BUSA 349 Strategic Branding
Over the course of the past decades, firms have come to realize the financial value of brands. However, the creation and capture of value through branding is no easy task, as brands must be carefully created, astutely managed, and judiciously leveraged if they are to thrive. This course about the art and science of branding draws together current theory and state-of-the-art practices to develop usable insights into the successful creation and stewardship of brands. In this course, we explore the emergent cultural landscape of open source branding, and identify marketing concepts and strategies directed at the hunt for consumer engagement in this new world. These strategies present a paradox, for to gain coveted resonance, the brand must relinquish control. Power struggles between marketers and consumer brand authors challenge accepted branding truths and paradigms: where short-term brands can trump long-term icons, where marketing looks more like public relations, and brand value is driven by risk, not returns.