Universitat Internacional de Catalunya
Branding and Brand Strategy
Other languages of instruction: English, Spanish,
Teaching staff
Send an email to the lecturer.
Introduction
Brands are one of the most valuable strategic assets of organisations and a fundamental element in building strong relationships with their stakeholders. In an increasingly competitive, digital and global environment, branding goes beyond the creation of a name or a visual identity: it involves defining a distinctive value proposition, building a coherent identity, creating meaningful experiences and establishing lasting relationships with consumers.
This course provides a comprehensive overview of brand strategy, from the fundamentals of branding and the development of Brand Equity to its application in digital, omnichannel and experiential environments. It covers key concepts such as brand positioning, brand architecture, verbal and visual identity, Brand Experience, the Customer Journey, Branded Content, corporate reputation, and emerging trends related to sustainability and artificial intelligence.
Through case study analysis, the resolution of strategic challenges and the development of applied projects, students will acquire the knowledge and tools required to understand, design, manage and evaluate brand strategies that respond to the needs of contemporary organisations.
Pre-course requirements
No.
Objectives
- To acquire a thorough understanding of brand creation, maintenance and development.
- To understand and manage the main intangible assets associated with branding.
- To understand the relationship between strategic brand management, business growth and competitiveness.
- To analyse the processes involved in building brand identity and brand experience.
- To develop the ability to design branding strategies adapted to new digital environments and the different consumer touchpoints.
Syllabus
- The individual as the target audience and decision-maker.
- Brand Equity.
- Brand identity, image and reputation.
- Local, global and international brands.
- Brand positioning and corporate purpose.
- Customer centricity.
- Brand architecture and brand portfolio.
- Brand launch and development.
- Entering new markets.
- Brand communication.
- Storytelling and brand narrative.
- Verbal identity and tone of voice.
- Branded Content.
- Brand Experience and the Customer Journey.
- Sensory branding as a differentiation tool.
- Physical and mental brand availability.
- Pricing strategies.
- Digital brands and omnichannel ecosystems.
- Innovation in branding and artificial intelligence applied to brand management.
- Sustainability, corporate reputation and responsible communication.
Bibliography and resources
Aaker, D. A. (2020). Aaker on Branding: 20 Principles That Drive Success. New York: Morgan James Publishing.
Cateora, P. R. (2020). International Marketing. Mexico: McGraw-Hill.
Kapferer, J.-N. (2021). The New Strategic Brand Management. London: Kogan Page.
Keller, K. L. (2020). Strategic Brand Management. Harlow: Pearson.
Kotler, P., Kartajaya, H. & Setiawan, I. (2021). Marketing 5.0. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.
Perelló-Sobrepere, M. (2026). ¿Me lo compro? La realidad del consumo, la influencia social y el papel de las marcas. Barcelona: Libros de Cabecera.
Sharp, B. (2019). How Brands Grow. Part 2. Melbourne: Oxford University Press.