Brand Management (5 cr)

Objectives (course unit)

After completing the course students will be able to
- explain basic branding concepts and factors that help to create strong and differentiated brands
- integrate marketing communication tools and consider them comprehensively
- exploit opportunities offered by social media and mobile communication
- apply branding models, frameworks and tools

Content (course unit)

How can companies create and strengthen brands?
How to integrate different communication targets and tools?
How to exploit social media in marketing communication?

Prerequisites (course unit)

2. year studies or similar skills and knowledge.

Exam schedules

No exam

Evaluation methods and criteria

Course evaluation comprises of several deliverables: research report, a brand-plan and a presentation - all of which are teamwork, and of active participation & communciation in an international team. A detailed evaluation principles will be given in the beginning of the course.

Teaching methods

Contact teaching
Team project (brand design)
Virtual conferences

Learning materials

Floor, K. 2006. Branding a Store. Amsterdam: BIS Publishers
Additional literature:
Finne S., Sivonen H. 2009. The Retail Value Chain
Jansen. M.2006. Brand Prototyping
Usunier, J. 2000. Marketing across cultures
Edwards, H., Day, D.2005. Creating Passion Brands: How to build emotional brand connection with customers.
Aaker D. Building strong brands

Student workload

Student time use 133 hours altogether. Contact teaching and coaching about 75 hours, independent work 58 hours. Part of the class hours will be reserved for working with the project but a great deal of the execution will be done outside class hours. It is very important the students are able to attend the classes (Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2p.m. to 5p.m.). During week 6 (from Monday to Tuesday) there is kick-off week in Tampere.

Content scheduling

The course starts January 24th at 2.15p.m. It continues on the 4th period ending to a video conference April 11th. During the course there may be some breaks in contact teaching.
A detailed course timetable will be given on the first lesson.

International connections

This course is executed in cooperation with TAMK International Business, Brno University of Technology in Czech Republic, Stenden University of Applied Sciences and Windesheim University of Applied Sciences in the Netherlands.
The study methods are based on students’ field /research work guided by professors from the partner universities. The students will work in cooperation across countries doing a brand / market analysis and comparing the results of their findings.

Further information

This course concentrates especially on the effect of store brands to the consumers’ decision making in the food and hardware (so-it-yourself) retail industry, where the main themes of the course are studied and applied.

Assessment criteria - satisfactory (1-2) (Not in use, Look at the Assessment criteria above)

Student has achieved the objectives of the course sufficiently. Student understands the premises and principles of branding. Student recognizes, is able to determine and use the concepts and models of branding. Student`s skills working in the international team needs to be further developed.

Assessment criteria - good (3-4) (Not in use, Look at the Assessment criteria above)

Student has achieved the objectives of the course well although the skills and competences are somewhat in need of further development. Student is able to determine and apply the concepts and models of branding well and is able to conduct reasoned analysis. Student knows how to act in the international team.

Assessment criteria - excellent (5) (Not in use, Look at the Assessment criteria above)

Student has achieved the objectives of the course excellently. The student masters the concepts and models of branding in an excellent manner. Student is able to conduct fluent and reasoned analysis and has good capabilities to apply the learning. Student is valuable member of the international team.