Bachelor's Thesis

Proposal for the development of the student company QuickBite brand

Final Thesis 2.22 MB

Author of thesis: Viktória Nagyová

Acad. year: 2025/2026

Supervisor: Ing. Jana Andrýsková

Reviewer: doc. Ing. Robert Zich, Ph.D.

Abstract:

This bachelor thesis focuses on the brand development of a student-led self-service small shop providing snacks and beverages for university students called QuickBite. In the theoretical part, relevant frameworks and concepts are defined in relation to the development of the brand. The analytical part describes the company, brand, influences on the brand from the market environment and how the brand is being perceived. The proposal part recommends, describes and evaluates changes fulfilling the goal of the thesis and developing the brand.

Keywords:

brand, brand development, brand identity, student brand, brand perception, customers, competition

Date of defence

19.06.2026

Result of the defence

Defended (thesis was successfully defended)

znamkaBznamka

Grading

B

Process of defence

In her presentation, the student informed the committee about the objectives, solutions and results she had reached in her thesis. The committee then read the opinions and evaluation of the thesis supervisor and the opponent. The student answered the question from the supervisor's assessment in full, the question from the opponent's assessment in full. Questions from committee members: 1. doc. Zich: Why do you think the visual toolkit is enough for creating a brand in this case? - answered 2. Ing. Ulč: What are the legal aspects of this business? - answered 3. Ing. Ulč: You sold the projet. What was the price? - answered On the basis of the presentation and the answers to the questions asked in the discussion, the committee decided that the student defended the thesis.

Language of thesis

English

Faculty

Fakulta podnikatelská

Department

Institute of Management

Study programme

Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development (BAK-ESBD)

Composition of Committee

doc. Ing. Robert Zich, Ph.D. (předseda)
doc. Ing. Pavla Marciánová, Ph.D. (místopředseda)
Ing. David Havíř, Ph.D. (člen)
Ing. Jakub Ulč (člen)
Ing. Veronika Bumberová, Ph.D. (člen)

Supervisor’s report
Ing. Jana Andrýsková

The author utilizes relevant sources in the field of brand management and brand identity. Key sources include Aaker, Kapferer, Wheeler, Keller, Romaniuk and Sharp, Kotler and Keller, Bresciani and Eppler, Centeno, Hart and Dinnie, and others. I appreciate that the author does not rely solely on basic approaches but supplements them with literature focusing on the specific area of emerging brands. These sources are appropriately cited in the thesis.
The author of the thesis is also a co-founder of the analyzed brand, and it is evident that she draws on her own industry experience throughout the work. The thesis is substantively relevant, logically structured, and meets the assignment requirements. A strength of the thesis is the clear connection between the objective, methodology, analytical section, and proposals. The main objective of the thesis is defined in the assignment as a proposal for the development of the QuickBite brand based on theoretical principles, research, and analysis; the thesis consistently pursues this objective and translates it into strategic, design, and action-oriented levels in the proposal section. A weakness of the thesis is the lack of detail in some of the proposals.

Questions
How could we verify over the long term whether the perception of the QuickBite brand is truly shifting from a purely functional snack spot to a community-oriented student brand?
Which of the parts of the proposal do you consider the most sustainable in the case of a change in the student team that will manage QuickBite in the future?
Evaluation criteria Verbal classification Grade
Splnění stanovených cílů The objective of this thesis has been achieved. The objective is clearly defined: to develop a brand development proposal for the student-run company QuickBite based on theory, research, and analysis. The sub-objectives of the theoretical, analytical, and design sections are interrelated. The theoretical section defines relevant brand development concepts, including the Four Bubbles model, positioning, the Brand Identity Prism, brand elements, and tone of voice; the analytical section identifies internal and external factors; and the design section builds upon these to formulate a brand development framework. B
Zvolený postup řešení, adekvátnost použitých metod The methodological framework is appropriately chosen given the nature of the topic. It is based on fundamental theoretical approaches to brand development. However, these approaches could be more closely linked to the presented concept of brand development for start-up companies: strategy-design-action. The author clearly defines research questions related to the defined problem. She further elaborates on these questions within individual approaches to brand development. In terms of data sources, she combines qualitative and quantitative approaches. I view it positively that the author acknowledges her specific position as a co-founder of QuickBite and attempts to address it methodologically by not being a respondent herself and using her own observations only as a supporting source. I also appreciate that the author is aware of the research’s limitations regarding its potential generalizability. This applies mainly to the questionnaire survey. In the end of theoretical part I miss the teoretical  diagram.  C
Schopnost interpretovat dosažené výsledky a vyvozovat z nich závěry The author attempts to interpret the results in relation to brand identity, customer perception, and design priorities. She handles the distinction between intended brand identity and brand image particularly well. From the questionnaire, she concludes that QuickBite has high awareness within the narrow ESBD community, but the brand is still perceived more functionally and transactionally rather than as a strong community brand. The proposals are based on the conclusions of the analytical section. However, some proposals are of a more general nature and could be elaborated in greater detail. B
Praktická využitelnost výsledků The proposals are practical. I find it very practical that the proposals respect the limited resources of a student project. The work does not assume a costly rebranding but works with low-cost tools: Instagram, POS materials, a mascot, clear labeling of products, prices, and the payment process, simple communication, and an implementation phase. B
Uspořádání práce, formální náležitosti, použitá terminologie a odborná jazyková úroveň The content is clear and logically structured. It is positive that the same framework—strategy, design, action—is applied consistently across the theory, analysis, and proposals. The terminology used is appropriate. The author uses relevant technical terms such as brand identity, brand image, positioning, brand elements, tone of voice, benchmark analysis, identity-image gap, and customer touchpoints. The thesis is comprehensible, but there are grammatical and stylistic errors, imprecise phrasing, and a less academic style in places. C
Práce s informačními zdroji, včetně citací The author utilizes relevant sources in the field of brand management and brand identity. Key sources include Aaker, Kapferer, Wheeler, Keller, Romaniuk and Sharp, Kotler and Keller, Bresciani and Eppler, Centeno, Hart and Dinnie, and others. I appreciate that the author does not rely solely on basic approaches but supplements them with literature focusing on the specific area of emerging brands. These sources are appropriately cited in the thesis. B

Grade proposed by supervisor: C

Reviewer’s report
doc. Ing. Robert Zich, Ph.D.

The thesis is a good and practically useful bachelor thesis. It addresses a relevant and specific problem, uses appropriate theoretical frameworks, and develops a proposal that is logically connected to the analysis. The main strengths are the coherence of the structure, the practical relevance of the proposal, and the clear connection between the identified brand-development gaps and recommended solutions. The main weaknesses are the limited empirical scope, the risk of subjectivity caused by the author’s insider role, and minor language and formal imperfections. These limitations do not significantly reduce the overall contribution of the thesis.
Evaluation criteria Verbal classification Grade
Splnění stanovených cílů The thesis has a clearly defined objective: to propose the development of the QuickBite student company brand based on theoretical principles, research, and analysis. This objective is consistently reflected in the structure of the thesis. The theoretical part defines the relevant branding concepts, the analytical part identifies internal and external factors influencing the brand, and the proposal part formulates a practical framework for brand development. The objective of the thesis can be considered fulfilled. The proposed solution is directly connected to the identified problem: QuickBite already exists as a functional student business, but its brand identity, visual expression, communication, and customer experience are not yet sufficiently formalized. The thesis responds to this problem in a logical and practically oriented way. A limitation is that the research is based on a relatively narrow target group and the student company operates in a very specific environment. This is understandable given the nature of the project, but it limits the broader generalizability of the findings. B
Zvolený postup řešení, adekvátnost použitých metod The chosen approach is appropriate for the topic. The thesis combines literature review, founder interviews, questionnaire research, benchmark analysis, and interpretative synthesis. The use of the strategy–design–action logic gives the thesis a coherent structure and helps connect theory, analysis, and proposals. The Four Bubbles Model, brand positioning, Brand Identity Prism, brand elements, and tone of voice are suitable frameworks for the topic. The methodological part is one of the stronger elements of the thesis because it explains not only which methods were used, but also how they relate to the partial objectives and analytical questions. The main weakness of the methodological approach is the limited depth of some empirical findings. The questionnaire sample is small, although acceptable for the narrow ESBD context. Some parts of the analysis rely strongly on the author’s internal knowledge and interpretation, which is partly justified because the author is one of the co-founders of QuickBite. However, this also creates a risk of subjectivity. The thesis acknowledges this limitation, but a more critical reflection of the author’s insider role would have strengthened the work. C
Schopnost interpretovat dosažené výsledky a vyvozovat z nich závěry The thesis demonstrates a good ability to interpret the results and translate them into meaningful conclusions. The analysis does not remain descriptive; it identifies relevant gaps between intended identity, customer perception, communication, and physical brand presence. A particularly strong aspect is the interpretation that QuickBite is not perceived negatively, but rather insufficiently developed as a brand system. This is an important and well-supported conclusion. The thesis correctly identifies that the main issue is not the absence of awareness, but the limited consistency of brand meaning, visual identity, tone of voice, and customer experience. The conclusions are generally well connected to the analytical findings. Some interpretations could be more critical, especially in relation to the actual feasibility of the proposed communication rhythm, the operational capacity of the student team, and the economic implications of the proposed changes. Nevertheless, the analytical reasoning is mostly convincing. B
Praktická využitelnost výsledků The practical applicability of the thesis is high. The proposal part provides a realistic framework for developing the QuickBite brand without requiring a radical rebranding or major financial investment. The recommendations are appropriate for a small student-led business with limited resources. The proposed positioning, brand essence, visual toolkit, tone of voice, communication framework, point-of-sale improvements, implementation phases, and KPIs form a coherent set of practical recommendations. The thesis correctly treats visual identity, payment instructions, product display, and customer interaction as part of brand development, not merely as operational details. The strongest practical contribution lies in the transformation of QuickBite from a simple snack shelf into a more recognizable ESBD student brand. Some proposals, especially the Instagram rhythm and implementation responsibilities, could be specified in more operational detail, but the overall proposal is usable and well aligned with the stated objective. C
Struktura práce, použitá terminologie a odborná jazyková úroveň The thesis is clearly structured and follows the expected logic of a bachelor thesis. The connection between theoretical, analytical, and proposal parts is apparent. The text is generally understandable and uses relevant professional terminology. The formal quality is acceptable, but there are several language and stylistic imperfections. Some formulations are repetitive, and certain parts of the thesis would benefit from more precise academic wording. There are also minor grammatical issues and occasional awkward phrasing. These shortcomings do not prevent understanding, but they slightly reduce the overall professional impression. The visual materials, tables, and figures support the argumentation well. The use of generated visual examples in the proposal part is helpful for illustrating the intended direction, although the thesis should be careful to distinguish clearly between actual brand materials and illustrative concepts. B
Práce s informačními zdroji The thesis uses relevant sources from the field of branding, including Aaker, Kapferer, Keller, Wheeler, Romaniuk and Sharp, and other authors related to SME branding and brand development. The theoretical background is appropriate for the topic and supports the analytical and proposal parts. The source base is sufficient for a bachelor thesis. Citations are generally used adequately. A stronger critical comparison of theoretical perspectives could improve the theoretical part, especially in distinguishing between brand differentiation, mental availability, and customer relationship approaches. Nevertheless, the work with literature is acceptable and relevant to the objective of the thesis. B
Topics for thesis defence:
  1. How would you ensure continuity of the proposed brand identity and communication system when the current student team leaves QuickBite and new students take over? Which of the proposed measures would you implement first if the team had very limited time and budget, and why? How would you distinguish between operational improvements and real brand-development impact when evaluating the success of the proposal?

Grade proposed by reviewer: C

Responsibility: Mgr. et Mgr. Hana Odstrčilová