MBA Program: July 2019-21 Batch

Subject Outline

Subject Name Nurturing and Managing Brand Equity

Subject Code

Subject Credits 3

The course provides a comprehensive understanding on the subjects of

brands, brand equity and strategic brand management. It will introduce
students to concepts and techniques as well as current thinking on design
and implementation of marketing programmes to build strong brands,
Summary/Overview and how to sustain them over time in varying product market contexts.
The main objective of the Nurturing and Managing Brand Equity course is
to provide a fundamental understanding of how to build, measure,
analyze and manage the brand equity of a company’s market offerings.
The course also provides a brief overview of the product management
function.

• To help understand the role of brands, the concept of brand equity

and the advantages of creating strong brands
• To learn about the ways to build, measure and implement a brand
equity management system
Aims • To devise alternate brand strategies, brand hierarchies and brand
portfolios
• To understand the role of brand architecture
• To learn how to modify branding strategies to maximize brand equity

Core Learning Outcomes

Assessment Criteria
Learning Outcomes
To achieve the learning outcome you must
On completion of this unit you should be able to:
demonstrate the ability to:
Understand the role of brands, the concept of brand Understand the basic concepts - evidenced in class
1 equity and the advantages of creating strong brands discussion
Distinguish the three main ways to build brand Identify the right method to build brand equity-
2 equity: choice of brand elements, design marketing evidenced in class discussion and case study
programs and leverage secondary associations
Learn the different approaches to measure brand Develop a brand equity measurement system -
3 equity and how to implement a brand equity evidenced in class discussion
measurement system
Devise alternate brand strategies, brand hierarchies Critically evaluate brand portfolios- evidenced in class
4
and brand portfolios discussion and case study
Understand the role of corporate, family, individual Learn the brand architecture concept – evidenced in
5 and modifier brands and how to combine them into class discussion and case study
sub brands

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 Modify branding strategies over time and across Understand global branding and timely strategies -
6 geographic boundaries to maximize brand equity evidenced in class discussion
The basic teaching philosophy for this course is to blend the theory and
practice of brand equity management in a comfortable, supportive
classroom environment that promotes active learning. The teaching
methods will consist of formal lectures, case study analysis, exercises
Approach to Learning
and discussion groups.

As is appropriate at the Masters’ level, the students are expected to

read beyond the text book assigned, for complementing their studies.
For a brand of their choice (guided by the instructor), the students will,
develop the brand strategy and present it taking into account the
concepts learned as part of the course.

Assessment Strategy To earn this subject credits, students will need to demonstrate critical
understanding of all parts of the syllabus, as the assessment will draw
on all the six learning outcomes. Because of the nature of the subject
matter, creativity and good quality of thought and expression will be
rewarded.
Learning Outcomes Submission day/week
Assessment Description of Assessment Weight*
No Assessed (assignments) or
Method* Method %
1 2 3 4 5 6 length (exam)
CS Case Study (preparation and 5 X X X Throughout the course
presentation)
DSA During Semester Test 20 X X X X X X
PF Performance for 10 X X X X X X As per the module
exercises/assignments
GR Preparation of a sustained 10 X X X X X X 75% into course
brand management strategy completion
for a firm
*Additional 5% weight age for attendance that totals to 50%. Remaining 50% assessed through the Semester End Examination

*The following codes for assessment methods apply:-

LR literature review PC practical
CB computer-based PF performance
CS case study PL placement
DI dissertation or project PO portfolio
EX exam PR presentation
GR group report RE individual report
DSA during semester test OR oral
OT other

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Outline of Teaching Schedule

Topic Chapter from the

essential book
Introduction to brands and brand management: Brands versus products, branding Chapter 1
challenges and opportunities
Customer Based Brand Equity: Sources (Brand Awareness and Brand Image); Four Steps in
Brand Building (Identity, Meaning, Response, Relationships); Keller’s Customer Based Brand Chapter 2
Equity Pyramid (includes the Six Brand Building Blocks - Salience, Performance, Imagery,
Judgments, Feelings, Resonance)
Creating customer value: customer relationship management, Customer Equity, Chapter 2, 3
Relationship of Customer Equity to Brand Equity; Brand Positioning: Points of Parity (POP)
and Points of Difference (POD); Core Brand Associations, Brand Mantras, Internal Branding,
Brand Audits
Experiential Exercise / Case Study
Brand Elements: Criteria for Choosing (Memorable, Meaningful, Likable, Transferable,
Adaptable, Protectable); Tactics for Brand Elements (Brand Names, URLs, Logos, Chapter 4
Characters, Slogans, Jingles, Packaging); Legal Branding Considerations
New perspectives on marketing: the need for integrating marketing programs,
personalizing marketing (experiential, one-to-one and permission marketing) Chapter 5
Product Strategy: Perceived Quality (brand intangibles, Porter’s value chain) and
Relationship Marketing (mass customization, After-marketing, Loyalty Programs);
Pricing Strategy: Value Pricing and Everyday Low Pricing;
Channel Strategy: Indirect Channels (Push and pull strategies, channel support, cooperative
advertising), Direct Channels (Company owned stores and other means), Private Label
strategies
Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC): Advertising (guidelines for TV, print,
interactive and place advertising), Promotion (consumer and trade), Event Marketing and Chapter 6
Sponsorship, PR and Publicity (buzz marketing), Personal Selling; The Six Criteria for IMC
(Coverage, Contribution, Commonality, Complementarity, Versatility, Cost)
Experiential Exercise / Case Study
Leveraging Secondary Brand Associations: Company, Country of Origin, Channels of Chapter 7
Distribution, Co-branding, Ingredient, Licensing, Celebrity Endorsement, Sporting/cultural
events, Third party sources
Developing a Brand Equity Measurement and Management System: Brand Value Chain Chapter 8
(Four Stages: Marketing Program Investment, Customer Mindset, Market Performance
and Shareholder Value), Brand Tracking, Brand Equity Charter, Brand Equity Report and
Responsibilities, Brand Planning process
Measuring Sources of Brand Equity: Qualitative research techniques (Free Association, Chapter 9
Projective Technique, Zaltman Metaphor Elicitation Technique, Brand Personality and
Values, Experiential Methods); Quantitative research techniques (Measuring Brand
Awareness, Image, Response and Relationships), Brand Dynamics model, Young and
Rubicam’s Brand Asset Valuator
Measuring Outcomes of Brand Equity: Comparative Methods (Brand Based, Marketing Chapter 10
Based and Conjoint Analysis) and Holistic Methods (Residual and Valuation Approaches),
Interbrand’s Brand Valuation Methodology
Experiential Exercise / Case Study
Designing and implementing brand strategies: Brand Architecture (breadth and depth of
branding strategies), Brand Hierarchy (corporate, family, individual, modifier); Dimensions Chapter 11, 12
of Corporate Image (Product Attributes, People & Relationships, Values, Credibility); Using
cause marketing to build brand equity (green marketing);
New Products and Brand Extensions: Ansoff’s Growth Share Matrix, Brand Extensions (line
and category), Advantages and disadvantages of extensions

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 Managing Brands over time:, Brand Reinforcement (Awareness and Image) and
Revitalization (new opportunities and repositioning), Adjusting the Brand Portfolio Chapter 13, 14
(migrating, acquiring, retiring); Managing brands over geographic boundaries: Advantages
and disadvantages of global marketing, Standardization versus Customization
Summarizing the Strategic Brand Equity Framework

Recommended Resources

Essential Textbook

Strategic Brand Management 4e or later; Kevin Lane Keller; Pearson

Reference Books

1. Building Strong Brands; David Aaker, Simon & Schuster

2. New Strategic Brand Management -4e; Joan Noel Kapferer; Kogan Page
3. Brand Positioning for Competitive Advantage; Subroto Sen Gupta
4. Integrated Branding; Joseph LePla & Lynn M Parker; Kogan Page
5. Product Management; Donald R Lehman and Russael S. Winer; Prentice Hall
6. Product Strategy & Managemnt -2e; Michael Baker & Susan Hart; Pearson
7. Marketing Management 15 e; Kotler & Keller; Pearson

Recommended Journals

• Journal of Brand Management

• Journal of Product & Brand Management
• Journal of Advertising
• Journal of Advertising Research
• Journal of Marketing

Useful Research Resources on the Internet

• www.afaqs.com: Afaqs contains news on Indian brands, media and advertising, complete with guest articles,
case studies and creative showcases. The Storyboard section outlines the latest TV advertisements on air,
frame by frame. The website also releases a fortnightly print magazine.
• www.branchannel.com: Brandchannel, a part of the brand consulting firm Interbrand, is a free online
exchange about global brands and branding. The site contains options for online debates and white paper
submissions, global listings for conferences, courses and careers and links to other valuable industry resources.
• www.landor.com: Landor is a strategic brand and marketing consultancy firm based in co-chaired by David
Aaker. The website contains interesting case studies on the clients that the firm has worked with.
• www.adage.com: Advertising Age magazine’s online version containing news on media, brands and marketing
including strategies discussed by Chief Marketing Officers of reputed brands. A valuable section is the Ad Age
Insights section that features Customized reports from Ad Age's Data Center. Most articles in the site are free
to browse and download.

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