STRATEGIC BRAND MANAGEMENT IN TOURISM - 2021/2

Module Overview

Whilst the future of brands and branding are the subject of intense debate in an age of accelerating globalisation and digital revolution, the branding of tourism products, places and services remains a crucial 'promise of an experience' and conveys to consumers a certain assurance as to the nature of the product or service they will receive.

This module requires the student to adopt a consultancy agency mind-set and to work as a member of a team commissioned to develop an advertising strategy for a tourism brand; that team will be expected to research, develop and present an advertising campaign for a tourism brand. The report and presentation will enable students to demonstrate their ability to conduct the necessary research for the project (including brand audit, consumer research, analyses of current and potential markets) and the ability to incorporate the results of such research and analysis into judicious and practical proposals for an advertising plan and future brand development. The ‘pitch’ should include ideas for communications executions (e.g. posters, website design, advertising copy).

The module will be delivered in 3-hour sessions, providing the space for a series of lectures intended to provide theoretical underpinning and case studies (some by guest speakers from the client and agency sides) and for campaign development workshops facilitated by teaching staff.

Module provider

Hospitality, Tourism & Events Management

Module Leader

HAZRA Samrat (SII DUFE)

Number of Credits: 15

ECTS Credits: 7.5

Framework: FHEQ Level 6

Module cap (Maximum number of students): N/A

Module Availability

Semester 2

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

None.

Module content

Indicative content includes:

• Contemporary strategic brand management in the tourism sector;


• Branding practice and theory: case studies of tourism products;


• Understanding and researching contemporary consumer behaviour in tourism;


• The planning framework for the development of an advertising campaign;


• Strategic research in the advertising planning process;


• The creative process and creative development research in advertising a tourism brand;


• What makes effective tourism advertising/communications?;


• Media choices and targeting today’s tourism consumer;


• Brand propositions and tourism advertising appeals in a changing world;


• Creating a tourism branding campaign;


• Monitoring and evaluating tourism branding campaigns.

Assessment pattern

Alternative Assessment

Group presentation - individual essay (1500 words) Group report - individual essay (1500 words)

Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy is designed to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the application of consumer behaviour research and communications strategies in strategic tourism brand management. The summative assessment for this module consists of a group consultancy bid to research and develop an advertising strategy for a tourism brand to be held at the end of the semester. A pragmatic strategy, which would have a high chance of successful implementation is required as is demonstration of the links between theory and practice. The ‘pitch’ should have some regard for its financial implications but the suitability of the concept and its development/execution will be the key focus of the assessment.

The assessment is based on:

• A group presentation which will assess the understanding of brand management theory and practice. The assessment strategy hence aims at examining students’ understanding of key theoretical perspectives and challenges as well as their practical skills in analysing research data and formally presenting their findings.


• A group report (max. 4000 words) which requires students to draw on the theoretical understanding they have gained to develop an advertising strategy following a problem-solving approach.


• Students will be required to sign a learning contract committing each of them to undertaking an equal share of work on their projects. As effective team-working is a learning outcome of the module, 10% of each students’ final mark will be awarded through peer review of their team contribution.

Students are informed about the assessments in week 1 of the semester. The report and presentation will be assessed in week 11.

Formative assessment and feedback

Students will receive feedback on their performance during the module in the form of written and verbal feedback in workshops to inform the summative assessments.

Module aims

• The aim of the module is to enable the student to develop a critical appreciation of the role of strategic brand management in contemporary tourism marketing. The module enables students interested in developing their marketing skills to enhance their knowledge of the practical and theoretical issues in branding and strategic communications (especially advertising, PR and digital platforms). The ability to work within and to manage a team-based project is a key learning outcome of the module, reflecting the reality of work in industry. Thus, it aims to develop those team working skills particularly valued by employers, in particular: organisation; negotiation; delegation; team work; co-operation; leadership; following.

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

The learning and teaching strategy is designed to: embrace problem- and research-based learning, supported by the provision of theoretical aspects on strategic brand management and relevant industry case studies. By using specific tourism organisations and products as case studies, the module provides students with knowledge in the field of applied tourism brand management and marketing. This encourages students to explore, critically evaluate and apply theoretical perspectives to understand the challenges and practicalities involved in managing tourism brands.

More specifically, this teaching and learning strategy will lead to:   

• increase students’ critical understanding of the nature and dynamics of brand management  


• enhance students’ ability to assess the different phases involved in brand development


• strengthen students’ ability to reflect on the influences of changing consumer behaviour on the development of communication strategies


• enhance the competence of students in communicating, discussing and presenting ideas


• increase students’ ability to work in groups and to understand client/agency roles 

The learning and teaching methods include:

• 3 hour lecture/workshop per week x 11 weeks covering a range of perspectives designed to provide students a holistic framework of knowledge, including guest lecture sessions. The workshop element of the sessions will be focused on helping student groups to advance their presentations and reports


• supporting materials and directed reading


• formative feedback sessions 

Indicated Lecture Hours (which may also include seminars, tutorials, workshops and other contact time) are approximate and may include in-class tests where one or more of these are an assessment on the module. In-class tests are scheduled/organised separately to taught content and will be published on to student personal timetables, where they apply to taken modules, as soon as they are finalised by central administration. This will usually be after the initial publication of the teaching timetable for the relevant semester.

Reading list

https://readinglists.surrey.ac.uk
Upon accessing the reading list, please search for the module using the module code: MAN3141

Programmes this module appears in

Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2021/2 academic year.