Master's Thesis

Strengthening Brand Awareness through Modern Marketing Communication

Final Thesis 2.93 MB Appendix 1.56 MB

Author of thesis: Ing. Miriam Bandíková

Acad. year: 2025/2026

Supervisor: Ing. František Milichovský, Ph.D., MBA, DiS.

Reviewer: Ing. Jana Hornungová, Ph.D.

Abstract:

This thesis analyzes the marketing communication of the company FIN, spol. s r.o., operating in the food industry for over thirty years. Despite its stable market position, the company primarily relies on traditional marketing tools and does not sufficiently reflect current trends. The aim of the thesis is to evaluate the effectiveness of the company’s marketing communication and its impact on customer behavior at selected retail branches. The theoretical part explains basic concepts of marketing communication and consumer behavior. The practical part is based on an audit and direct observation. The thesis concludes with recommendations for improving marketing communication.

Keywords:

marketing communication, consumer behavior, marketing audit, retail, customer observation, food industry, marketing tools

Date of defence

12.06.2026

Result of the defence

Defended (thesis was successfully defended)

znamkaDznamka

Grading

D

Process of defence

In his presentation, the student informed the committee about the objectives, solutions and results he had reached in his thesis. The committee then read the opinions and evaluation of the thesis supervisor and the opponent. The student answered the questions from the opponent's assessment in full. Questions from committee members: 1. doc. Konečná - Do the costs for the communication training include only the fee for the course? - answered 2. doc. Konečná - What are the other costs of communication training? - answered 3. doc. Doskočil - How did you come up with the proposals? - answered 4. doc. Doskočil - Is any of the proposals more important than the others? - 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

Department of Management

Study programme

International Business and Management (MGR-IBM)

Composition of Committee

doc. Ing. Zdeňka Konečná, Ph.D. (předseda)
doc. Ing. Radek Doskočil, Ph.D., MSc (místopředseda)
Ing. Jan Budík, Ph.D., MBA (člen)
Ing. František Milichovský, Ph.D., MBA, DiS. (člen)
Ing. David Schüller, Ph.D. (člen)

Supervisor’s report
Ing. František Milichovský, Ph.D., MBA, DiS.

This thesis evaluates the marketing communication tools used by a bakery manufacturer and retailer at two existing locations. The individual proposals offer potential for change and appropriate adjustments to the company’s communication activities. However, their presentation is general, and it is necessary to update the information provided before implementation. Overall, the thesis is of slightly below-average quality and can be considered a basis for implementation that fulfills the stated main objective of the work.
Evaluation criteria Verbal classification Grade
Meeting the objectives The thesis contains two formulations of objectives that are very similar in substance but differ in wording. This may lead to a perceived conflict in the evaluation of the thesis. The individual proposals presented in the thesis support the level of marketing communication in the selected market. However, their level of elaboration is weaker, and they can be viewed as a basic overview of activities that could be implemented under the given conditions, but only after appropriate "updating." D
Selected procedure of the solution, the adequacy of the used methods The approach chosen and the methods used are consistent with the topic of the thesis. I appreciate the use of the VRIO model as a positive aspect; it is rarely employed and can be considered a high-quality tool for evaluating the internal environment. Minor shortcomings can be found in the implementation of the methods used, particularly in the evaluation process. However, these shortcomings do not significantly affect the overall quality of the thesis. B
The ability to interpret the results and to draw conclusions Výsledky z marketingového prostředí (analýza PEST a Porter's analyses of five forces) jsou uvedeny obecně, stručně a spíše popisně. V případě Porter'S analyses of five forces není uveden popis competitive rivality, čímž dochází ke zkreslení celé situace na trhu. Tato absence je částečně kompenzována analýzou konkurenční marketingové komunikace, uvedené v kapitole 3.8 (s.71-76). Overall, the analytical section of the thesis is of a lower standard. The proposals themselves are also of a lower standard and fully reflect the quality of the analytical section. D
The practical usability of conclusions The proposals listed above and their descriptions are very brief, even vague. As presented, they amount to "a useless piece of advice" that is more in the nature of general recommendations than specific proposals. D
The thesis´s framework, formalities, used terminology and the professional level of language The thesis is 92 pages long (counting from the Introduction to the Conclusion). The format and size of the included elements (especially the tables) are such that they detract from the overall quality of the thesis. There is unnecessary white space on a number of pages in the theoretical section (e.g., pages 32, 35, or 42). In the analytical section of the thesis, I find that a visualization of the existing communication tools is missing - while not essential, it would be helpful to illustrate the current situation. This subsequently leads to a certain decline in quality in the design section. B
Using of information resources, including citations A check of the thesis in the THESES system revealed an 16 % match. After manually reviewing the thesis, I conclude that the overlap occurred primarily in the theoretical section, specifically in parts that are very difficult to rephrase. All identified instances of similarity include citations of the sources used. I consider the submitted thesis to be an original work. The selected sources are of high quality and relevant to the assigned topic. The citations of the sources meet the requirements for a university thesis. In the analytical section of the thesis, there is a reduction in - or even a complete absence of - citations. The reason for this is that the student focuses on her father’s family business and is intimately familiar with the environment in question, also from her position as an employee. D

Grade proposed by supervisor: D

Reviewer’s report
Ing. Jana Hornungová, Ph.D.

The diploma thesis focuses on analyzing the current marketing communication of FIN company and proposing strategic recommendations to increase its brand awareness within the B2C segment. The author correctly identified the critical gap between the high quality of the company's products and its weak digital visibility. Although the main objective was formally met, significant reservations must be raised regarding the final, practical implementation phase of the research. The theoretical section provides a standard, solid overview of marketing concepts, the communication mix, consumer behavior, and digital marketing. Conceptually, the analytical part is well-executed. By combining customer interviews, on-site branch observations, and a thorough audit of communication channels, the author gathered clear insights. However, the proposual section is a major disappointment and presents a severe disproportion to the overall scope of a diploma thesis. Considering the extensive analysis, the final recommendations are extremely brief and shallow. The thesis fails to deliver a fully-fledged, actionable marketing project. Crucial managerial requirements of a Master’s thesis are completely absent— namely a project timeline, clear delegation of responsibilities, a detailed cost calculation (Budget), and metrics to measure success (KPIs). Due to the high generality of the proposals, missing economic calculations, and crude formatting errors in large data tables, I suggest grading the thesis as satisfactory.
Evaluation criteria Verbal classification Grade
Meeting the objectives E
Selected procedure of the solution, the adequacy of the used methods C
The ability to interpret the results and to draw conclusions D
The practical usability of conclusions E
The thesis´s framework, used terminology and the professional level of language In the practical section, the author utilizes extremely extensive tables that mechanically flow across multiple pages. These tables completely lack a repetition of the header row on continuing pages. As a result, the reader easily loses track of which data belongs to which column.  D
Using of information resources C
Topics for thesis defence:
  1. 1. Please present a concrete marketing budget structure for the first year of implementation. What real financial costs will the company have to allocate?
  2. 2. What specific Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) would you recommend to the management to track and objectively evaluate after 3 and 6 months whether your general recommendations are successfully building brand awareness in the B2C segment?

Grade proposed by reviewer: D

Responsibility: Mgr. et Mgr. Hana Odstrčilová