Strategic Brand Management

Module Leader: Dr. Elaine Wallace 

Dr. Elaine Wallace holds a B. Comm and MBS from NUI Galway and a PhD in Branding from the University of Birmingham, UK. Prior to joining academia, she worked for seven years in brand management and marketing positions in leading companies including Siemens, Unilever, SmithKline Beecham and Boots. Her academic research in Branding, Consumer Behaviour, and Employee Behaviour is funded in part by the IRCHSS and the Spanish Government.  Her research is published in leading international journals and she is also co-author of ‘Creating Powerful Brands', an international textbook designed for teaching and practice. She collaborates with research partners in Ireland, UK, Spain, Portugal, Australia and the US, and her research has informed the development postgraduate and undergraduate branding modules. 

Course Title: MSc Marketing (all instances) 
Subject: Strategic Brand Management, MK 566 
Year: Postgraduate 
Participants: 95, working in groups 
Hours: 2 hours per week 
Credits: 5ECTS 
Length: 12 weeks 
Community Partner: GOAL 

Strategic Brand Management examines the methods used to develop and enhance consumer based brand equity, suggests measures of consumer mindset, and presents tools to build and sustain successful brands over time. The course incorporates a hands-on branding assignment.  

In 2020, Dr Wallace’s MK566 Strategic Brand Management class worked with the humanitarian aid agency GOAL, on an assignment to develop a Brand Plan.  Mr Eamon Sharkey, GOAL’s Director of Fundraising, visited NUI Galway in early March 2020, to meet with the class.  In a highly engaging presentation, he described GOAL’s brand, and explained the agency’s humanitarian work, within the context of the UN’s Sustainability Development Goals.   

As part of their Brand Plan assignment, the class of 95 students were challenged to work in smaller teams to evaluate the GOAL brand’s elements, identify points of difference for the brand, and capture consumer mindset about GOAL through primary research.  Using the data they elicited from consumer research, the students then prepared a marketing communications plan for GOAL, encompassing online and traditional media.  In addition, as there were many international students in the class, each team provided suggestions for new market entry opportunities overseas.   

Following the University closure on March 12th, the students submitted their assignments online in report format.  Mr Sharkey has provided the following feedback to the class on their assignments, and it indicates the impact of the students’ work on GOAL’s activities: 

Overall, the assignments were of a very high quality and demonstrated a very clear understanding of the brief, GOAL as an organisation and the opportunities for the brand and specific events. 

The thinking and creativity around the GOAL brand in particular was very impressive, with some excellent insights as to the current state of the brand, and how it could be more effectively communicated to different audiences.  

Many assignments were very sophisticated in how they considered the audiences and demographics that GOAL has traditionally engaged with, and where there might be opportunities to engage with new audiences in new ways. In particular, there were many recommendations about using online and social media platforms in more nuanced and creative ways that would help GOAL to 'cut through' more effectively.  

The use of market research, from both desk and primary resources, was hugely beneficial for us at GOAL, as it provided a synthesis of existing data, and new data, that we will use to inform our activities in the future. 

Also very useful to GOAL was to view our fundraising events through a new and youth orientated lens. It is very easy to just repeat what we do every year, but it is clear from these assignments that there is enthusiasm and interest from younger people to be involved in good causes, we just need to communicate in a way that engages them. 

Finally, once again I would like to say a huge thanks for all of you for your work and creativity - you have already made an impact on GOAL's work and I hope you continue to keep an eye out for GOAL in the future!