Student Road Diaries

Brand Immersion

By Gerard Edwards
MBA, Class of 2009

Sunday, February 17, 2008. 5:00 PM EST. Approximately 26 students participating in the Semester in Strategic Brand Management Immersion departed from Sage Hall to observe expert marketing professionals from eight leading companies in various industries ranging from packaged goods to brand consulting. Armed with various frameworks, and with the support of Professor Manoj Thomas, students were eager to apply their academic learnings and test their intuition.

Beginning Monday, February 18 through Thursday, February 21, students had the opportunity to position themselves as 'The Brand Apprentice' in the presence of key stakeholders at industry leading companies.

Unilever Food, N.A.
Unilever Food, N.A. understands that consumers receive far too many marketing messages each day. The company shared its perspective on how to leverage existing changes in consumer behavior and showcased its latest commercials. Finally, Unilever shared key learnings from its experimentation with user generated content.

Task 1:
Identify a product category, create a product innovation, and develop a marketing campaign for a specific customer segment.

Bayer Healthcare
Brand Managers at Bayer Healthcare stressed the importance of positive interaction with cross functional peers. To become a successful brand manager, focusing and building consensus among team members is necessary. Bayer Healthcare had representatives available from Demand Planning, Advertising & Media, Internet, Packaging, Sales and Trade, and Promotion organizations to share their perspectives.

Task 2: Bayer Healthcare.
Act as the brand managers for Flintstone Vitamins. Work with various members of a cross functional team to launch Flintstone 'Gummy' Vitamins.

Bristol Myers Squibb
Bristol Myers Squibb showcased it marketing framework and perspective on 'Marketing Excellence'. According to company representatives, excellence only results from a great strategy, planning and execution, and continuous performance management.

Task 3:
A fierce competitor has recently withdrawn from the market due to safety concerns. Act as the brand manager for the drug, Pravachol. Develop a strategy to capture the affected customers.

Johnson & Johnson
In addition to its decentralized operations, Johnson and Johnson has mastered employee development. Male marketers for feminine products shared key customer insights. Additionally, Johnson and Johnson hosted a panel, mainly brand managers, to share perspectives and career highlights.

Task 4:
Determine how to introduce KY Touch and KY Massage.

American Express Company
Moving beyond the traditional tenets of marketing, American Express Company showcased its use of multiple tools to increase its customer equity through emphasizing a 'Brand Mantra' and creating a 'Point of Difference'. By leveraging its retail locations, the 'blue box' logo, and, more recently sound, the American Express Company is well positioned to build additional equity through sensory marketing.

Task 5:
Determine if the 'In' card should launch in the Las Vegas, NV market.

Colgate Palmolive/Young & Rubicam
Advertising is a major expense for brands. Colgate Palmolive shared its process for creating the marketing and creative briefs with Young & Rubicam. In addition to segmenting the market and targeting customers, a campaign must resonate with its audience. Successful brand managers understand the location of consumers and purchases media accordingly.

Task 6:
Author a creative brief to position 'Irish Spring' Body Wash.

Lippincott Mercer "Brand image is the sum of all information about a product, service, or company that is conveyed in communications and in experience", said a partner at Lippincott Mercer. Lippincott Mercer is uniquely positioned to help companies refine and maintain its prestige through the eyes of their customers.

Task 7:
Identify what attributes are important in creating a brand.

Priceline.com
Priceline.com is a nimble company which understands how consumers purchase travel services. Citing Expedia.com and Travelocity.Com as key competitors, Priceline.com shared key insights on its industry leading 'Name Your Price' product. Additionally, priceline.com presented its 'Negotiator' commercials and shared the advantages that result from the use of a complementor.

Task 8:
Determine which characteristics are the best predictors of a sale.