Product Manager vs Brand Manager
In the corporate world, the roles of product manager and brand manager can often be confusing, as they share many similarities. However, there are also differences between the two positions that are important to understand.
Key Takeaways
- Brand managers focus on maintaining and improving the sales of an established brand, while product managers work to increase the sales of products through the application of marketing techniques.
- Brand managers are mostly associated with consumer products, whereas product managers may work for both consumer and B2B clients.
- Brand managers work closely with retailers to ensure their brand receives priority, while product managers are more interested in employing aggressive marketing techniques to improve product sales.
Brand Manager
A company may have a long line of products, but only a few become successful brands that customers choose without considering the company’s image. A brand manager is appointed to ensure that the quality of these brands remains consistent with consumer expectations. Brand managers closely monitor the sales figures of a particular product and implement marketing strategies while working closely with retailers to convince them to prioritize the brand. They collaborate with manufacturers, sales personnel, marketing teams, and advertisers to ensure that all aspects of production, supply, and marketing are highly synchronized. It is common for large corporations that manufacture consumer products across various industries to hire qualified brand managers to oversee successful brands.
Product Manager
The role of a product manager is similar to that of a brand manager in that they both focus on promoting a product or service to boost sales. A product manager is typically an MBA graduate with a specialization in sales and marketing. Their main job is to devise strategies and implement measures to increase the sales of a product or products. They are responsible for product development and launch, and may repackage or use other marketing techniques to popularize a product. Their duties also involve collaborating with marketing and advertising teams to provide input on improving product sales. Product managers work for both small and large-scale companies that produce goods for end consumers.
