BAA - The Trade Marketing Manager is dedicated to developing the expertise required to drive brand presence and conversion at the point of purchase.
This specialisation covers all aspects that define a world-class Trade Marketing Manager, including POS development, event creation and organisation, and building and implementing effective trade marketing strategies for both On-Trade and Off-Trade channels. The course emphasises seamless cross-departmental collaboration and the ability to translate brand strategy into commercially effective sales enablement tools.
What the Student Will Learn
Students will become the critical link between brand strategy and sales execution in the trade. They will be able to:
- Build and implement comprehensive trade marketing strategies that align with sales targets and brand guidelines.
- Design and manage the entire lifecycle of Point-of-Sale (POS) development, from concept briefing to in-market execution and measurement.
- Create and organize impactful trade events (e.g., product launches, distributor incentives, training sessions) with clear commercial objectives.
- Develop world-class sales decks and promotional materials that empower the sales team with compelling data and visual assets.
- Execute specialized trade programs, understanding the distinct operational requirements and opportunities in on-premise vs. retail environments.
Key Content Aspects Included
- Trade Marketing Fundamentals: Defining trade marketing objectives, segmentation of trade partners, and the role of trade spend.
- POS Development & Execution: Briefing creative agencies for shelf talkers, displays, and promotional materials; inventory management of POS; measuring POS compliance and impact.
- Cross-Departmental Collaboration: Formal protocols for working with the Marketing team (ensuring brand consistency), the Sales team (gathering field needs), and Supply Chain (managing POS logistics).
- Trade Strategy Implementation (On & Off Trade): Developing specialized programs like menu engineering for bars, and display optimization/planogramming for retailers.
- Sales Enablement & Assets: Creating compelling sales decks, product fact sheets, and pitch materials that communicate value chains and key selling points effectively.
- Trade Event Organization: Logistics, vendor management, and post-event analysis specifically for trade-focused events (e.g., distributor conferences, staff training).
The Course Assessment
The assessment for this specialisation is focused on Strategic Execution and Cross-Functional Delivery.
- Signature Assessment: The Trade Marketing Strategy & POS Toolkit. Students must develop a 6-month trade marketing strategy for a product, including a detailed POS Toolkit (briefs for 3 distinct POS items) and a sales presentation deck designed for a customer meeting.
- Project Assessment: Trade Event Management Plan. Planning the logistics and commercial rationale for a major new product launch event aimed at key trade customers and media.
