Brand Manager – Roles, Skills, Benefits and Career Scope in 2024

Brand managers are one of the essential job position holders in any brand house you look at. This is because of the key role they play in helping the company flourish and promote itself in specific places.

Brand management is a concept of marketing a brand mane and the products labeled after the brand name. Brand management in digital marketing not only helps in marketing the product but also helps in improving the Brand reputation and brand value.

Creating a planned brand marketing strategy helps better in building a better brand and constructing planned growth.

Becoming a brand manager is not that easy, after all. It is because the brand manager's career path is not quite a smooth road to walk on. It has more challenges and subjects to master than the other certifications in the industry, along with more concepts and knowledge requirements.

They also have to train in brand history, i.e., knowing everything about the brand they aspire to work for. The brand managers also maintain statistical data and the content of the clients' websites. Well, now it is simplified by computer and smartphone applications like Brand Manager 360.

Brand Manager Duties and Responsibilities

The brand manager duties are hard to be performed without proper knowledge about the company they work for and the agenda they need to support. They are as follows:

The protection of the brand: Brand managers serve as the guardians of honor for the brands they work for. They make sure that everything promised by their company and the products that are delivered to customers match up so that it can open up the customer base even further and help the brand grow.

For instance, when allegations surfaced about Facebook selling user data, Facebook's brand manager took a stance against this event and tried to defend the company. Not only did it help the company to gain its customer trust back, but, it also served as an instilment of trust of potential customers.

• The inter-department chief:

To maintain overall brand excellence, their focus spans all departments, preventing potential sidelining that could compromise product quality and company values. Ensuring seamless operations, they prioritize the timely execution of tasks across all departments. Collaborating with product development, marketing, finance, and stakeholders, they sculpt a positive market image, paving the way for future brand growth.

This inter-departmental relationship theory is best illustrated by the case of Google's brand manager. They coordinate with various departments of Google, starting with Google Maps and ending with the Search Engine Technical Team, and ensure that everything is alive and kicking for customers to be satisfied.

Even the most intricate departments of Google, like the team that designs the Google logo, are coordinated with and provided work on a regular basis in order to keep up the working spirit and resist the development of fatigue in any member.

• Marketing agency relationship and coordination maintenance:

They assist in establishing connections with customers and market competitors by coordinating with advertising industries with the assistance of the marketing team to attract the attention of potential customers. They do this as per the brand guidelines and follow the purpose of the company throughout in order to build proper communication.

The brightest example of this quality can be seen in the brand manager glassdoor. Glassdoor is an online platform that allows former and current employees of any company to rate and discuss the company online and leave a review to let people know about the internal happenings (not secrets) of the company.

Maintaining a proper relationship with these employees is very necessary, as they are a potential resource for Glassdoor. Hence, their identity is anonymous to everyone on the internet, including the company personnel themselves.

• Maintain customer faith:

Market trends play a pivotal role in guiding brands to maintain their competitive edge and relevance. These trends usher in three distinct scenarios.

Firstly, a brand can surge ahead of the trend, unveiling superior products that captivate attention and set new standards. Secondly, brands may introduce products strategically, fostering intense competition that relies on customer loyalty to determine the market leader.

However, the most disheartening possibility is when a brand falls behind due to technological or feature disparities. In response, companies either invest in future innovation or diversify their strengths beyond the lagging aspect.

Ultimately, customer choices are informed by these dynamics, with brand managers assuming a crucial role as key decision-makers in shaping the course of action.

For instance, Apple's brand manager decides whether to release more cameras or more security in order to outdo the rival smartphone companies that sell Android phones.

• Key role in decision making:

Brand managers play a crucial role in the organization, as they need to coordinate with the senior management teams in order to take path-breaking decisions that can change the face of the brand forever in the market. This is done through detailed analysis and considering feedback regarding the company in order to track brand activity and brand managers role.

The campaigns of the brands are taken into consideration, and the success factors as well as the failure factors are taken into consideration. This can happen on a general basis as well as in a specific area scale.

This helps in making valuable decisions regarding the product. After all, halting the release of a product in some areas might damage the financial condition of the company to some extent, which is recoverable. But if its reputation gets damaged due to its release, that would be a disaster.

This can be best observed in the case of brand manager Bacardi in many parts of the globe. When the BACARDI CARTA ORO© was launched in India in order to check the audience reaction, only a handful of people actually wanted to taste it.

This was because it looked quite different from other rums on the market. It was golden yellow in color and people preferred to buy the regular black and white rum they bought regularly.

This led to the brand manager deciding that the loyalty of customers towards the specific product of the brand was better. Changing it could have disastrous effects on the sale of the brand.

They called off the alcohol from the Indian market, and it is only available at specific high-end bars, and hence, it has not grown in popularity there.

Applying for Brand Manager Jobs

Here are some pre-requisites which help an aspiring brand manager secure a job at his/her dream brand. The brand manager's salary is determined by the experience, educational qualifications, certifications, and presentations of the candidate.

However, the average brand manager salary for brand manager entry-level jobs is $88,000 annually. A certified brand manager has higher salary chances than non-certified members.

• Experience required to be a brand manager:

The brand manager experience is one of the crucial things required in order to acquire a job in any company. Experience can be counted through your work for any big brand as well as a blue-chip company.

This is just a check on the marketing discipline of any candidate. This gives the candidate the upper hand over any competitors applying for the same job.

More experience means less training by the company, and any company would love to have someone who already knows the working mechanism rather than investing in someone who needs to be taught.

• Brand manager education requirements:

A brand manager degree is live proof of brand manager education. Acquiring a degree in brand management or any area similar to it helps the candidate in an interview. This also includes the degree in marketing, as brand management is similar to marketing in some aspects.

The astounding fact is that the ratio of brand managers with and without a degree is 1:2. This means that if you possess a degree, you are sure to have a job as a brand manager in the current market scenario.

• Skills required to be a brand manager:

Skills are the most important traits in every individual’s job resume. Similarly, a brand manager resume is deemed empty without the relevant level of skills required for any job position. Here are some of the most appreciable and desirable skills in any brand manager CV.

1) Research-oriented skills:

• Strong data and situation analysis skills which would foster the development of valuable insights regarding the development of a product.
• Customer reading skills which help the individual to register the behaviour of customers towards a specific product. This helps in decoding the needs of the customer, which would further help in making changes to any product to help customers appreciate it.

2) Effective communication skills:

• Strong interpersonal skills captivate recruiters, fostering cross-department collaboration for efficient product development.
• Genuine leadership involves fighting alongside the team, enhancing respect and teamwork.
• Streamline meetings for productivity; prioritize impactful tasks over prolonged discussions.
• Maintain clarity and transparency in communications; take ownership of decisions and cascade updates organization-wide.

3) Management skills up to the mark:

• Having a watchful eye is necessary for brand managers. Their ability to pay attention to minute and intricate details is crucial to the core of the brand managers skills and vision. This helps in figuring out weaknesses or strengths in the product/organization.
• Thinking outside the box helps plan out solutions, deliver innovative ideas, and imagine big.
• The ability to manage a budget is also very important, as taking charge of any product or promotion of the brand needs a witty utilization of capital.

Brand Manager Courses to Enhance Your Career

Brand manager certification is one of the most important things to acquire to prove your worth to the industry. The certificates are obtained by attending courses, which would be fruitful in the long run. Many national and international organizations provide courses for a better grasp over the subject of Brand Management.

The certifications include graduation certificates for brand manager graduate jobs and other specialization or short-term course certificates that deem candidates eligible for any Brand management job, including the job of assistant brand manager.

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Best recognized International courses for brand manager entry-level professions:

• Brand Management: Aligning Business, Brand, and Behavior® by the University of London and London Business School

This is a completely online course and has set the standard for being the best beginner-level course for beginners in the industry. Professor Nader Tavassoli of the esteemed London Business School is the one teaching this course and breaking stereotypes associated with branding and brand management. It redefines the motto of the organization and gives insight on how to ensure customer satisfaction efficiently.

• An Introduction to Consumer Neuroscience & Neuromarketing® by Copenhagen Business School

Thomas Zoega Ramsey is the one who teaches aspirants every intricate tactic to study the customer's needs and how to deliver on them effectively. The training aids in the effective analysis of reports in order to work out the planned changes on the product or the organization to generate profits.

• Career Brand Management Specialization® by The State University of New York

Dr. Valeri Chukhlomin leads a group of four other instructors to take you through a journey of classified and selective Brand Managing training experiences. This course is highly valued in the brand management market.

Many organizations trust this course as it is all based on personal experience and insight into the market. The course of study changes with changes in the market as well, which would foster marking changes in the market and help the brand flourish.

Best City-specific Brand Managing Courses

• Best Brand Manager Amsterdam Course

Luxury Brand Management MA (Amsterdam) by Northumbria University, NEWCASTLE 

This is a one-year long full-time course that helps you develop a creative approach towards luxury brand management. It helps you understand concepts like distribution, production, and rate of consumption to help you develop a positive insight on the market's readiness to accept your brand-driven products.

• Best Brand Manager Dubai Course

Global Executive Master of Luxury Management (GEMLux) by University of Wollongong, DUBAI

This certification provides in-depth knowledge of the luxury goods service market. The course also takes students on study tours to the world's most iconic shopping capitals in order to help in teaching analysis and change-making procedures.

Upon completion of this course, the candidate would receive certificates attested by two of the most renowned institutions in the world. The first one is the University of Wollongong in Dubai. The other is MIP Politecnico di Milano, Italy. This would help students refine their experiences regarding luxury brands and branding.

• Best brand manager Glasgow course

Luxury Brand Management (MBA) by Glasgow Caledonian University

This program serves as a means to meet the growing demand for innovative brand managers in the global market. The course helps an individual to get launched into the market for brands and manage quality luxury brands to provide table-turning results.

This is due to the growing competition in the market; as a result, many job opportunities are created and brand managers get recruited. But to survive in the market, every person needs to have knowledge about the market and be ready to face the challenges that are brought forth by the market.

This certificate is constructed by GCU, London, in order to teach ordinary things in an extraordinary way to aspirants.

• Best Brand Manager Edinburgh Course

MSc International Fashion Marketing by HERIOT WATT University, Edinburgh Business School

This program helps aspirants to get brand manager fashion jobs in the international market. Brand management in fashion is really common, as it helps manage the fashion-related advancements in the international market. International clothing brands like Gucci and Armani hire these professionals for brand management.

Internationally recognized fashion designing businessman George Davies had crafted this course in order to help and inspire young aspirants to figure their way out in the fashion Brand Managing industry. This is a brand management master’s degree specializing in fashion.

It teaches things like market logistics, internationally acclaimed marketing strategies, insight on developing a new product, fashion purchase and merchandise creation and maintenance, and advanced digital marketing.

The Best brand manager Bucuresti courses and the best brand manager Bristol courses are also provided by University of London and London Business School. Though Bucharest is in Romania, many students fly to London every year in order to obtain the best possible brand managing education and be part of the market.

Brand Manager vs Marketing Manager

Many people believe that brand manager and marketing manager are the same designation. This is a completely wrong concept. The brand manager's bio completely differs from the marketing manager's bio.

While brand managers study the market and mark how the products of the company are performing in it, marketing managers take up the task of getting customers interested in buying the products of the company.

The educational qualifications required for both jobs are also different.

Brand managers are paid slightly more than marketing managers.

However, both of these jobs are intertwined, as marketing managers work with information provided by brand managers through the analysis of reports. Similarly, brand managers work on the sales figures and customer engagement reports provided by marketing managers.

Both positions are critical in any brand because they propel the company forward. The growth in the quality and perseverance of the commodities of the brand is fostered by meaningful collaboration and proper coordination of these two job positions.

Some esteemed brands and the brand management styles followed by brand managers:

Giant business houses and renowned brands have many brand managers who help in propagating the idea of the brand. Brand managers, along with their assistants, help propagate the ideas of a brand. The brand manager assistant job description is quite similar to the brand manager description. Their roles are almost the same as the assistant's, which is to support the brand manager in achieving the pre-set goals.

• Brand manager, Amazon:

Amazon is a very well-known international company known to have stepped into almost every sphere of shopping and marketing. As a result, the brand manager must be multi-talented and versatile in management.

Supervising and seeing how Amazon Basics products are doing while inspecting the sales on the website or overlooking the cloud customers’ requirements is a very exhausting job. Brand manager tasks are quite lengthy and repetitive. The original or proper brand management helps manage the company.

• Brand manager, Adidas:

Adidas is one of the most well-known sports apparel manufacturers on the market. The brand manager at Adidas needs to be well-versed in the idea of fashion brand management. Accessories and clothes offered by Adidas are still dominating the sports market, which is a bright example of successful brand management.

• Brand manager, Bayer:

Bayer is a giant in the pharmaceutical industry around the world. This German company was founded in 1863, and its value has not depleted to date. It has a very loyal customer base that has trusted its medicines and chemicals since time immemorial. This reflects the sheer dedication of the brand managers.

The face of the brand, Friedrich Bayer, was the very first human correspondent, and the reputation it owns in today’s market is the result of traditional brand management. The legacy continued, with current project managers effectively controlling the whereabouts of the brand.

• Gucci's brand manager:

Gucci brand managers must be well-versed in luxury brand management. The brand managers need effective fashion management as well as brand management in order to get the company going.

• Brand manager, GSK:

GlaxoSmithKline, also known as GSK, is one of the most renowned multinational pharmaceutical companies. The brand management of the company is very strong, and it has given a boost to its stock market prices as well.

The company is a multi-millionaire empire, and the brand manager's GSK salary is $161,000 annually. When a company keeps its brand managers happy, brand managers keep the company happy.

• Brand manager, Coca-Cola:

There is no person in this world that wouldn’t like a cold can of Coca-Cola on a hot summer afternoon. But why are people so inclined toward Coca-Cola anyway? The brand manager's food management ability is what makes Coca-Cola stand out from its competitors in the global market. Precisely designed Brand marketing strategy of Coca-Cola makes it even more challenging to every other competing brand in the market.

• Brand manager Ferrero:

Ferrero is the most beloved Italian chocolate brand in the world. The brand managers of the company have made the chocolate stand out by embracing changes in the market and adapting to them.

• Brand manager, Estee Lauder:

What better ways to procure brand manager beauty jobs if not in one of the best beauty product selling companies in the world? The cosmetics sale of the company tops the charts. All the credit goes to enthusiastic brand managers who’ve helped the company capture the market. The brand manager for beauty products is not having quite a hard time in the market now. It is all smooth sailing for them.

• Brand manager, Diageo:

The world’s finest spirit producer, which induces high spirits in people, is one of the best examples of effective brand management. The brand managers of this company keep a check on each section of alcohol supplied worldwide and ensure that the sales of all the alcohol continue the same way, uninterrupted by the competition of potential competitors.

• Brand manager, Essity:

Essity is one of the most dedicated brands to maintaining hygiene and protecting the health of people around the world. Its effective customer engagement is a result of appointing the best brand managers in the market. Their products are getting better day by day.

• Brand manager, Danone:

Danone is one of the best food companies in the world. Danone’s brand manager is an FMCG (fast-moving consumer goods) specialist. This expertise in brand management in FMCG makes the company one of the leading food product companies.

However, the brand manager's FMCG job description is not quite different from other brand managers'. In this case, only the food replaces the products in other cases.

Brand manager automotive companies also move forward due to the promotion, safety checks and other technical changes made by the suggestions of their brand managers.

Conclusion

Brand manager definition might not be the same for every company, but brand manager goals remain the same for all companies alike. This is because the primary aim of the business is growth. Brand managers can use online platforms strategically to promote the brand they work for and draw attention to the high-quality products that their company is manufacturing.

A brand manager cover letter is one of the most important aspects if you are applying for the job, as it contains your CV. Brand manager CV samples can be found on the internet to assist in creating a great CV that will impress employers. Brand manager books are also available for preparing for interviews and exams.

To enhance your skills, getting a certification would be a great option. Chat with our course experts and get the training that fits your career goals. Don't miss out on valuable insights and updates! Subscribe to Sprintzeal's newsletters and ebooks today, and stay ahead in your journey towards success.