Consumers, Brands and Communications

Module code: MN7011

Focusing on marketing and its relation to consumers, this module will introduce you to the field of consumer research, addressing psychological, cultural, sustainable and socio-political approaches to the subject.

From this foundation, you will then consider how marketers communicate with consumers and influence their behaviour. This module therefore integrates three of the core areas of the marketing curriculum: consumer behaviour, branding and marketing communications. You will discuss a series of tools, which will also enable you to develop your thinking about your dissertation topic and approach. 

This module includes opportunities to implement some of the theories and concepts that you have learned up to that point into a live project. For example, in previous years students on the module have worked with local health providers to research young people’s awareness of NHS Urgent care services.

Topics covered

• Consumer culture and the symbolic meaning of things
• Consumer motivation, values and attitudes
• Consumer involvement and decision making
• Cultural approaches to consumption: self and identity construction through consumption, social structures (class based consumption), gender and consumption
• The sociocultural meaning of brands
• Brand equity and brand loyalty, attitude and positioning, brand awareness
• Building brands through marketing communications: traditional and new media, and ICM messages
• Advertising and promotion
• Brands and social media