PG-927
IV Semester M.B.A. Degree Examination, July 2016
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(CBCS)
MANAGEMENT
4.3.1: Strategic Brand Management
Time : 3 Hours Max. Marks : 70
Answer any five questions, each question carries five marks. (5x5=25)
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SECTION - A
- What is product portfolio analysis ?
- Explain the difference between brand management and product management.
- What is meant by brand extension and stretching and what are the advantages and disadvantages of brand extension ?
- What is celebrity endorsement and update positioning over time ?
- What are the criteria for choosing brand elements ? Discuss.
- Explain different marketing communication options for building the brands and their advantages and disadvantages.
- Discuss the importance of brand valuation and its components.
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SECTION - B
Answer any three questions, each question carries ten marks. (3x10=30)
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- Briefly describe each of the four distinct stages of the product life cycle taking an example each from consumer and industrial products you are familiar with.
- Explain the positioning guidelines for brand building.
- Explain the role of internet for building brands. How would you evaluate the web sites for major brands like Nike, Disney or Lewis ?
- Write short notes on : Kepler brand identity prism model and brand audit.
SECTION - C
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12. Case study compulsory : (1x15=15)
In the final analysis, the market belongs to two brands the No. 1 and the No. 2. They are total opposites of each other. The successful number two brand is the opposite of the successful number one brand. To illustrate, if Coke is for the older kids, Pepsi will go for the younger kids. If IBM is for big companies, then Apple is for small companies. If IBM is corporate button-down, the Apple is wild and crazy. When there are hundreds of brands and competition, a small company can become number two by relating its brand to brand one and then reversing the essence of the leader's position to become the opposite. The option to number three, number four and other runner-up brands is to create a new category where they have the potential to be number one. Instead of choosing this option, the number three choose the quality option. It tries to improve on quality and get into TQM. They want to produce better products, but the customer still views these products with skepticism. His typical question is "If you have a better product, how come you are not the leader ?" There is nothing wrong in having better quality say more H.P. to your car, improved service to the customer and customer satisfaction, But it must be remembered at the same time that the world is highly competitive. Service and knowing the customer and quality, all this can get one into the game. But we are not working in isolation. The competitors are doing the same very things. We can do all these things but still much more important is to have a good strategy. Even if the product has some defects, a good strategy can overcome at least some of these defects. If a Mercedes fails, the customer thinks it is unusual. If a Hyundai fails, it is dismissed as junk; their perception of the product is the prime mover of their perception of reality. When they perceive a good product, they discount the problems. Marketing has to build these favorable perceptions. These can overcome some of the quality problems that may be found. Some companies accept the need to narrow focus but try to do so in self defeating ways. The focus on quality end restrict over of the market (not to go to the low-end where emphasis is on price) is legitimate when we restrict ourselves to high-priced products only. e.g. Mercedes-Benz or BMW, GM sells quality at all prices-levels. "Putting quality on the road" is their slogan. Even GM product includes Mark of Excellence. But Ford is doing the same thing (Quality is Job No. 1 - Ford ad). Chrysler wants to be the best. This is great inside the corporation and appealing at dealer conference. Does any company declare itself as the "the unquality corporation?"
No, everybody stands for quality. As a result, nobody does. You can't narrow the focus with quality or any other idea that does not have proponents for the opposite point of view.
Question :
Appreciate the strategies followed by the leaders, challengers, followers and nichers. How far do you agree with Ries and Trout ? Can you cite some Indian examples to buttress their view point ?
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This download link is referred from the post: BU MBA Last 10 Years 2010-2020 Previous Question Papers || Bangalore University (1st, 2nd, 3rd & 4th Sem)
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