20145 - BRAND MANAGEMENT / BRAND MANAGEMENT

Un prerequisito utile, al fine di ottimizzare il processo di apprendimento durante il corso di Brand Management, è aver seguito un corso di Marketing Base e/o Economia e Gestione delle Imprese durante il corso Triennale.

Il corso analizza il processo di gestione di un brand, finalizzato allo sviluppo nel tempo del suo valore. In particolare, vengono discusse e approfondite teorie e casi per lanciare, sviluppare, e difendere questo fondamentale asset d’impresa. Lanciare e sviluppare un brand implica la definizione di coerenti strategie e tattiche che gestiscano l'impatto potenziale del brand in termini di brand power e brand equity, gestendo e misurando le sue dimensioni di brand identity, brand image, brand awareness e brand knowledge. Gestire un brand significa anche considerarlo come vettore di crescita del business attuale e futuro, e implica decisioni volte a definire brand portfolio strategy, brand architecture, e branding nell'era digitale. Questi aspetti di brand management sono appresi attraverso discussione di teorie economiche, psicologiche, e sociologiche, risultati di ricerche empiriche, casi, esempi di brand locali e globali, e action learning exercises.

BRAND-CONSUMER EXPERIENCE

- Brand-consumer experience

- Fattori psicologici, di contesto, e socio-culturali che influenzano la brand-consumer expereince

- Analisi e misurazione del valore di un brand

BUILDING BRANDS: DECISIONI STRATEGICHE

- Decioni strategiche per il lancio di nuovi brands

- Come predire la traiettoria di adozione di un nuovo brand

- Come predire l'accettazione di un nuovo brand

- Brand positioning e repositioning

BUILDING BRANDS: DECISIONI TATTICHE

- Brand elements (nome, logo, personalità)

- Brand referents

- Promozione e pricing

- Branding nell'era digitale

MANAGING BRANDS

- Brand extensions: orizzontali e verticali

- Strategie di gestione di portafoglio

• Comprendere il significato della disciplina strategica di branding e del suo ruolo nel creare shareholder value
• Comprendere i brands come co-creazione di marketers, consumatori, società e mercati
• Comprendere decisioni essenziali per la gestione strategica e tattica di un brand
• Distinguire le modalita’ di applicazione di principi fondamentali ed emergent di branding come relationship branding, brand building, brand positioning, brand design, brand portfolio strategy e brand architecture
• Navigare fenomeni correnti come artificial intelligence for business e branding in the digital age

• Analizzare la relazione consumatore-brand sulla base di modelli econonimici e psicologici 
• Valutare brand acceptance e brand adoption
• Formulare un piano strategico e tattico per un nuovo brand al fine di costruire, sviluppare, e difendere un brand, e di basare queste decisioni su dati appropriati
• Valutare l’impatto di un brand in termini di brand power e brand equity
• Articolare una strategia di brand in termini di brand portfolio e brand architecture
• Sviluppare un progetto di brand audit

• Lezioni frontali
• Lezioni online
• Analisi casi studio / Incidents guidati (tradizionali, multimediali)
• Lavori/Assignment individuali
• Lavori/Assignment di gruppo
• Altre attivita' d'aula interattive on campus/online (role playing, business game, simulation, online forum, instant polls)

Durante il corso, oltre alle lezioni frontali, sono svolte le seguenti attività:

• Discussione di casi su global brands che esemplificano l'applicazione di un concetto o framework discusso in aula. 
• Experiential exercises, dove svolgere il ruolo di brand manager.
• Realizzazione di un progetto di Brand Audit che permette e richiede l'applicazione sistematica di quanto appreso e discusso in classe durante il corso.

Le modalità di valutazione sono basate su tre elementi:

1. Progetto di brand audit: 35%
2. Esame finale: 55%
3. Partecipazione: 10%

1. Il progetto di Brand Audit viene svolto in gruppo e fornisce un'opportunita' di applicare quanto appreso durante il corso ad un brand, identificando specifici problemi e opportunita' per il brand, generando recommendazioni basate su dati e e analisi appropriate, e communicando analisi e raccomandazioni in maniera chiara e professionale. 
2. L'esame viene svolto in forma scritta. Esso è composto da domande sia aperte che chiuse riferite a quanto discusso durante il corso. Questo esame valuta le capacità applicative delle conoscenze apprese durante il corso.
3. La partecipazione in classe, tramite discussione di casi e approfondimenti, permette di applicare e approfondire concetti appresi in aula.

La modalità di valutazione per gli studenti non frequentanti è fondata su un esame finale svolto in forma scritta. Esso è composto da domande sia aperte che chiuse riferite a quanto discusso durante il corso. Si vogliono valutare sia le capacità applicative delle conoscenze apprese durante il corso sia verificare l'apprendimento delle conoscenze analitiche e gestionali e la loro corretta comprensione.

Materiale didattico costituito da:

• Slides e handouts a cura del docente
• Selezione curata di casi disponibile come digital download via Harvard Buisness Publishing

• Slides e handouts a cura del docente
• B.Busacca, G. Bertoli, M.C.Ostillio,LA MARCA, Costruzione, Sviluppo, Valutazione. Egea, Milano, 2022  

A useful prerequisite to optimise the learning process during the Brand Management course is to have attended a course in Basic Marketing and/or Business Administration during the three-year degree.

The course focuses on the conceptual frameworks and tools involved in strategic brand management aimed at developing brand equity over time. A variety of key levers impacting brand equity are assessed in detail and applied to real business situations, showing the power of well thought-out brand strategies and management approaches. Lectures, case studies, testimonials and a group assignment will provide actionable learning on a variety of themes, from brand positioning to naming, brand elements, architecture and brand portfolio models. Finally, a close-up on the methods to measure brand equity emphasizes the importance of data and evidence-based decisions on how to nurture, grow and revitalise brands.

• Introduction on the meaning and applications of brands
  • Challenges and opportunities for brand management
  • Definition of customer-based brand equity
• Analysis and development of brand positioning
• Development of brand names, brand elements and brand identity systems
• Development and management of brand hierarchy, brand architecture and brand portfolio
  • Brand management over time and how to revitalise brands
• Measurement of brand equity

·       Understand the meaning and multiple applications of the brand as a business and cultural construct

·       Understand the meaning of customer-based brand equity as the driving principle of brand management

·       Learn how to analyse and develop long-term a brand positioning and how to bring it to life through key components of a brand management toolkit

·       Learn how to analyse the variables affecting brand hierarchy, architecture and portfolio and how to identify and develop robust, actionable frameworks

·       Learn how to protect and nurture the brand equity over time and how to frame brand revitalisation projects

·       Learn the methodologies being used to measure the brand equity.

·       Conduct an analysis that assesses the brand equity through the lens of customer-based brand equity

·       Develop plans outlining the most effective approaches to brand building and brand management over time, learning how to prioritise goals and manage strategic trade-offs

·       Develop long-term brand positionings based on the exploration and assessment of alternative scenarios and success criteria

·       Translate brand positionings into briefs for the development of brand names and brand elements

·       Gather, categorize and prioritize the many variables feeding into a brand hierarchy, brand architecture and brand portfolio

·       Develop rigorous brand architecture and portfolio models with in-built longevity and flexibility to cater for modern day enterprises

·       Develop a comprehensive brand management project following a robust analytical approach while leveraging the transformative power of brand-led thinking

• Face-to-face lectures
• Guest speaker's talks (in class or in distance)
• Case studies /Incidents (traditional, online)
• Group assignments

During the course, in addition to face-to-face lectures, the following activities are carried out:

·       Guest speakers’ sessions on brand management challenges with managers or entrepreneurs from companies operating in a variety of sectors

·       Case studies to apply the methods learnt in the classroom

·       A group work assignment focused on the design and development of a brand management project. This work will require a systematic and innovative approach on some key topics covered in the course (for instance: assessing and growing brand equity by introducing new products or by evolving the positioning and portfolio of existing brands). The group work assignment aims to enable students to apply the main analytical and managerial knowledge developed during the course.

The evaluation methods are based on two elements:

1.        Group work assignment: 50%

2.        Final written individual exam: 50%

1.        Participants are asked to work together in teams and are given one written assignment during the term. This assignment consists of developing a brand management project focusing on topics developed during the course. A panel comprising senior staff from the company providing the project brief will evaluate the group work. This assignment is intended to assess students’ ability to analyze relevant variables and translate the analysis into strategic recommendations for brand management, thus applying the frameworks and tools learned during the course.

2.        There is one final, individual exam in written form. The exam refers to concepts, models, cases and any other material from the textbook, classroom discussions, and supplementary material provided by the professors. The exam consists of multiple-choice questions and short-essay questions aimed at assessing students’ proficiency in developing rigorous reasoning and applying it to concrete business situations.

As a requisite for passing the overall exam, students must pass the written individual exam regardless of the grade obtained in the group assignment.

Assessment for non-attending students is based on a final, individual exam in written form.

The exam can cover concepts, models, cases and any other material present in the entire textbook (all chapters and appendixes). It consists of multiple-choice questions and short-essay questions aimed at assessing proficiency in developing rigorous reasoning and applying it to concrete business situations.

Teaching materials:

·       Selected chapters from Kevin Lane Keller, Vanitha Swaminathan, “Strategic Brand Management: Building, Measuring, and Managing Brand Equity”, Global Edition, Fifth edition, Pearson Education Limited

·       Slides from Professors

·       Slides from Guest Speakers  

·       Academic papers and articles selected by Professors

Teaching materials:

·       Kevin Lane Keller, Vanitha Swaminathan, “Strategic Brand Management: Building, Measuring, and Managing Brand Equity”, Global Edition, Fifth edition, Pearson Education Limited