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Unit outline_

MKTG3120: Building and Managing Brands

Semester 2, 2024 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

The most important intangible asset of any organisation is its brand or portfolio of brands. Marketers use an array of internal and external communications approaches to deliver the brand's overall value proposition and experience to its key stakeholders and target customers, and thereby build brand equity. Names, symbols, and slogans along with their underlying associations, perceived quality, brand awareness, customer base and related proprietary resources form the basis for brand equity. Most brands fail because of the lack of proper market research and analysis that enables the brand's core values to be articulated, accurate positioning strategies to be developed, and complete alignment to be achieved between internal and external brand building communications. This unit helps students understand the concept of brand equity and the management of brand assets by learning how to strategically create, position, develop and sustain brand equity.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit Marketing
Credit points 6
Prerequisites
? 
MKTG1001 or SIEN1000
Corequisites
? 
None
Prohibitions
? 
None
Assumed knowledge
? 

None

Available to study abroad and exchange students

Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator Sanjeev Dheer, sanjeev.dheer@sydney.edu.au
The census date for this unit availability is 2 September 2024
Type Description Weight Due Length
Supervised exam
? 
Final exam
Written exam
30% Formal exam period 2 hours
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4
Small continuous assessment Participation and Involvement
Tutorial Participation and Contribution to Online Discussions
20% Ongoing Ongoing (Starting from Week 2)
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO4 LO3 LO2
Assignment Personal Branding Strategy
Individual Personal Branding Strategy Report
20% Week 07
Due date: 13 Sep 2024 at 23:00

Closing date: 13 Sep 2024
2000 words
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO3 LO4
Assignment group assignment Brand Audit
Written report
30% Week 12
Due date: 25 Oct 2024 at 23:00

Closing date: 25 Oct 2024
3000 words
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4
group assignment = group assignment ?

Assessment summary

  • Brand Audit: Students in groups of 4 will undertake a brand audit and critically evaluate the positioning and branding strategies of an existing brand selected from a list provided by the Unit Coordinator. Each group must prepare a highly professional, informative and inspiring report that clearly identifies and evaluaes the brand's current equity and then develop a new positioning statement and positioning strategy for the brand. 
  • Personal Branding Strategy: This assessment requires individual students to undertake undertaking a personal brand audit. Relying on the theoretical frameworks and concepts from brand management, students are required to develop a self-positioning statement and personal branding strategy. 
  • Involvement and Participation: Students are expected to prepare to effectively participate in weekly tutorials and online discussions on Canvas. Participation and involvement will not simply measure how much you contribute to tutorial activities and online discussions, but more importantly whether your comments are thoughtful and stimulating, provide insight into the topics of investigation, pose interesting questions to your peers and provide relevant examples to illustrate your point of view. Participation will also include a Business Research Component (BRC) and details about the BRC are on your Canvas.
  • Final exam: The questions for the final exam will be based on the topics covered in the lectures, textbook, and reading materials. Further details on the Final Exam will be provided to students in the Week 13.

Detailed information for each assessment can be found on Canvas.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a high distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name

Mark range

Description

High distinction

85 - 100

Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at an exceptional standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school. 

Distinction

75 - 84

Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at a very high standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.

Credit

65 - 74

Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at a good standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.

Pass

50 - 64

Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at an acceptable standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school. 

Fail

0 - 49

When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

  • Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
  • After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and automated writing tools

You may only use generative AI and automated writing tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator. If you do use these tools, you must acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section. The assessment instructions or unit outline will give guidance of the types of tools that are permitted and how the tools should be used.

Your final submitted work must be your own, original work. You must acknowledge any use of generative AI tools that have been used in the assessment, and any material that forms part of your submission must be appropriately referenced. For guidance on how to acknowledge the use of AI, please refer to the AI in Education Canvas site.

The unapproved use of these tools or unacknowledged use will be considered a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy and penalties may apply.

Studiosity is permitted unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission as detailed on the Learning Hub’s Canvas page.

Outside assessment tasks, generative AI tools may be used to support your learning. The AI in Education Canvas site contains a number of productive ways that students are using AI to improve their learning.

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

Support for students

The Support for Students Policy 2023 reflects the University’s commitment to supporting students in their academic journey and making the University safe for students. It is important that you read and understand this policy so that you are familiar with the range of support services available to you and understand how to engage with them.

The University uses email as its primary source of communication with students who need support under the Support for Students Policy 2023. Make sure you check your University email regularly and respond to any communications received from the University.

Learning resources and detailed information about weekly assessment and learning activities can be accessed via Canvas. It is essential that you visit your unit of study Canvas site to ensure you are up to date with all of your tasks.

If you are having difficulties completing your studies, or are feeling unsure about your progress, we are here to help. You can access the support services offered by the University at any time:

Support and Services (including health and wellbeing services, financial support and learning support)
Course planning and administration
Meet with an Academic Adviser

WK Topic Learning activity Learning outcomes
Week 01 Introduction to brands and brand management & Customer-based brand equity (CBBE) Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO1 LO2
Week 02 Customer-based brand equity (CBBE) and Brand positioning Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3
Week 03 Brand Resonance and Brand Value Chain Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO3 LO4
Week 04 Personal branding Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO1 LO3
Week 05 Choosing brand elements to build brand equity Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO1 LO3
Week 06 Leveraging secondary brand associations to build brand equity Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO1 LO3 LO4
Week 07 Ethical Branding Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO2 LO3
Week 08 (a) Integrating marketing communications to build brand equity & (b) Branding in the Digital Era Independent study (3 hr) LO1 LO3 LO4
Week 09 Designing and implementing brand architecture strategies Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO2 LO3 LO4
Week 10 Introducing and naming new products, and brand extensions Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3
Week 11 Managing brands over time Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO2 LO4
Week 12 Developing brand management system Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4
Week 13 Unit revision and exam discussion Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4

Attendance and class requirements

Lecture recordings:

Whilst all lectures are recorded and will be available on Canvas for student use. However, for any technology glitch and the presentations of guest presenters, the lectures may not be recorded. Thus, it is important for students to ensure they attend and participate in all scheduled lectures and activities.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

All readings for this unit can be accessed through the Library eReserve, available on Canvas.

Textbook:

  • Keller, K. L., & Swaminathan, V. (2023). Strategic brand management: building, measuring, and managing brand equity (5th ed.). Pearson. ISBN: 978129231496 
  • Waller T. (2020) Positioning for a Competitive Advantage. In: Personal Brand Management. Management for Professionals. Springer, Cham. 

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

  • LO1. Identify the steps brand managers take in building strong brands for product and service offerings
  • LO2. Explain why brand strategy sets the overall direction for business strategy, and how it delivers value for the company, its customers and key stakeholders
  • LO3. Integrate the strategic issues involved in creating, revitalising, and sustaining a brand or portfolio of brands
  • LO4. Apply the various methodologies, processes, and tools available to conduct a brand audit to discover its sources of brand equity

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1 Depth of disciplinary expertise

Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.

GQ2 Critical thinking and problem solving

Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.

GQ3 Oral and written communication

Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.

GQ4 Information and digital literacy

Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.

GQ5 Inventiveness

Generating novel ideas and solutions.

GQ6 Cultural competence

Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.

GQ7 Interdisciplinary effectiveness

Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.

GQ8 Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity

An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.

GQ9 Influence

Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes Graduate qualities
GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 GQ6 GQ7 GQ8 GQ9

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

The assessment and teaching and learning mode in tutorials has been changed based on student feedback. For instance, we used a Reflective Paper to facilitate critical thinking and evaluation of the personal branding process and help improve the Personal Branding Strategy and this has been removed from the assessment. Whilst students found this process useful, most found that the reflective paper increased the workload in the unit. We have also reduced the number of online discussion groups that are assessed to reduce the workload as USS surveys indicated the course workload was too heavier than in other 3000 level units

More information can be found on Canvas.

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.