When you hear a brand’s name, what thoughts come to mind? If they are positive, inspiring, and make you want to run out to buy the brand’s newest product, then a Brand Manager somewhere is doing their job.

As a  Brand Manager, you’ll be working with all sorts of people – in marketing, advertising, and research – to make sure your brand stays consistent, competitive, and true to itself. In a nutshell, it’s your job to ensure that the appearance and integrity of the brand you work for is the best it can possibly be. Let’s take a look at some skills you will need if you want to pursue this career option:

 

Are you?

  • Calm and confident
  • Able to think creatively and innovatively
  • Organised and thorough
  • Excellent at communicating with others
  • A good team leader
  • Able to understand core marketing principles
  • Analytical

If yes, a career as a Brand Manager might be the right choice for you.
 

So, what’s it like to be a Brand Manager?

 

6 a.m. I wake up and start reading emails. I spend 20 minutes responding to the urgent ones while watching the news – I need to make sure that I stay on top of what’s happening in the world.

 

8:30 a.m. I get to the office, make myself a cup of coffee, and start checking my calendar for the day. I get more than 100 emails each day, so I pace myself in answering them. I decide to answer the first batch.

 

9:00 a.m. Time to review changes to the latest advertising campaign. I have a conference call with the brand’s advertising agency to discuss ongoing and upcoming creative work, such as TV ads, digital, and overall communication priorities. Today we will be discussing casting for our new TV commercial, as well as a new digital idea that will be coming out.

 

10:00 a.m. Status meeting with the brand team. I present a proposal for new research as well as the implications of the new product development issue. We also discuss the latest advertising changes and the changes to the media plan.

 

11:30 a.m. Media budget planning meeting with the media team. As part of my job, I manage different budgets for the various projects. I need to make sure that I use my budget wisely and stay within budget.

 

12:00 p.m. I’m back at my desk and start checking and answering emails and voice mails and then it’s time for lunch. Most days, I eat lunch with my colleagues in our lunch area. I take some time out to relax and chat to colleagues about their weekends.

 

1:00 p.m. Time to get back to work. Meeting with the Social Media Community Manager to discuss our brand’s social strategy. As part of my job, I need to make sure that our brand voice is used consistently across all platforms – including social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.

 

2:00 p.m. Time for competitor research. As Brand Manager, it’s my responsibility to research the market and understand our competitors’ strategies.

 

3:00 p.m. Mental break. I hit the 3 o’clock slump and start craving chocolate. Instead, I make myself a cup of coffee and take a 15-minute break to surf the internet and answer personal emails.
 

3:30 p.m. I start planning a new brand launch for a new product. My organisational skills are coming in handy!

 

5:00 p.m. I check my emails, answer the urgent emails, and start planning my day for tomorrow. It’s been a busy but productive day! I leave the office, taking some bedtime reading with me that I didn’t get time for at the office.

 

Does this sound like the career for you?

Is this how you would like to spend your workday? Register with Oxbridge Academy today, and start developing the fundamental skills you need for your career in advertising and marketing management.

 

Note: This article was originally published on 26 August 2014, and has been updated for relevance and accuracy.