Symbiosis Institute of Media and Communication, Bengaluru

SYLLABUS AND LESSON PLAN

Subject: Brand Ecology

Code:

Batch: 2014-16, Semester: II

Session Duration: 60 mins per session

Objective: The objective of the course is to understand how brands are created, managed and
sustained and how this results in strong brand equity. This is done primarily by achieving the
following:

Understanding how brand elements are created and identifying and establishing brand
values.
Learning to plan and implement brand marketing programs.
Understanding how to measure and interpret brand performance.
Developing a plan to grow and sustain brand equity.

PEDAGOGY: The pedagogy will include lectures, discussions, case studies, exercises and videos.
There will also be at least two sessions of inter actions with industry experts from Marketing and
branding functions.

Topics
1.Course Overview & Introduction to Brand Management

Brands versus products. The importance of branding. Brand image, value and
equity. Review of PLC and STP and its applications in the brand building
process.
2.Customer-Based Brand Equity :

Identifying and establishing brand positioning. Positioning guidelines, Brand

Associations, Internal Branding.

3. Planning and Implementing Brand Marketing Programs :

Choosing Brand Elements to Build Brand Equity, Criteria for selection, Types
and Impact of Brand Elements towards Brand Communication

4. Brand Design for Communications:

Identifying which elements in the brand are important to the consumer and
emphasizing them throughout its marketing communications.

5. Brand Building Models:

Brand Building Blocks: Developing brands through the Layering process.

6. Designing Marketing Programs to Build Brand Equity :

New Marketing initiatives towards branding , Impact of Product, Pricing and

Channel Strategy, Integrating Marketing Communications to Build Brand Equity

7. Brand Associations:

Developing brand associations, Customer perceptions.

8. Internal and External Stakeholders:

Role of Ad Agency, Distribution Channel and Franchisees in growing and

expanding strong brands.

9. New Products Management and its relevance to Branding:

New product development and introduction process. Brand Extensions,

Advantages and disadvantages and Opportunities , How consumers evaluate
Brand Extensions

10. Growing and Sustaining Brand Equity ; Designing and

Implementing Branding Strategies; Brand Architecture:

Brand-Product Matrix , Brand Hierarchy (Developing Brand Strategy from

customer, organization and market perspectives)
When to stretch existing brand, employ new brand, when to use sub-brands,
and endorsed brands.
Can sub-brands or endorsed brands be used to stretch across products or
markets

Exercise and discussion on category extension and brand building:

Cases on Titan and Micromax.

11. Managing Brands over Time (Branding Strategies):

1 Managing Brand Portfolio

2 Reinforcing / Rejuvenating brands
3 Revitalizing brands (Planning Templates)
4 Sustaining a Brand long term

Recommended Reading:

1. Strategic Brand Management, Keller, Parameshawaran and Jacob.

2. Brand Management. David Aaker.
3. Brand management. Kapferer.
4. Product Management in India: Ramanuj Majumdar.
5. Product Policy and Brand Management, Chitale and Gupta.
6. Marketing White Book, 2012 2013.