Course summary

Managing people, budgets and processes wisely is both an art and a science. Working with academics, peers and industry guests, you’ll learn how to build and oversee a successful brand – planning strategically, managing resources, handling conflicting needs, finding practical solutions to real business challenges and making decisions with greater efficiency and reduced friction. Exploring examples from a wide range of countries and sectors (including Nike, Microsoft, McDonalds) you’ll learn the differences between corporate, product and service brands, build the architecture to promote different brands together and measure combined and individual success. You’ll study a variety of traditional management theories and frameworks, as well as creative disciplines that help to bring a brand to life – from marketing and media to storytelling, semiotics and colour theory. In class, you’ll engage in debates about brand management, explore the challenges brand managers face, and join pitch sessions and live projects with real industry clients to learn how to overcome these challenges quickly. Focusing on sectors that interest you, you’ll also conduct creative exercises and investigative reports – exploring how a brand-driven management approach can be used to enhance the reputation and value of an organisation, product, service or individual. In your final term you’ll complete a business project or dissertation, analysing the brand strategy behind a real business, or developing a strategy for a new start-up – helpful if you’re looking to launch a business of your own after university and want to gain valuable feedback on your ideas beforehand. You’ll focus on one key issue and address the needs of customers, staff and stakeholders. This course has been designed to be relevant to students from anywhere in the world, at any stage of their career, who want to find new ways to navigate challenges and improve their management skillset. You’ll not only graduate with a nuanced understanding of branding, but also a deep understanding of the different management roles and responsibilities.