Brand Design
| Module title | Brand Design |
|---|---|
| Module code | BEMM128 |
| Academic year | 2025/6 |
| Credits | 15 |
| Module staff | Dr Nataliia Pysarenko (Convenor) |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 11 |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 180 |
|---|
Module description
Brands have increasingly become a focus of marketing activity with some arguing that marketers no longer make products – rather they create brands. This module will give the critical evaluation of the creation and development of brands and their management process from different disciplinary perspectives. Theoretical insights from these perspectives will be used to create or assess current brand strategy and the role of marketing tools in effectively delivering this strategy.
Students will learn different approaches, theories, and concepts for creating and managing brands, managing brand portfolios and provides insights on drivers of successful brand strategies. This module will show the importance of brands in business, consumers’ daily lives and the society at large.
Internationalisation
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 provides an extensive range of brand identity building, brand strategy and brand repositioning examples on local markets and on a global scale, providing frameworks for understanding the brand management process. This module draws extensively on international branding examples and encourages you to examine brands from your home countries in your assignments.
Employability
You will learn and develop practical skills to create and manage brands and brand portfolios for any types of businesses, including non-for-profit. This will develop their practical and problem-solving skills and enhance their own marketability for future employment. You will also develop your research skill and your ability to put theory into practice in business or in non-for-profit organisations.
Sustainability
Social values in brand creation are an important part of the module. Brand activism, social innovations in brand building and some green issues are considered in this module. Some of the cases require critical evaluation of controversies in brands` sustainable strategy, such as the accusations of ‘green washing’ or `woke` which are made against some brands.
As there are no prerequisites, this module could be suitable for specialists and non-specialists. All resources for this module are available on the ELE2 (Exeter Learning Environment).
Module aims - intentions of the module
This module aims to provide a critical analysis of how brands and brand portfolios are created and managed, the role of brand manager within the marketing processes of different types of businesses, including non-for-profit organisations. To provide a critical perspective on the managerial, psychological, and sociological aspects of branding. To provide understanding of the significant role of brands in consumers` daily lives, and in society at large. To develop practical skills in creating, evaluating, and developing brand strategies, using multiple theoretical insights.
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. critically evaluate the managerial and social aspects of brand and brand portfolio management within a framework of marketing and business strategy;
- 2. understand and apply theories, models, frameworks, and concept to the brands` creation and management process for the different type of businesses and recognise their role and importance in brand management and marketing management decision-making;
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 3. Identify, analyse and critically evaluate the branding strategies pursued by organisations in different types of markets (product, service, global, etc) to different scenarios and organisational settings;
- 4. recognise the importance of studying branding from an interdisciplinary social science perspective and be able to apply models, theories and concepts used in developing and managing successful brands.
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 5. demonstrate critical reflexivity towards the subject matter, exhibit research and analytical skills, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills;
- 6. develop key practical skills in creating and managing brands and brand portfolios for different type of business, including non-for-profit organisations.
Syllabus plan
Indicative syllabus plan:
- History and types of brands. B2C, B2B brands, brands for the non-for-profit organisations.
- Brand Management Process. Creating the Brand. Role of brand manager.
- Creating brand value – business and social values. Creating and managing Holistic Brand Experience.
- Creating Brand Identity: Brand Aesthetics & Symbolism.
- Brand Co-creation. Consumer Collectives.
- Brand Launch. Internal and external marketing programs.
- Brand activism. Social Responsibility, and Sustainable Consumption.
- Managing Brands. Brand Performance. Brand audit. Rebranding and Repositioning.
- Managing Brand Portfolio. Brand Architecture. Roles of the Brands in portfolio.
- Brand growth and Brand Futures: Technology and Innovation in Branding Strategies.
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 22 | 128 | 0 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching | 22 | Lectures/seminars/workshops |
| Guided independent study | 128 | Research, reading, reporting writing |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Case study discussion, Q&A | During tutorials | 1-6 | In class oral feedback |
| Interactive quizzes | During lectures | 1-4 | In class oral and in presentation slides |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | 0 | 0 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Individual Assignment | 100 | 3250 words | 1-6 | Written feedback |
Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Individual Assignment | Individual Assignment (3250 words) (100%) | 1-6 | Referral/deferral period |
Re-assessment notes
Deferral – if you miss an assessment for certificated reasons judged acceptable by the Mitigation Committee, you will normally be either deferred in the assessment or an extension may be granted. 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 50%) you will be required to submit a further assessment as necessary. If you are successful on referral, your overall module mark will be capped at 50%.
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:
- Keller, Kevin Lane, Swaminathan, Vanitha (2019) Strategic Brand Management: building, measuring, and managing brand equity. Fifth global edition. Pearson Education.
- Kapferer, Jean-Noel. (2012) The new strategic brand management: advanced insights and strategic thinking. London: Kogan Page Ltd
- Lalaounis, S. (2020). Strategic Brand Management: Creating and Marketing Successful Brands. London: Routledge. Rosenbaum-Elliott, R., Percy, L., & Pervan, S. (2011). Strategic Brand Management. Oxford University Press.
- Foroudi, P., Palazzo M. (Eds.). (2021) Sustainable branding: Ethical, Social, and Environmental Cases and Perspectives (1st ed.). Routledge.
Supplementary reading:
- Kotler, Philip, Sarkar, Christian. (2021) Brand Activism. From Purpose to Action. Ebury Press
- Heding, Tilde, Knudsen, Charlotte, Bjerre, Mogens (2020) Brand Management: mastering research, theory, and practice. Third edition. Ney York: Routledge.
- Aaker, David (2012) Building Strong Brands. London: Simon& Schuster.
- Holt Douglas B. (2004). How Brands Became Icons: The principles of Cultural Branding. Harward Business School Press.
- De Chernatony, Leslie (2011). Creating Powerful Brands. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge.
Additional Supplementary reading will be available on ELE2.
Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources
Articles and industry research to be posted
Indicative learning resources - Other resources
Video case studies
Text case studies (to be distributed)
| Credit value | 15 |
|---|---|
| Module ECTS | 7.5 |
| Module pre-requisites | None |
| Module co-requisites | None |
| NQF level (module) | 7 |
| Available as distance learning? | No |
| Origin date | 01/09/2007 |
| Last revision date | 21/06/2024 |
