BAA - Brand Manager

This specialisation is the definitive course for becoming a world-class Brand Manager.
BAA - The Brand Manager focuses on managing a brand from a comprehensive marketing perspective, encompassing strategic planning, financial oversight, and leadership. Students learn the full scope of brand management, from PR and agency management and design strategy to building and running a team of Brand Ambassadors. The course emphasises leadership and stakeholder management, ensuring the brand strategy is effectively executed across both On-Trade and Off-Trade channels.

What the Student Will Learn

Students will gain the strategic and leadership skills required to own and drive a brand's P&L and market presence. They will be able to:

• Develop the annual brand marketing plan and manage a significant budget, ensuring alignment with global strategic objectives.
• Lead and motivate a team of Brand Ambassadors, setting clear objectives and measuring performance.
• Manage external partners, including PR, creative, and media agencies, holding them accountable to commercial objectives.
• Apply advanced design and packaging knowledge to manage range extensions and redesigns, maintaining brand consistency while ensuring legal compliance.
• Master the dynamics of working with the Sales Team to ensure marketing programs translate into commercial results in both retail and on-premise environments.

Key Content Aspects Included

• Brand Marketing Strategy & Planning: Annual planning cycles, budget setting (A&P allocation), and defining long-term brand pillars.
• Leadership & Stakeholder Management: Managing upward (senior leadership), downward (direct reports/ambassadors), and lateral (sales, finance, supply chain) relationships.
• Agency Management & PR: Writing effective agency briefs, evaluating creative work, media relations fundamentals, and crisis PR management.
• Design & Packaging Management: The design workflow, managing print proofs, ensuring visual consistency, and liaising with supply chain on material choices.
• On-Trade & Off-Trade Activation: Strategic use of BAs in both channels, retail activation best practices, and developing trade incentives with the sales team.

The Course Assessment

The assessment for this specialisation is focused on Strategic Leadership and Holistic Brand Management.

• Signature Assessment: The Annual Brand Plan & Agency Brief. Students must produce a comprehensive 12-month Brand Plan (including budget breakdown, objectives, and KPIs) and an accompanying detailed creative agency brief for a major campaign.
• Leadership Assessment: The Team Management Simulation. Students manage a simulated Brand Ambassador team, dealing with performance issues, budget constraints, and conflicting priorities from the sales team.