Learning about key terms and models in the field of branding. To gain understanding of the fundamental links between brand management, consumer behavior, and Integrated Marketing Communication. To gain understanding of the role of brand management in marketing strategy. Ability to read intermediate level academic articles and apply their findings to specific branding challenges. To learn to interpret visible branding activities. Ability to develop a branding solution for a real-life brand management problem.

Brand Management studies how to build, maintain, and exploit a company’s most valuable asset: its brands. While products are increasingly becoming more standardized, the only difference that remains is the brand label on them. But brands are no manna from heaven. It takes serious efforts to build a brand, and marketing communication is a major tool in achieving an outstanding brand. How brands can be managed is the starting point and primary topic of the course. We will study what a brand is, which elements constitute a brand, and what needs to be considered in brand management. Brand measurement as well as the basic branding strategies related to brand systems and brand extensions will be discussed. For building brands, ‘Integrated Marketing Communication’ (IMC) is perhaps the most important instrument and deserves explicit attention. IMC seeks to influence consumer behavior; therefore, understanding the basic aspects of that topic is important for studying brand management.
Throughout the course, students work on a real life branding or communication problem to which they have to apply all topics that they have explored in the course. For bachelor students at Maastricht University, the course is part of the Marketing Major. But it can also be chosen as an elective and may therefore be interesting for students who plan to focus on another business area. For example, accounting students learn about the background of an important intangible asset. Strategy students dive into one particularly important strategic issue. Further the course is of interest to anyone who wants to learn more about the thrilling world of branding and advertising, which is around us anytime, anyplace, anywhere.

A detailed literature list will be available on the Eleum site of the course