Brand Management
"A brand is a promise. A good brand is a promise kept" - Muhtar Kent. 
The Brand Management course with Professor Anja Forster was an enriching experience as we learnt about Brand Identity, Brand Positioning, Brand Association, Brand Relationship, Brand tonality and the formulation and implementation of Branding Strategies.
The interactions during the lectures about the theories and the exercises to think and apply them to real-world examples helped us to cement our understanding of the concepts. By presenting on exciting brands like Airbus, Boeing, Michael Jordan and UPS, we discussed their holistic branding strategies and did a critical analysis of the same. A splendid learning experience! The course encouraged us to think critically, and equipped us with the necessary tools for holistic Brand Management.

European Financial Markets
The success of an economy depends on the integrity and success of financial markets. Hence understanding them is imperative. In the European Financial Markets course with Professor Dirk Wentzel, we discussed the cycle of flow of funds, the infrastructural elements such as payment systems, and the combination of agents like banks that act as intermediaries. 
'Learning by doing' was the approach. We chose industry relevant topics like Quantum Computing in Finance, benefits and risks of Cryptocurrencies, Digital Euro, Green and Blue Financing initiatives, the role and strategies of Fintech companies in the financial markets and learnt through fruitful interactions and feedback. 
The couple of insightful sessions with Alexander Del Toro Barba, a Machine Learning and Quantum Computing Expert at Google Cloud, on the pros, cons, potential and future of Quantum Computing in Financial Markets blew our minds on the promising future. 
The cherry on top, was the excursion to Deutsche Bundesbank and Deutsche Börse in Frankfurt to observe and learn how money and the related institutions function. We are truly grateful to Professor Dirk Wentzel and Alexander Del Toro Barba for an immersive, insightful and fun shared learning experience.

Multicultural Marketing
The Multicultural Marketing class led by Lydia Michael, author of the book Brand Love and one of our MBA alumni from the US. From the very beginning, the elective course was an enriching experience. The class, consisting of over 20 students from various parts of the world and different programs within our university, brought diverse perspectives to the class. Lydia introduced us to the concept of brand love and guided us through the different stages that brands go through to build strong emotional connections with consumers. The highlight of the course was the final project, where we had to modify a commercial to suit the cultural sensibilities of a different market and effectively market it there. This exercise was both insightful and a lot of fun, providing a practical understanding of how cultural differences impact marketing strategies. We also learned from the best brand campaigns, including the dos and don'ts of multicultural marketing. This module was undoubtedly one of the highlights of the semester.

We are convinced, that a variety of electives as offered in the MBA at Pforzheim University, gives students the freedom to shape their educational journey based on their passions and career aspirations, while also encouraging versatility and interdisciplinary learning.

Text: MBA
Write-ups and photos: Aditya Yardi, Gaurav Singh Chouhan, Girish Rama Varma, all Class of 2025