Brand Manager

A brand manager is responsible for making, adapting, and optimizing a brand strategy as per the market trends, potential customers, consumer behaviour, brand development to improve a brand’s presence and conversions in its target market.

Brand managers need to comprise management skills, as well as a brand manager, should also have the ability to work as a marketing manager to optimize marketing campaigns. The brand manager’s role is – developing a powerful and result-driven brand strategy for a company.

Who is a Brand Manager?

Brand Manager is the person who is responsible for the product image of the company. A brand manager researches, analyzes, develops marketing and advertising strategies, manages budgets, and oversees all the brand’s promotional activities.

Being a brand manager is not simple; it is one of the most responsible jobs. In some organizations, the top management shows complete faith in the brand manager for promoting the brand in the market. They manage and oversee a wide array of business functions such as-

  • Branding
  • Online and offline promotions
  • Communication channels
  • Product development
  • Advertising and marketing campaigns
  • Reports
  • Market research
  • Surveying and polling demographics
  • Determining demand for products

In an oversaturated marketplace and cut-throat competition, brand managers are responsible for optimizing brand recognition, awareness, reach, and conversions.

What is Brand Management?

Brand management is responsible for managing the overall image of a brand, person, or product.

The process revolves around researching the marketplace to find out where the product or client fits in. It is associated with analyzing the competitive positioning of other brands and developing marketing and advertising strategies.

Brand management is also responsible for helping and managing other units/departments of an organization responsible for making efforts for the company’s effective branding.

Brand Manager Job Description

The brand manager job description includes different key tasks that are integral to effective brand management. The role of a brand manager is to perform all these tasks adeptly to optimize the outcomes of branding and marketing campaigns. Some of the key tasks that are associated with a brand manager’s work are-

1. Coordinating with several departments of the company

A brand manager works closely with the marketing department of the business. It ensures that the product or services of the brand are marketed with the right brand strategy. Besides the marketing department, a brand manager also coordinates with the finance, sales, production, and communication department to know better about the product market and future opportunities.

2. Brand protection

Brand protection comes under the role of the brand manager. A brand manager act as a guardian for the brand of the company. He/she act as a person who ensures that the product or service by the company’s brand is resonating with the potential and current customers.

3. Maintaining relations with several marketing agencies

A brand needs to have better relations with several marketing agencies. This is where a brand manager has an important role. A brand coordinates with several marketing agencies and ensures that they respect the purpose of the brand and follow the guidelines throughout every communication.

4. Decision making

A brand manager acts as an important person in the company because it formulates all the decisions related to its product or services. He/ She provides feedback and analysis about the brand’s activity.

5. Consumer-focused

A brand manager monitors the trends and customer’s reactions over a marketing campaign or on social media sites. To improve brand image and growth, a company must monitor the trends and likings and dislikes of the customer, which a brand manager of a company ultimately maintains.

Traits of a Successful Brand Manager

1. Sense of Social Responsibility

A responsible brand manager knows that a company should contribute to society’s welfare to get a better position in the market. If a brand manager personally feels his responsibility towards society, then fulfilling this responsibility is easy for the company. Many companies promote affiliations, encourage employees to volunteer in a social cause, or participates in fundraising and auctions.

2. Analytic Capabilities

The mindset of a good brand manager should be of analytic nature. He/ She must understand the needs and desires of the targeted market. To meet these desires and needs, a brand manager should create successful strategies.

3. Knows how to adapt to evolving markets

The business environment is dynamic. In this dynamic market, prices and demands evolve with time. Not only price or demand, but the relationship with the customers is also evolving. A brand manager must know how to adapt to these changes and how strategies should be created in this respect.

4. Knows when to use Gut instinct

A brand manager knows when to use the gut instinct. Most of the brand managers fail because they highly rely on the studies and not on the instincts which can help them to be successful.

5. Aware of the market trends

A brand manager must be aware of the industry trends. These trends can be in the field of marketing and customer psychology. A good brand manager knows how to use these trends to make the brand more successful.

6. Full understanding of the brand

For being a successful brand manager, a person needs to know everything about the brand. From its history to the present, a brand manager must be aware of all the facts of the brand.

7. Take ownership of the brand

A successful brand manager takes ownership of the brand. It means that a good brand manager should express his/ her ideas in a telling sense rather than in an asking sense. As a brand manager moves up in the job, he/ she has to make the project list on his own and have to come up with new strategies to make the project successful.

8. Thinks out-of-the-box

A great brand manager thinks and asks for creative and unique solutions. The brand manager will not look for the set of rules or the roadmap to decide the next step. The best creative solution will be adopted by a good brand manager.

9. Calls for Innovation

Innovation is the key to success. In business as well, an innovation in the solutions can drive the brand to the top. A good brand manager will not satisfy with the simple solutions and strategies. The brand manager promotes innovation and creativity in the solution for making the brand successful.

How to Become a Brand Manager

To get the brand manager position, it is important to at least have a bachelor’s degree in a relevant major and a few years of marketing experience. Some of the companies require a post-graduate qualification or MBA for brand managers’ jobs.

It is also important to have strong leadership skills and excellent communication skills for managing branding teams. Some of the other qualities required in a brand manager are-

Creativity – Brand managers need to have the creativity to distinguish their company from other competitors. They should have an aptitude for creative as well as out-of-the-box thinking. Successful brand managers offer innovative strategies and ideas to let their businesses/brands stand out.

Trend Savviness – It is essential for brand managers to be on top of the industry trends. They should be well aware of the latest marketing and consumer psychology practices. They need to have an interest in the latest news and information in their niche.

Focus and Responsibility – Brand managers need to have the ability to execute good ideas. They should stay focused on the task they are managing at a time, plus they should be ready to handle multiple responsibilities simultaneously.

Brand Manager Salary

The brand manager’s salary varies as per the industry, years of experience, and company. They earn between $60,000 and $80,000 per year.

Based upon Indeed’s analysis, the average salary of the brand managers in the United States is about $75,258.

Wrap Up!

On the concluding note, we hope you would have understood that a brand manager is someone who is responsible for conducting consumer and market research and designing a research-based brand as per the current brand position in the market.

Brand managers also develop and execute marketing campaigns for communicating the brand message. They also communicate their brand personality internally and align the channelization of the company around foundational ideas. Brand managers also lead marketing team members through campaigns, anticipate consumer trends, measure the success of marketing and keep brand updated.

How important do you find the role of a brand manager for a business or brand? Share your opinion with us in the comment section below.