What do they do?
The most important job of Brand Managers is to maintain and uphold a lasting impression among customers for a product, thereby improving product sales and market share. A brand manager is supposed to monitor market trends and oversee advertising and marketing activities around a product to ensure that the right message, in terms of product or service, is delivered to the target customers.
Typically, a Brand Manager has to work in association with various functions of a business - including product developers, researchers, marketing personnel and creative agencies to make sure their company brand values and image are followed. A Brand Manager can work for both consultancies and in-house marketing departments. In other words, if you are wearing the shoes of a Brand Manager, cooperation and collaboration will pretty much be the core of your job. Identifying an objective and mobilizing a group of people to achieve that objective primarily forms the core function of a Brand Manager.
Market Research
It is not an easy job, being a Brand Manager. S/he has to be thoroughly informed about the latest trends of the market, and at the same time be aligned with what is realistic for the brand and take the current market & past success and failures of a product into account. Needless to say, research then becomes an important component of the job.
Product & Distribution
A Brand Manager is not directly involved in the sales & distribution of a product, but having been associated with a product since its conceptualization, he/ she can impact the thinking and sales technique of the company.
Advertising
Another aspect of a Brand Manager’s profile is working in close co-ordination with the design and advertising team advising on effective campaigns that resonates with how the product is being perceived within the company and outside.
Troubleshooting
When a product or service on offer is being outsold by a competitor and there is a dip in the profits, a Brand Manager plays an important part in salvaging the product through whatever means – reducing cost, redesigning logo/ slogan or implementing a more aggressive campaign.
