Each student team chooses a real world brand of interest to them to do a Brand Strategy Audit. They apply our branding model and methods to this brand. The core model is the customer-based brand equity model, and students measure and analyse the customer-based brand equity of their chosen brand. They conduct a focus group to identify consumers' key beliefs and feelings about this brand. They measure the level of the identified brand attributes with a bigger sample size by survey research. Strengths and weaknesses of the brand are identified. These lead to recommendations for improving the brand equity, such as a different message strategy for brand marketing communications. The team presents their analysis and recommendations in an oral presentation that mimics a marketing manager presenting to the board of directors. The team must defend their analysis and recommendations by answering questions from the class and the marker.
Details
- CLASS SIZE
- 100-500
- CLASS LEVEL
- Post-graduate
- ASSESSMENT SECURITY
- Medium security
- TIME REQUIREMENTS
- Medium time
- CONDITIONS
- Work-related, Group, Sequence
- FEATURES
- Authentic, Problem based
- TAGS
- presentation, qualitative/quantitative analysi, interview, active learning, feedback-rich, research skills, analysis
Advantages
Authentic application of the branding theory! Better understanding of the theory, and learning how to apply it. Skill development by doing a brand audit, not just reading about it. Doing consumer research and basing brand analysis on research. Fundamental structure of the course is: theory + application project. This project makes sense to students and they are highly motivated. Feedback on this project is very positive.
Challenges
Need detailed guidelines so students know what to do, plus examples from past semesters so students see what the focus groups, survey questionnaires, and presentations look like. My guidelines document for this project is 19 pages, including issues and tips from past experience with this project. Need well-qualified markers who can follow the application of the theory to many different real world brands.
Tips for implementation
Provide detailed guidelines so students know what to do, plus provide examples from past semesters so students see what the focus groups, survey questionnaires, and presentations look like. Find well-qualified markers.
Associate Professor Frank Alpert
f.alpert@business.uq.edu.au
Frank has received both the Pearson ANZMAC Distinguished Educator Award and the ANZMAC Distinguished Researcher Award. These awards from the Australian and New Zealand Marketing Academy are the highest recognition for teaching and research in marketing in our region. (See www.anzmac.org/awards for details). He is a Fellow of the Australian Marketing Institute and a Certified Practicing Marketer. His interests are in marketing strategy, including brand strategy and brand positioning. He is an expert in Keller Customer-Based Brand Equity model for measuring and growing brand equity. He is happy to speak with industry and the media about branding topics. Frank has 30 years experience teaching and researching in Marketing. He has published in leading journals such as the Journal of Marketing (two articles, lead author on both), Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Journal of Consumer Psychology, and European Journal of Marketing. He was also founding Editor and then Co-Editor of the Australasian Marketing Journal, the official journal of the Australian and New Zealand Marketing Academy. He has a special interest in the entertainment software industry, and also in innovations in higher education. He provides a fast response for the media, and advanced yet clear and relevant presentations to industry. Find out more