• University of Exeter Business School
• Module

Brands and Branding

Module description

Summary:

Brands and branding have increasingly become a focus of marketing activity because marketers no longer market products or services but create brands. This module examines the development and management of brands and branding drawing from different disciplines spanning the social sciences and the humanities. It explores concepts from psychology, sociology, semiotics, communication studies and design studies. These concepts are used to understand and evaluate past and present branding strategies to identify if and why they have been successful or not so successful. This module also highlights the importance of brand and communications in consumers’ daily lives and the society at large.

Branding has a global perspective and there are implications in creating, developing, and marketing of a brand on a global scale or in different countries. This module draws extensively on international branding examples and encourages students to examine brands from their home countries in their assignments.

In gaining an understanding of developing and managing a brand, and how it affects lives, students are equipped with knowledge that would help them work either with clients or marketing agencies. They also develop their research skill and their ability to put theory into practice.

All of the resources for this module are available on the ELE (Exeter Learning Environment).

It is critical that students are prepared for a module that is rich in colourful and descriptive language, including the use of subtle and not so subtle metaphors and nuances.

Module aims - intentions of the module

• To provide a thorough understanding of how brands and branding strategies are developed and managed.
• To provide a critical perspective on the managerial, psychological, and sociological aspects of branding.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 1. understand the managerial significance of branding in a competitive marketplace and within marketing and business strategy;
• 2. understand strategies for the development and management of successful brands;
• 3. provide frameworks for evaluating the performance of branding strategies.

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 4. identify, analyse, synthesise different theoretical lenses to understand the role of brands in society;
• 5. critically evaluate the models, theories and concepts commonly used in developing and managing successful brands.

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 6. exhibit analytical and critical thinking and problem-solving skills;
• 7. demonstrate improved written skills and the ability to pursue research independently

Syllabus plan

1. History and Importance of Branding.
2. Developing Brand Equity, Positioning and Values.
3. Creating Brand Identity: Brand Aesthetics & Symbolism.
4. Brand Communications and Attention Economy.
5. Holistic Brand Experiences and Emotional branding.
6. Consumer Collectives, Brand Avoidance, and Political Consumption.
7. Brand Ethics, Social Responsibility, and Sustainable Consumption.
8. Brand Performance and Metrics.
9. Brand Growth: Brand Architecture and Brand Extensions.
10. Brand Futures: Technology and Innovation in Branding Strategies

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Formative assessment

Summative assessment (% of credit)

Details of summative assessment

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Re-assessment notes

Deferral – if you have been deferred for any assessment you will be expected to submit the relevant assessment. The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of deferral will not be capped and will be treated as it would be if it were your first attempt at the assessment.

Referral – if you have failed the module overall (i.e. a final overall module mark of less than 40%) you will be expected to submit the relevant assessment. The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of referral will be capped at 40%.

Where there are practical reasons why the original form of assessment on a module cannot be replicated for referral or deferral purposes, an alternative form of assessment must be used. Examples of when this approach is justified include where the original assessment relied on fieldwork, group work, access to specialist equipment, or input from visiting staff; or where the process of assessment throughout the module was intricate, involving many assessments. The method of reassessment should address as many of the module’s intended learning outcomes as is possible.

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

Basic reading:

Lalaounis, S. (2020). Strategic Brand Management: Creating and Marketing Successful Brands. London: Routledge. [Forthcoming]

Supplementary reading:

Supplementary reading will be available on ELE.

Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources

• ELE – College to provide hyperlink to appropriate pages

Key words search

Marketing, Branding, Brands, Innovation, Design