Brands constitute one of the most important assets for companies, serving as pillars for establishing sustainable competitive advantage. However, building and managing robust brands has become increasingly complex in our contemporary and hyperconnected society.

In this course, you will understand how strong brands effectively meet contemporary challenges and foster value creation for businesses and consumers. To do that, this course will merge a customer-centric approach with strategic management principles.

We will have a series of interactive sessions aimed at building an understanding of the foundational perspectives in branding, brands' evolution in the current hyperconnected context, and various opportunities and challenges that they may confront. These activities will bridge theoretical frameworks with real-world examples.

Together, we will also examine research methodologies that can be used to collect insights from consumers and that can be useful to understand how consumers perceive a certain brand and which strategy can be applied to solve potential challenges. 

Additionally, to put theory into practice, you will work on a final group project with Campari Group. This group work allows you to conduct a comprehensive analysis of an existing brand using both primary and secondary data. You will apply your knowledge from the course to assess the brand’s current state and develop strategic recommendations to address potential challenges.

This course aims to expand your knowledge of branding in a hyperconnected world, with a specific focus on understanding how strong brands are created and managed. Furthermore, you will learn how to analyze brands considering the role of different stakeholders.

By completing this course, you will:

• Develop a deep understanding of branding by integrating consumer and company perspectives, recognizing how both contribute to a brand's meanings and values.
• Gain familiarity with research tools that collect consumer insights and support strategic decision-making for a brand.
• Enhance your ability to think creatively and critically about the strategies and tactics needed to build, adapt, and effectively manage a brand in response to contemporary challenges.
• Conduct a comprehensive brand analysis using both primary and secondary data to identify challenges and propose actionable solutions.

Additionally, you will strengthen the following skills:

• Collaborating effectively in teams.
• Giving and receiving constructive feedback.
• Using collected data to support your ideas and provide informed solutions
• Professionally presenting the results of group work.

You need to attend at least 80% of the sessions to pass the course. 

The teaching method combines theory with real-world cases and it is based on different types of sessions: (1) Interactive lecture sessions, (2) "Real-world cases" sessions, and (3) Group project. 

(1) Interactive lecture sessions: 

We will explore core concepts and theories around branding, considering changes due to hyperconnection in the modern world. Part of these sessions will also be dedicated to understanding how to use research methodologies ( for instance, focus groups) to collect insights from consumers. This part is also related to the group project work, where you will be asked to collect consumers' primary data about a brand. 

(2) "Real-world cases" sessions

These sessions will examine the challenges that brands can face through real-life examples and external guests. The Kick-off with Campari Group will be part of this session.

Guest lectures will provide insights from industry professionals, who will share opportunities and obstacles they encounter in brand management. You’ll have the chance to engage with them and learn from their experiences.

(3) Group project

The final part of the course is dedicated to your group's project. Part of the course will focus on coaching and Q&A sessions to provide ongoing feedback on the project. The final session will be dedicated to the Final presentation with the company partner. 

Your overall course grade will be determined based on both individual and group performance across the following components:

• Individual assignments 10% - exercises and reflections based on class discussion
• Literature quiz 15% - assessment of your understanding of the theoretical concepts covered in class 
• Group project 25%- evaluation of your work in progress throughout the project 
• Final presentation of the Group project 25%- evaluation of your final presentation to the company partner 
• Peer rating 10%- evaluation by fellow group members 
• Class participation 15% - attendance and proactive engagement in discussions

Grading key: <51=5, 51-60=4, 61-75=3,76-90=2, 91 or higher =1

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