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Syllabus: MGMT E-6100 Branding:

A Practical View { CRN: 24567}
2017 Spring Semester: Mondays 3:00-5:00 PM

Introduction:
This course helps students understand the value of a brand in a marketing and business environment, and
how to build, manage, and protect a brand. Specific areas covered include what a brand is and why it
matters, how a brand creates value, ways to measure and understand the value of a brand, managing new
and established brands, and the roles that sustainability and social responsibility play in building brand
value.

Instructor:
Name: Thomas Murphy
Email: TMNautilus@gmail.com
Phone: 978-760-1388
Student Help: Fridays 10 – Noon {by phone}

Textbook:
{1} Strategic Brand Management 5th Edition, Kevin Lane Keller, Pearson Prentice Hall

ISBN {978-0-13-266425-9}

Course Overview:
This course takes place in once a week online web conference delivered sessions over the course of a 15
week semester. The instructor led web conference sessions will focus upon specific branding topics taken
from both the textbook as well as current real time articles and videos related to the topics. Each lecture will
follow Powerpoint slides that will be loaded on Canvas in advance of the lecture. A key element of this course
is an individual project that has each student adopt a brand and follow the relevant news and issues that
impact it during the semester. Students will take current articles from “BrandChannel.com” and other
sources and analyze the strength of their brand in the global market.

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Learning Objectives:
At the completion of this course, students should be able to:
Recognize the purpose of Brands and the key elements that create strong brands
Identify the role that Brands play in helping companies establish competitive position
Understand how companies measure and improve brand value
Leverage social responsibility and loyalty programs to strengthen brands
Understand how brand architecture helps build brands over time

Course Policies and Expectations:

Technical requirements To be successful in this course, students will need to access materials and
submit assignments in Blackboard regularly.

Grading Your grade in this course will be based on the aggregation of an individual project
assignment and exams. Late submission of assignments will be assessed at a penalty of a half letter
grade per hour that they are late.
Assignments will generally be graded within 1 week of their due date. Points you receive for graded
activities will be posted to the Electronic Gradebook. In considering the level of grade to assign to any
student submission, the instructor considers the following key elements:

1. Diligence: To what degree has the student covered all of the tasks assigned
2. Integration: How extensive are relevant course concepts included
3. Initiative: Demonstration of discovery and solutions beyond expectations
4. Critical Thought: Creating reasonable, effective and insightful solutions

Method of Evaluation
Your final course grade will be an aggregation of the following:
33% Project 1
33% Mid-Term Exam
33% Final Exam
Participation {final grade adjustment as determined by professor}

Course time commitment

Over the course of the semester students are expected to put in at least 120 hours of dedicated time to
meet the requirements of this course. This effort is divided as follows:
o Online Lecture Time – 28 hours
o Textbook and Article review – 40 hours
o Assignments – 30 hours
o Exam Preparation – 22 hours

Assignments
All assignments for this course will be submitted electronically unless otherwise instructed.
Assignments must be submitted by the given deadline or special permission must be requested from

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instructor at least 3 days before the due date. Late assignments will be assessed a half-letter grade
penalty per hour late. Be sure to pay close attention to deadlines—there will be no make-up papers.

Academic & Course Policy: Including

 Absence from lecture sessions
 Academic Integrity
 Behavior & Conduct
Please refer to the guidelines listed in the HSS Student Handbook:
http://www.summer.harvard.edu/exams-grades-policies.

Accessibility

The Extension School is committed to providing an accessible academic community. The Accessibility
Office offers a variety of accommodations and services to students with documented disabilities. Please
visit www.extension.harvard.edu/resources-policies/resources/disability-services-accessibility for more
information.

Plagiarism

You are responsible for understanding Harvard Extension School policies on academic integrity
(www.extension.harvard.edu/resources-policies/student-conduct/academic-integrity) and how to use
sources responsibly. Not knowing the rules, misunderstanding the rules, running out of time, submitting
the wrong draft, or being overwhelmed with multiple demands are not acceptable excuses. There are no
excuses for failure to uphold academic integrity. To support your learning about academic citation rules,
please visit the Harvard Extension School Tips to Avoid Plagiarism
(www.extension.harvard.edu/resources-policies/resources/tips-avoid-plagiarism), where you'll find links
to the Harvard Guide to Using Sources and two free online 15-minute tutorials to test your knowledge of
academic citation policy. The tutorials are anonymous open-learning tools.

Session Outline:
Subject to possible modification by instructor during the semester

Branding Introduction: Purpose and Role Session 1/ Jan 23 Chapter 1 & Place Branding

Building Brand Value Session 2/ Jan 30 Chapters 2 & 3

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Adopt a Brand Assignment Begins

Building Brand Identity Session 3 / Feb 6 Chapter 4: Brand Story & Elements

Brands & Consumer Experience Session 4/ Feb 13 Chapter 5: Naked Brand Video

Brand Sustainability Session 5/ Feb 20 Chapters 6: Greening Video

Secondary Brand Association Session 6/ Feb 27 Chapter 7: Persuaders Video

Mid Term Exam: March 6: Session 7 Canvas open book

Brand Performance Session 8/ Mar 13 Chapters 8-10: Measurement

Brand Architecture Design Session 9/ Mar 20 Chapter 11: Sub Brands

Adopt a Brand Assignment Due: March 24th Midnight

New Brands & Brand Extensions Session 10/ Mar 27 Chapter 12: Brand Naming

Managing Brands over Time Session 11/ Apr 3 Chapter 13: Brand Reinvention

Managing Brands Across Borders Session 12/ Apr 10 Chapter 14: Generational Branding

Managing Brands in Key Markets Session 13/ Apr 17 Current Examples: Brand Channel

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Final Course Review Session 14/ April 24

Final Exam Week 15 May 1st 2nd Half Material

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