Brand Management

INTERNATIONAL TRAINING ON BRAND MANAGEMENT

COURSE  BACKDROUND

In today’s highly competitive and saturated marketplace, a strong brand is an invaluable asset, transcending mere product features or services. It represents a promise to the customer, embodying perceptions, emotions, and trust that drive preference and loyalty. Effective Brand Management is the strategic process of creating, developing, maintaining, and enhancing a brand’s value over time. Without deliberate brand stewardship, products can become commodities, marketing efforts can lack focus, and customer connections can remain superficial, ultimately leading to diminished market share and profitability.

The digital age and global interconnectedness have amplified the importance and complexity of brand management. Consumers are more informed, vocal, and influenced by a myriad of touchpoints, making consistent brand messaging and experience crucial. For businesses operating in the vibrant Kenyan market, amidst a growing consumer class and increasing product variety, strong local and international brand identities are vital for differentiation, building trust, and securing long-term market leadership against a backdrop of both established players and agile startups.

ECAS Institute offers this “Brand Management” course to equip marketing professionals, brand managers, business owners, and strategic leaders with the essential frameworks, analytical tools, and practical strategies required to build, grow, and sustain powerful brands. This program will empower participants to create resonant brand experiences that drive consumer preference, loyalty, and enduring business value.

COURSE OBJECTIVES OF THE TRAINING

Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:

1. Understand the fundamental concepts and strategic importance of brand management in driving business success.
2. Identify and apply processes for creating, building, and positioning new brands.
3. Develop comprehensive strategies for managing existing brands, including brand revitalization and extension.
4. Measure and evaluate brand equity and brand performance using various metrics.
5. Design and implement effective brand communication strategies across multiple touchpoints.
6. Understand the role of digital platforms and social media in modern brand building.
7. Navigate brand architecture decisions and portfolio management.
8. Address ethical considerations and challenges in brand management.
9. Foster a brand-centric culture within their organization.

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN

This course will provide you with the strategic insights and practical tools to effectively manage brands, enabling you to build powerful identities that resonate with customers and drive sustainable business growth. You will learn to:

• Define what a brand is beyond a name or logo, understanding its role as a strategic asset.
• Identify the key components of brand identity (e.g., values, personality, promise).
• Conduct brand audits to assess current brand health and identify challenges.
• Develop compelling brand positioning statements that differentiate offerings in the market.
• Create effective brand messaging strategies that are consistent across all communication channels.
• Strategize on new product launches and integrating them into the brand portfolio.
• Understand brand architecture models (e.g., monolithic, endorsed, freestanding) and their implications.
• Develop strategies for brand extensions and line extensions.
• Measure brand equity through various metrics (awareness, loyalty, perceived quality, associations).
• Manage brand crises and protect brand reputation.
• Leverage digital channels and social media for brand building and engagement.
• Understand the role of packaging, design, and retail experience in brand delivery.
• Develop strategies for international branding and adapting to local markets.
• Create a brand management plan that outlines objectives, strategies, and execution.

DURATION AND PROGRAM

This is a structured, highly interactive, and strategic training course designed for the direct application of brand management principles. The program will feature a blend of expert-led lectures, dynamic group discussions, in-depth case studies analyzing successful and challenging brand strategies (including examples from Kenyan brands and international market leaders), practical workshops on brand identity development and positioning, and collaborative exercises in building brand communication plans. Participants will engage in critical thinking and problem-solving related to real-world branding challenges, fostering the strategic acumen necessary for effective brand stewardship. The specific duration of the course will be communicated upon registration, tailored to ensure comprehensive coverage and the development of actionable brand management expertise

TARGET PARTICIPANTS

This course is essential for professionals responsible for creating, managing, or strategically influencing brands and their market perception. It will particularly benefit:

• Brand Managers and Brand Executives
• Marketing Managers and Marketing Directors
• Product Managers
• Advertising and PR Professionals
• Business Owners and Entrepreneurs aiming to build strong brands.
• Strategic Planners
• Communication Specialists
• Senior Managers and Executives with strategic oversight of brand portfolios.
• Consultants specializing in branding and marketing strategy.

TRAINING MODULES

The course is structured into comprehensive modules, guiding participants through the complete process of building and managing powerful brands:

No	Module	Details
1.	Introduction to Branding and Brand Equity	This module defines what a brand truly is, its strategic importance, and introduces the concept of brand equity and its various components. Key Topics: Definition of a brand, the value of brands. Brand vs. product. Brand equity (customer-based, financial). Sources of brand equity. Branding challenges and opportunities.
2.	Brand Identity and Positioning	This module focuses on creating a unique brand identity and developing a compelling positioning strategy that differentiates the brand in the marketplace. Key Topics: Brand identity prism. Brand vision and mission, brand values and personality. Brand positioning statement. Points-of-difference (PODs) and points-of-parity (POPs). Competitive analysis for positioning.
3.	Brand Building Strategies	This module explores various strategies and tactics used to build strong brands from the ground up or through strategic associations. Key Topics: Choosing brand elements (names, logos, slogans). Marketing programs to build brand equity (product, price, place, promotion). Leveraging secondary brand associations (e.g., co-branding, licensing). Experiential branding.
4.	Designing and Implementing Brand Marketing Programs	This module delves into the practical application of brand strategy through integrated marketing communication channels and touchpoints. Key Topics: Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) for brand building. Traditional media (advertising, PR). Digital media (social media, content marketing, SEO). Personal selling and direct marketing for brands. Designing brand experiences.
5.	Measuring and Managing Brand Performance	This module focuses on methods to measure the health and financial performance of a brand, allowing for informed strategic adjustments. Key Topics: Qualitative and quantitative brand research methods. Brand tracking studies, brand audit process. Brand equity measurement approaches. Brand valuation methods (financial perspective). Return on marketing investment (ROMI) for brand activities.
6.	Brand Architecture and Portfolio Management	This module addresses how to structure and manage multiple brands within a company’s portfolio for optimal synergy and market coverage. Key Topics: Brand hierarchy. Brand architecture models (house of brands, branded house, endorsed brands). Brand extensions (line and category extensions). Sub-brands and parent brands. Managing brand overlap and cannibalization.
7.	Brand Revitalization, Crisis Management, and Future Trends	This module covers strategies for rejuvenating mature or declining brands, managing brand crises, and anticipating future trends in brand management. Key Topics: Brand revitalization strategies (reinforcing, leveraging). Managing brand crises and negative publicity. Global branding strategies. Legal aspects of branding (trademarks). Ethical branding, sustainable branding. AI and personalized branding.

TRAINING STYLE

The modules will be taught through PowerPoint presentations, and lectures and will include a case study/field visit, breakout sessions, case studies and other interactive discussion components.

The course will also include a few guest speakers, both in person and via Zoom and other online learning platforms for overseas speakers. This provides useful real-world insights alongside the more theoretical aspects of the course.

The conference faculty shall consist of experienced decision makers, as well as practitioners and representatives from established educational and research institutions active around climate change, engineering and international development. Throughout the course, theoretical presentation of concepts will be moderated and more group discussions and plenary engagements will be optimized. PowerPoint presentations will be made by facilitators and resource persons, to highlight key concepts before embarking on group work.

GENERAL NOTES

• Training manuals and additional reference materials are provided to the participants.
• Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be issued with a certificate.
• We can also do this as a tailor-made course to meet organization-wide needs. Contact us to find out more: info@ecasiafrica.org.
• Payment should be sent to our bank account before the start of training and proof of payment sent to: info@ecasiafrica.org.

ABOUT ECAS INSTITUTE

The ECAS Institute designs and delivers independent and targeted training, research, and consulting services. Our work focusses on climate change and resilience building, carbon markets, renewable energy, nature-based solution, biodiversity conservation, agriculture and food systems, We are located in Nairobi Kenya and work across the African region. We have implemented training and research assignments in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, South Sudan, Somalia, Malawi, Rwanda, Congo, and South Africa. Globally, we have supported our partners from the UK, Denmark, Italy, Sweden, Germany, and USA.