You just walked into a McDonald’s. What is it that you observe around you? Probably the coffee smell, the red and yellow colored flyers, the clown outside it, and people enjoying the burgers. Right?
Now if you go to a McDonald’s outlet in a different city, you would probably have a similar experience. What does this say about its branding? McD has been consistent to offer the same quality, experience, and food regardless of its location. Their tagline “I am loving it” also evokes a feeling of happiness, which ultimately drives their sales.
This connection between the product and the emotional response to be generated is a significant part of what we call “Branding”. In this blog, we will run through aspects of how to become a brand manager after the 12th, the skills that are of paramount importance to becoming a brand manager, the different educational paths that you can pursue to become a brand manager, and much more.
Who is a Brand Manager?
Brand managers are in charge of managing marketing activity related to a company’s brand and ensuring that all branding choices eventually boost sales. Brand managers also participate in the buying, sourcing, and production processes and frequently collaborate with research, content, social media, and design, to create that alignment, ensuring that all business choices are aligned with the brand’s image.
Read more about: How to become a Digital Marketer
How to become a Brand Manager?
Step 1: Stream to select
To become a successful brand manager, post 10th there is no restriction on the subject choice. You can pursue either science, Humanities, or Commerce. Post 12th degrees in marketing and advertising are the most preferred ones to become a brand manager. You can even pursue MBA in order to gain business acumen.
Step 2: Certification Courses & Project Courses
There are various online courses that you can try your hands on to get some insight into the career. These certifications will help you analyze whether you actually like the subject. The urge to learn more about it and the feeling of excitement when you are doing the course are the signs that you should look out for. Some of the certificate courses that will help you stand out and also become a knowledgable professional in the field include:
Certificate Course | Institute | Duration |
Branding: The Creative Journey | IE Business School through Coursera | 3-6 Months |
Brand Management: Aligning Business, Brand, and Behaviour | The University of London through Coursera | 1-3 Months |
Strategic Brand Management | Edx (Online) | 12 Weeks |
Brand Strategy: Management of your brand reputation | 1 hour 17 mins | |
Luxury Management | Edx (Online) | 8 Weeks |
Branding Foundations | 52 mins | |
JuniorMBA in Branding | Clever Harvey | 15 hours |
Brand Management | Edx (Online) | 5 Weeks |
Step 3: Educational Qualifications
How to become a Brand Manager After the 12th?
You can work in a range of sectors as a brand manager and promote appealing goods and brands. However, becoming a brand manager requires education in the field of marketing. Here are various degrees that you can pursue.
- To become a Brand Manager In India:
A) UG/ Diploma/Certificates In India
To become a brand manager, then you need to prepare for it ahead of time. After completing 10+2 there are three ways to pursue your career in brand management:
Undergraduate Course | Duration |
BBA | 3 Years |
BMS | 3 Years |
B.A. | 3 Years |
PATH 1: The most common path – BBA (Bachelor of Business Administration) provides students with the fundamentals of business management. The specializations that you can choose from for being a brand manager include:
- BBA with Brand Building and Management
- BBA with Retail Management
- BBA with Brand Management and communication
- BBA with Marketing
- BBA with Advertising and Brand Management
PATH 2: BMS (Bachelors of Management Studies) is more or less similar to BBA with the same duration.
PATH 3: B.A. (Bachelors in Arts) with majors in English or Mass Communication or Bachelors in Mass Communication (BMC) is also one of the options available.
You can also pursue some diploma courses with the eligibility of passing 10+2. Some of the diploma courses you can pursue include:
Diploma Course | Institute offering the Course | Duration |
Diploma in Advertising & Brand Management | Amity University | 2 Year |
Diploma in Brand Management | International Institute of Retail Management-IIRM | 2 Years |
Executive Diploma in Luxury Brand Management | Luxury Connect Business School (LCBS) | 6 Months |
Diploma in Brand Management | AIIPPHS University | 1 Year |
Advance Diploma in Brand Management | Indian School of business management and administration | 1 Year |
B) Top colleges to pursue BMS / BBA in India:
- Keshav Mahavidyalaya, Delhi University
- Shaheed Sukhdev College of Business Studies, Delhi University
- NMIMS Anil Surendra Modi School of Commerce, Mumbai
- Symbiosis Centre for Management Studies, Pune, Symbiosis International University
- Christ University, Bangalore
- HR College of Commerce and Economics, Mumbai University
- Jai Hind College, Mumbai University
- Mithibhai College, Mumbai University
- UPES University Dehradun
- St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai
- To become a Brand Manager Abroad:
A) UG/ Diploma/Certificates Abroad
The degree name of the Bachelor’s courses abroad is more or less the same. However, their syllabus, structure, and approach to teaching might differ. Some of the UG courses that you can check out include:
Course | Duration |
Bachelor in Marketing Management | 4 Years |
BA (Hons) Business Management (Marketing) with Foundation Year | 4 Years |
Bachelor of International Business (BIB) | 4 Years |
BSc in International Marketing | 4 Years |
BBA in Marketing | 4 Years |
The duration of these bachelor’s courses and their names might differ depending on which country you apply to.
You can also pursue some diploma courses if you don’t want to invest so much time. Some of the diploma courses you can pursue include:
Course | Duration |
Diploma in Applied Marketing | 13 Weeks (Full time) |
Graduate Certificate in Marketing | 8 Months |
Diploma in Advertising and Marketing Communications | 2 Years (Full time) |
Diploma in Business- Marketing | 2 Years |
B) Top colleges to pursue Abroad:
- Teesside University, Middlesbrough, UK
- Texas A & M University, College Station, USA
- The University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, USA
- National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
- RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia
- University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, UK
- Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
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Step 4: Job Preparation
After completing your Bachelor’s degree, how do you get a job as a Brand Manager? Initially, you won’t get a job as a “Manager” as it requires years of experience and even business degrees like an MBA. However, you can start small. Some of the preparation tips include:
- Asses whether branding is for you:
Programs like Clever Harvey’s JuniorMBA Chief Marketing Officer are a great way to analyze whether your interest aligns with the demands of the role.
- Internships:
Branding as a field overlaps a lot with marketing and design. Thus, you can experiment with a variety of roles like graphic designing, copywriting, social media marketing, digital marketing, etc. which will help you build the relevant skillset.
- Showcase your work:
It is of no use if you have the most amazing projects but your employers don’t know where to find you. Google drives, Active Behance and LinkedIn accounts, or even simple Word documents are a few ways you can use to present your work.
- Create a relevant Resume:
Understand the importance of the word “relevant” here. For instance, your wins at a dancing competition are of no use as compared to a digital art competition if you are applying for a branding role. Therefore it is significant to align your resume with the specificity required.
Skills required to become a Brand Manager
Some of the skills required to become a Brand Manager include:
- Creativity/Innovation
- Being up-to-date with the Trends
- Consumer Research
- Ability to implement the research findings
- Adaptability
- Communication
- Accountability
Salary of a Brand Manager
Considering that a Brand Manager is responsible for building the brand’s face and as businesses and companies rise and grow, the demand for them would also increase, making it a high-paying career.
The salary in the Indian geographical locations includes
- Mumbai, Maharashtra: 941,544 INR/year
- Gurgaon, Haryana: 9,18,300 INR/year
- Bengaluru, Karnataka: 6,51,403 INR/year
- Delhi, Delhi: 5,38,280 INR/year
- Hyderabad, Telangana: 4,67, 501 INR/ year
Salary abroad is based on the criterion of the years of experience and the company you work for. A general overview of the average salary that you can expect to earn for an entry-level position is provided below:
Country | USA | UK | Canada | Germany | Australia | Singapore | UAE |
Average Salary per year | $65422 | £45,459 | C$71813 | €48752 | AU$81225 | SGD 105,000 | AED 19,000 |
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Top Recruiters in India:
- Amazon
- Unilever
- Leo Burnet
- ITC
- Nestle
- Asian Paints
- Proctor and Gamble
- Wipro
- Cipla
- Diageo
Top Recruiters Abroad:
- Amazon
- Nike
- Victoria’s Secret
- Loreal
- Red Bull
- Woolworths group
- Pepsi co
Still, want to explore more? Here are some series episodes and books you can check out:
- Abstract: The Art of Design
Where: Netflix
What to expect: These are the set of documentaries providing you insight into the lives of people who hold these jobs.
- Books to Read
I hope this information excites you to get into branding. It’s really fun when you are interested in making your product/service reach your target audience.
FAQs related to becoming a Brand Manager in India
What is the job of a Brand Manager?
A brand manager is responsible for overseeing activities that affect the brand name. This includes marketing, designing, branding, budgeting etc. with the aim to increase sales.
Can a fresher become a Brand Manager?
Usually, freshers are taken in as management trainees or analysts who are trained for a period of 6 months- 1 year. Based on their performance, they will be promoted to the position of a brand manager.
Is branding a good career?
Branding is an outgrowth of Marketing. And both these functions are super important for a business to flourish. Thus, as a brand manager which is a top-level position in the company, there are great opportunities for growth.
What qualifications does a brand manager need?
A business or a marketing degree is good to have. Additionally, a brand manager must have a good eye for detail, research capabilities, and creativity.
How can I become a Brand Manager after the 12th?
After the 12th, you can pursue degrees like BBA, BMS, or BA and get into branding. After some work experience, you can go for an MBA, post which you will be considered for the role of a brand manager.
Is an MBA compulsory to become a brand manager?
It is not a mandatory requirement. However, every company has different criteria for you to be eligible to apply for that position. So it’s better to do an MBA to get a corporate job.
How much does a Brand manager earn?
The figure varies depending on the organization and the years of experience you hold. But on average you can expect anything between 7LPA- 25 LPA.