What is a Brand Manager and How to Become One?

A brand manager is responsible for developing and maintaining a brand's identity, ensuring it resonates with target audiences. This article outlines the role, necessary skills, and steps to pursue a career in brand management, including educational qualifications and certifications.

A brand manager plays a pivotal role in shaping the perception of a brand and ensuring its market success. Whether you're a fresher, an experienced professional, or someone looking to switch careers, this guide will help you understand what it takes to excel as a brand manager. Let's dive into the world of brand management!

Who is a Brand Manager?

A brand manager is a marketing professional responsible for improving and maintaining the overall image of a brand, be it a product or an individual. They adopt a brand strategy for the target market of the company, and analyze competitive positioning, products, brands and spending. Brand managers develop, implement and execute marketing initiatives and activities for the brand they are working for. These initiatives and activities include marketing campaigns across different channels, events, as well as sponsorships. They are responsible to ensure that the brand remains recognizable, up to date and looks interesting to the consumers. It is their duty to maintain a positive image of the brand in the eyes of consumers and keep them reminding of its presence.

What is the role of a Brand Manager?  

Brand manager is responsible for maintaining an integrity across all the marketing initiatives. Some of the other activities that are part of the brand manager’s profile are:  

• To devise brand strategy, keeping in mind the brand guidelines, vision and value proposition
• To plan and execute communications and other brand activities across different channels
• To work in collaboration with SEO, SEM, Brand marketing, Web Design, Product and Tech teams to ensure maximum project delivery
• To work with advertising and PR agencies
• To explore new business opportunities
• To create and manage marketing collaterals for branding
• To manage budgets and forecast costs for advertising and promotional activities
• To analyze competition, monitor market trends and identify potential areas of investments
• To ideate product names and services, design product packaging, colours, shapes, size and imagery
• To participate in production of TVCs, newspaper and magazine ads, mailers, email campaigns, exhibition stands, road shows
• To work closely with legal team to ensure that marketing activities are in compliance with regulatory guidelines

What are the skills required to become a Brand Manager?

A brand manager is responsible to create a brand awareness and becomes the voice of a brand, hence they need to possess a set of skills that can benefit the brand and meet business goals. Some of which include -

• Good analytical skills
• Ability to respond to results and consumer research
• Excellent communication skills
• Data collection and extraction skills
• Experimentation (A/B testing) skills
• Good organizational skills
• Working with cross-functional teams
• Problem solving capability
• Time management and strong attention to detail
• Analytical thinking and planning

Who can become a Brand Manager? 

Fresher

Firstly you need a degree in marketing or else work as management trainee for six months before being promoted to the next level. You can also develop your understanding about brand management by taking a certification in product or brand management.  

Non Experienced professionals

If you have no experience in brand management, gain a knowledge in market research, finance and consumer behavior. You can take the career to the next level by taking up a certification in brand management that will help you to evaluate marketing strategies and lead campaigns to success. 

Experienced professionals 

Brand managers must be able to boost market share and develop relationships with customers. They need to adapt brand marketing strategies and require good leadership and social skills. Besides, a brand management certification will be an added advantage.

How to become a Brand Manager?

To work as a brand manager, you may have a Bachelor's degree in any stream, but an experience in the field of marketing is necessary. Most of the organizations prefer hiring candidates having a Master’s degree in Business, Communications, Marketing, Economics, Public Relations, Statistics, Advertising or Management from top business schools from India and abroad. If you have an advanced professional certification then it would be an add on advantage for you.