BRAND AND LUXURY MANAGEMENT - 1

Brand and Luxury Management is included in the second-year curriculum of the Master’s Degree in Marketing Management and the Master’s Degree in Innovation and Management for Culture and Creativity. The course is structured into two modules which each module of 6 CFU: Brand and Luxury Management – 1 and Brand and Luxury Management – 2.

The course contributes to the development of advanced competencies in strategic marketing, brand management, and luxury brand management, with particular emphasis on contexts in which the brand constitutes a central driver of competitive, symbolic, and experiential value creation.

Module 1 provides the theoretical and conceptual foundations of the course. In particular, it introduces the main concepts and frameworks related to brand management and luxury branding that are necessary to understand the processes through which brands are built, managed, and enhanced in contemporary markets.

The topics covered include positioning, brand identity, brand image, brand equity, the development of brand-based competitive advantage, the strategic management of touchpoints, and the main levers of brand communication. The module also introduces the distinctive features of luxury branding, examining the differences between traditional branding, premium branding, and luxury branding, as well as the role of desirability, exclusivity, and symbolic consistency in the creation of brand value in luxury contexts.

Module 2, building on Module 1, further explores pricing and additional advanced dimensions of luxury brand management. From this perspective, Module 1 provides the theoretical and managerial foundation necessary for the full development of the subsequent course content.

Taken together, the two modules are designed to provide students with an advanced understanding of the processes through which brands create, communicate, and monetize value, with specific attention to premium and luxury contexts.

The course is delivered in English.

By the end of this course (Module 1), students will be able to:

Understand the strategic role of brands in value creation, competitive differentiation, and the development of customer relationships in contemporary markets.
Analyse the main concepts and frameworks of brand management, with particular reference to positioning, brand identity, brand image, and brand equity.
Evaluate how positioning and identity-building contribute to brand coherence and to the development of sustainable brand-based competitive advantage.
Understand the role of touchpoints and brand communication in building, reinforcing, and protecting brand value throughout the customer journey.
Distinguish among traditional branding, premium branding, and luxury branding, recognising the main managerial and symbolic specificities of luxury brands.
Analyse the foundations of luxury branding, with particular attention to exclusivity, desirability, symbolic consistency, heritage, and the management of brand meaning.
Critically assess the contribution of brands to customer value perception and understand how brands shape preferences, meanings, and choice processes.
Apply the concepts and frameworks covered in the course to real business cases, developing coherent analyses and managerial recommendations in brand management and luxury branding.

Connect the contents of Module 1 to the subsequent developments of the course, building the conceptual foundations needed to address the pricing and advanced luxury brand management topics covered in Module 2.

Basic knowledge of marketing management is required.

Module 1 of Brand and Luxury Management focuses on the foundations of brand management and luxury branding, with the aim of providing students with the conceptual and strategic bases needed to understand how brands build value, differentiation, and competitive advantage in contemporary markets.

The first block of the course addresses the main foundations of brand management. This part covers the following topics: the nature and strategic role of brands; competitive positioning; brand identity, brand image, and brand equity; the development and management of brand coherence; the brand as a driver of differentiation and as a strategic asset; and the development of brand-based competitive advantage.

A second block of the course is devoted to brand communication and touchpoint management. This part covers the following topics: the role of communication in building brand value; the main logics of brand communication; the strategic management of touchpoints along the customer journey; consistency between brand identity, messages, and customer experience; and the role of storytelling and symbolic content in shaping brand meaning.

The third block introduces students to the foundations of luxury branding. This part covers the following topics: the specificity of luxury brands compared with traditional and premium branding; the role of exclusivity, desirability, rarity, and heritage; the symbolic and experiential dimensions of luxury; the construction of brand meaning in luxury settings; and the main distinctive elements of luxury brand management.

The course also aims to establish conceptual continuity with Module 2. More specifically, Module 1 provides the foundations needed to understand, in the subsequent part of the course, how brands not only create and communicate value, but also monetise it in premium and luxury settings.

All required course materials are available on Moodle and include:
- booklet articles
- slides

A separate booklet with case studies is also available on Moodle. These case studies are used only for the in-class group presentations and are not part of the exam material.

Compulsory written exam with multiple-choice questions.

Learning will be assessed through a final written test aimed at evaluating students’ knowledge of the main concepts, models, and frameworks discussed during the course, as well as their ability to apply them to examples and business cases related to pricing and luxury brand management.

Exam material:
- booklet articles
- slides.

An optional group assignment, including an in-class presentation, is also available and allows participating students to earn bonus points toward the final grade.

written

The instructor is responsible for ensuring the authenticity and originality of all examinations and coursework. In cases of suspected academic misconduct, an additional on-site assessment may be required during the exams, which may differ from the standard format.

Exam
The exam consists of a single written test. The test is graded on a 30-point scale, corresponding to the standard grading system in thirtieths. A minimum score of 18/30 is required to pass the exam.

Structure of the written test
The exam consists of 20 multiple-choice questions to be completed in 30 minutes.
Each correct answer is worth +1.5 points; each incorrect answer carries a -0.4 point penalty.

The questions are designed to assess:
knowledge of the concepts and models presented during the course;
the ability to apply these concepts to real-world cases and examples;
critical understanding of the course content.

Bonus points for group work
Students who participate in the group project may earn up to +3 bonus points on the final grade, depending on the quality of the analysis, the strength of the managerial recommendations, and the quality of the presentation.

Final grade criteria

Grade range 18–22
Sufficient knowledge and applied understanding of the course content.
Limited ability to make independent judgments and to connect pricing with luxury brand management.
Sufficient communication skills, with adequate use of basic marketing terminology.

Grade range 23–26
Fair knowledge and applied understanding.
Fair ability to make independent judgments and to use the main frameworks covered in the course.
Fair communication skills and relevant use of technical language.

Grade range 27–30
Good or excellent knowledge and applied understanding.
Good or excellent ability to make independent judgments, conduct critical analysis, and apply concepts to managerial settings.
Fully appropriate communication skills, with accurate use of specialised terminology.

Honors (cum laude)
Excellent knowledge and applied understanding luxury brand management, with a rigorous ability to integrate theory, frameworks, and managerial implications.

Lectures, discussion of scholarly and managerial articles, case study analysis, group presentations, guest speakers, and applied in-class discussion.
The course is taught in English.

Module 1 provides the conceptual foundation of the overall course and equips students with the fundamentals of brand management and luxury branding needed for the subsequent developments of Module 2.