Understanding the Strength of Brands: MBM Students Attend Guest Lecture by Expert
Eirini Bazaki Sheds Light on How Successful Brand Campaigns are Built
What makes a strong brand, and what are the lessons that successful brand campaigns can teach us?
These were the questions that Eirini Bazaki sought to answer in her guest lecture ‘How Brand Elements Are Communicated Through a Campaign’, delivered to a group of Wittenborg MBM students in Apeldoorn on 11 January.
Bazaki is the Programme Leader for the popular Master of Arts in Fashion Marketing & Branding at the Winchester School of Art, University of Southampton. In addition to her academic career, she is a digital marketing and brand strategist, author and consultant.
At the start of her session, she presented examples of strong brands and discussed the elements that make a strong brand identity. Next, the lecture addressed the concept of brand equity, as well as its multiple dimensions and proposed ways to enhance it.
“We also talked about the importance of the 3Ps – brand promise, brand positioning, brand performance – and the role of communications in realising them. Finally, we closed the activity by discussing examples of successful brand campaigns. We looked at the concept behind each campaign, its aims, the importance of the audience and of the campaign message, how brand identity was carried out through and successful multi-channel marketing actions,” Bazaki highlighted.
The guest lecturer's main message was that it all starts with building a strong brand identity, which must be clearly and consistently communicated through every action and across different platforms. She pointed out that the participants were really engaged in the activity and interested in the subject matter.
“The students were curious, enthusiastic, responsive, participative and respectful; I felt honoured and inspired. They made many insightful comments about the role of social media managers as well as marketing trends, and they also participated by collectively creating a word cloud that illustrated what the brand identity elements are,” she said.
South African MBM student Jacques Jordaan, specialising in Digital Marketing and Communication, said that he thoroughly enjoyed the session, which inspired him to approach brand communication with creativity, strategic foresight and a deep understanding of consumer psychology.
"Through activities like this, students gain valuable insights into real-world marketing strategies, as well as a deeper understanding of branding principles and consumer behaviour. These guest lectures give us the opportunity to apply in practice the theoretical knowledge we've gained, enhancing our critical thinking and problem-solving skills within a professional context. Additionally, by allowing us to engage with industry experts and peers, Wittenborg cultivates a collaborative learning environment, which nurtures networking opportunities and professional development."
WUP 04/03/2024
by Ulisses Sawczuk