve Denning "What's behind Warby Parker's success" Forbes

N.B. Readings for non attending students

Students who are not attending the course (i.e. students who decide not to participate to the group work) should cover all the compulsory readings as they will be part of the final exam.

 

Metodi didattici

Teaching methods

The course will involve lecturing, class discussion, guest speaker presentations and team project work and other interactive sessions (e.g. role playing, business game, simulation etc.)

Modalità di verifica e valutazione dell'apprendimento

Assessment methods

All assignments will be evaluated on the following criteria:

• evidence of learning;
• depth of critical analysis;
• organization and thoroughness;
• well-argued case;
• delivery effectiveness;
• spelling and grammar;
• including the absence of plagiarism and copyright infringement

This course assessment is based on a team-project work, a mid term test and a final exam. An optional assigment can contribute with additional points.

Mid-term test (30%)-- Conducted post Class #5 (end of March tbc)

This is an online test that will be composed of 15-20 questions, multiple choice, taken from the course text (Lane Keller) and class lectures. You will have 60 minutes to take the exam.

Team Project Work (30%) -- This is the major project of the class. It is worth 30% of your grade. The focus is on doing this project in a high-quality, professional manner. The instructor is available for consultation throughout the entire course. Papers will vary in length but are usually in the 15 to 30 page range (powerpoint presentations preferred).

The instructor conducts a briefing at Class #3 to kickoff the project and is available for feedback during the course.

It is required to submit your project after class #9, one week before the final presentations.

Class #10 will be dedicated to group work presentations.

Final exam (40%) -- the final exam aims at testing a student's individual understanding of the course material and it's worth 40% of the grade

It will typically encompass: five open questions + five multiple choice questions + but it may vary depending on actual outcome of the course).

For students that do the mid-term exam, a second partial exam is available only during the summer sessions (June-July). In fall the Final test will always cover the whole programme.

 

The final exam will last 60/90 minutes.

 

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The ranking of finale grades will be the following:
• Basic preparation and sufficient analysis skils, expressed in a formal way → 18-22;
• Preparation is technically correct, analysis skills are adequate but not evolved and the language used is formally correct → 23-26;
• Accurate knowledge of the topics discussed, good analtytical skills and good command of the language of the discipline → 27-29;
• Very accurate knowledge of the topics discussed, critical analysis skills are eveident with ability bto make connections between theory and real life, good command of the language of the discipline → 30-30L.

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Students who will not take part of the Team Project Work will have a different calculation system (the first partial will account for 40% of the grade, the second partial 60%).

For those doing the Team Project Work + Final Total exam the weight will be 30% for the PW and 70% for the exam.

Optional assignment ("The brand is me") -- (plus up to +3 extra points) -- the assignment, run at the beginning of the course to "warm up the engines" if performed correctly, will give up to +3 additional points that can be used to boost the final grade. The additional points (ranging from 0.5 to 3) will be added to the Mid Term grade. You are to conduct an analysis of "your brand" with a minimum of 15 friends, associates or family to evaluate how you are perceived as a brand.

Extra points might range from 0.5 to 3 depending on quality of the outcome (including organization, clarity, spelling and grammar).

Strumenti a supporto della didattica

All digital materials that are part of the classes will be available on the repository of the university.

Orario di ricevimento

Consulta il sito web di Nicola Giorgi