December 2009 Growing Brands Through a Recession

A one-day Branding Masterclass for Business Leaders The Centre for Innovation and Structural Change at NUI Galway is to host a one-day Masterclass for business leaders entitled ?Growing Brands through a Recession?. The event will be co-hosted by marketing guru Professor Leslie de Chernatony, Professor of Brand Marketing at Universita della Svizzera italiana in Switzerland and Aston Business School, UK, and Dr Elaine Wallace, Lecturer in Marketing and Associate Head of Development and Promotion at the J.E. Cairnes School of Business & Economics at NUI Galway. Dr Wallace says: ?During recessionary times, many companies are tempted to cut prices in order to offer value to customers. However, focusing on price can negatively affect brand equity, leading to a weaker brand image and a loss of market share. The recession represents an opportunity to reconsider how brands can offer more relevant value. This Masterclass will show how a budget can be better used to deliver a ?wow factor? by offering more appropriate value to customers?. Designed with business professionals in mind, the event will highlight factors leading to brand success and, using examples, will show how leading brands get through tough times. Billed as a ?hands on? event, delegates will get practical tools for brand building. Frameworks will be presented, and delegates will work in syndicate groups to apply those frameworks to their own businesses. During plenary sessions, ideas for growing brand value will be shared, and discussions will help to shape brand-building activities. Dr Wallace added: ?The event, in particular Professor de Chernatony?s insights, will be invaluable for large and small businesses in product and service sectors?. The Chartered Institute of Marketing cite Professor Leslie de Chernatony as one of the 50 gurus who have shaped the future of marketing due to his pioneering work on brand management. His cutting edge work on strategically building brands has helped many organisations develop more effective brand strategies. A firm advocate of the need for managers to benefit from his work on brand marketing, he has run many highly acclaimed management development workshops throughout Europe, the USA, the Middle East, Asia and Australia and his advice has been sought by numerous organisations throughout the world on developing more effective brand strategies. The Masterclass will take place on Thursday, 21 January, 2010 and the cost of a full day is ?195. To register for this event please visit www.conference.ie. For further information please contact Angela Sice, Centre for Innovation and Structural Change, at 091 492817 or Dr Elaine Wallace, Marketing, J. E. Cairnes School of Business & Economics, NUI Galway at 091 492603. -Ends-