Building Strong Brands
Kellogg School of Management
The Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, founded in 1908 as the Northwestern University School of Commerce, is a private, university-affiliated business school located in Evanston, Illinois, with a presence in downtown Chicago. From its inception, Kellogg has fostered a culture of collaboration and analytical rigor, aiming to develop leaders who can navigate complex global challenges. The school's academic philosophy centers on a general management approach, emphasizing cross-functional understanding, practical application, and a strong focus on leadership development and innovation.Accreditations and RankingsAccreditations:AACSB International (The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business) - accredited since 1916EQUIS (EFMD Quality Improvement System) - accredited since 2004AMBA (Association of MBAs) - accredited since 2004Rankings:Financial Times Global MBA Ranking 2024: #9Bloomberg Businessweek Best B-Schools (US) 2023-24: #1QS Global MBA Rankings 2024: #10U.S. News & World Report Best Business Schools 2024: #2 (tied)Executive Education at a GlanceKellogg School of Management's executive education programs are particularly known for their strengths in leadership, marketing, strategy, and innovation, reflecting the school's core academic expertise. The portfolio includes both open enrollment programs for individuals and custom programs tailored for organizations. Programs are delivered in various formats, including intensive in-person sessions at the Evanston and Chicago campuses, fully online courses, and blended learning experiences. Durations range from short, focused two-day workshops to multi-week certificate programs. Flagship offerings include the Advanced Management Program (AMP) and various Executive Scholar Certificate programs in areas such as Leadership, Marketing, and Finance. Open enrollment program costs typically range from approximately $5,000 for shorter online courses to over $70,000 for comprehensive multi-week programs like the AMP. Limited scholarships are available for select programs, often targeting non-profit leaders or specific underrepresented groups.Campus and FacilitiesKellogg's primary campus is the Global Hub in Evanston, Illinois, a modern, lakeside facility on the shores of Lake Michigan within Northwestern University's campus. This architectural landmark features flexible classrooms, collaborative learning spaces, and advanced technology designed to foster interaction and innovation among participants. The Global Hub's design encourages spontaneous collaboration and provides an immersive learning environment. Additionally, Kellogg maintains a presence in downtown Chicago at Wieboldt Hall, offering convenient access for professionals in the city's business district. The Evanston location provides a focused, collegiate atmosphere, while its proximity to Chicago offers participants access to a major global business hub, allowing for real-world application and networking opportunities within a diverse urban economy.Faculty and ResearchKellogg School of Management boasts a large and internationally diverse faculty, comprising scholars and practitioners recognized for their groundbreaking research and practical insights. The faculty's research strengths are particularly prominent in areas such as marketing, organizational behavior, finance, strategy, and entrepreneurship. Kellogg faculty are adept at bridging academic theory with real-world business challenges, ensuring that executive education participants gain actionable knowledge. The school is home to several notable research centers and institutes, including the Kellogg Center for Executive Women, the Zell Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies, and the Center for Research in Technology & Innovation, all of which contribute to the curriculum and thought leadership in executive programs.Student Body, Alumni, and Career OutcomesKellogg's executive education cohorts are characterized by their international diversity, drawing participants from a wide range of industries, functions, and geographic regions. This rich mix fosters a dynamic peer-learning environment, where executives share varied perspectives and experiences. The Kellogg alumni network is extensive and influential, comprising over 65,000 individuals across more than 120 countries. Alumni hold leadership positions in major corporations, startups, and non-profit organizations globally, particularly concentrated in consulting, technology, finance, and consumer goods. While executive education programs do not typically offer formal career placement services, participants benefit from enhanced leadership capabilities, expanded professional networks, and the prestige of a Kellogg credential, which often supports career advancement and transitions into more senior roles.
Next Available Cohort
Choose your preferred start date
All-inclusive program fee
Duration
5 days
Format
in-person
Topic
Marketing
Language
English
About This Program
Why Kellogg School of Management?
Kellogg School of Management stands out for its distinctive emphasis on collaborative leadership, a deep integration of marketing and strategy, and a commitment to developing leaders who drive innovation. Its programs are designed for executives seeking to enhance their general management capabilities through a highly interactive and team-oriented learning environment.
Your Profile
- Managers who are responsible for brands and want to refine their skills
- Marketers looking to develop their capabilities in brand building
- Leaders who want to elevate the role of branding in their organization
Benefits
- Understand how brands create value and how to use them to create a competitive advantage
- Develop a systematic approach to brand management and a sound framework for building strong brands
- Learn how to craft distinctive brand positioning and how to communicate the brand story online
- Understand the brand dynamics and the key principles of building brand portfolios
- Identify methods for evaluating your brand and measuring brand performance
What You'll Learn
- Pre-Program Modules: Building Strong Brands - Learn the unique role of brands as a marketing tool. It delineates the differences between product and brand management, examines the ways in which brands create market value, and presents the concepts of brand equity and brand power.
- Pre-Program Modules: Designing the Brand - Understand key brand attributes and core principles in designing the brand, including: defining the brand name, designing the brand logo and soundmark, creating the brand motto and character, and crafting the product design and packaging.
- Pre-Program Modules: Communicating the Brand - Explore key principles in developing a successful brand communication campaign, including: brand-building focus, visionary approach, authentic message, impactful design, and ethical implementation.
- Pre-Program Modules: Crafting the Brand Architecture - Unpack the concept of brand architecture and addressed the issues involved in designing and managing brand portfolios and cobranding. Specific topics include: managing brand and product portfolios, defining the brand hierarchy, cobranding as a tool for creating market value, developing a viable cobranding strategy, and managing private label brand architecture.
- Pre-Program Modules: Managing Brand Dynamics - Discover how to best manage brands over time, including: the essence of brand extensions, vertical and horizontal brand extensions, brand repositioning, brand realignment, and brand licensing.
- In-Person Program Modules: Strategic Brand Management - The brand is a marketing tool that managers use to create a meaningful image of the company and its offerings in people’s minds. By doing so, brands create value for customers and influence their market behavior, which in turn creates value for the company. In this session, we will provide an overview of brand management as a core business function and will outline the key principles for building strong brands.
- In-Person Program Modules: Building Lifestyle Brands - Brands are means of self-expression. We will discuss the reasons for the proliferation of lifestyle brands and why many companies are considering repositioning their offerings from focusing on functional benefits to emphasizing self-expressive, identity-relevant positioning. We will also address the key drawbacks of lifestyle branding and discuss scenarios in which lifestyle branding can be beneficial to companies.
- In-Person Program Modules: Growing the Brand - The challenge for brand leaders is finding ways to grow. This involves thinking broadly about potential growth avenues – from new product ideas to brand building initiatives. This session will use a case study about Pedigree dog food to explore the challenge and consider strategic options and trade-offs.
- In-Person Program Modules: Building Brands in Business Markets - Through an interactive case study, discover how the Miele brand successfully tackles challenges in building and managing a global luxury brand in a B2B context.
- In-Person Program Modules: Defending Your Brand - Any strong brand will face competitive threats, and the better your brand the more likely you will have to deal with new entrants. In these sessions, we will review why defense is so important, how to evaluate competitive threats and ways brands can respond. Defensive strategy is a somewhat hidden side of branding; this module will bring it to life.
- In-Person Program Modules: Building Luxury Brands - The focus of this module is to understand how to manage luxury brands. Luxury is about creating a meaningful brand image in people’s minds that will result in, among other things, greater willingness to allocate part of their discretionary income to acquire these brands.
- In-Person Program Modules: Rejuvenating the Brand - Once a brand reaches maturity it often faces an existential challenge: how to continue to grow. In this module, we will discuss alternative strategies for rejuvenating mature brands. The discussion is centered on the Harley-Davidson case and the challenges the CMO faces in attracting younger riders to reverse the decline in its market share.
- In-Person Program Modules: Branding at the Bottom of the Pyramid - In this module, we will discuss the challenges facing companies targeting low-income consumers and will outline strategies for growth in this segment. The discussion is centered on the Beleza Natural case, which highlights the importance of understanding customer needs and role of brands as a means of creating market value while fulfilling the company’s social mission.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to Apply
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Check your eligibility
Review the entry requirements listed on this page. Most executive programs require 8–15 years of professional experience.
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Gather your CV, reference letters, and any required test scores. Many EMBA programs waive standardised tests for senior candidates.
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