Brand management has become one of the most important aspects of business strategy. For numerous organizations their brands are the key to permanent success in the marketplace. We will discuss what a brand is, which elements constitute a brand, and what needs to be considered in brand management, as well as the role of brand management in consistent marketing strategies.

The role of advertising and communication in branding and the leveraging of secondary associations will be explored.

Moreover, this course provides an opportunity for students to apply branding principles through an extensive practical exercise.

By participating in the course, you will
•    Understand the roles of brands, the concept of brand equity, and the advantages of creating strong brands
•    Know ways to build brand equity, designing marketing programs and activities
•    Be able to plan brand extension strategies, brand hierarchies and brand portfolios
•    Have insights into how to position the brand in consumers' minds
•    Be able to assess and successfully implement brand elements and marketing activities to build brand equity.

Students’ attendance and punctuality are mandatory in all classes. Depending on the regulations in place, students might be split into two groups and attendance will be mandatory for the rotating groups in the assigned time slots.

In case of illness, students are allowed to miss one class without additional compensation assignments. Beyond that additional work equal to the missed hours will be assigned.

Within this course, a variety of didactic elements are utilized to facilitate the successful completion of the learning outcomes outlined above. The course is delivered as a mix of lectures covering theoretical concepts and their application, as well as case discussions. Classroom discussion is encouraged and expected. You will apply your knowledge in a group project.

The final grade consists of the following components:

Individual level (60%):

Final exam 60%

On the last day in class, there is an exam based on the course content. The exam consists of MC and essay questions (60 minutes).

Group-level (40%)

Group project presentation 20%

Group project paper 20%

The objective of this project is to provide students with experience in developing a Brand Strategy

Grading criteria                                 points

          layout and format                               10

          correlation with course content          10

          depth of analysis                                10

          creativity of presentation                    10

The overall grading scheme of the course will be as follows (total 100%)

• 90% – 100% - excellent (grade 1)
• 80% - 89% - good (grade 2)
• 70% - 79% - satisfactory (grade 3)
• 60% - 69% - sufficient (grade 4)
• 0% - 59% - fail (grade 5).

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Power point slides & (Video) case studies will be provided