Brand managers work to ensure that a brand remains recognisable, up to date and exciting to customers.

Brand managers work to ensure that a brand remains recognisable, up to date and exciting to customers. Brand managers plan ways to promote – and change the public perception of – whisky brands. Organisations hire brand managers to work ‘in-house’ on their own brands, where it is likely that they will work solely on a single brand. It is also possible for brand managers to work at a marketing agency, where they may be working on a number of brands for different clients. Brand managers are also responsible for making sure that branding is consistent across advertising and campaigns.

What would you be doing?

• carrying out market research in order to keep up to date with customer trends, as well as trying to predict future trends
• developing strategies and managing marketing campaigns across print, broadcast and online platforms to ensure that products and services meet customers’ expectations and to build the credibility of brands
• analysing the success of marketing campaigns and creating reports
• supervising advertising, product design and other forms of marketing to maintain consistency in branding
• meeting with clients and working with colleagues across multiple departments (such as marketing assistants, marketing managers and chief marketing officers)
• managing budgets and a team of junior assistants
• organising events such as product launches, exhibitions and photo shoots.

What is expected from you?

• Analytical skills and attention to detail
• An understanding of trends and an ability to respond to customers’ wishes
• Creativity and an ability to produce innovative and original ideas
• Team working skills
• The ability to manage and allocate budgets
• Written and verbal communication skills
• Experience with and an understanding of market research
• Time and project management skills, including the ability to work on multiple projects at the same time
• An ability to think strategically and come up with campaigns

What about the pay?

Brand managers can earn from £28,000 for Junior brand manager positions to around £40,000–£50,000 for senior brand manager positions.

What qualifications do I need to get?

There are routes into brand marketing for both graduates and school leavers. Graduates can look for assistant brand manager job roles or may be able to specialise in brand marketing as part of a more general marketing graduate scheme. School leavers can specialise in brand marketing through a marketing apprenticeship, such as a Modern Apprenticeship.

Brand manager roles typically require a bachelor’s degree; recruiters may prefer graduates who have studies subjects such as marketing, business studies or accounting. University students may be able to gain experience in brand marketing through a brand ambassador or campus ambassador role, which are part-time jobs organised by brands for students.

 What about further training?

Postgraduate and professional qualifications may be useful in developing your knowledge of brand marketing. These may be offered by an employer as part of your training or you can complete them independently.

There is a range of courses available from CIM (Chartered Institute of Marketing) for example a Diploma in Marketing communications which is available on a distance learning basis, which you may find insightful.

 Anything else I might need to know?

If you are a competitive and enthusiastic sort of person this could be the very job for you!

Related job titles : brand marketer, brand marketing assistant.

What qualifications do I need to get?

There are routes into brand marketing for both graduates and school leavers. Graduates can look for assistant brand manager job roles or may be able to specialise in brand marketing as part of a more general marketing graduate scheme. School leavers can specialise in brand marketing through a marketing apprenticeship, such as a Modern Apprenticeship.

Brand manager roles typically require a bachelor’s degree; recruiters may prefer graduates who have studies subjects such as marketing, business studies or accounting. University students may be able to gain experience in brand marketing through a brand ambassador or campus ambassador role, which are part-time jobs organised by brands for students