Brands and brand management have spread far beyond the traditional view of consumer-goods marketers. Brands are increasingly important for companies in almost every industry; industrial and Business to Business (B2B) organisations in particular need to use branding in a strategic way.  In many industries, as products become increasingly similar, organisations are turning to branding as a way to differentiate their offerings and create customer preferences for them. In contemporary markets where competition is multifaceted, brands are valuable assets in developing effective marketing strategies and competitive advantage. Brands and brand equity need to be recognized as strategic assets and the basis of competitive advantage and long-term profitability.

The focus of this unit is on developing students' knowledge and skills to be able to develop and manage brands as valuable assets. The unit develops students' understanding of models for managing product and brand portfolios, the analysis of the measurement of brand performance, and the development of brand equity through a detailed understanding of customer awareness, preference and loyalty to brands. Students will learn how to plan and apply key skills in developing and managing brands in a range of business environments and industries. Students will also develop a critical appreciation of the issues in planning and evaluating brand strategies and applying appropriate theories and models to make better branding decisions and communicate it with different audiences.