The branding strategy for Solvay Brussels School in Vietnam

TRƯỜNG ĐẠI HỌC MỞ TP.HCM

HO CHI MINH CITY OPEN UNIVERSITY

UNIVERSITÉ LIBRE DE BRUXELLES

SOLVAY BRUSSELS SCHOOL

MBMM4

Le Minh Duc

The Branding Strategy for

Solvay Brussels School in Vietnam

MASTER PROJECT

MASTER IN BUSINESS & MARKETING MANAGEMENT

Tutor’s name: Prof. Marianne Claes

Ho Chi Minh City

(2011)

i

DECLARATION

I declare that this study does not incorporate without acknowledgment any material

previously submitted for a degree or diploma in any university; and that to the best

of knowledge it does not contain any materials previously published or written by

another person except where due reference is made in the text.

…………………………………………….

Le Minh Duc.

Master of Business and Marketing Management – Intake 4

February 24th

, 2010

ii

ACKNOWNLEDGEMENT

I would like hereby to express my sincere gratitude towards many individuals who

have given me encouragement and supports to finish this thesis.

Firstly, I really appreciate the knowledge that I have got from the program of

Master of Business Management and Marketing that Solvay Brussels School

Vietnam in coordination with The Open University offer to us. This includes the

interesting lectures that the professors of the programs have conducted. Besides, I

found it very useful those additional courses given by Dr Kieu, Dr Tuan for

orientation and thesis guiding instructions. Many deep thanks for that.

My special thanks are for Professor Marianne Claes as my tutor, who, despite of

here heavy schedule, has guided, given advice, and supported me to go to the finish

with this thesis. More importantly she has given so much encouragement spiritually

upon some difficulties I was confronted at the start of the new job and life incidents.

I would also like to thank Professor Jean Pierre Baeyens, who has inspired me to

this subject. I feel that this is not a complete piece of work that can be applicable to

the school as his expectation but I hope to continue further with this subject.

Last but not least, I really thank very much Serge Bywalski, Chi Nguyen Thi Mong

Thuy and Ngoc Hien who have given me favorable conditions to implement this

thesis. I would also name here my classmate Le Quang Vinh for his nice company

in the class and group work.

All the good results of my study and then in work and life, I would like to offer to

my Mom for her GREATNESS.

Thank you very much!

iii

TUTOR’S COMMENTS

iv

CONTENT

DECLARATION....................................................................................................................i

ACKNOWNLEDGEMENT..................................................................................................ii

TUTOR’S COMMENTS......................................................................................................iii

CONTENT............................................................................................................................iv

LIST OF FIGURES ...............................................................................................................v

LIST OF TABLES................................................................................................................vi

I. ABSTRACT..................................................................................................................1

1. Background to the topic of thesis ..............................................................................1

2. Executive summary....................................................................................................1

3. Objectives of the thesis..............................................................................................2

4. Scope of the thesis .....................................................................................................3

II. LITERATURE REVIEW..............................................................................................3

1. Brand and Branding ...................................................................................................3

2. Brand equity (customer based brand equity) .............................................................4

3. Brand identity and Brand Image................................................................................7

4. Positioning and Value proposition.............................................................................8

III. BRANDING STRATEGY ...........................................................................................9

1. Strategy formulation ..................................................................................................9

2. Information about Solvay Brussels School (SBS)...................................................10

2.1 Solvay Brussels School....................................................................................10

2.2 Solvay Brussels School in Vietnam (SBS-VN)...............................................11

3. Market Analysis.......................................................................................................13

3.1 Post graduate education ...................................................................................13

3.2 Competitors......................................................................................................14

4. Research...................................................................................................................16

4.1 Research rationale and question ......................................................................16

4.2 Methodology....................................................................................................17

4.3 Sampling ..........................................................................................................18

4.4 Data collection .................................................................................................19

4.5 Data presentation and findings ........................................................................19

5. Brand Building.........................................................................................................26

5.1 Positioning .......................................................................................................26

5.2 Value proposition.............................................................................................27

5.3 Brand building block .......................................................................................28

IV. CONCLUSION ..........................................................................................................33

V. REFERENCES AND APPENDIXES.........................................................................34