Indian Institute of Management Udaipur

Course name Brand Management

Program PGDM Core/Elective Elective
Credits 4 Cap (if elective)

Academic Year 2023-24 Term 4

Course Coordinator Email

Instructor 1 Charanpreet Singh Email charanpreet@praxis.ac.in

Sessions 05 (01-05) Section A and B

Affiliation

Office Hours

Instructor 2 Chandradeep (CD) Mitra Email cd.mitra@gmail.com

Sessions 11 (06-16) Section A and B

Affiliation

Office Hours

Instructor 3 Govindrajan Srinivas Email govindrajan.srinivas@gmail.com

Sessions 04 (17-20) Section A and B

Affiliation

Office Hours

Course Description
Successful brand building has become one of the more potent tools of gaining long-term
sustainable competitive advantage. Strong brands have, over the years, acquired the status
of the most valuable intangible assets of a company. Brand Equity, though not overtly
present in the balance sheet, represents potential value, which often far exceeds the total
value of the tangible assets of a company. Besides, brands provide relative immunity from
the inroads of competition and help create a loyal franchise for the products or the
organization.
In an increasingly complex world replete with mind-boggling choices, brands act as
surrogates to guide consumers’ preferences and choices. Brands help to build sustained
relationships with the consumers. Brands can be leveraged to gain preferred positions with
the suppliers, channel intermediaries, opinion leaders, lobbyists and other publics. Strong
brands lend endurance and permanence to an organization and protects it from market
turbulences and uncertainties.

Given that brands continue to be the biggest assets that can be owned by leading current
and future organizations, this course on Brand Management gives an opportunity to current
students of IIM Udaipur to develop a critical understanding of the processes and activities
involved in building and managing successful brands. It has been well proven that at times
of crises and market downturns (as caused by the recent Covid pandemic), and subsequent
upturns, strong and innovative brands tend to be more resilient, and perform significantly
better than weaker brands and overall categories.
Course Objectives
Specific learning objectives for the participants in this course are as follows:

Be able to use knowledge, data, powers of observation, listening & common sense to:

1. Understand the key decision-making variables in managing a brand through various

stages of its lifecycle.

2. Understand the methods of measuring brand performance and the key data points
to enable this process.

3. Appreciate the different lenses through which internal and external stakeholders
(the customer, the marketing person, the public and the shareholder) view a brand.

4. Gain both theoretical & practical perspectives of building and nurturing brands in
the contemporary context.

5. For a Brand Management job, gain important capabilities to start delivering from
Day 1.

Programme Level Learning Goals

The course aims to help students achieve the following learning goals (those which are
applicable):
Goal 1: Ability to integrate across business disciplines: Students should be able to apply
frameworks from different business disciplines.
 ● Identify and make connections across functional areas when looking at a
business problem.
● Identify and apply concepts from multiple-functional areas comprehensively
to a business problem
Goal 2: Critical Thinking: Students should be able to identify and analyze key issues and
evaluate alternative solutions.
● Identify the relevance and importance of issues. Accurately identifies the
core issue.
● Provide solutions by integrating ideas and using the available evidence.
Goal 3: Team Dynamics: Students should be able to work as part of a team.
a. Contributes outside of team meetings: Provide solutions by integrating ideas and
using the available evidence. Completes all assigned tasks by deadline; work
accomplished is thorough and comprehensive.
b. Contributes to team meetings: Helps the team by articulating the merits of
alternative ideas or solutions. Offers thoughtful and constructive ideas and
suggestions. Actively builds on ideas of team members. Articulates merits of
alternative ideas and suggestions.
c. Facilitates the contributions of team members: Engages team members to facilitate
their interaction and constructively builds upon their contribution. Encourages
others to participate and complete assigned tasks to a similar level of excellence.
Goal 4: Communication Skills (Oral): Students should be proficient in oral communication.
a. Clarity: Argument effectively and efficiently conveyed; highly focused on the
question; easily understood.
b. Organization of ideas: Coherent, comprehensive, and well-structured organization of
ideas.
c. Style: Confident, enthusiastic about the topic and engages the audience in
discussion.
Goal 5: Communication Skills (Written): Students should be proficient in development of
analytical, synthetic, and writing skills.
a. Clarity: Argument is effective, concise, and easily understood. Thorough analysis of
the data with compelling conclusion.
b. Organization of ideas: Coherent, well integrated, clear and structured organization of
ideas.
c. Style: Writing style is appropriate for the topic and target audience.
Goal 6: Ethical Responsibility: Students should be aware of the ethical responsibilities of a
business leader.
a. Identifies and analyzes the ethical issues: Identifies, discusses, and analyzes the
issues clearly. Provides coherent arguments in support.
 b. Provides solutions to the ethical issue: Provide solutions by integrating ideas and
using the available evidence. Discusses principles in arriving at a solution to the
ethical dilemma. Aware of responsibilities of an ethically accountable leader to the
organization he/she will represent and to society.

International components of the course (if any)

The course will cover Brand Management Principles, Practices, Processes, Toolkits and
Frameworks that are applicable universally across all countries, without any geographical
bias. It would thus equip students to apply this knowledge to manage brands anywhere in
the world, thus making the course truly international in nature. However, many of the socio-
cultural contexts, consumer insights and specific brand examples used in the course would
be largely Indian for students to be able to relate to, while keeping adequate number of
international brands & examples also included. In light of current geopolitical trends, a part
of the course would also cover the increasingly important topic of Nation and Place
Branding and cover suitable examples of using the concept of Nation Branding in an
international competitive context.

Pre-requisites
MBA First year compulsory Marketing courses.

Required Text Book(s):

There is no prescribed text book, though a few recommended books have been indicated
below, adequate copies of which should be available at the IIM Udaipur library. Reading
material (and this includes Articles, Blogs and Videos) for each session have been indicated
in the detailed Tentative Session plan.

Recommended Text Book(s)

While there is no prescribed text book for this course, and the course will not rigorously
follow any one particular book, some interesting books that are relevant and could be
referred to are:
1. Strategic Brand Management, by Kevin Lane Keller
2. Strategic Brand Management, by Jean-Noel Kapferer
3. Building Strong Bands, by David Aaker

Pedagogy
Lectures, Presentations, Discussions of Cases, and In-class Exercises

Course Pack Distribution to students

Course material will be issued from the Programme office. Additional course material may
be shared during the course.

Technology enabled learning component for your course

Apart from the use of BrandPro simulation, and use of CourseWeb for Assignment
Submissions, there are no other specific requirement of IT-enabled analytical tools,
techniques, and methods.
Class Preparation, Participation, and Presentation

Course participants are expected to complete the readings before coming to class. This will
enable all of us to cover more ground in class by way of the quality of discussions.

Some of the classes have case discussions. The course participants are expected to come
prepared to class with the case details and data analysis and will be evaluated on the quality
of their contribution to the case discussions.

Session Plan

Sessio Topic Intended Learning Outcome References/Material

n no.
1 Introduction to Brand The student should be able to: None
Management:
a. Understand the concept of Brand
a. Broad overview of
b. Appreciate the complexities and
the concept of ‘Brand’
challenges of the role of a brand
b. Role of the Brand manager
Manager
c. Examine products and services in
c. Commodity and terms of their ‘brand-ability’
Brand
d. Develop an understanding of the
d. Within the value a brand brings to different
organization, a brand stakeholders in the organization
means different things
to different
stakeholders
2 Introduction to some The student should be able to: Readings:
components and
a. Examine an approach to 1. Three questions
measures in brand
segmenting markets and you need to ask
building:
determining target markets. (HBR, Sep 2022)
a. Brand Positioning
b. Apply concepts of points of 2. Discovering new
b. Brand Essence parity and points of difference to points of
understand positioning. differentiation
c. Brand Identity
(HBR, July-Aug
c. Develop the ability to construct
d. Brand Experience 1997)
perceptual maps and construct
e. Brand Personality positioning statements for brands 3. Measuring Brand
Equity Across
f. Brand Image d. Appreciate the brand building
Products and
journey from an idea in the brand
 g. Brand Loyalty owner’s mind to a commitment and Markets
advocacy from the consumer (California
h. Brand Equity
Management
e. Understand the concepts of
i. Brand Value Review Vol. 38 No.
brand equity and brand valuation.
3 Spring 1996)
j. Brand Purpose

3. Introduction to Brand The student should be able to: Readings:

Strategy Simulation
a. Formulate a brand strategy in a BrandPro simulation
(group exercise):
competitive environment briefing
a. Market segments
b. Apply the principles of brand
b. Product features positioning to make marketing
decisions
c. Brand
communication c. Understand the importance of
changing consumer behavior on
a. Marketing budget
brand decisions
allocation
d. Develop the ability to allocate
funds across multiple products
and market segments
a. Develop the ability to allocate
funds across functions like
marketing and R&D

4. Brand Strategy The student should be able to: Readings: None

Simulation
a. Demonstrate learnings from the Activity: Group
presentations
simulation exercise and Presentations on
communicate the learnings in a BrandPro simulation
structured manner
b. Articulate the group’s thinking
behind its decision making and
explain the group’s journey
across the decision-making
stages
c. Identify the important factors
that need to be taken into
account for brand-related
decision making
d. Understand the need to align
marketing budgets, R&D
budgets, marketing
 communication content and
product design with consumer
expectations

5. Introduction to Brand The student will be able to: Reading:

Elasticity:
a. Understand the relationship Does your brand
a. Significance of between product life cycle and mean enough to
brand elasticity in brand life cycle diversify? (ARF week
brand journey of workshops,
b. Understand the pros and cons
October 2000)
b. Brand life cycle vs of brand extensions
product life cycle Case:
c. Develop insights into brand
c. Factors that make a meaning that makes a brand Mountain Man
brand elastic more elastic than others Brewing Company -
bringing the brand to
d. Choosing the d. Appreciate the difference
light (Harvard
category and between line extensions and
Business Publishing
market for brand brand extensions
No. 2069, May 28,
extensions
e. Examine the choice of category 2017)
e. Brand extension for brand extension
failures and
successes
f. Brand extension
naming strategies

6. Developing Brand Examining the external factors & Use of proprietary 8C

Strategy – Part 1 stakeholders that must be Framework, Class
considered while developing a Presentation
robust brand strategy

7. Developing Brand Evaluating & strategizing for the Use of proprietary 8C

Strategy – Part 2 internal factors & stakeholders that Framework, Class
must be considered while Presentation
developing a robust brand strategy

8. Brand Identity, Image Understanding key concepts Building Strong Bands,

& Personality essential for creating a strong by David Aaker
brand – Brand Identity, Brand
Image & Brand Personality

9. Sensory Branding Multi-sensory branding strategies ‘Brand Sense: Build

help innovative brand managers Powerful Brands
create memorable brand identities, through Touch, Taste,
& forge stronger relationships with Smell, Sight, and
consumers, using combination of Sound’, by Martin
 sight, sound, smell, taste & touch. Lindstrom

10. Brand Equity, Brand Understanding Brand concepts like Building Strong Bands,
Valuation, & Managing Brand Equity & Brand Valuation, & by David Aaker
Brands over Time strategies that Brand Managers
must adopt through stages of a
brand from launch to revival

11. Brand Portfolio & Key learnings of managing a Building Strong Bands,
Brand Architecture growing portfolio of brands, by David Aaker
extensions, variants and SKUs, and
choice of Brand Architecture

12. Learnings from Cult Every Brand Manger aspires to ‘How Brands Become
Brands – Part 1 build a strong and enduring brand. Icons: The Principles
What branding lessons – concepts of Cultural Branding’
and practices – can one learn from by Douglas B Holt;
a category that boasts of multiple Class Presentation
‘cult’ brands, and apply to other
brands in other categories?

13. Learnings from Cult Every Brand Manger aspires to ‘How Brands Become
Brands – Part 2 build a strong and enduring brand. Icons: The Principles
What branding lessons – concepts of Cultural Branding’
and practices – can one learn from by Douglas B Holt;
a category that boasts of multiple Class Presentation
‘cult’ brands, and apply to other
brands in other categories?

14. Nation Branding An increasingly important aspect of Nation Brand’, by

branding is the growing field of Simon Anholt
Place & Nation Branding. Key
learnings of contemporary
perspectives, theories & practices

15. Brand Building Case A step-by-step analysis of the Class Presentation

Study – Part 1 strategy involved in the real-life
example of building a national
brand in the global arena.

16. Brand Building Case A step-by-step analysis of the ‘Integrated Marketing

Study – Part 2 strategy involved in the real-life Communications:
example of building a national Putting It Together &
brand in the global arena, using Making It Work’, by
multiple principles & practices of Don Schultz, Stanley
Integrated Brand Communications Tannenbaum, Robert
Lauterborn; Class
 Presentation
17. Brand Audit Understanding the process of https://clutch.co/
Brand Auditing, measuring Brand agencies/branding/
Performance, & Consumer facing resources/how-to-
measures of Brand performance measure-brand-
performance; Class
Presentation
18. Brand Performance Learning how to access & interpret https://clutch.co/
Metrics the data used for a Brand Audit agencies/branding/
Process, also some metrics to resources/how-to-
measure brand performance using measure-brand-
social media data. performance; Class
Presentation
19. Brand Funnel Understanding the concept & https://
importance of the Brand Funnel, www.thelogocreative.
and tracking the consumer path co.uk/how-can-your-
within the Brand Funnel. business-measure-
brand-performance/;
Class Presentation
20. Brand Equity Learning about the Share Tier https://
Measurement Approach of measuring Brand www.youtube.com/
Equity, & the Market Research watch?
which goes into planning a Brand or v=2AwBe9LSO9Q;
Line Extension Class Presentation

Project Component

Each group of 5 students is required to choose a Brand and complete a “Brand Dossier” for
the Company. Please choose a Brand and not a Company. Hence, for example, choose Amul
Butter, Tata Tiago and Google Maps rather than GCMMF (Amul), Tata Motors or Google
respectively. The Dossier is to have the following elements:
Part 1: Literature Review for the Brand (5% Weightage)
The Literature Review should contain the following aspects regarding the brand:
1. Early history of the brand and its evolution over time. Initial positioning and subsequent
repositioning, if any.
2. Advertising, sales promotion and segmentation strategy followed by the brand.
3. Analysis of product and generic competition to the brand.
4. Strategies adopted over time by the brand to tackle competition or prime market
expansion.
5. Distribution strategy followed by the brand.
6. Summary regarding the future directions for the brand.
The above dossier is to be compiled using secondary data. Primary data is welcome,
wherever available. The source of every piece of information has to be indicated. Absence of
this will tantamount to plagiarism.
Part 2: Brand Funnel for the Brand (12.5% Weightage)
Based on the findings of the literature survey, the group is to develop:
 The Brand Funnel for the Brand chosen.
 Hypotheses as to the different conversion ratios of the Brand Funnel (Awareness,
Trial / Awareness, Repeat / Trial and MOUB / Repeat).
 The instrument(s) of data collection (including questionnaire design) or measuring
the Brand Funnel.
Part 3: Brand Equity Measurement for the Brand (12.5% Weightage)
Part 3 will consist of measuring the Brand Equity. You will be evaluated on:
 Choice of the best method to measure Brand Equity (with justification). Bonus points
will be awarded if students develop a model which improvises on the existing models
available.
 The actual measurement of Brand Equity, the recommendations and using this
information to explain the hypotheses formulated in the Brand Funnel developed in
Part 2 above.

Evaluation Components
Components Weightage

BrandPro Simulation 25%

Project 30%

End Term Exam 35%

Class Participation 10%

Online Course Management (Moodle)/Course web

Additional course materials, Presentation Decks, tutorials and assignments will be shared in the
course web by respective instructors through the Teaching Assistants, after the corresponding
classes, as and when required.

Mapping for the course with Program Level Goals

Goal 1 Goal2 Goal 3 Goal 4 Goal 5 Goal 6
Ability to Critical Team Communication Communication Ethical
integrate Thinking Dynamics s Skills (Oral) (a, Skills (Written) Responsibility
across b & c) (a, b & c) (a & b)
business
disciplines

Class# 3, 4, 5, Class# 4, 6, Class# 3, 4, Class# 4, 5, 6, 7, Project, End- Class# 12, 13,

6, 7, 8, 11, 7, 11, 12, 15, Project 12, 13, 15, 17, term 14, 15, 16
12, 15, 16, 16, 18, 20, 18, 19, 20
18, 19 Project, End-
term