How to Become a Brand Manager

Do you notice famous names? Would you be good at promoting and broadening the influence of a company’s brand? You could have an excellent career as a brand manager! Read on for more details:

Job Overview

How to Become a Brand Manager

A bachelor’s degree in advertising, business, marketing or journalism is fairly standard in this industry.

Brand managers are responsible for promoting and managing public view and reception of their company’s brand. You’ll meet with other managers and directors to select advertising, negotiate contracts, plan and study the outcome of research studies and oversee brand marketing staff’s hiring, training and operations. You’ll help develop marketing and advertising campaigns and strategies promoting their brand.

Requirements and Qualifications

In addition to occasional long hours and your educational requirements, you’ll want to develop certain qualities before beginning employment. These include communications and interpersonal skills, creativity, analytical and decision-making skills as well as developing management and leadership skills.

Typical Education

A bachelor’s degree in advertising, business, marketing or journalism is fairly standard in this industry. While in college, you will want to pursue coursework in marketing, consumer behavior, sales, communications, visual arts, photography, business management, accounting, economics and statistics. Taking on an internship while in school is also very beneficial.

Steps to Become a Brand Manager

After completing your degree program, you’ll find the experience and references you gained during your internship to come into play. You’ll need to spend some time working in sales, advertising, marketing, promotions or similar areas to build additional experience before being promoted into a management position.

Similar Jobs

It could be that you just don’t see yourself promoting one brand over another, or maybe you just don’t want this level of responsibility. That’s fine! Here are some related career paths for you to explore:

  • $108,260
    Bachelor's Degree
    1 to 5 years
    None
    216,800
    14%
    29,400
    Find Related CareersSOURCE: US Bureau of Labor Statistics
    Are you good at getting the word out and managing people? Advertising, promotions and marketing managers promote products or services for a company by overseeing promotions and marketing departments.
  • Can you sell anything and direct people’s efforts? Sales managers train, direct and oversee sales representatives while setting sales objectives and taking care of administrative tasks.
  • Good at overseeing publicity campaigns or raising money for a good cause? Public relations and fundraising managers see to the public outreach for an organization.
  • Can you find the best deals? Purchasing managers are in charge of negotiating and overseeing contracts with manufacturers and wholesalers.
  • Are you a people person? Human resources managers oversee employee benefits, hiring and discipline or firing.
  • Are you great at arranging educational opportunities? Training and development managers design and implement an organization’s training and educational programs.
  • Can you find ways to cut the waste? Management analysts study a company’s operations and determine ways to cut losses.
  • Do you have an area of expertise to pass on? Training and development specialists work with organizations to provide educational opportunities in a particular area.
  • Good at figuring out what people want to spend their money on? Market research analysts and marketing specialists help determine trends and consumer preferences with regards to a product or service.
  • Can you turn around public opinion of particular types of events? Public relations specialists use their knowledge to improve public opinion of an event, public figure or organization.

Salary

The average annual pay for a brand manager was $119,480 as of 2012, over three times the average annual salary of all career paths. Full time hours are standard, with some overtime expected, as 19% of all brand managers worked over 50 hours per week.

Job Outlook

Brand managers can expect to see an increase in opportunities averaging the same as the average of all career paths at about 14% for the next decade. Though there can be strong competition for this career path, knowledge of digital and social media marketing will give you a good leg up.

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