What is Brand Manager? Roles, jobs & required skills

Becoming a Brand Manager means taking on a broad role that often requires an understanding of many aspects of Marketing, including market research, content marketing, digital marketing, social media marketing assembly and design. The Brand Manager does not necessarily carry out these responsibilities, but their knowledge will guide each respective team in developing messaging, resources that align with the brand and strengthen the brand’s position in the market. .

1. What is Brand Manager?

Brand Manager is the person who manages the brand of a specific company or product. The role of Brand Manager is to determine the strategy and direction of brand development, ensuring that the brand’s image and value are maintained and developed in the hearts of customers.

Brand Manager monitors the development and results of Marketing campaigns that can influence how the public perceives a business, understands public perception and finds new ways to stand out from competitors . They can participate in product development because they conduct market research to learn about customers. Brand Managers are an indispensable part of the Marketing department, they help differentiate a brand from competitors, while increasing brand awareness and building relationships with customers.

2. Job description of Brand Manager

Brand Positioning

The most important task of a Brand Manager is to position the brand, that is, to build a product/service with a unique style and characteristics, easily entering the subconscious of customers so that they remember every time the brand is mentioned. . Some of the tasks that a Brand manager needs to do in this role include:

• Research and analyze the market, potential customers and competitors to clearly understand brand position and growth opportunities.
• Identify the characteristics, core values ​​and benefits of the brand to create differentiation and appeal to customers.
• Determine the goals and customers the brand wants to target, thereby building appropriate marketing strategies.
• Develop a brand positioning strategy, including differentiation from competitors and how the brand’s value is demonstrated to customers.
• Manage brand image, ensuring brand image is presented properly and consistently across different media channels and marketing points.
• Develop and implement advertising, communications and marketing campaigns to increase brand recognition and create customer interaction.

Manage and supervise the team

The brand director has the leadership role of the brand department and is responsible for building a vision and working style for the staff, in order to create a unique culture within the department. In addition, they also take on leadership roles, guiding development and optimizing brand messages to attract potential users. Some specific jobs include:

• Clearly define the brand’s goals and development strategy, thereby building specific plans and goals for the team.
• Recruit and train personnel, ensuring that qualified personnel are recruited and suitable for corporate culture. Training needs to help employees improve their knowledge, skills and experience to meet job requirements.
• Regularly monitor and evaluate the work performance of each team member, based on specific, objective and fair criteria.
• Handle arising problems and conflicts quickly and effectively.
• Motivate and inspire the team, helping the team develop their full potential and achieve the highest work efficiency.

Develop a periodic plan

In order for a brand to stand out and not be faded in the market, it needs to have unique characteristics and personality. It is the combination of vision, mission and goals of an organization. Therefore, in order for the brand to develop in a directional manner, the Brand Manager needs to build a periodic plan to always adapt to the constant changes in customer needs and increase advantages over competitors. painting.

• Determine brand goals and strategy
• Analyze the market and competitors
• Communication planning: clearly identify communication channels, content, budget, etc. to convey the brand message to target customers.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of the plan to make appropriate adjustments.

Develop, implement and evaluate communication plans

Brand building always comes with implementing communication and marketing campaigns. This is an indispensable trio to bring the product to be widely welcomed in the market. The vitality of a brand reflects the sentiment of customers towards it. To create influence, brands need to build a strong influence.

And in building influence, the role of media, especially multimedia in the digital age, is indispensable. Some of the Brand Manager’s tasks in this role include:

• Market analysis and customer research to understand customer needs, wants and trends.
• Identify your goals and strategies to achieve them.
• Develop a detailed communications plan, including using media such as advertising, PR, online marketing and events to create effects and spread the brand’s message.
• Manage budget, ensure communication activities are implemented within limited budget.
• Develop engaging and brand-appropriate media content.
• Monitor and evaluate effectiveness, ensuring achievement of set goals.
• Manage relationships with partners such as advertising agencies, PR representatives and suppliers to ensure communication activities are carried out effectively and in accordance with brand strategy.

Manage design and creative department

Brand consistency needs to be ensured, not synonymous with boredom. Turning ideas into reality is not too difficult if the Brand Manager can successfully communicate the “Brand Style Set” to the design and creative department (creative team). Specifically, brands need to create breakthroughs in logos, typography, company slogans and missions, color scheme principles and representative images. All of these factors need to be meticulously researched and presented to properly meet the needs of target customers.

3. Brand Manager’s work KPI

Brand awareness

Besides using online media channels, customers’ interest and attitude towards a brand’s outdoor advertising is also very important. Publications such as posters, banners, and promotional videos in elevators and public transportation play an important role in creating brand recognition in the eyes of the public. Evaluating the effectiveness of these forms is also an important indicator to measure the level of brand recognition.

Interactions of online media channels

Interaction and traffic indicators on online media channels, including social networks such as Facebook, Youtube, Instagram, TikTok,… along with channels on business websites and PR articles on press and radio channels radio,… plays an important role in evaluating the effectiveness of brand management activities.

Company ROI index

ROI, or profit/cost ratio, is an important metric in business. It measures the effectiveness of an investment by comparing the return earned with the amount spent. A high ROI value shows that the company has large profits, which means a high level of customer satisfaction with the brand. Therefore, ROI is also used to evaluate Brand Manager’s effectiveness in managing budgets and investments.

4. Role of Brand Manager in business

In an increasingly competitive market context, the role of Brand Manager becomes even more important. Businesses need a Brand Manager with enough expertise and skills to build and manage brands effectively.

• Determine strategic direction : Brand Manager helps determine the company’s long-term brand strategy. They research the market, analyze competitors, and position brands to ensure the business is on the right track and achieving its business goals.
• Brand building and management : Brand Manager takes responsibility for building and managing brands. They create brand messages, logos, packaging,… and other related elements to create a consistent and attractive brand image.
• Create awareness and grow sales : A strong brand helps create awareness with customers and differentiates itself from competitors. The Brand Manager will create and implement advertising, marketing and PR campaigns to increase brand awareness, as well as increase sales.
• Trust management and trust creation : Brand Manager ensures that the brand is built on the basis of customer trust and confidence. They monitor and manage customer interactions, handle feedback, and ensure the brand is trustworthy and consistently meets customer expectations.

5. Necessary qualities and skills of a Brand Manager

Knowledge of Marketing

Marketing knowledge is the most important foundation for a Brand Manager. This knowledge helps the Brand Manager understand Marketing principles, processes, tools and strategies, thereby being able to build and deploy effective brand strategies. Especially the 6P model in Marketing, including price (Price), brand promotion (Promotion), product (Product), point of sale (Place), packaging (Pack) and brand positioning (Proposition). .

Seize the customer psychology

Customer psychology is the emotions, beliefs, values ​​and needs of customers towards a particular brand. Understanding customer psychology helps Brand Manager create effective marketing strategies, build a strong brand image and create better connections with customers.

By understanding customer psychology, Brand Manager can understand what factors attract customers to the brand, customer needs and desires, and how to adapt to changes in psychology and behavior. of cutomer. From there, it helps Brand Manager build appropriate advertising, marketing and communication strategies to create positive interactions with customers, increasing trust and loyalty to the brand.

Strategic thinking

Strategic thinking helps Brand Manager have an overview of the market, understand the brand’s position, determine goals and build appropriate strategies to achieve those goals. This is the basis for classifying customers and determining the unique value that the brand brings. From there, it is possible to build a suitable strategy to shape and spread the brand and create competitive advantage.

However, strategic thinking also helps Brand Manager shape the brand’s long-term goals and develop plans and tactics to achieve those goals. They need to consider factors such as market segmentation, outreach strategy, product distribution, advertising and communications to develop a comprehensive and effective strategy.

Understand the principles of brand management

Brand management principles are an important factor in building a sustainable brand. A brand can only exist for a long time in the hearts of customers if it represents the identity and core values ​​of the business. This contributes to brand consistency and is key to differentiation. Brand managers need to remember:

• Branding is more than just a logo and color scheme. Brand is the totality of perceptions and feelings that customers have about a business or product/service.
• Brand management is a long-term project. Building and growing a strong brand is not an overnight job. It requires perseverance and long-term efforts.
• Brand management creates monetary value. A strong brand can help businesses increase sales, improve customer loyalty and attract investment.
• Brand management requires enterprise-wide compliance. For effective brand management, there needs to be coordination and unity of all departments in the business.

Creative thinking

Brands need to have differences to attract customers. Brand Manager needs to create new ideas, develop unique marketing strategies, and build new activities and events to attract and reach target customers. At the same time, contribute ideas in developing new products, designing product packages, changing logos and packaging, and leading smart marketing campaigns.

Leadership skills

Leadership skills help Brand Manager build a clear vision and allocate appropriate tasks to team members. They need to promote cooperation and positive interaction between departments within the company to achieve business goals. In addition, Brand Manager must also be able to inspire and motivate his team to achieve the best results.

However, Brand Manager often has to work with many stakeholders such as the Marketing team, advertising department, business partners and customers. Leadership skills help Brand Manager build good relationships and interact effectively with these partners, ensuring the sustainable development of the brand.

Ability to solve problems

During the brand management process, Brand Manager often faces many challenges such as issues related to strategy, brand positioning, marketing, advertising, financial management, and competitors. Problem-solving skills help Brand Manager calmly analyze and frame problems, look for solutions, make smart decisions and take necessary actions to solve problems effectively. , timely.

Communication skills

The Brand Manager is the intermediary between different departments in the organization, including Marketing, sales, production, creative, design, etc. Communication skills help the Brand Manager convey information, ideas and goals of the brand. brand clearly and effectively, supporting collaboration and teamwork.

As a brand director, regularly having to work and communicate with partners and agents to implement brand and advertising strategies happens every day. Communication skills help Brand Manager establish and maintain good relationships with partners, while ensuring that the brand’s message and values ​​are conveyed accurately and consistently. Ensure the final results achieve the set goals.

Data analysis skills

Brand Manager also needs to work based on data to make strategic decisions. A Brand Manager with good data analysis skills will be able to make strategic decisions based on actual data, instead of based on emotions or speculation. Track the effectiveness of marketing campaigns accurately and promptly. At the same time, discover new trends and opportunities to develop the brand.

6. Distinguish between Brand Manager and Marketing Manager

Brand Manager and Marketing Manager have a close relationship with each other. Brand Manager needs the support of Marketing Manager to convey brand messages to customers. While the Marketing Manager needs guidance from the Brand Manager to ensure Marketing activities are consistent with the brand strategy.

In short, Brand Manager mainly focuses on brand management and development, while Marketing Manager is responsible for shaping the overall Marketing strategy and implementing campaigns. However, the roles of these two positions may overlap and differ, depending on the organization, size, and specific type of business.

7. Frequently asked questions about Brand Manager

Average salary of Brand Manager?

According to surveys from major recruitment sites in Vietnam such as Indeed, Vietnamwork and TopCV, the average salary of a Brand Manager in Vietnam in 2024 is 55,000,000 VND/month. The common salary range is from 30,000,000 – 110,000,000 VND/month.

Who does Brand Manager work with?

Brand Manager works with many departments, divisions and individuals both inside and outside the business, such as the Marketing department, research and development (R&D) department, sales and distribution department, finance department, Suppliers, agencies, press, customers,…

In addition, the Brand Manager may also need to work with other subjects such as government agencies, non-profit organizations, etc. depending on the business field and brand goals.

What to learn to become a Brand Manager?

To become a Brand Manager, you need to have a solid foundation of professional knowledge in marketing, branding and business. Suitable study majors include Marketing, Digital Marketing, Business Administration, Law, Finance,…

An excellent Brand Manager is someone who knows how to focus on consumers to convey the right message to the right person at the right time. Brand managers have a customer-centric approach, allowing them to ensure better experiences, creating messaging that can attract and convert new customers.

Trends, tools and consumer habits change over time. Successful Brand Managers are constantly learning about their industry and finding new ways to improve their work.