Global Brand Strategy: Building Meaning in a Connected Marketplace

Non-Degree / Dates: 13 – 24 July 2026

In today’s dynamic marketplace, brands serve as powerful connectors between businesses and consumers across cultures. Global Brand Strategy: Building Meaning in a Connected Marketplace invites participants to explore how brands create, communicate, and sustain value in a global context while navigating cultural differences and emerging technologies.

Built around classic marketing and management theories, the course emphasizes the integration of strategic analysis, brand positioning, and execution. Participants will examine how global brands build value for consumers and the organization. They will also explore how culture shapes consumer perceptions and brand behavior, gaining insights into managing brands effectively across diverse markets.

A key feature of the course is its focus on generative AI as a tool for enhancing creativity and decision-making in brand strategy. Participants will use AI to analyze market opportunities, craft positioning statements, and develop storytelling strategies that resonate globally.

Through lectures, guest speakers, and company visits, participants will experience how branding comes to life in the European and Estonian marketplace. They will apply what they learn in interactive exercises and a capstone project that challenges them to design an integrated global brand strategy.

Global Brand Strategy: Building Meaning in a Connected Marketplace encourages participants to think strategically, act ethically, and communicate creatively. By the end of the course, they will understand how to develop and manage brand strategies that are culturally sensitive, technologically informed, and globally relevant.

Why this course?

Master the art of global branding. In today’s connected world, the best brands don’t just sell; they build meaning across borders. In this course, you will learn how global brands create value, adapt to cultural differences, and stay relevant in an ever-changing marketplace. You will leave with practical tools and frameworks you can apply to any brand, anywhere.
Use AI to take your creativity further. Generative AI is transforming how marketers work. You will use AI to uncover insights, shape brand strategies, and craft stories that resonate with audiences around the world. It is a chance to blend technology and creativity to make your ideas stand out.
See brand strategy in action. This course is not just a study of marketing theory. You will meet guest speakers with brand strategy expertise, visit local brands, and collaborate on real-world projects. By the end of the course, you will have hands-on experience designing a brand strategy that is globally smart and culturally aware.

Teacher(s)

Don Roy, PhD, is Professor of Marketing at Middle Tennessee State University, USA. He has enjoyed a 30-year career as a marketing educator. Prior to a career in academia, he held positions in department store management, snack food B2B sales, and general manager of a snack food distributorship.

Dr. Roy’s teaching and research interests include brand strategy, sports marketing, and personal branding. His honors and recognition include the MTSU Outstanding Teaching Award, the Marketing Management Association Master Teacher Award, and the Marketing Management Association Fellow.

Dr. Roy’s scholarly research has been published in journals such as Journal of Advertising, Psychology & Marketing, and Sport Marketing Quarterly. He has authored textbooks in sports marketing (co-author) and marketing metrics. He has also self-published three books on personal branding.

Timetable

Classes take place from Monday to Friday 10:00-13:30.

Participants

This course should have broad appeal to a diverse group of individuals, including senior-level students and recent graduates in business and creative fields looking for a competitive edge, marketing professionals seeking to deepen their global marketing expertise, and individuals seeking a career transition or advancement in the marketing field. The course should be limited to 24 participants.