Career Profiles Brand Manager
Large companies most generally produce and market many different products, under many different names. They may even compete with each other in the same parent company. Each one of these products is the responsibility of a marketing team that concentrates solely on that product. This allows one group to advertise one product and concentrate entirely on that product, even in instances where they might well be competing with other products made by the same parent company.One company may produce several kinds of laundry detergent, and yet, each one has their own brand team that is responsible for the success of that particular detergent.Employees forming the brand team are the only ones in the company, other than the top levels of corporate, that concentrate and are involved in every aspect of their particular product.Brand managers oversee all of the operations of the brand team. They are responsible for assigning duties involving production, sales, advertising, promotion, marketing research, purchasing, distribution, package development, and finance. They report directly to the top corporate levels. Their average annual salary often lies between $56,000 and $87,000.Virtually every consumer goods company uses the system of a brand team and a brand manager. By breaking down a multi product company into sections, employees are more efficient at giving each product their total concentration.If you are aiming for a position as a brand manager, you will usually need a bachelor’s degree, however, an MBA is preferred. Some companies do hire talented undergraduates. You will most likely also need to start lower on the company ladder, by either becoming part of the brand team or the brand manager’s assistant.Those interested in becoming a brand manager should, first of all, have a good background in marketing. They should be skilled in advertising, research, consumer behavior, finance and accounting. Personally, they should be creative, analytical, good at communication and be born entrepreneurs.As the brand manager, it will be up to you to create an advertising campaign, sales plan and promotions, and present it to the upper corporate levels for approval. With great responsibility, and the increase in salary that comes with it, comes great risk. Usually the success or failure of the particular product lies with the brand manager, whose duty it is to instruct, train, and supervise the brand team.For those who enjoy analytics, competition, and challenges, this is an exciting and rewarding job. In the long run, it may also very well be a step up the ladder to higher corporate levels.http://www.careeroverview.com/brand-management-careers.html
