Ranjan K Baruah
We have published about branding and brand management in the previous issue. In this edition, we are publishing more details related to brand management Even though social media has changed the tactics of marketing brands, its primary goals remain the same; to attract and retain customers. However, companies have now experienced a new challenge with the introduction of social media. This change is finding the right balance between empowering customers to spread the word about the brand through viral platforms, while still controlling the company’s own core strategic marketing goals. Word-of-mouth marketing via social media falls under the category of viral marketing, which broadly describes any strategy that encourages individuals to propagate a message, thus, creating the potential for exponential growth in the message’s exposure and influence. Basic forms of this are seen when a customer makes a statement about a product or company or endorses a brand. This marketing technique allows users to spread the word on the brand which creates exposure for the company. Because of this, brands have become interested in exploring or using social media for commercial benefit.
A brand manager should be able to present product’s benefit as well as the company’s image in the market and look superior as compared to other brands in the market. Now online brand management, known as e-branding is also becoming popular through social networking sites and blogs. Individuals aspiring to make a career in brand management should hold an MBA degree in Brand Management or Marketing Management. Graduates from any stream can pursue the 2 year MBA courses. Some entrepreneurs may be good brand manager of their product for which they may not have any MBA degree.
Job opportunities are available for brand management professionals in reputed industries such as Pharmaceuticals, mobile telephone companies, advertising agencies, television channels, newspaper organizations, travel, leisure or entertainment, leading manufacturers of food, soft drink, clothes, soaps, cosmetics and electrical products etc. The companies involved in providing financial services such as banks, insurance companies also employ experienced brand managers.
Some might start working with other reputed industries and later start their own brands and products. Brands not necessary be only hard product it may even selling soft skills like becoming an effective trainer of soft skills or life skills. Facebook has been one of the best brands amongst us as it has reaches to most of us. Similarly another brand related to app is WhatsApp.
We have seen how it has reached in places. There are people behind the success of these brands. There are many industries such as Hindustan Lever, Mahindra and Mahindra, Godrej India, Sun Pharma, Alkem Pharma, Aditya Birla Group, Reliance, Wipro Consumer Durables, Dabur, Bajaj, Kotak Mahindra etc and International brands like Sara Lee, Reckitt Benckiser, Unilever, Procter and Gamble, General Mills, Mars, Nestle, Novartis, Pfizer, Cipla, Ranbaxy, GSK, Vodafone, Pepsi, Cocoa Cola, Aviva Life Insurance, etc. recruit brand management graduates.
Some of the courses are Diploma in Brand Management, Professional Certificate in Brand Management, Post Graduate Diploma in Brand Management, MBA in Product and Brand Management, Certification Course in Fashion Brand Management, Certificate Course in Strategic Brand Management, Certificate Course in Brand Management, etc. These are some courses and there might be many other which can be opted by aspirants.
(Ranjan K Baruah is a career mentor and can be reached at bkranjan@gmail.com or 98640 55558 for any career related queries)
Source: The Sangai Express
