EXC 2603 Branding - RE-SIT EXAMINATION

APPLIES TO ACADEMIC YEAR 2012/2013

EXC 2603 Branding - RE-SIT EXAMINATION

Responsible for the course
Bendik Samuelsen

Department
Department of Marketing

Term
According to study plan

ECTS Credits
6

Language of instruction
English

Introduction
Branding, or brand-building and -management concerns almost all actors in public and private sectors of the economy. Branding deals extensively with positioning and value-creation for customers, with the objective of becomming the preferred provider of products or services. As an increasing number of sectors and categories in the economy is becomming demand-driven, this implies that customers will have to make choices between competing, alternative suppliers. In this situation, most people behave as customers who choose between different brands to satisfy different needs.

This is a basic course in branding. With a wide focus, it stresses that branding is far more than making persuasive advertising. A brand is made by an organization, and subsequently positioned toward a target customer group. The frame of reference adopted by this course, is one of accepting that the brand and its position basically exist one place: in the minds of the customers, as a mental representation, or position if you like. As such, this course holds a strong focus on the customer, and regards customer-value creation as the premise for brand strategies. Accordingly, the student's existing knowledge of consumer behavior in particular, and marketing management in general, is the foundation on which to build and understanding of brand management.

Objective
The objective of the course is that the students should learn and establish a good understanding of central concepts and models applied in brand management. More explicitly, this implies that during the course, the student should:
  • Understand how a brand might be represented in the customer's mind
  • Develop knowledge about differnet tools pertaining to brand-elements
  • Understand leadership of brands in more than one market
  • Understand basic principles of brand crisis management
  • Brand value estimation methods

Prerequisites
Basic course in Marketing or equivalent.

Compulsory reading
Books:
Keller, Kevin Lane. 2008. Strategic brand management : building, measuring, and managing brand equity. 3rd ed. Upper Saddle River, N.J. : Pearson/Prentice Hall. 692 pages

Recommended reading

Course outline
  • Customer based brand equity
  • Analysis of brand associations
  • Brand positioning
    1. Brand Identity
    2. Positioning
    3. Brand promise, brand positioning statement (BPS)
  • Brand elements
  • Leadership of brands in more than one market, including
    1. brand portfolio management
    2. extensions, including both line- and category extensions
  • Basic principles of brand crisis management
  • Brand value estimation methods

Computer-based tools
Computer based tools not necessary.

Course structure
The course objectives are reached through a combination of lectures and students working in small groups. Group work includes the two/three case assignments given in the first lecture. These will be presented in class, and the case discussions will to a large extent be run by the students. The course has 36 hours (30 hours + 6 hours) of lectures and case presentations.

One or more exam questions will be related to one or more cases, and it is thus important that the students devote themselves to solving the case questions, and participate in the case presentations.



Examination
A three hour individual written examination concludes the course.

Examination code(s)
EXC 26031 - Written exam accounts for 100% of the grade in EXC 2603 Branding, 6 credits.

Examination support materials
No aids allowed except one bilingual dictionary.
Support materials permitted at written examiniations are explained under exam information in our web-based Student handbook. Please note use of calculator and dictionary. http://www.bi.edu/studenthandbook/examaids


Re-sit examination
Due to changes in our Bachelor Programmes from autumn 2009, there also will be changes in every single course. This course was lectured for the last time spring 2011. Re-sit exam will be offered every term including spring 2013.

Additional information