Branding: Strategic and Cultural Perspectives
The course addresses a phenomena of branding, born in the realm of business but having been extended into the social and cultural realm as well, affecting not only businesses but various stakeholders on the way. Branding has been considered one of the central aspects of marketing.
Companies are working on strengthening their brand through improving their brand image, brand strategy with the view of increasing brand equity and brand loyalty. Brands are a promise to a customer. But how the customers perceive this promise? It is not that straightforward as it seems.
With the rise of the active consumer, companies face the challenge of getting to know their customers to improve the communication. In the global marketplace, companies and consumers are in constant negotiation over meanings of various objects, services, places and people. Students are therefore introduced to the dialectical processes between firms and consumers in which the meanings of the market are created. As such, BSCP aims to develop the analytical, strategic and creative thinking processes together with the skills related not only to cultural aspects of brand creation, identity, positioning and marketing but also to brands as cultural resources for companies in developing and
maintaining their identity.
Having completed the course the students should be able to understand the roles brands but also advertising in general play in markets. Furthermore, students should grasp that marketing strategies need to be in tune with the localized consumer cultures and have the necessary theoretical tools to understand those cultures and relate them to branding strategy.
Some of the topics discussed are: managerial perspectives on branding, brand equities, value, co-creation, authenticity and others.
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Course structure
The course consists of a combination of lectures, seminars and group work and requires a significant portion of self-study on the part of students. Assessment for the course will be continuous and is carried throughout the different activities of the course. The course workload is 200 hours equivalent to 7,5 ECTS.
The language of instruction is English.Assessment
Assessment for the course will be continuous and is carried throughout the different course activities. Each assessment task is weighted in relation to its importance in the overall assessment of the course.
The student’s results from the different assessment tasks are added up to a total course score that will then translate into the final grade for the course.
The course contains the following weighted assessment tasks:
1. Individually written exam: assesses intended learning outcomes 1–5; constitutes 60% of total course points.
2. Group project and presentation: assesses intended learning outcomes 1-5; constitutes 20% of total course points.
3.Individual assignment: assesses intended learning outcomes number 1–5, constitutes 10% of total course points.
4. Active participation in seminars: assesses intended learning outcomes number 1–5; constitutes 10% of total course points. -
Schedule
The schedule will be available no later than one month before the start of the course. We do not recommend print-outs as changes can occur. At the start of the course, your department will advise where you can find your schedule during the course. -
Course literature
Note that the course literature can be changed up to two months before the start of the course.
See reading list in the current syllabus.
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Contact
Course coordinator: coursecoordinator@sbs.su.se
Head of course: Susanna Molander
