Branding and Marketing

Branding and Marketing are crucial functions in all industries, businesses, and organizations, as well as for professionals in the workforce. Global brands like Apple, BMW, Coca-Cola, Google, Starbucks, etc. drive sustaining value for organizations and shareholders, and marketing of these brands is becoming increasingly crucial to successfully compete in today's world. In addition, we all have a personal brand that can define how we are perceived by others. Understanding and marketing your personal brand well is critical for professional success, regardless of your future career goals. This course will examine why brands are important, the essential strategies for successfully marketing brands in today's digital economy, and how to manage and market your personal brand.

 

In this highly interactive course, students will learn about all aspects of branding and marketing from Brad Taylor, a 23-year Sales and Marketing veteran of the Coca-Cola Company.

 

Specific areas covered will include what a brand is and why it matters, how a brand creates sustainable value, how to develop effective brand positioning statements, essential marketing strategies and tactics to effectively connect all the consumer touch points with a brand, and how to build and manage your personal brand for professional success.

 

During this course, all students will engage in 1) a small team project where each team will conjure up a new brand (real or realistic) and develop a brand positioning statement for that brand, and 2) an individual project where each student will create a brand positioning statement, LinkedIn profile, and "elevator speech" for their personal brand.