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.
Competences/Learning outcomes of the degree programme
- CN02 - Recognise the textual, graphic and audiovisual expressive and narrative resources used to create effective persuasive messages in advertising and public relations.
- CN03 - Identify the key stakeholders, departments and professional roles within advertising and public relations agencies, understanding their functions in the design and implementation of communication campaigns.
- CN05 - Recognise the principal artificial intelligence tools with applications in advertising, marketing and public relations.
- CN07 - Identify emerging trends in digital communication, social media and interactive environments for planning advertising and public relations activities in digital and multi-platform contexts.
- CP04 - Manage creative communication projects in advertising and public relations, optimising technical, material and time-related resources.
- CP05 - Manage relationships between advertisers and agencies effectively, applying media planning and buying strategies in multi-channel advertising and public relations environments.
- CP08 - Manage corporate communication budgets and advertising and public relations campaigns, optimising resources and drawing on a broad understanding of the economic context and the advertising and public relations industry.
- HB02 - Use a range of media research and documentation resources.
- HB03 - Resolve problems in interactions with clients and members of the public.
- HB04 - Design strategic communication and public relations plans that respond to the needs of organisations across different sectors.
- HB05 - Use advertising language and narrative techniques to develop persuasive messages for advertising and public relations campaigns.
- HB07 - Analyse macroeconomic data and market statistics using digital tools, including artificial intelligence.
- HB08 - Develop creative advertising messages, adapting language and style to different contexts and formats.
Learning outcomes of the subject
Students will be able to:
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To analyse audiences to predict consumer behaviour using artificial intelligence.
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To acquire a basic understanding of organisations in the fields of advertising and public relations, their structures, and the legal, economic and ethical frameworks underpinning their establishment and growth.
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To describe the current context of the production and distribution of goods and services at local and global levels, recognising the main microeconomic factors and macroeconomic indicators.
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To manage brand positioning by defining and communicating a brand’s purpose and values, using AI-based tools to monitor brand perception on social media and refine strategic messages.
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To identify successful business ventures at local and international levels, as well as the main steps involved in developing and launching a business.
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To identify the main products, professional roles and specialised terminology used by companies operating in the creative industries.
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.