MKTG 6550S 3.

00: Brand Management

Course Outline
Summer 2016
Wednesdays, Section S, 6:30 9:30p.m., beginning on May 4
Nadal Management Centre NMC LR#2

Instructor

Assistant

Ashley Konson
N304K, Seymour Schulich Building
(416) 910-1760
akonson@schulich.yorku.ca
Office hours: Before class and other times by
appointment

Maria Rizzuto
N304A
(416) 736-5077
mrizzuto@schulich.yorku.ca

Ashley Konson is Managing Partner of Global Brand Leaders Inc. His passion is
helping clients discover and apply leading thinking and the best practices of brand
leaders from around the globe for making brands strong inside out . He
previously worked in senior and executive level marketing positions in the United
States, Canada, and South Africa, with Nestle, The Walt Disney Company, Imax Ltd
and Holt Renfrew. He is a two-time winner of the Seymour Schulich MBA Teaching
Excellence Award.

Brief Description
In the complex contemporary world of marketing management, Brand Management
must be both an art and a science. This course applies marketing strategy to the
challenge of gaining sustainable competitive advantage in the global marketplace of
brands. With a fundamental focus on building and maintaining strong brands with
loyal consumer bases, a range of topics and teaching techniques are utilized.
Prerequisites: MKTG.5200.3.0 Marketing Management
Contents
Course Learning Outcomes........................................................................................ 2
Deliverables at a Glance............................................................................................. 2
Course Material.......................................................................................................... 2
Student Preparation for Class and Class Participation: Expectations..........................3
Class-by-Class Syllabus.............................................................................................. 3
Written Assignments/Projects: Descriptions...............................................................6
Evaluation of Written Assignments/Projects and Exams.............................................9
Calculation of Course Grade..................................................................................... 10
General Academic Policies: Grading, Academic Honesty, Accommodations and
Exams....................................................................................................................... 10

MKTG 6550 p. 2

Course Learning Outcomes

1. To understand how and why brand building is a powerful and compelling managerial
philosophy for firms, and also integral to a cohesive and sustainable business
strategy
2. To develop the knowledge and perspective necessary to facilitate the development
of strong brands and businesses
3. To become familiar with the scope and dynamics of brand management tasks and
decisions in a wide cross-section of industries.

Deliverables at a Glance
Student learning in this course occurs through both conscientious preparation for
every class, and active participation in classroom activities. Students will be
expected to have reviewed all weekly readings prior to class and to demonstrate
that they have properly prepared for all case and other discussions as outlined in
the course kit, or through any market analysis and personal observation requested
during the course by the instructor. The emphasis in each class will be on
integrating the key concepts and learning from these readings, cases, market
analysis and personal observations, and course lectures, through small and large
group discussions.
In the table below, the impact of each task on your final grade for the course is
indicated in the % weight column.
Assignment/Task
Competitive Brand Strategy Analysis
Brand Portfolio Strategy Analysis
Group Brand Plan Report & Presentation
Class Contributions

Quanti
ty
1

%
Weight
25

Total
%
25

1
1
1

25
30
20

25
30
20

Author
Individu
al
Individual
Group
Individu
al

100%

For details, see Written Assignments/Projects: Descriptions (p. 6) and Evaluation

(p. 9)

Course Material

The principal materials for the course include: The two books highlighted below; a
course kit that comprises important cases and articles; and a number of articles
that must be sourced through your student access to eResources at York University
Libraries. Not every source is needed for each class. Every week, you should check
the Session-by-Session Syllabus below for readings and their locations (see p. 3-6)
Required reading for this course includes the following book[s]. They are available
for purchase from the York University Bookstore (http://bookstore.blog.yorku.ca):

MKTG 6550 p. 3
1. Aaker, David A. and Joachimsthaler, Erich, Brand Leadership, The Free Press,
2000, ISBN 0-684-83924-5
2. Tybout, Alice M. and Clalkins, Tim, Kellogg on Branding, John Wiley & Sons, Inc.,
2005, ISBN 0-471-69016-3
Course kits are available for purchase from the York University Bookstore.
Reserved readings have been selected from general management magazines,
periodicals and journals. Go to http://www.library.yorku.ca, click on the Reserves
tab and type in <Course Code> to access these readings. Alternatively, access
them through eResources at York University Libraries.
The Course Materials Database (CMD) has been created within Schulichs Lotus
Notes. It contains general information for Schulich students and information and
materials specific to this course. Check it frequently.

Student Preparation for Class and Class Participation (contribution):

Expectations

Learning in this course is cumulative. This course begins by exploring foundational

concepts in brand management, and then increasingly deepens students
comprehension of their application in a wide-cross section of industries in the 21 st
century through examination of the leading thinking and best practices of
academics and practitioners from around the globe for making brands strong inside
out .
It is vital therefore, for students to be diligent in preparing for every class if they
aspire to maximize their learning during the semester.
Preparation. A minimum of 3 hours of work outside of class is required to properly
prepare for each class session. Past experience indicates that students should also
allocate a minimum of 20 hours of work to complete each individual assignment,
and a minimum of 25 hours of work to complete the group brand plan report and
presentation. You are responsible for preparing in advance for all classes. This
includes reading the relevant material and cases, and conducting any market
analysis and personal observation requested during the course by the instructor. If
you are not properly prepared for class, you may be asked to leave the room and
return the following week better prepared.
Class Participation (contribution). Attending class and contributing to class
discussions is a crucial means of affirming and consolidating the personal learning
that is desirable from this course. It is also the key to advancing group learning.
Significant contributions add depth and challenge or redirect discussion rather
than simply providing factual information. Your attendance and the quality and
quantity of your verbal remarks will be evaluated and graded prior to the end of
each class session.
Grades for class contribution will be allocated as follows: Attendance 30%; Verbal
comments 70%.

MKTG 6550 p. 4
High quality comments (significant contributions) will earn higher grades than
comments of lower quality, and student comments that detract from the quality of
class discussions may be penalized by grade deductions at the discretion of the
instructior. Please contact me if you want to discuss your class performance at any
time during the semester.

Class-by-Class Syllabus
Topics, readings, and other preparations for every class are listed below.
Note: If any changes in this schedule become necessary, notifications will be
posted on the course CMD, and when changes need to be announced between
classes, an email will be sent to students Lotus Notes email accounts,
notifying them of the change.

May 4
(1)

Understanding Brands
Read:
1. The One Thing You Must Get Right When Building a Brand; Patrick
Barwise & Sean Meehan, Harvard Business Review, December
2010, pp. 1-4 (Library eResources)

May 11
(2)

Leadership & Strategy

Read:
1. Griffith, Samuel, Sun Tzu, The Art of War Estimates, Oxford
University Press, pp 63-71 (Library eResources)
2. Perrault, D. William, et al, Focusing Marketing Strategy with
Segmentation and Positioning Basic Marketing: A Marketing
Strategy Planning Approach, pp 86-115
3. What is Strategy?, Harvard Business Review OnPoint, Nov-Dec
1996, pp. 1-21 (Library eResources)
Optional:
Rediscovering Market Segmentation by Daniel Yankelovich and
David Meer, Harvard Business Review, Feb 2006, pp. 1-8 (Library
eResources)

May 18
(3)

Brand Purpose & Identity

Read:
1. Aaker Text, Ch 2 & 3
2. Collins, James C., Porras, Jerry I., Ch. 11, Building the Vision, Built
to Last, pp. 219-238
3. Chernatony, Leslie de, Ch. 4 Brand Visioning, 2nd Edition, From
Brand Vision to Brand Evaluation, pp. 99-129

May 25
(4)

Brand Positioning
Read:
1. CASE: Red Bull: The Anti-Brand Brand, London Business School,

MKTG 6550 p. 5
505-098-1
2. Kellogg Text Ch. 1 & 15
3. Keller, Kevin Lane et. al., Three Questions You Need to Ask about
your brand, Harvard Business Review, Sept 2002. (Library
eResources)
Assignment Due:
Competitive Brand Strategy Analysis
June 1
(5)

Brand Building Starts On The Inside

Read:
1. CASE: Zappos.com 2009: Clothing, Customer Service, and
Company Culture, HBS 9-610-015
2. Kellogg Text Ch. 12, 18, 19 & 20.
Optional:
Lovelock, Christopher & Wirtz, Jochen, Organizing For Service
Leadership, 5th Edition Services Marketing, People, Technology
and Strategy, pp. 437-461

June 8
(6)

Leveraging Brand Assets

Read:
1. CASE: Product Line Strategy at Porsche, Darden UVA-M-0695, ICFAI
506 -202-1.
2. Aaker Text, Ch. 4 & 5.
Optional:
Kellogg Text, Chapters 5. 6

June 15 Managing Brands Over Time

(7)
Read:
1. CASE: Starbucks Drive-through Windows, ICFAI 506-046-1
2. CASE: Reinventing the brand: Salomon (Part of reading below)
3. Kapferer, Jean-Noel, Adapting to the Market: Identity & Change,
3rd Edition, The New Strategic Brand Management, pp. 217-231
Optional:
Reinventing Your Business Model, Harvard Business Review, pp.
51-59 (Library eResources)
June 22 Institutionalizing A Pioneering Spirit
(8)
Read:
1. CASE: Whats Stifling the Creativity at Coolburst?, Harvard Business
Review, Sept 1997, pp. 1-11 (Library eResources)
2. Connect and Develop: Inside Procter & Gambles New Model for
Innovation, Harvard Business Review, Mar 2006, pp. 58-66 ( Library
eResources)
3. Creativity and the Role of the Leader, Harvard Business Review, Oct
2008, pp. 101-109 (Library eResources)

MKTG 6550 p. 6
4. The Innovation Value Chain, Harvard Business Review, June 2007, pp.
121-13 (Library eResources)

Assignment Due:
Brand portfolio Strategy Analysis
June 29 FMCG Brand Management
(9)
Read:
1. CASE: Product Team Cialis: Getting Ready For Market HBS-9-505-038
2. Kapferer, Jean-Noel, Brand diversity: the types of brands, 4th Edition,
The New Strategic Brand Management pp. 95 -132.

Optional:

July 6
(10)

What High-Tech Managers Need to know About Brands, Harvard

Business Review Jul-Aug 1999, pp. 85-95. (Library eResources)

Destination Brand Management

Read:
1. CASE: Marketing New York City, HBS 9-506-022
2. CASE: Branding Toronto (Hyper links in session 9 lecture)
3. Morgan, Nigel & Pritchard, Annette, Chapter 5, Meeting The Destination
Branding Challenge, Destination Branding 2ndEdition; pp. 59-78

July 13
(11)

Personal Brand Management

Read:
1 CASE: The Dixie Chicks (Hyper links in session 10 lecture)
1. Personal reflection exercise (Session 10 lecture)
2. Peters, Tom, Chapters 1, 1A, Its Up To You And You Alone, When Was
The Last Time You Asked: What Do I Want To Be? Reinventing Work, The
Brand You 50, pp. 12-20.

Optional:

July 20
(12)

McNally, David & Speak, Karl D., Chapter 2 Personal Brand

Characteristics, Be Your Own Brand; pp. 13-24
Vetter, Simon, Chapter 2, Personal Branding Philosophy, Stand Out!
Branding Strategies for Business Professionals; pp. 33-38

Brand Plan Reports & Presentations

Assignment Due:
Brand Plan Presentation & Report (Attendance is compulsory)

MKTG 6550 p. 7

Written Assignments/Projects and Exam[s]: Descriptions

There are 2 individual assignments and 1 group project in this course. You will find
the descriptons for each assignment listed below. The criteria by which they will be
evaluated are listed in the following section. Please complete the assignments and
Brand Plan Report in 12-point font, single-spaced, and adhere strictly to page
maxima. PowerPoint or another presentation format is acceptable for the Brand Plan
Presentation. Use only paper covers and staples to package your submissions. Late
papers will not be accepted.
Due
Date
Start of Competitive Brand Strategy Analysis
Class in The ability to conduct a strategic market analysis is key to the
Week 4 development of a compelling brand strategy and brand platform. To
conceive brand strategy, brand managers conduct a strategic market
analysis of the market in which the brand competes to discern
opportunity for the brand to build a strong position with customers. This
opportunity frequently stems from recognition that market players are
underserving some customers in some manner. This analysis therefore
requires both an external and internal analysisan interrogation of the
market environment in which the brand competes, and an interrogation
of the brands ability to win in this market.
A brand platform is the means by which a brand strategist formalizes the
intent of the brand strategythe associations he/she aspires to create in
customers mindsin a written form. This brand platform is used within
organizations to ensure pan-company focus and alignment in the
development of functional strategies in support of this brand strategy and
to achieve this outcome.
Your Task:
In this assignment you are being asked to:
1) Conduct an external analysis of the market in which TBC BRAND
competes and report your findings. This analysis must comprise 4
parts: A) Name the broad-product market in which the TBC BRAND
competes and comment on the characteristics of this market. B)
Comment on the broad environmental factors influencing future
market health. C) Identify two key competititors for TBC BRAND and
briefly comment on their competitive strategies. D) Describe a
segmentation model for the broad product-market in which TBC
BRAND competes (the narrow product-markets (submarkets) within
this broad product-market). Your answer should identify qualifying and
determining dimensions for each submarket, and be in the form of a
table similar to Exhibit 4-12: Segmenting the Broad Product-Market for
Motel Guests in a Large Urban Area in the article in the course kit:
Focusing Marketing Strategy With Segmentation and Positioning.
2) Conduct a thorough internal analysis of how TBC BRAND competes
within this market and report your findings. Your commentary should
convey an understanding of the following aspects (if the information is
publicly available or these aspects are observable): TBC BRANDS

MKTG 6550 p. 8
Due
Date
heritage, mission, vision, values, key leadership, culture, core
capabilities (assets and competencies) value proposition and
marketing mix (a detailed review of its product, pricing, place,
promotion and people strategies)
3) Infer TBC BRANDS strategic platform (Brand Purpose and Brand
Identity) from your internal analysis of this brand. Use the formats,
TBC BRAND exists and Aakers Brand Identity. (See examples in
lecture notes and in the Aaker text)
Your key findings must be supported through referencing sources in a
one-page appendix to your assignment.
Your research for this
assignment should include a thorough review of publicly available
information on the Internet and from other sources, and your personal
observations from visits to online and retail locations and those of its
competitors. In keeping with academic rigour, insights and paper
contents must be your own.
Max length: 5 pages + I page appendix for sources
Value: 25%
Start of Brand Portfolio Strategy Analysis
Class in The ability to leverage brand assets as platforms for business growth and
Week 8 to build optimal brand portfolios are key skills of brand management.
Your Task:
In this assignment you are being asked to demonstrate your knowledge
of Brand Portfolio Strategy, Brand Naming Policies and Brand Extension
Theory by investigating the brand portfolio strategy for TBC BRAND in the
Canadian market, inferring its Brand Naming Policy, and recommending,
naming and launching a new category extension into the Canadian
marketplace. Please access TBC BRANDs Canadian website and other
relevant online sources, and conduct an audit of a retailer distributing
TBC BRAND in the Canadian market to clarify the FULL extent of TBC
BRANDs Canadian Portfolio and to recommend, name and launch a new
category brand extension. In this assignment you are required to:
1) Demonstrate an understanding of TBC BRANDs portfolio strategy. You
must discuss all
key aspects of the brand portfolio strategy the brands identity (6-8
core associations),
the scope and architecture of the portfolio; the scope, roles and
interrelationships of brands and strategic descriptors within the portfolio,
and explain portfolio graphics
2) Develop a formal brand naming policy for TBC BRANDS portfolio. It
must be appropriate for the current brand naming conventions within
the current portfolio strategy and
make explicit the rules for naming new brand extensions.
3) Recommend and launch a brand extension into a new category. You
must start by describing the theory, factors to be considered and

MKTG 6550 p. 9
Due
Date
process to be followed when
evaluating potential brand extensions. Then demonstrate how you would
use this theoretical knowledge in recommending a new category in which
to extend TBC BRAND (consider two possible options, and demonstrate
how you chose the best option
through a high-level analysis). Finally, name your new brand extension
and provide a 4P
summary plan for launching it in the Canadian
markeplace.
You are required to create 4 pages of exhibits to support your
commentary in the main body of your assignment. Please use these
exhibits to: A) Graphically depict THE BRANDS Portfolio in the form of a
brand hierarchy tree or in some other graphical format. B) Capture and
comment on the images of 4 products from within the portfolio. C)
Graphically depict the formal brand naming policy for the brand portfolio.
Your key findings must be supported through referencing sources in a
one-page appendix
to your assignment. In keeping with academic
rigour, insights and paper contents must be your own. Only personal
observation (a visit to a retail store) and secondary research are
permitted for this assignment. Your paper should demonstrate knowledge
of theories and concepts articulated and explored in course texts,
readings, lectures, and during class discussions.
Max length: 5 pages + 4 pages for exhibits + 1 page appendix for
sources
Value: 25%
Start of
Class in
Week
12

Group Brand Plan Report & Presentation (Compulsory Attendence)

The primary purpose of this assignment is to provide you with the
opportunity to demonstrate your understanding and knowledge of core
concepts and managerial frameworks integral to building strong brands
and businesses. Secondary objectives focus on providing you with the
opportunity to demonstrate and practice your ingenuity, creativity, and
teamwork skills.
Successful completion of this assignment will therefore require you to be
both rigorous in an academic sense, and to also take some license where
necessary, such as in the analysis of customer needs and the
development of a customer segmentation model for the market (in the
absence of formal market research) that will influence your decisions
about your new brand.
You may assume that there are sufficient
financial resources available for the initial launch of their brand.
YOUR TASK:
Acting as a team of entrepreneurs (who know a great deal about
marketing strategy) you must develop the launch plans for a new brand
into a category of your choice in the Toronto market. It is mandatory is

MKTG 6550 p. 10
Due
Date
that your new brand be a retail based concept.
Your initial intention is to open three locations in the Toronto market, and
to launch the brand in other key Canadian markets once you have
garnered some customer learning and ironed out any wrinkles in your
launch concept.
DELIVERABLES:
The deliverables for this assignment are: A) A presentation B) A written
report. Each group will make a fifteen-minute presentation of the
highlights of their brand plan and participate in a five-minute Q & A. The
presentation may be made by any combination of group members,
however those members that play no role (only a limited role) in the
presentation will be expected to assume primary responsibility for
responding to questions during the Q & A. A peer review system will be
part of your deliverable for this assignment.
The following elements must be included in your presentation and report:
1) Opportunity identification: A rigorous interrogation of the market,
factors impacting future market health, competitors (2 in depth) and
customers. (5 segments)
2) The Brands Strategic Platform: Brand Purpose, Brand Identity and
Brand Positioning
3) Brand Plan Execution: Long (BHAG) & Short-term brand objectives.
Product, Pricing, Place, Promotion and People Strategies
4) An early-warning bells market research plan for the first year you
are in business
Your research for this assignment should include a thorough review of
publicly available information on the Internet and from other sources, and
your personal observations from visits to the retail locations of
competitors. Please reference sources in a one-page appendix to your
assignment. In keeping with academic rigour, insights and paper contents
must be your own.
Max length: Presentation 15 minutes +5 minutes Q&A. Report
pages + 4 pages for exhibits + 1 page appendix for sources
Value: 30%

12

Evaluation of Written Assignments/Projects

Please find some guidelines and the weighting for components of the 3
assignments:
Competitive Brand Strategy Analysis:
1) External analysis: Approx. 3 pages. A) 10% B) 10% C) 10% D) 20%
2) Internal Analysis: Approx. 1 page. 25%
3) TBC BRANDs Strategic Platform: 1 page 25%
Brand Portfolio Strategy Analysis

MKTG 6550 p. 11
1) Demonstrate an understanding of TBC BRANDs portfolio strategy: Approx.
2.5 pages. 40%
2) Develop a formal brand naming policy for TBC BRANDS portfolio: 0.5
page. 25%
3) Recommend and launch a brand extension into a new category: Approx 2
pages. 35%
Group Brand Plan Report & Presentation
1) Opportunity identification: 25%
2) The Brands Strategic Platform: 25%
3) Brand Plan Execution: 30%. Objectives 5%. 5Ps 25%
4) An early-warning bells market research plan: 5%
5) Creativity. Originality of concept, and it alive through words and imagery.
15%

Calculation of Course Grade

The Schulich School does not have a standard policy for translating percentages
into letter grades. The following grading structure will be used for assignments and
class contributions in this course: A+:90+; A:80-89.9; A-:75-79.9; B+:70-74.9; B:6569.9; B-:60-64.9; C+:55-59.9; C:50-54.9; C-:45-49.9; F:40-44.9. Final course grades
will be determined by combining the percentage grade earned by students for each
assignment, and for their class contributions, based on the weighting of these
deliverables. This percentage course grade will then be converted to the
appropriate letter course grade.

General Academic Policies: Grading, Academic Honesty,

Accommodations and Exams
Masters Grades at Schulich are based on a 9-value index system. The top grade is
A+ (9) and the minimum passing grade is C- (1). To keep final grades comparable
across courses, sections of required core courses are normally expected to have a
mean grade between 4.7 and 6.1. To keep final grades comparable across courses,
elective courses are expected to have a mean grade between 5.2 and 6.2.
The Schulich School does not use a percentage scale or prescribe a standard
conversion formula from percentages to letter grades. Conversions within a course
are at the discretion of the instructor.
For more details on the index, grading policy, and grade point average (GPA)
requirements, see the Student Handbook or the Student Services & International
Relations website:
Masters
http://www.schulich.yorku.ca/client/schulich/schulich_lp4w_lnd_webstation.nsf/page/Enrolment+Grades
+and+Convocation!OpenDocument#tabs-2

Academic honesty is fundamental to the integrity of university education and

degree programs, and applies in every course offered at Schulich. Students should

MKTG 6550 p. 12
familiarize themselves with York Universitys policy on academic honesty, which
may be found in the Student Handbook and on the Student Services & International
Relations website:

http://www.schulich.yorku.ca/client/schulich/schulich_lp4w_lnd_webstation.nsf/page/Academic+Honest
y!OpenDocument

Accommodations. For accommodations sought due to exam conflicts, religious

reasons, unavoidable absences or disabilities, please refer to the Student Handbook
or contact Student Services.
For counseling & disability services, contact Student Services or see
http://www.yorku.ca/cds/.