How did I learn to actually manage a brand in my own company?

My name is Lauri and I am a third-year bachelor’s student in Economics at the University of Tartu. When applying to university, I had heard that the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration at the University of Tartu is a great place for those who want to seriously pursue entrepreneurship or business in the future. That is what convinced me to come here.

At the beginning of my studies, I did not yet have a clear understanding of which field I saw myself in. However, already in my first year, I developed a strong interest in marketing, and today it has become the field I work in on a daily basis.

What I like about the faculty is the wide range of opportunities. You just need to be proactive and take advantage of them. Practical courses, student organizations, projects, internships, and lecturers who are top specialists in their field all provide a strong foundation for development. A good example is the University of Tartu Marketing Club, where I have spent three years both as a member and as a leader. In my opinion, you can simply sit through three years at university, or you can do something extra to create meaningful experiences and find like-minded people.

I chose the course “Marketing Management” quite deliberately. By that point, I had already worked in marketing for over a year and a half, completed several internships, and even started my own marketing agency, Disait, the previous summer. It felt like a natural step to take a course that would help me better make sense of my experience and take it to the next level. I was also increasingly interested in understanding how branding actually works and why it should be managed consciously.

The course was taught by Professor Andres Kuusik, whose experience and background gave me confidence from the start. I had attended his lectures before and knew they were well-structured, insightful, and full of practical examples. Because of that, I approached this course with the expectation that I would gain something valuable.

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So what did we actually do in the course?

As mentioned earlier, the course focused primarily on branding: what it is, how to create it, how to manage it, and what different aspects are involved. Although the role of a marketing manager was not discussed directly, it felt like the core focus was on managing processes. Over time, I realized that a large part of marketing management is precisely about the conscious shaping and maintaining of a brand.

The course mainly consisted of weekly lectures, along with two major group assignments. In one of them, we interviewed marketing managers from two companies to better understand how marketing is managed in real life. Our group interviewed marketing managers from Bigbank and Galtech. It was interesting to compare how a large company (operating in a strictly regulated sector) handles marketing mostly in-house, while a startup outsources much of its marketing activities. Another notable point was that both companies had three people working in marketing, despite being very different in size and structure. These interviews highlighted how important the analytical side of marketing management is, which is often underestimated.

In the second group assignment, we conducted a marketing and brand audit of the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration / Delta Management School. This required a more in-depth analysis: gathering information, interpreting it, and providing a reasoned evaluation of current marketing and branding activities. This assignment stood out the most to me, as it clearly demonstrated that a brand is not just a visual identity or a slogan, but a holistic perception that must be managed consistently and strategically.

Another important aspect I have not yet mentioned is that the course was taught in English. This meant that international students also participated, which created opportunities to build connections beyond my own study group. I have heard that some students are hesitant about courses taught in English, but in this case there is no need to worry. On the contrary, the diverse backgrounds of students added fresh perspectives, and since the topic was engaging, it was easy to follow in English.

The course concluded with an exam that brought together all the key topics.

Why would I recommend this course to others?

For me, this course went deeper than many other marketing courses. Professor Andres Kuusik’s lectures were engaging and filled with real-life examples. For instance, he talked about projects related to the City of Tartu, Telia, and Startup Day, in which he has personally been involved. This added credibility to the course, and it was also simply interesting to hear those stories.

Although I already had some prior experience in marketing, this course opened up a new level of understanding for me, which I was able to apply directly to my own projects. Especially in terms of thinking about branding not only creatively, but also strategically. For example, I have already started applying conscious positioning in my work with clients.

I would recommend this course primarily to students interested in marketing or entrepreneurship, but also to those already working in marketing who want to structure their knowledge more systematically. As one of the three marketing courses in the curriculum, it is, in my opinion, a logical choice. Those who benefit the most are students who are willing to think critically, analyze, and see marketing as more than just running campaigns.