What is a (freelance) brand manager?
A brand manager is a person responsible to take care of the brand. It goes all the way from creating guidelines to making reports of trends, behaviours, and acceptance.
The brand manager must be on top of all the communication from a company/ brand at an internal and external level. It might sound a bit strange because that’s also a Communications Officer job description, but “brands” are the core of a company. If something goes wrong in the communication – text or visuals – it is the responsibility of the brand manager because he/she should be on top of that.
Since the brand is the identity of a company it must be looked out for. The brand manager ensures to create trust between the brand, team, and consumers.
This person needs to promote the brand as well.
It is not an “individual” role kind of thing. This person needs to be synced with marketing, PR, and advertising. The brand managers give the guidelines of how the brand should look and speak, it’s a team effort.
If there’s something that doesn’t align well, the brand manager must call it off. It could be an event, advertising, photos, sponsorships, or partnerships, just to name a few.
Why is a (freelance) brandmanager important?
A brandmanager plays a crucial role in the success of a company’s brand. They are responsible for overseeing all aspects of a brand’s development and management. From developing a brand strategy and positioning to creating and executing marketing campaigns.
A brandmanager ensures that the brand’s message is consistent across all channels and that it resonates with the target audience. They work to establish a brand identity that reflects the company’s values and unique selling proposition, which helps differentiate it from competitors.
Additionally, a brand manager monitors the brand’s reputation, making sure that any issues that arise are addressed promptly and effectively. They analyse market trends, consumer behaviour, and competitive activity and use this information to adjust the brand strategy and positioning as needed.
Which skills are important for a (freelance) brand manager?
A brandmanager requires a range of important skills to be successful in theirrole. These skills include strategy, project management, copywriting,communication, event planning, creativity and innovation,sales, and analytical skills.
- Strategy is essential for developing a clear and effective branding plan.
- Project management skills help in organizing and executing branding campaigns efficiently.
- Copywriting skills are important for creating compelling brand messaging.
- Good communication skills are necessary to effectively communicate with team members, stakeholders, and customers.
- Event planning skills help in organizing successful events and promotions to build brand awareness.
- Creativity and innovation are important to develop new and unique branding ideas.
- Sales skills are needed to effectively market and sell the brand.
- Analytical skills are essential for analysing and measuring the success of branding campaigns and adjusting them accordingly.
What are the duties of a (freelance) brand manager?
The main tasks of a brand manager are:
- Planning ways to promote the brand
- If something bad happens related to brand management, the brand manager should be responsible for how to make it better because knows the brand so well.
- Benchmark
- Analyse brand perception.
- Work together with a designer to create a brand book.
- Supervising ads, visual pieces, social media, and print.
- Organise brand-related events.
- Brand alignment.
- Constant communication with marketing, design department, and stakeholders.
- Constant communication with the internal team to keep the brand on point, and values aligned.
- Analyse data for trends, insights, and information.
What tools does a brand manager use?
A brand manager uses a variety of tools to help them with their tasks, such as:
- Analytics tools to measure brand performance and gather insights.
- Project management software to keep track of brand campaigns and projects.
- Social media management tools to plan, schedule, and analyse social media content and campaigns.
- Design software to work with designers and create visual assets for the brand.
- Communication tools such as email, messaging apps, and video conferencing software to stay in touch with team members, stakeholders, and external partners.
- Brand tracking tools to monitor brand perception and reputation.
- Research tools to gather information and insights on the target audience and competitors.
- Marketing automation tools to execute and track marketing campaigns.
- Customer relationship management (CRM) software to manage customer interactions and data.
How do you become a brand manager?
Required training to become a brand manager:
- Marketing
- PR
- Advertising
- Projectmanagement
- Data
- Copywriting
What is the difference between a brand manager and a marketing manager?
Although the roles of a brand manager and a marketing manager may overlap in some areas, there are some key differences between them.
A brand manager focuses specifically on developing and maintaining the brand identity of a company or product. This involves creating a brand strategy, managing the brand's visual identity, messaging, and positioning, and ensuring that all communications and materials are consistent with the brand's image and values.
On the other hand, a marketing manager is responsible for promoting and selling a company's products or services. This includes developing marketing strategies and campaigns, analysing consumer behaviour and market trends, managing advertising and promotions, and collaborating with sales and product development teams to achieve business goals.
Bonito: hire a brand manager for changemakers
Looking to have your brand on point? Welcome to Bonito, your dedicated brand management partner. Get in touch today and let us help you create a powerful brand that will resonate with your audience and inspire change. Together, we can make a difference.