STRATEGIC MARKETING AND BRAND MANAGEMENT - 2023/4

Module Overview

This module builds on the prior knowledge of the fundamentals of marketing that have been learnt through an undergraduate programme. In particular, this module recognises the importance of brand identity, brand value, and brand building and maintenance for the success of international hotel groups and will build on existing marketing understanding to build an appreciation of the different marketing strategies that companies can employ in this area.

Module provider

Surrey Hospitality & Tourism Management

Module Leader

WANG Lorna (Hosp & Tour)

Number of Credits: 15

ECTS Credits: 7.5

Framework: FHEQ Level 7

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

Module Availability

Semester 2

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

None

Module content

Indicative content includes:

• Strategic Marketing mix and brand management


• Market segmentation, targeting and positioning


• Strategic brand management


• Brand reputation management


• Brand equity


• Marketing and brand communication


• Brand growth


• Brand measurement and research


• Media channels & creativity

Assessment pattern

Alternative Assessment

Group presentation will be replaced by requiring an individual report of 2,000 words.

Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy is aimed at giving students the opportunity to gradually build up their knowledge, understanding and confidence of strategic marketing and brand management in a hospitality context and is designed to allow students to evidence their achievement of the learning outcomes.

The assessment of this module comprises an individual report and a group presentation.

1 - Individual report (2000 words)

This assignment is to offer an insight into how marketing and band management theory can be applied to the hospitality industry. The assignment requires the students to demonstrate the use of theoretical models and techniques from marketing disciplines with analysis and application to the hospitality sector. Hence, students have to choose one organization from the hospitality industry and critically discuss one aspect of its marketing strategy in the light of literature.

2 – Group presentation (15 mins) 

This assignment is designed to allow students to develop a consultant mind-set; students will critically evaluate the marketing and brand strategy of one hospitality brand. Students are required to deliver a group presentation, which critically assesses the current marketing and brand strategy of the chosen brand. Ultimately managerial implications need to be provided with regards to how the organization can improve its marketing and brand strategy.

Formative assessment and feedback

Students will be required to conduct an in-depth investigation into a chosen hospitality company’s brand management practice and present their findings during the pre-assignment group tutorial session.  Formative feedback will be provided to the students during and after weekly guided activities by the tutors, accompanied by opportunities to learn from peer evaluations.

Formative feedback 

• Formative feedback sessions through group and individual tutorials will be provided throughout the semester to help to foster student agency and embrace affective dimensions of learning. 


• A pre-assignment feedback session is an integral part of this module and is offered usually a week before the assignment due date.  


• Once marking is completed, students will be able to access a report online which contains detailed generic feedback as well as a breakdown of marks. This enables students to assess their own performance compared to their peer students. 

• For the first assessment, students receive written feedback together with their returned reports. Apart from comments on the scripts, a formal sheet outlines students’ strengths, areas for improvements. 


• A post-assignment feedback session is designed to help students to fully understand the feedback given, which is particularly important at this stage as the report is one of the first assignments that students submit.  

Module aims

• This module aims to build on students' existing understanding of marketing principles with knowledge of the meaning and application of strategic marketing and brand management in a global hospitality industry context. It also aims to enhance students decision-making capabilities by applying creative and critical strategies and tactics involved in developing, positioning, leveraging, managing a brand, and measuring its short-term and long-term value.
• This module aims to build on students' existing understanding of marketing principles with knowledge of the meaning and application of strategic marketing and brand management in a global hospitality industry context. It also aims to enhance students decision-making capabilities by applying creative and critical strategies and tactics involved in developing, positioning, leveraging, managing a brand, and measuring its short-term and long-term value.

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

The teaching and learning strategy are designed to equip the students with the necessary knowledge and practical skills to make strategic marketing and brand management decisions in the hospitality industry in a global context. The teaching and learning strategies are also designed to provide a framework of contemporary theories supported by a range of relevant industry examples. The current issues and debates surrounding business ethics and sustainability will be highlighted so that the students are able to apply critical thinking to the literature.

The teaching and learning methods are based on a series of lectures and, where appropriate case studies and guest lecture from industry executive, supported by guided study. The learning is then expanded and consolidated through weekly seminars and guided study.

The learning and teaching methods include:  

1) Lectures on specific aspects of strategic marketing and brand management.  

2) Seminars and/or class-discussions on case studies  

3) Guided study with a series of activities including readings, exercises and weblinks will be provided through SurreyLearn.  

4) Industry guest speakers.  

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: MANM322

Other information

This module adopts the University curriculum framework, which aims to develop learners with strong capabilities in Digital Capabilities, Employability, Global and Cultural Capabilities, Sustainability, and Resourcefulness and Resilience. This module contributes to the development of the following capabilities:  

Digital Capabilities: This module develops students’ capabilities in analysing online and offline marketing data and capturing business insights for strategic marketing and brand management decision making. Students will develop their skills in collecting, managing, analysing, evaluating, and presenting marketing data.  Students will use the virtual learning environment (VLE),¿SurreyLearn, video conferencing platforms such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams to facilitate learning. These include accessing teaching and learning materials and engaging with their instructors and¿peers.¿Module assessments require students to work collaboratively with peers to analyse data collected from various digital marketing platforms to measure and critic brand performance.     

Employability: The assessments in this module require students to extract marketing insights from industry and various datasets to conduct an in-depth investigation of a hotel brand. The team assessment also requires students to develop a consultant mind-set to critically evaluate the marketing and brand strategy of one hospitality brand, which will prepare students to be successful marketers and brand managers.  

Global and Cultural Capabilities: The case studies used in this module are carefully selected international hotel brands with multiple properties around the world. Students will learn how to analyse their market performance in a global setting by evaluate and compare brand reputation and brand equity from different cultural perspectives.  Brand positioning, image, identify and how to best communicate with the targeted market from various cultural backgrounds are integral part of this module.    

Sustainability: Students will learn the importance of sustainability and corporate social responsibility in marketing and brand management through analysing and evaluate hotel brand reputation and brand equity. How to communicate and support sustainability initiatives to enhance brand image are also included as part of the assessment.    

Resourcefulness and Resilience: Students will be required to use a range of sources to identify relevant datasets, conduct independent and team research from a wide range of sources including relevant companies/organisations, industry publications and work collaboratively to analyse datasets and develop marketing intelligence to make strategic brand management decisions.  This module will also develop students’ resourcefulness and resilience through learning to apply crisis management model to take proactive approach to manage risks and to protect the brand reputation.

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 2023/4 academic year.