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Syllabus

Updated A.Y. 2016-2017

OVERVIEW
This course deals with the specific issues of branding strategy and management. One of the most valuable assets an organisation has is the brands it has invested in and developed over time. The course is organised around the brand management decisions that must be made to build, measure, and manage brand equity. Several cases have been included to highlight branding concepts and to aid in the development of brand strategy decisions.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
-Understand the meaning and task of branding and Strategic Brand Management
-Applying knowledge and understanding of brand equity and related concepts
-Making judgments of brand related issues through the use of case studies
-Learning skills include being capable of undertaking a brand audit
-Communication skills will be enhanced by making class presentations and writing reports
-Making judgments and brand management decisions through the use of comprehensive case studies


Program
Please find Class Meeting Date and Time Topic and Assignments in the Teaching Material Section

Teaching Methods
The course sessions will consist of interactive lectures dealing with specific branding topics from the perspective of building, measuring and managing brand equity. These sessions combine lectures and case discussions designed to bring the marketing concepts to life. It is important for you to have prepared the case before class as well as the assigned reading for that session.
All case sessions will require an analysis of the case (by the group) and the assigned questions answered. Each student must be prepared to be called to present the case to the class.
Each group will have to hand in a written analysis of one case per week for marking. The group can choose any case that is discussed that week for handing in. The case is due before it is discussed in class.
There is a class participation mark which will be assessed on the ability of the student to answer questions and discuss the brand concepts from the assigned readings in class.


References
There is no prescribed textbook for this course. Teaching material includes: Lecture’s Slides, Case Studies, and Readings.


Readings
1. Abratt, R. and Kleyn, N.(2012). Corporate identity, corporate branding and corporate reputations: Reconciliation and integration, European Journal of Marketing, 46, 7/8, 1048-1063
2. Athanasopoulou, P., Giovanis, A.N, and Avlonitis, G. J. (2015), Marketing strategy decisions for brand extension success, Journal of Brand Management, 22, 6, 487-514.
3. Balmer, J. and Gray, E., (2008), Corporate brands: what are they? What of them? European Journal of Marketing, 37, 7/8, 972-997.
4. Bendixen, M., Bukasa, B and Abratt, R. (2004), Brand equity in the business-to-business market, Industrial Marketing Management, 33, 371-380.
5. Chailan, C. (2009), Brand architecture and brands portfolio: a clarification, EuroMed Journal of Business, 4, 2, 173-184
6. Fournier, S. and Avery, J.(2011) The Uninvited Brand, Business Horizons, 54, 193-207.
7. Hill,S., Ettenson, R, and Tyson, D. (2005), Achieving the Ideal Brand Portfolio, MIT Sloan Management Review, 46, 2, 85-90
8. Keller, KL, Sternthal, B. and Tybout, A (2002), Three questions you need to ask about your Brand, Harvard Business Review, September, 3-8.
9. Keller, K.L. (1993), Conceptualizing, Measuring, and Managing Customer-Based Brand Equity, Journal of Marketing, 57, 1, 1-22.
10. Miles, S.J. and Mangold, W.G (2005), Positioning Southwest Airlines through employee branding, Business Horizons, 46, 535-545.
11. Shah, P. (2015), Kill it or keep it?: The weak brand retain-or-discard decision in brand portfolio management, Journal of Brand Management, 22, 154-172
12. Uggla, H. (2006), The corporate brand association base; A conceptual model for the creation  of inclusive brand architecture, European Journal of Marketing, 40, 7/8, 785-802.
13. Lodish, L. and Mela, C. (2007). If brands are build over years, why are they managed over quarters?, Harvard Business Review, 85 (July/August), 104-112.
14. Porricelli M., Yurova, Y., Abratt R., and Bendixen M., (2014) Antecedents of brand citizenship behavior in retailing, Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 21, 745-752


Cases
1 The Beauty of Sorbet.  Ivey case W12102
2. Alessi: Managing Brand Equity at the Italian Design Firm. IBSCDC case 307-385-1
3. Saxonville Sausage Company.  HBS case 2085
4. Eleganzia Group HBS 9-511-115
5. Swiss Army: Diversifying the into Fragrance Business Ivey case W14574
6.  Porsche-The Cayenne Launch.    HBS case 9-511-068
7. Absolut Vodka: The Spirit of a Brand.    Darden case UVA-M-0832

GROUP PROJECTS
The class will be divided into groups of between 4 and 6 students. Each group will have to prepare each case and answer the following questions about the case:
The Beauty of Sorbet
1. What is Sorbets brand positioning? How would you describe its brand personality?
2. How does Sorbet communicate its positioning and brand personality?
3. What role do employees play in building its brand equity?
4. What has Fuhr done to enable the organization to deliver against its brand promise 
    and grow its customer base?
5. What does Fuhr have to take into account as he seeks to extend the Sorbet brand  
    into new product categories targeted at the female consumer?

Alessi: Managing Brand Equity at the Italian Design Firm
1. Define the brand equity for Alessi. Identify its elements and characteristics.
2. How do you characterize the strategic importance of brand for Alessi?
3. How does Alessi manage brand equity>
4. What alternatives are available to Alberto Alessi? What do you recommend?

Saxonville Sausage Company
1. What is the current situation?
2.  How was the research methodology determined and discuss the research results?
3. What alternative do you recommend and why?
4. What tactics should accompany the launch?

Eleganzia Group

1. Should the Eleganzia group convert its four star rooms to five star suites at the Forte Village? Does this conversion make sense?
2. How should Giannuzzi set prices for the 2010 leisure season?
3. How should Eleganzia position and promote the other properties it has acquired?
4. Can Eleganzia serve as an effective umbrella brand for all the properties that it managers? What are the implications for the “Forte Village” brand under this approach?

Swiss Army: Diversifying the into Fragrance Business

1. What should Victorinox do with the newly acquired fragrance business unit?
2. Should Victorinox really diversify into the fragrance business? Why? And How?
3. Should Victorinox use its own brand or should it adopt another brand to promote its line of fragrances?
4. How can Victorinox best position and compete with its fragrance products in a market where it has no brand experience or brand awareness?

Porsche-The Cayenne Launch
1. How much and in what ways has the launch of the Cayenne brand changed the meaning of the Porsche brand?
2. What is the value of the Rennlist online brand community to Porsche? How does it help or hurt the brand?
3. Should Wiedeking listen to this brand community? Should he engage with them? If so how?
4. Imagine that you are a new Cayenne owner. How does the Rennlist community affect your Porsche ownership experience?
5. What learnings from the Cayenne launch should Wiedeking bring to the Panamera launch?

Absolut Vodka
1. How do consumers choose vodka? What is important: image, price, taste, other?
2. What has made Absolut successful? How does Absolut’s product line strategy compare with other brands in the industry?
3. What is the situation facing Absolut in 2008? What aspects of Absolut’s current situation are likely to persist beyond the current economic crisis?
4. What are the general advantages and disadvantages of vertical brand extension (both upward and downward)?
5. Which option do you choose?
6. Is introducing a lower-priced brand necessary to survive an economic crisis? What else can be done?
a. Will increased advertising work? Is it dollars or the message?
b. Should the advertising reposition Absolut? How?
c. How can Absolut react to the economy and still maintain its brand equity?


The Brand Audit
The goal of the brand audit is to conduct an in-depth examination of a major brand of your groups choosing and suggest ways to improve and leverage that brand equity. The criteria for choosing a brand lies in the brand’s: 1) interest/value to you, 2) an understanding of the brand’s target market and 3) access to brand and company information, and 4) brand presence in social media conversations. Selecting a brand undergoing a challenge regarding its brand architecture, brand portfolio, brand extension, or brand revitalization generally provides greater information for critique. Every group must study a different brand. A good source of possible brands is “Best Global Brands 2016: Interbrand,” “BrandZ Top 100 Most Valuable Global Brands”).
Each group will have to hand in a Brand Audit on 8 March, 2017 at 14h00. They will also have to make a 20 minute powerpoint presentation to the class.
Components of Final Brand Audit Report (sequence may vary)
1. History and Overview
The first page is an overview of the brand and its history. Include a statement of brand’s positioning.
2. Key Challenges Facing Brand
The second page should set-up the key challenges facing brand. The challenges may relate to brand architecture, brand portfolio, brand extension, and/or brand revitalization.
3. Brand Inventory
Brand inventories are comprehensive summaries of a firm’s marketing and branding program.
a.) Detail the brand architecture.
i. Graphically display the brand hierarchy.
ii. Discuss the roles of brands in the portfolio. Focus on your selected brand and other brands deemed relevant to your brand.
iii. Discuss the hierarchy relationship of your brand.
b.) Analyze the firm’s branding and marketing programs. How do they contribute to brand knowledge? How consistent have they been over time? Is there consistency between the brand and marketing elements?
i. Analyze the brand graphics (logos, names, packages).
ii. Analyze the brand’s past and current advertising and social media campaigns.
iii. Analyze the brand’s product, promotions, distribution, and pricing.
c.) Profile competitive brands and market situation.
4. Recommendations
Make 3-4 recommendations to the brand concerning how the brand should be managed over the next 5 years by critically analyzing the brand inventory. Your recommendations need to be supported by data from your brand inventory. Recommendations may address:
1) Consistency between consumer-based brand equity meaning and firm’s perception of brand equity meaning
2) Effectiveness of brand identity and brand marketing programme
3) Effectiveness of brand management strategies over time and suggestions to revitalize and rejuvenate the brand
4) Opportunities to leverage the brand including brand extensions