Tribhuvan University
Faculty of Management
Office of the Dean
Bachelor of Business Management (BBM)
Course Description
:The course includes seven units comprising an introduction to brand management, customer-based brand equity, establishing brand positioning, brand marketing programs, leveraging secondary brand associations, branding in the digital era, and managing brands over time.
Course Objective
:The main purpose of this course is to provide a comprehensive and up-to-date treatment of the subject of brand. The main goal of this course is to provide students with concepts and techniques to improve the long–term profitability of the brand management strategies and programs. Course Description The course includes seven units comprising an introduction to brand management, customer-based brand equity, establishing brand positioning, brand marketing programs, leveraging secondary brand associations, branding in the digital era, and managing brands over time.
Course Contents:
Lecture hours show the approximate classroom time allocated to each unit.
Unit 1. Introduction
- Concept of brand and branding. Brand versus Product. Importance of brands to consumers and firms. Branding of different products. Brand hierarchy. Concept of brand management. Brand management process. Branding challenges and opportunities.
Unit 2. Customer-Based Brand Equity
- Concept of customer-based brand equity(CBBE). Sources of brand equity:
- Brand awareness, brand image. Building a strong brand: The four steps of brand building- brand identity (Salience), brand meaning (performance, imagery), brand response (judgments, feelings), brand relationships (response)
Unit 3. Establishing Brand Positioning
- Concept of brand positioning. Brand positioning process: Identifying target market, understanding nature of competition, establishing points-of-parity and points-of-difference associations. Updating positioning over time. Brand mantra.
Unit 4. Brand Marketing Programs
- Concept of brand elements. Criteria for choosing brand elements. Options and tactics for brand elements: Brand names, URLs, Logos and Symbols, Characters, Slogans, Jingles, Packaging. Product Strategy: Perceived quality, Managing customer post-purchase. Pricing Strategy: Consumer price perceptions and setting prices. Channel Strategy: Indirect channels, direct channels. Promotion Strategy: Advertising, Sales promotion, Online marketing communications, Events and experiences. Public relations and publicity. Word- of-mouth. Integrated marketing communication program(IMC): Concept, Criteria for IMC programs.
Unit 5. Leveraging Secondary Brand Associations
- Concept of secondary brand associations. Leveraging secondary brand associations: Companies, country of origin, channels of distribution, co- branding, licensing, endorsements, events, and other third-party sources.
Unit 6. Branding in the Digital Era
- Key issues for branding in the digital era. Brand engagement: Brand engagement pyramid, negative brand engagement. Digital communications:
- Company websites, email marketing. Overview of social media paid channels:
- Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and video. Mobile marketing:
- Messaging services, In-App advertising, and proximity systems marketing.
- Influencer marketing and social media celebrities. Content marketing.
Unit 7. Managing Brands Over Time
- Brand extensions. Merits and demerits of brand extensions. Reinforcing brands.
- Revitalizing brands. Adjustments to the brand portfolio.
- Addendum: At least one case will be administered at the end of each chapter. The student will also complete a project and a few other assignments as specified by the faculty member.
- Suggested Books:
- Kevin Lane Keller. Strategic Brand Management. New Delhi: Pearson Education.
- Jean Noel Kapferer. Strategic Brand Management. New Delhi: Kogan Page.
- David A. Aakar. Managing Brand Equity. New York: Free Press.