The most powerful marketing brands are highly alluring for their target audience, whether the brand is Nike, Hershey, Honda or Coca Cola. Each are very strong brands that usually evoke strong emotions and imagery in most people. The reason that happens is that expert brand managers and professionals have helped to shape the public perception of that brand through effective advertising. That is what a brand manager does.
What We Do
A brand manager is a marketing expert who drives the way in which a major brand is perceived in the targeted consumer audience. How the brand is supposed to be perceived is usually driven by the leaders of the company and also by large amounts of market research. It is the job of the brand manager to take the desired perceptions that the company wants to evoke in its target market and make them a reality through effective marketing messaging.
Why It’s Hot
The marketplace is increasingly global and competitive, and major companies are in intense competition with each other for people’s business. With the tremendous growth in the online world, consumers have more access to marketing, data and reviews about products than ever before. With consumers being more knowledgeable and having more choices, it is very important for corporations to effectively manage their brands.
Work Environment
Professionals who earn their MBA in brand management normally work for large corporations that have multi million dollar advertising budgets. While some brand managers will travel a great deal, the majority who hold this type of MBA will spend most of their time in an office environment.
How to Do It
To earn an MBA in brand management, you can come from a variety of backgrounds. Most people seeking an MBA are switching careers, and many companies are now open to a wide range of previous work experiences. The reason for this is that many backgrounds can be helpful for a successful career in brand management. Some of the backgrounds that can be helpful for a career in brand management include investment banking, accounting, operations and sales and marketing of course.
It is important to have substantial marketing experience and success if you want to get an internship or job at a major corporation after you graduate.
But first things first: You need to get accepted into an MBA program with a brand management speciality. This will require you to have a few years of related work experience, and you may need to take standardized tests such as the GMAT or GRE to be admitted. But there now are many online MBA options where it is unnecessary to do this.
Online MBA Options
Some of the best options to earn an online MBA in brand management include these options:
- Online MBA in Marketing – Colorado Technical University – The Master of Business Administration (MBA) with a concentration in Marketing can prepare students to use industry-current skills such as marketing research methodologies, e-marketing, and customer relationship management. This program can help prepare students for career opportunities in brand management, commercial marketing, business development, marketing communications (IMC), marketing program management, and many other in-demand fields.
- Online MBA in Marketing – Southern New Hampshire University – This online MBA in Marketing will provide you with a fine understanding of advertising, marketing, branding, consumer behavior and communications. You will learn how to become more knowledgeable about the many marketing challenges in today’s business environment. This online program in marketing can be completed in only a year in some cases and is one of the most affordable online MBA programs in the country.
- Online MBA in Marketing – Florida Tech University Online – This online MBA with a marketing and brand management specialization will provide you with the marketing skills that you need to land a marketing and brand management management role in many top companies in the US. You will learn more about product management, consumer behavior, multinational business policy and legal issues about marketing. Anyone who is interested in a dynamic career in brand management will learn the essential skills needed at multinational corporations in this online MBA program.
Pros & Cons
By obtaining your online MBA degree in brand management and marketing, you will have many strong career options. Consider the following factors:
Pros:
- Marketing and brand management are critically important aspects of any large corporation today. With new skills and an MBA, you will find the door open to many high paying positions.
- The best brand managers command very high salaries.
Cons:
- Earning a master’s degree online while working can be difficult for many professionals.
- Some companies will not reimburse you for an online degree program.
Financial Aid
Below are several scholarships that could be useful as you earn MBA in brand management and marketing:
- National Black MBA Association Scholarship: Provided each year for $1000 to $10000 per student to outstanding MBA students in the United States. It is open to black professionals who are earning their MBA in marketing and brand management.
- AAUW Career Development Grants: This award is granted to women who are seeking an MBA in any specialty. The award can be used for tuition, books, childcare and student transportation.
- AG Bell Hearing Impaired MBA Scholarship: This award of up to $5000 per year is provided to outstanding MBA scholars in any speciality who are hearing impaired.
Career Paths
Some of the high paying professions that you can move into with a brand management or marketing MBA include:
- Brand manager. In this role, you will plan, develop, and direct the marketing mix that is associated with the brand name or the product. You will be engaged in a great amount of general marketing work, and will coordinate responsibilities and efforts related to many different functions in sales, production, advertising, promotion and R&D. You must have a strong focus on business results, be very creative, and be a great communicator to succeed in this job.
- Marketing manager. You will be responsible for creating strategies that help firms to meet sales goals. A professional in this marketing role will do research, study product demand, come up with pricing strategies, identifying target audiences and determine how to reach the audience. You also may work on package design, advertising campaigns, choosing media outlets, and building brand awareness. It is essential to have strong writing skills and to be an excellent communicator in all forms to be an effective marketing manager.
- Product manager. This is a subset of brand manager; some of these brand managers and marketing managers just work on brand management for a specific company product. You will be responsible for managing the entire promotional lifecycle of the product. In this role, you will be responsible for improving the sales of the product over time. Before the product is marketed at all, you will need to estimate how much the demand will be and who will actually want to buy it. After that, you will oversee all planning and developing of marketing and advertising efforts.
Further Reading
Below are some interesting publications of note for professionals who are interested in a marketing and brand management career:
- Digital Marketing Magazine (UK) – This is a great resource for understanding all that is going on in digital marketing in the United Kingdom.
- Marketing Interactive – If you need to know all of the latest marketing news in the US, this is a great resource for you.
- Brand Quarterly – Great resource for understanding all of the trends in brand marketing in this global economy.
- Branding Magazine – Another excellent resource for understanding modern branding in the United States.
Suggested Websites
Below are several websites that can provide helpful information to students earning an MBA in marketing and brand management:
