LEARNING OUTCOMES
Upon completion of the course, students should be able to
- Understand the evolutionary trajectory of consumer-centric brand management
- Apply appropriate branding theories and toolkits to solve contemporary brand challenges
- Critically evaluate different approaches to managing brand performance
- Exhibit fluency with the building blocks of different approaches to branding
- Analyse and critique branding strategies and come up with alternatives
Credits: 6
Schedule: 25.04.2023 - 01.06.2023
Teacher in charge (valid for whole curriculum period):
Teacher in charge (applies in this implementation): Tatsiana Padhaiskaya
Contact information for the course (applies in this implementation):
Tatsiana Padhaiskaya
tatsiana.padhaiskaya@aalto.fi
CEFR level (valid for whole curriculum period):
Language of instruction and studies (applies in this implementation):
Teaching language: English. Languages of study attainment: English
CONTENT, ASSESSMENT AND WORKLOAD
Content
valid for whole curriculum period:
In this course, we will examine multiple theoretical perspectives on brand and will understand how each theoretical approach involves a different brand management toolkit. We will approach branding from multiple perspectives from rational branding to emotional branding to cultural branding. To complement the theoretical foundations, we will discuss real life strategic challenges that brand and their managers face and learn from the success and failure of particular brand strategies. We will also understand how brands and brand management have evolved in the 21st century and what are the key ethical, environmental and socio-cultural implications of brand management s evolutionary trajectory. We will explore concepts such as unique selling proposition (USP), mindspace positioning, cultural brand strategy and performance metrics such as brand equity, brand love, share of voice.
We will attempt to simulate the life of a brand manager in a typical multinational organization, who is working with incomplete data, technological vanishing points, multi-method research reports, changing marketplace dynamics, intensifying competition and increased customer power.
Assessment Methods and Criteria
valid for whole curriculum period:
Contact teaching/lectures
Individual work
Group work (In-Class Exercises)
Group Work (Presentations)
Preparation for the courseapplies in this implementation
Assessment Methods and Criteria
Grading is based on a 0-5 scale.
90-100 points = 5
80-89 points = 4
70-79 points = 3
60-69 points = 2
50-59 points = 1
Below 50 points = Fail
The assessment will be based on the following deliverables:
Course participation (10 points, individual grading)
Students self-evaluate own contributions and active participation in the lectures. Active participation may include engagement in class discussions and/or personal reflections on the course readings.
Short individual assignments (30 points [10 points each], individual grading)
Three individual assignments related to topics covered throughout the course. Further information will be provided during Session 1.
Individual assignment submission deadlines: 07.05.2023, 14.05.2023, 21.05.2023
Group project (30 points, group grading)
The group project entails an in-class presentation of 20 minutes (15 minutes presentation, 5 minutes Q&A). Groups will have up to 6 members. Further information on the topic of the group project and deliverables will be given during Session 1.
Presentation submission deadline: 29.05.2023 – 23:55
Take-home exam (30 points, individual grading)
Take-home exam is an individual assignment that consists of 5 questions. The assignment will be specified and given to the students during the last session.
Take-home exam deadline: 12.06.2023 - 23:55
Workload
valid for whole curriculum period:
6 credits, 160 hours:
Class participation
Short Assignments
Group Discussions (Academic Articles and Case Studies)
Group Presentations (Brand Strategy Case Industry Project)
Final Assignmentapplies in this implementation
Workload (6 credits, 160 hours):
Lectures 24 h
Independent studying (incl. readings) 63 h
Individual assignments 15 h (5h x 3)
Group project work 42 h
Take-home exam 16 h
DETAILS
Study Material
applies in this implementation
Lecture slides and assigned readings, no textbook required; course centers around academic and articles assigned by the lecturer (e.g., Journal of Marketing, Harvard Business Review, etc.). Course materials include 11 mandatory and 13 + recommended readings.
Substitutes for Courses
valid for whole curriculum period:
Prerequisites
valid for whole curriculum period:
FURTHER INFORMATION
Further Information
valid for whole curriculum period:
Teaching Language : English
Teaching Period : 2022-2023 Spring V
2023-2024 Spring VEnrollment :
The number of students admitted to the course is restricted to 60.
Priority is given to (1) Aalto students studying in MSc Program of Marketing, (2) CEMS-students, (3) BIZ exchange students, (4) Aalto BIZ B.Sc. students with 150 credits, (5) other BIZ students
Details on the schedule
applies in this implementation
Timetable and Course Topics
Session
Date
Time
Readings
Session 1:
Introduction and Course Practicalities,
History of branding
25.04.2023
14.15 – 16.00
Session 2:
Approaches to brand management
27.04.2023
14.15 – 16.00
Merz et al. (2009)
Session 3: Mindshare branding
02.05.2023
14.15 – 16.00
Keller (2003)
Aaker (2012)
Session 4: Emotional branding
04.05.2023
14.30 – 16.00
Pawle and Cooper (2006)
Lynch and De Chernatony (2004)
Session 5:
Cultural branding
09.05.2023
14.15 – 16.00
Holt (2004)
Cayla (2008)
Session 6: Experiential branding
11.05.2023
14.15 – 16.00
Schmitt (1999)
Session 7: Managing Brand Portfolios
16.05.2023
14.15 – 16.00
Aaker and Joachimsthaler (2000)
Session 8: No lecture (Ascension Day) Self-study and optional Group project consultations
18.05.2023
Session 9: Aligning Brand Strategy and Context
23.05.2023
14.15 – 16.00
Keller (1999)
Kähr et al. (2016)
Session 10: Guest Lecture (TBA)
25.05.2023
14.15 – 16.00
Session 11: Group Presentations
30.05.2023
14.15 – 16.00
Session 12: Group Presentations, Course Re-cap
01.06.2023
14.15 – 16.00
Schedule and readings are subject to minor changes