Strategic Brand Management

The brands that a firm has invested in and developed over time are typically their most valuable assets. Product designs, manufacturing processes and other business processes may be easily copied, but a strong brand is something that cannot be easily reproduced. Many Asian companies are coming to terms with the importance of branding and are putting more resources into building a strong brand. This is evident from the number of branding awards (e.g., Singapore Promising Brand Award, Readers' Digest Most Trusted Brand Award etc.) being handed out in recent years. Companies are also paying top dollars for branding managers. This course aims to inform students about the current theories and findings on how firms manage brands. This course will address issues such as: 1) What is brand equity and how do you build brand equity? 2) How do you capitalize on brand equity? 3) What are the important issues in planning, implementing and evaluating brand strategies? 4) What are the relevant theories and models to help managers to make branding decisions? This is a core course for all marketing students, to be taken after AB1501. The course will employ a global perspective in all course materials (theories, cases, strategies, etc.). The course will equip you to take on the perspective of a brand manager capable in considering all essential issues related to building and managing a brand, locally, regionally, and globally. You will gain competency in utilizing concepts and tools for future careers in brand management and related business functions requiring the interface with brands.