STRATEGIC BRAND MANAGEMENT

Module Number: Module Title: BM3388 Strategic brand management (Sponsored by McCann Erikson Communications House) 10 5

Number of Aston Credits: Total Number of ECTS Credits: (European Credit Transfer)

Staff Member Responsible for the Module: Mr Keith Glanfield Marketing Group Email: k.glanfield2@aston.ac.uk Availability: Please contact direct, ABS237, Extension 4982 Pre-Requisite(s) for the Module: BM1134 - Introduction to Marketing Management OR BM2257 Marketing AND BM2214 - Marketing Management OR BM2282 Marketing Communications AND BM2208 - Marketing Psychology OR BM2258 Consumer Behaviour AND BM2215 - Market Research OR BM2217 Introduction to Market Research AND BM3338 - Marketing Communications AND BM3326 Marketing Strategy Module Learning Outcomes: Upon successful completion of the module students will be able to: 1. Critically evaluate the role of strategic brand management at the corporate, marketing department and marketing communications level. 2. Postulate how strategic brand management research can have an impact on the outcome of efficient and effective brand management. 3. Fuse strategic brand management theory, research and practitioner experience / guidance to evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of brand management, at the corporate brand and portfolio level, in order to produce a brand transformation plan by the application of brand management tools and techniques to complex situations (multiple brand portfolios, brands with differing brand strength etc).

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4. Feel competent to discuss advanced topics such as corporate identity, portfolio management and the building of brand communities in a new, social media environment. 5. Critically evaluate the influence of brands on a firms employees . These learning outcomes overlap and represent recurrent themes of the module. All outcomes will be assessed respectively in coursework and/or examination questions. Module Content: Lectures

Week Date: 14

Lecture Title and Basic Readings

25/01/12 Introduction to Strategic Brand Management: Integrating Theory, Research and Practice 01/02/12 Branding as an integrator its role in Corporate Strategy, Marketing Strategy and Marketing Communications. (Recommended readings)

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08/02/12 Managing brand strength and value - the importance of brand equity (Recommended Journal Articles). 15/02/12 Managing brand complexity : understanding branding structures. (Recommended Journal Articles). 22/02/12 Managing corporate brands the identity perspective (Recommended Journal Articles). 01/03/12 Managing multiple brands the portfolio perspective (Recommended Journal Articles). 08/03/12 Brand communications the importance of Marketing Communications. (Recommended Journal Articles). 22/03/12 The brand audit understanding the present strategic position (Brand audit template) 29/03/12 Brand transformation developing strategic options (Recommended journal articles) 19/04/12 Revision 26/04/12 Pitch Week

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Tutorials: Week Date: Content 14 25/01/12 Coursework Introduction 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 01/02/12 Coursework Group Meetings Set A 08/02/12 Coursework Group Meetings Set B 15/02/12 Coursework Group Meetings Set A 22/02/12 Coursework Group Meetings Set B 01/03/12 Coursework Group Meetings Set A 08/03/12 Coursework Group Meetings Set B 22/03/12 29/03/12 Coursework Group Meetings Set A Coursework Group Meetings Set B

19/04/12 Coursework final Q&A 26/04/12 Pitch week

Please note that the above topics are subject to change before the start of the module to reflect the latest development in theories and practice of marketing communications. International Dimensions: The module draws on a variety of examples, some of which have an international dimension. Branding strategies and portfolios often cross borders, understanding the international aspects of brand management are essential (cultural impact on brand performance, portfolio decision making etc). Corporate Connections: The module is sponsored by and has been developed in conjunction with McCann Erikson Communication House, a full service advertising agency, based in Birmingham, that is part of the world-wide McCann Erikson Group. The agency will brief in a live brand transformation challenge, from one of
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their clients, forming the basis of the module coursework. Members of the agency, their client and a representative of the Chartered Institute of Marketing will, along with the lecturer, evaluate the students response to the brief, in receiving and marking student pitch presentations. Prizes will be awarded for the pitches in the form of first, second and third places. A number of industry practitioners from agency and corporate environments will present on how theory is put into practice in the business world, on subjects spanning the course content. Examples and references to current business and corporate practices will be used throughout the module to illustrate the real life nature of advanced marketing communications. Links to Research: The module leaders research activity into corporate and organisational identity and their impact upon both brand management and the attitude of employees feeds directly into the module. As does the corporate branding research of Prof John Saunders and Prof Leslie de Chernatony, both currently members of the marketing group. Specific research papers from the literature, that inform particular specialist aspect of strategic brand management, are included as integral part of the module. Learning and Teaching Rationale and Feedback: This module will require students to attend formal lectures and tutorials to achieve the learning outcomes of this module. The key conceptual and theoretical ideas in strategic brand management will be presented in the lectures. The lecture content will provide students with the necessary information in order to effectively tackle problems and critically analyse important issues with a branding and brand management domain. Please note, if any time the lecturer responsible for the module is unavailable at the designated time, either the lecture will proceed with another member of the marketing group, or a pre-prepared video will be shown or the time will be allocated to the completion of individual work and the lecture will be rescheduled for a later session. In addition to lectures and tutorials, students are expected to undertake selfdirected learning, which will include readings and group coursework. Duration Lectures Tutorials Coursework preparation Reading Examination Revision Examination
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10 hours 8 hours 22 hours 30 hours 28 hours 2 hours

STRATEGIC BRAND MANAGEMENT

Total Ethical Approval:

100 hours

This module does not require any primary research and no ethical approval will be necessary. Assessment and Feedback Rationale and Feedback: The module will be assessed by one piece of group coursework (30%) and a two and a half hour examination (70%). The coursework (30%) consists of a group presentation. The aim of the coursework is for students to plan a brand transformation plan from scratch, within pre-given criteria. Students working in small groups of 5 are therefore required to work in teams to provide a pitch presentation of their proposals to a real life business problem.. The pitch should not exceed 15 minutes (+ 5 minutes for Q&A). The presentations will be evaluated by a panel consisting of the lecturer and three business practitioners. Presentations will be given, during an allocated 20 minute slot, as part of a two day dedicated session. No feedback on performance will be given to students, with each group subject to confidentiality about their individual experience until the two day session is complete. This method of assessment is chosen directly to reflect upon all the Learning Outcomes. The presentations take place in week 24 in a dedicated one day session. Written feedback on coursework will be provided within the turnaround time specified by the undergraduate office. A project group will consist of five students. All members of each group are expected to contribute equally to the assignment without creating unnecessary heavy workload on any particular group member. The group contribution sheet (Appendix 1) must be handed in at the same time as the assignment, signed by all group members. Any assignments are counted as late until the contribution sheet is handed in.

Students are encouraged to: 1. Bring to my attention (module lecturer) any problems in the group at an early stage. 2. Keep records of group assessment in the form of notes from group meetings, to allow a full evaluation of contribution and effort. This is highly important 3. Refer to the general information on the conduct of group assessment in your handbook for more information about group work.

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Students should be aware that they have access to an arbitration system to give them the opportunity to appeal against allocations that are considered to be unfair by any member of the group and that the Student Support Manager will run this system The examination (70%) is an unseen two and a half hour paper. Students are required to answer one generic, compulsory question (40%) and a selection of two out of four specialist questions (30% each).

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APPENDIX 1 GROUP CONTRIBUTION SHEET

PLEASE COMPLETE AND ATTACH TO THE GROUP REPORT. MODULE: BM3382 GROUP:

(e.g. 100 means that the student will receive 100% of the Final Grade, 50 means the student will receive 50% of the Final Grade.)

Student Candidate No.

Contribution (%)

All group members contributed equally (Please Tick)

DATE: ____________________

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MODULE:

GROUP:

Group Members Signatures (Should correspond to candidate numbers given above):

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