1.
Branding 101
Erasmus Course Syllabus
Lecturer: Ana ADI
Session 2010/2011
2nd Semester
An electronic version of this Syllabus is available on www.anaadi.net

2. Contents
1. Course summary
2. Aims of course
3. Learning outcomes
4. Employability skills
5. Modes of delivery
Day by day lesson plan
i. Day 1 ‐ Lecture 1
ii. Day 2 – Lecture 2
iii. Day 3 – Lecture 3
iv. Day 4 – Lecture 4
v. Day 4 – Lecture 5
6. Assessment criteria

3. 1. Course Summary
Branding 101 is an introduction to the notions and principles of branding as well as an
exploration of brand building, brand strategy and brand equity. Using a method that blends
problem‐based learning with traditional lecturing, the course covers branding from mainly
from a marketing and management perspective, promoting a more holistic understanding of
business based on the assumption that branding serves a fundamental strategic function.
The main objective of this course is introduce students to the steps required to build brand
assets and create enduring competitive advantage for brands while giving them
opportunities to both analyze and apply them. Designed as a 2 credit, 1 week long, 3 or 4
hours/day session course, Branding 101 endorses a practitioner, more than academic, focus.
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2. Aims of Course
This course aims to:
• Define the concepts of brand, branding and other branding related terms
• Encourage and enable creative learning and thinking
• Enable the application of the taught concepts
• Facilitate contacts with industry representatives
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3. Intended Learning Outcomes
By the end of this course students will be able to:
L1 Define the concepts of brand, branding and other branding specific vocabulary;
L2 Analyze and present the elements of a brand;
L3 Explore brands and their positioning;
L4 Define research methods and identify situations they could be used and how;
L5 Explore the concept of brand equity, its definitions and its measurement;
L6 Create a brand
L7 Create a brand strategy to support a brand
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4.
4. Employability Skills
Through participation in this course students will have the opportunity to develop
knowledge, understanding, skills and attributes which, as well as being specific to their
chosen area of study, will be transferable and enhance the students’ employability.
These include, in relation to:
a) Knowledge and understanding
• An understanding of the roles branding plays in the current business environment,
as well as of the processes through which brands are created, maintained,
rejuvenated or changed;
• An understanding of branding role within the marketing mix;
• A preview of how technology affects branding;
b) General cognitive skills
• Critically evaluate the contested nature of some objects of study within the fields of
branding;
• Have an understanding of how brands operate and how they are managed;
• Retrieve and generate information, and evaluate sources, in carrying out
independent research;
c) Autonomy, accountability and working with others
• Work productively in a group or team, showing abilities at different times to listen,
contribute and lead effectively;
• Deliver work to a given length, format, brief and deadline, properly referencing
sources and ideas and making use, as appropriate, of a problem‐solving approach;
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5. Modes of delivery
Classes are delivered in an activity‐based format during thee‐hour block‐sessions (or more)
on a daily basis (please consult schedule). Each class will introduce and exemplify key
theoretical and critical concepts that are to be applied in analysis to a wide range of case
studies and texts from the filed of marketing and brand management. The approach is
learner‐centred with students actively engaged in a range of tasks to promote engagement
with and analyses of different kinds of text and activities.

5. Preliminary requirements
1. Students are asked to bring to class their laptops, tablets and mobile phones. They
will be asked to use them for educational purposes.
2. Students are required to create a Twitter account and follow @ana_adi.
Class materials
Class (if not already present online) will be uploaded either on www.anaadi.net or on
www.slideshare.net/ana_adi. The virtual learning environment is integral to the work of the
module. Students should make sure that they have access to the Internet and visit the two
sites indicated above on a regular basis. Key information about the running of the module
will be posted there. They will also be shared via the lecturer’s Twitter account:
www.twitter.com/ana_adi. If students have any difficulties with access, please contact the
Lecturer.
Practical activities
During and after class time, students can also interact with the lecturer via Twitter. The
hashtag for the course is #kathobranding101.
Final Project (team project)
Starting from a product that will be given at the beginning of the last class, students will be
asked to create a brand. The activity includes:
1. research for the brand
2. development of brand elements (logo, tagline, identity, promise)
3. development of brand strategy (SWOT & 4Ps)
Students will be given only 2 hours to work on points 1 to 3, the 3rd hour being dedicated to
presenting their concepts.
Books and suggested readings:
AAKER, D.A. (1996) Measuring brand equity across products and markets. California
Management Review; Spring 1996; 38, 3; ABI/INFORM Global, pg.102
HEDING, T., KNUDTZEN, C. F. & BJERRE, M. (2009) Brand management: research, theory and
practice, Routledge.
J, T. S. (2008) Methods for Assessing Brand Value. a Comparison Between the Interbrand
Model and the Bbdo's Brand Equity Evaluator Model, Diplomica Verlag.
JOACHIMSTHALER, E., HARVARD BUSINESS, R., AAKER, D. A., QUELCH, J., KENNY, D. &
VISHWANATH, V. (1999) Harvard business review on brand management, Harvard
Business School Press.
KAPFERER, J. N. (2008) The new strategic brand management: creating and sustaining brand
equity long term, Kogan Page.

6. WASHBURN, J.H., PLANK, R.E. (2002) Measuring brand equity: An evaluation of a consumer‐
based brand equity scale. Journal of Marketing Theory and Practice; Winter 2002;
10, 1; ABI/INFORM Global. pg. 46
Day by day lesson plan
The following pages provide a guide to the topics for each day. For each day, there are more
detailed explanations of what the course will cover, including details of required reading.
Please note that this is a required minimum of reading.
REMINDER: Students will also be asked to bring their laptops and will be asked to use them in
order to enhance and facilitate teaching and learning process.
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Day 1 – Lecture 1: Introduction to branding (TO BE HELD OUTSIDE CAMPUS)
Key issues: Experiencing branding in its own environment. Exploring the concepts of brand
identity, brand image and brand promise. Defining branding. Brand R us or how do we use
brands. Creating a brand.
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Day 2 – Lecture 2: Brand positioning and research
Key issues: Brand perceived positioning. Brand positioning seen via a touch point. Brand
positioning principles. Brand research and research methods.
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Day 3 – Lecture 3: Brand strategy
Tentative guest lecture: Leo Exeter, WeStartup
Key issues: The 4Ps and the marketing mix. Case studies. Brands in action. Strategies in
action: Bahrain Polytechnic case study.
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7. Day 4 – Lecture 4: Student‐driven – Brand equity and measurement
Key issues: Students are asked to lead the teaching day and share information on brand
equity and brand equity measurement.
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Day 4 – Final project
Each student team (3‐4 students/team) will be given a product and some specifics about the
target audience. The result of the project work will be presented during the same class.
During the 3 hours allocated to the class, students should cover the following:
1. Undertake research (customer and competition for their future brand)
2. Develop a brand identity and value proposition recommendation their brand to cover:
• The core identity
• The brand essence/tagline
• USP
• Brand personality
• Benefits (emotional/functional/self‐expressive)
3. Develop recommendations for a communication program for the brand. This could
include logos, packages, and ads. However, this could also include broad suggestions as to
the elements of the communication program without providing any creative work. What
events might be sponsored? What promotions? What co‐branding efforts? What visual
images? What metaphors? What can be done to build/reinforce awareness, perceived
quality, brand loyalty, and associations?
4. Find a “best practice” brand strategy that could provide insights and guidance for the
given brand strategy. It might be a brand from a competing firm or from another industry.
These benchmarking brands should be looked at critically—why might the strategy work in
that context but not in the current one? What is different?
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8. 6. Marking criteria
The final grade of this course will represent a cumulated grade for all the assignments:
Assignment Points
Brand equity and measurement 25
Team project (this includes points for the product created 50
and for the team presentation)
In class participation 25
100
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Contact
For more details and information please contact:
Ana ADI
PR Consultant
Lecturer @ Bahrain Polytechnic, Bahrain
Visiting Lecturer @ Katho, Belgium
Doctoral Researcher @ University of the West of Scotland, UK
www.anaadi.net
Twitter: ana_adi