Digital Branding: Optimising your brand for the latest digital spaces

Part of the ModularMaster in Strategic Digital Marketing programme

Digital has fundamentally shifted communication between brands and their consumers from a one-way broadcast to a two-way dialogue. In a hastened bid to transform their businesses to be digital market-ready, most businesses leave their brands behind in their traditional mode, simply replicate their existing brand message for the digital platform, or are unsure of how to make a transition.

Pressured by the need to make their brands work to meet business objectives, the challenges get compounded. This course will address those vital gaps and give participants an understanding of what digital branding is, in the context of traditional branding and how it can be optimized for the critical role it plays in digital marketing.

Participants will learn how, in an era of sheer mass of information, legendary archetypes can be used to create the positioning differentiation to connect with consumers and be trained on how to craft their own brand story–walking away complete with a Positioning Map Model (which can continually be applied to cater to different product growth cycles or a changing competitive environment) and a Digital Brand Toolkit.

Plan your learning path

This course can be taken as a module on its own or as part of the Graduate Certificate in Digital Marketing Strategies stack and participants will earn 12 subject credits which can also be used towards completing the ModularMaster in Strategic Digital Marketing.

Past Intakes

Intake 3: 8 Jul to 26 Aug 2021
Intake 2: 24 Feb to 14 Apr 2021
Intake 1: 20 Feb to 27 Mar 2020

Who Should Attend

Brand/Marketing/Communications Professionals, Business and Brand Owners
Brand/Web Content Strategists/Writers across industries

Prerequisites
None, but some basic understanding of current social media, digital platforms would be beneficial.

Programme Outline

Learning Objectives and Structure

Understand the function of branding
Understand and differentiate between rational and emotional branding
Understand digital branding
Connect with customers using the Legendary Archetypes approach
Learn the concept, principles, and strategies of Positioning
Learn and create your own Positioning Map
Learn the value of Storytelling and Craft your own Brand Story
Use the Digital Brand Toolkit to build successful digital marketing campaigns

Programme Structure: Participants will go through 4 days of training. Class will reconvene on the 5^th day for a presentation as part of the course assessment.

Day 1

Defining branding, its scope and significance
Discerning the difference between rational and emotional branding and what sways the buying decision
Where does digital branding fit in the context of traditional branding? Evaluating the four ways a brand emerges
Where does digital branding fit in the context of digital marketing? Learning how digital has shifted the communication between brands and their consumers

Day 2

Discovering the secret of legendary archetypes and learning how to connect with consumers using archetypes
Determining your own brand archetype and how to use it to connect with your consumers
Acquiring the Positioning Map Approach to map your competition, to deduce your current positioning and target desired positioning
Learning the concept of positioning and how to distill and articulate your unique positioning

Day 3

Importance of stories and how they are key to the virality of digital content
How to charm with a story - learning story crafting techniques
Crafting your own brand story
- Sharing your brand story and re-crafting to refine
- Gaining insights on how your brand story can be applied to the digital media

Day 4

Building your Digital Brand Toolkit for successful digital marketing
Why brand success equals business success – Learning from other brands
Learning from some big brand failures
Consultation for Final Project Presentation/ Assessment

Day 5

Project Presentation

Assessment

Participants to complete a simple assessment and final project to evaluate course understanding and augment learning outcomes.

Subject Credits

Upon completion and satisfying the requirements of passing this course, learners will be awarded 12 subject credits.

Course Fees and Funding

Full course fee inclusive of prevailing GST	You pay S$3,745.00
SkillsFuture Course Fee subsidy (70%) For Singapore Citizens < 40 years old For Permanent Residents	You pay S$1,123.50
Mid-Career Enhanced Subsidy (90%) For Singapore Citizens ≥ 40 years old	You pay S$423.50
Enhanced Training Support for SMEs (90%) For SME - Sponsored employees	You pay S$423.50

The above module fee payable is inclusive of GST. 1% GST increase in 2023 is absorbed by SUTD.

Instructor

Jean Tan
Adjunct Senior Fellow, SUTD Academy
Brand & Marketing Consultant, Aago Consulting

Jean Tan leads Aago Consulting, an integrative brand and marketing consultancy with clients in industries ranging from Artificial Intelligence, Consumer Goods/FMCGs, Corporate Services, Education, Financial Services, FinTech, Food Solutions & Services, Healthcare & Sciences, Hospitality, Leisure & Travel, Lifestyle & Entertainment, Medical, MICE, Non-Profit Organizations, Online, Real Estate, Theatre & Arts, Trade Associations, Technology to Virtual Reality.

As well as independent assignments, her work includes Enterprise Singapore-funded branding internationalization projects for clients from award-winning start-ups to MNCs: from branding a homegrown artificial intelligence technology SME for global expansion; to marketing the first ever "Bringing Africa to You", Africa and South-East Asia business forum (which launched the Africa South East Asia Chamber of Commerce) – bringing a 100-strong top-ranking African business and political delegation to Singapore; to competitively positioning the latest eco-resort nestled in the beautiful Bijagos Archipelago as the gateway to UNESCO's ecological wonders of the Atlantic.

With 20+ years' track record spanning 20+ countries, Jean has headed Brand and Marketing departments and divisions in Prudential Assurance, Standard Chartered Bank, American Express Int. Inc., MasterCard Int. Inc. and DBS Card Centre. Supported by her teams, she has successfully led the launching of 200+ marketing programmes, franchised-managed 30 banks in three countries, initiated cross- border and cultural marketing in Asia-Pacific, spearheaded corporate sponsorship & global celebrity live events marketing with soccer legends as well as Grammy award-winning artistes, managed high-value platinum customer bases and loyalty marketing, developed marketing and training support for a 3000-strong financial services sales force and executed customer future-value segmentation for a 350,000 customer base.

Her public relations messaging and story-angling has gained coverage in MediaCorp, CNBC, Channel News Asia, The Business Times Singapore (Editorial), The Straits Times, The Sunday Times, Lianhe Zaobao, Smart Investor, Tech in Asia, KillerStartups, NUS Enterprise, Singapore Tatler, Prestige Magazine, Radio 938LIVE, Radio 938NOW, Radio France International, Reuters and Playbill.com.

Jean holds a Degree in Law (Honours) from the National University of Singapore.

Read more.

Policies and Financing Options

SSG Funding Terms and Conditions

Use of Personal Details

In consideration of the subsidy provided by SkillsFuture Singapore Agency (“SSG”) through the SUTD Academy for the Course,

I consent to:

The collection, use and disclosure to relevant third parties of my personal data by the SUTD Academy including but not limited to personal particulars, attendance records, assessment/performance records, for the following purposes:

Reporting of national statistics and conducting of holistic continuing education training research and analysis;
Facilitate the conduct of the relevant surveys and audits in relation to the Course;
General administration of the Course including but not limited to processing of the subsidy provided by SSG;
Publicity and marketing of the Course or other Courses to be provided by SSG or SUTD Academy; and
SSG or its Appointed Auditors or Nominated Representatives to directly contact Course Participant to obtain information deemed necessary for the purposes of conducting effectiveness survey or audits in relation to the Course.

I agree to:

Attend and complete all lectures, class exercises, workshops and assessments;
Complete the Course feedback at the end of the Course;
Complete the post Course survey sent about 3 to 6 months after class attendance; and
Sign up for a personal email account.

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SUTD Terms and Conditions

Methods of Payment

Learn more about the available payment modes.

Cancellation & Refund Policy

If a written notification is sent to sutd_academy@sutd.edu.sg within 24 hours after course registration deadline there will be no cancellation charges. A full refund will be made.
No refund is provided if written notification is more than 24 hours after course registration deadline. SUTD Academy reserves the rights to collect the full fee amount from the participant.

Replacement Policy

Companies may replace participants who have signed up for the course by giving a 3-working day notice before the course commencement date to sutd_academy@sutd.edu.sg. Terms and conditions apply.

Registration Policy

Course may be cancelled due to insufficient participants. SUTD Academy will not be responsible or liable in any way for any claims, damages, losses, expenses, costs or liabilities whatsoever (including, without limitation, any direct or indirect damages for loss of profits, business interruption or loss of information) resulting or arising directly or indirectly from any course cancellation.
Course enrolment is based on a first-come, first-served basis.
SUTD Academy reserves the right to change or cancel any course or instructor due to unforeseen circumstances.

Types of Funding

Funding under Mid-Career Enhanced Subsidy ("MCES")

MCES is an enhanced Subsidy to encourage mid-career individuals to upskill and reskill, thereby helping them to remain competitive and resilient in the job market. With this, all Singaporeans aged 40 and above will receive higher subsidies of up to 90% course fee subsidy for SSG-funded certifiable courses.
Individuals/employers are not required to submit an application for the MCES. Those pursuing SSG-funded programmes will be charged the appropriate subsidised fees by SUTD Academy if they are eligible MCES. Individuals/employers will only need to pay the nett fee (full course fee after SSG's grant).

For more info, please visit SkillsFuture website at https://www.skillsfuture.gov.sg/enhancedsubsidy

Funding under Enhanced Training Support for SMEs ("ETSS")

ETSS is an enhanced funding to enable SMEs to send their employees for training.
SMEs will enjoy subsidies of up to 90% of the course fees when they sponsor their employees for SSG-funded certifiable courses.
In addition to higher course fee funding, SMEs can also claim absentee payroll funding of 80% of basic hourly salary at a higher cap of $7.50 per hour. SMEs may apply for the absentee payroll via the SkillsConnect system.
To qualify, SMEs must meet all of the following criteria:
- Organisation must be registered or incorporated in Singapore
- Employment size of not more than 200 or with annual sales turnover of not more than $100 million
- Trainees must be hired in accordance with the Employment Act and fully sponsored by their employers for the course
- Trainees must be Singapore Citizens or Singapore Permanent Residents

For more info, please visit SSG website at https://www.ssg.gov.sg/programmes-and-initiatives/funding/enhanced-training-support-for-smes1.html

Funding under Union Training Assistance Programme ("UTAP")

UTAP is a training benefit for NTUC members to defray their cost of training. This benefit is to encourage more union members to go for skills upgrading.

NTUC members enjoy 50% unfunded course fee support for up to $250 each year when you sign up for courses supported under UTAP (Union Training Assistance Programme).

For more info, please visit https://e2i.com.sg/individuals/ntuc-education-and-training-fund/.