A brand management degree will teach you skills that are vital to enhance the market share of a company or organization. In a bachelor’s or master’s program in brand management, you will learn how to create marketing campaigns that convey product name and advantages to elevate the profile of the business. Students in this degree program will also learn how to correlate their marketing strategies with the sales performance of the product.
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What Is Brand Management?
Brand managers are responsible for the development and implementation of brand marketing strategies, which are of great importance in this age of the Internet and social media. These dynamic marketing strategies enhance consumer awareness of a product or business, term, symbol or design. Effective brand management distinguishes the company or brand from its competitors and leads to higher sales and profits.
Brand managers must be skilled in analyzing how customers make purchasing decisions and be able to analyze the marketing strategies of competitors. Effective brand managers also should be able to effectively use social media to influence how the company is perceived and to better promote company products and services.
Brand Management Degree Opportunity
The United States economy has been experiencing strong growth in the past two years. It means that businesses are expanding and new companies are being created. Consumer spending and confidence is also high, so there are more people spending more money on goods and services.
That is why the overall employment trend for many marketing and sales professionals is on the upswing. For example, the Bureau of Labor Statistics or BLS reports employment for advertising, promotions and marketing managers will grow by 10% through 2026, which is faster than average when compared to other occupations.
It is estimated there are 218,000 marketing managers in the US, and 31,300 advertising and promotions managers.
Brand Management Degree Career Paths
The most common career path for a professional with a brand management degree is brand manager. A brand manager is a type of marketing manager that is usually assigned to one or more branded trademarks or products, which are owned by a company. The job of the brand manager is to control and manage the ways that the brand is shown to the public. The manager assures that consumers are associating strong, positive responses with that brand, which helps to drive marketing and advertising initiatives.
A brand manager often works with the entire marketing department staff, and will enlist research in marketing to determine what current consumer attitudes are regarding the name of the brand. The manager also must assess what the intended market is for the product or brand, and will use proven branding strategies to place services and goods in a marketplace. This work may be done before a new trademark is launched, or it can be used to increase the strength of a current brand.
Brand Management Degree Salaries
Payscale.com reports the median salary for brand managers is $70,200, with a range between $41,000 and $110,000. The level of your salary is influenced by your work experience as a brand manager. For example, a manager with less than five years of experience will have a salary of $57,000, while a manager with five to 10 years of experience will have a salary of $77,000, and a manager with 10 to 20 years of experience will be paid $88,000 on average.
Online Brand Management Degree Programs
If you are interested in getting your brand management degree, you will have many programs to choose from. It is common for some brand management degrees to be offered online so that you can get your degree from home and still go to work.
For example, the University of Illinois offers a Master of Science in Strategic Brand Communication that has been designed for working professionals in the marketing profession. The online program can be completed in as few as 15 months. It will prepare you to become a strategic leader in the constantly changing media environment and to be an integrative and analytical thinker. Students are also able to respond well to new technologies, emerging media and new demographics.
This online degree program will integrate all aspects of the strategic brand marketing process, including advertising, public relations, social media, digital media, promotion and revenue development marketing.
Brand Management Bachelor’s Degree
To get started in a your career in marketing and brand management, you may earn a Bachelor of Science in Product and Brand Management from Virginia Commonwealth University. The four year degree program offers you a variety of educational approaches, including discussion and lecture, case problems, and in the field experiences. Graduates of this brand management program usually will find work in fields such as brand management, marketing management, sales, advertising, marketing research, PR and retailing.
Learning outcomes of this brand marketing degree are:
- Be able to formulate marketing and business problems that companies face
- Apply proper research design, data analysis and sampling
- Understand the elements of the model of buyer behavior and be able to apply it to critical marketing decisions
- Fully analyze a situation that gives you a basic understanding of the business environment globally and apply critical marketing concepts to it
Brand Management Master’s Degree
Students and professionals who want to take the next step forward in their marketing career may consider a Master of Science in Marketing – Brand Management and Marketing Communications from the University of Colorado Denver.
Students will have the opportunity to choose from several specializations, including:
- Market Intelligence and Strategy for the 21st Century
- Brand Communication in the Digital Era
- Global Marketing
- High Tech and Entrepreneurial Marketing
- Marketing and Global Sustainability
- Sports and Entertainment Business
Some of your required courses will include:
- Integrated Marketing Communications and Brand Identity
- Sales and Sales Force Management
- Customer Relationship Management
- Strategic Product Marketing
- Internet Marketing
- Sports and Entertainment Marketing
- Marketing and Global Sustainability
- Strategic Web Development
Brand Management Degree Admission Requirements
Common admission requirements for a master’s program in brand management include:
- GRE scores
- Bachelor of science in business or related field
- Three recommendations
- Resume
- Writing samples
- College transcripts
Brand Management Degree Curriculum
Some of the courses that you will take in the Master of Science program at the University of Illinois include:
- Strategic Branding – Global Perspectives
- Strategic Brand Communication Essentials
- Essentials of Business Management
- Consumer Insights
- Managing Projects and Teams
- Measurement and Evaluation
- Messaging Strategy
- Strategic Media Management
- Strategic Analytics and Data Visual
Brand Management Degree Financial Assistance
Earning a brand marketing degree can be expensive. That is why you may consider applying for the following grants and scholarships to pay your way through college:
- Metlife Foundation Scholarship: $1000
- Marketing EDGE Scholarships: $5000
- NPFDA Scholarship Foundation: $2500
- WomenIn Scholarship: $2500
- The Business Forum Scholarship Program: $3500
- HubShout Internet Marketing Scholarship: $1000
- com Scholarship: $1000
- IASA Insurance Industry Collegiate Scholarship: $5000
Brand Management Degree Associations
Below are some important marketing associations that you may want to join if you are interested in brand management:
- Marketing Research Association
- American Marketing Association
- Data and Marketing Association
- Internet Marketing Association
By obtaining a degree in brand management, you will have the skills and knowledge to be a critical employee in the brand management and marketing department in your organization.
References
- Brand Management Salary. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Brand_Manager/Salary
- Marketing BS in Brand Management. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://bulletin.vcu.edu/undergraduate/business/marketing/marketing-bs-concentration-product-brand-management/
- Advertising, Promotions and Marketing Managers. (2017). Retrieved from https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/advertising-promotions-and-marketing-managers.htm#tab-2
