Course Syllabus

International Marketing and Branding

Semester & Location:	Fall 2018 - DIS Copenhagen
Type & Credits:	Elective Course - 3 credits
Major Disciplines:	Business, Communication, Marketing
Faculty Member:	Leif H. Rasmussen
Program Director:	Susanne Goul Hovmand - sgh@dis.dk
Program Coordinator:	Adeline Reiser - are@dis.dk
Program Assistant:	Ali Cohen - aac@dis.dk
Time & Place:	Mondays & Thursdays 10.05 - 11.25, F24-206

Prerequisites:

A minimum in basic marketing skills, e.g. an introductory course in marketing

Faculty member: Leif Rasmussen

2008 - CEO and owner of Trading company, Imexpo Aps.
1997 – 2007: Sales and Marketing Director, Member of Executive Board, Royal Unibrew
1995 – 2007: Member/Chairman of Supervisory Boards, mainly subsidiaries and in
Associations in the beer and soft drink industry
1990 – 1996: Marketing Director, Danish Brewery Group
1985 – 1989: Marketing Manager, Faxe Brewery
1982 – 1984: Consultant and Account Manager, Ted Bates Advertising Agency
1982: Cand. Merc, Copenhagen Business School
1975 – 1982: Product Manager, Irma
1975: General Business Administration, Copenhagen Business School, N. Brock

Description of course:

The overall objective of the course is to enable students to understand a company/organization’s opportunities for growth by expanding its international activities within marketing, branding and sales. To demonstrate this understanding, the students (in groups of app 5 persons) will produce comprehensive business plans (focusing on sales and marketing) based on real life business cases in cooperation with 2 relevant companies. The style of the report will be as if the students were working as consultants for the companies.

Learning Objectives:

By the end of the course, students will have acquired skills enabling them to:

Analyze and understand a company’s market situation with a focus on international opportunities
Demonstrate how to build stronger brands and how to internationalize these brands
Identify and analyze the economic and cultural pitfalls and challenges in the field of international marketing
Understand the cross-cultural challenges within international marketing, advertising and PR – and demonstrate this knowledge by presenting how to create a communications strategy and advertising/PR for a selected Scandinavian company
Write comprehensive reports (business plans) as a member in a group of app five students.
Present and discuss the essentials of the Report as an exam (2 – 3 times) during the semester.

Required texts:

Textbook 1: Basic textbook Andrew McAuley: “International Marketing, Consuming Globally, Thinking Locally”

Textbook 2: “Global Marketing and Advertising, Understanding Cultural Paradoxes” (Third edition) by Marieke de Mooij. Selected chapters.

Textbook 3: The Marketing Plan, A Step-by-Step Guide, John Westwood (3rd edition).

Class Format

Traditional classroom teaching, discussions (as many as possible!) and group work.

Actual classroom activities will consist of three main items:

Lecturing

During the semester we will review key marketing concepts in an international environment. The importance of proper market analysis, research, and investigation of cultural differences, will be discussed, as will the necessity of brand building, market research, market segmentation, cross border market communications, etc.

Case discussions and student presentations

Early in the course, real cases will be introduced. The students in groups of approximately five will get one of the presented companies as “their client.” This enables students to relate subsequent subjects and theories to real businesses. Thus, the actual companies will be used as examples in lecturing, discussions, and presentations.

Group work and consultations

The remainder of the scheduled sessions will be used for group work and individual group consultations with the instructor.

Group work will result in

(a) 2 – 3 written reports

(b) 2 – 3 oral presentations

Complete group participation is expected each time.

Grading:

Marketing Report (Strategies), Company 1 (group)	20%
Written Midterm exam (individual)	20%
Active Class participation (individual)	20%
Marketing Report (Implementation), Company 2 (group)	30%
Presentation of the Report Company 2 (individual)	10%

Description of Business Plan/Marketing Report

The Reports are to be written for 2 Scandinavian “clients”, i.e. Scandinavian companies/organisations with potential for international expansion.

The Reports should be approx. 10 pages per group. Final presentations are expected to last approximately 30 minutes (including Q & A).

What is meant by participation?

Students are expected to attend all classes, consultation sessions, group work, guest lectures, and field study visits. Participation is not the same as attendance, but means taking an active part in discussions, being prepared for each class/session and asking relevant questions. Special attention will be given to participation in group works.

Furthermore, please refer to the general attendance policy at DIS. Only a doctor’s statement is valid reason for not participating. Unexcused absences will result in a lower/failing participation grade.

As my way of lecturing is very dependant on discussions in class, I need to state the following regarding laptops in class:

You may use your laptop for note-taking or fact-checking in my class. Usage not related to the class or our subject is unacceptable to me, and to the purpose of this class. I am relying on your integrity and your respect for our objectives.

Academic Regulations

Please make sure to read the Academic Regulations on the DIS website. There you will find regulations on:

DIS - Study Abroad in Scandinavia - www.DISabroad.org

Detailed Schedule

Schedule is subject to change if necessary with as much notice as possible.

Thursday 23.08.2018

Read:

Textbook 1 chapter 1+2+3+4

Getting started

Objectives

Lecturer and students getting to know each other.
To get an overview of the contents of the course and – most importantly – understand the objectives.
Understand and accept the expectations to the student’s proficiency by the end of the course.
Presentation of the most important blocks on which this course has been build
A quick look at the Syllabus

What is marketing all about?

Monday 27.08. 2018

Read:

Textbook 1 chapter 1+2+3+4

Building of strong Brands

Deeper understanding of Brand Building and Brand Equity.
Corporate Branding vs. Product Branding

Thursday 30.08. 2018

Read:

Textbook 1 chapter 1+2+3+4

Building of strong Brands

Deeper understanding of Brand Building and Brand Equity.
Corporate Branding vs. Product Branding

Monday 03.09.2018

Read:

Textbook 1 chapter 1+2+3+4
Textbook 1 chapter 6+7+8

Internationalization of Companies & Brands

Understand why companies internationalize.
Understand how companies internationalize
The influence of culture
Global branding
Global Brand Leadership
Choice of strategy

Thursday 06,09.2018

Internationalization of Companies & Brands

Understand why companies internationalize.
Understand how companies internationalize
The influence of culture
Global branding
Global Brand Leadership
Choice of strategy

10.09.2018 – 14.09.2018

Core Course Week

Monday 18.09.2018

Group assignment about Brand Building, Brand Equity, internationalization of brands and overall strategy for the company

Application of marketing strategies on international case

Start groupwork in class after intro and discussion

Thursday 20.09.2018

Group assignment:

Application of marketing strategies on international case

Group assignment: Group work in class

Monday 24.09.2018

Group assignment:

Application of marketing strategies on international case

Presentation and discussion group 1 and 2

Thursday 27.09.2018

Group assignment:

Application of marketing strategies on international case

Presentation and discussion group 3 and 4

Monday 01.10.2018

Read:

Textbook 2: Chapter 4 - Focus on p 59-69

Impact of culture in international communication and advertising

What is culture and why is it important when working with international advertising?
Introduction and discussion of the concept of culture and to Hofstede’s five dimensions of national culture

Thursday 04.10.2018

Read:

Textbook 2: Chapter 4 - Focus on p 59-69

Hofstede’s five Dimensions:

What is culture and why is it important when working with international advertising?
Presentation by each group

Intro to small assignment to be presented 09.04 in class

06.10.2018 – 14.10.2018

Long Study Tour / Travel Break

Monday 15.10.2018

Hofstede’s five Dimensions:

Group work in class – finish presentation (app 10 minutes) for 19.03.

Wednesday 17.10.2018

Afternoon

Field Study

Thursday 18.10.2018

Midterm

Closed book quiz in class (short answer test)

Monday 22.10.2018

Hofstede’s five Dimensions

Each group to make a 10 min presentation about cultural differences in international and commercial communication.

Thursday 25.10.2018

Feed-back on Midterm test

27.10.2018 – 04.11.2018

Travel Break

Monday 05.11.2018