Be sure you don’t miss any of the action: make sure you subscribe to receive future issues. So many great marketing ideas never see the light of day. It’s an unfortunate side effect of working in large organizations. The pro of a large company is that you have stability, but the con is that it often takes too many people …
How To Think Like A Strategist
Be sure you don’t miss any of the action: make sure you subscribe to receive future issues. As brand leaders, we often hear that we need to “be strategic,” but we often don’t get much guidance on what that actually means. Some brand managers are natural strategic thinkers, while others can spend an entire career figuring it out. So below …
How To Lead 1:1s With Your Manager
Be sure you don’t miss any of the action: make sure you subscribe to receive future issues. If you’ve worked in brand management for any decent amount of time (or even just business in general), you’ve probably heard the advice that you need to “manage up” or “manage your boss”. While I believe this to be true, I’m not sure …
Tips for Tough Conversations
Be sure you don’t miss any of the action: make sure you subscribe to receive future issues. The first time you get a direct report, it can be both exciting and scary. It’s a sign you’ve been trusted with management responsibility. But what if you’re assigned an under-performer? Most new managers are tempted to “play nice”. They want to be …
Top Creative Brief Mistakes
Be sure you don’t miss any of the action: make sure you subscribe to receive future issues. Many brands are planning out their campaigns for 2023, which means many brand leaders will soon begin writing creative briefs for their agencies and creative teams. At this stage hopes are high, and leading new creative campaigns is supposed to be one of the fun …
How to Get Promoted in Brand Management
Be sure you don’t miss any of the action: make sure you subscribe to receive future issues. Annual reviews and goal-setting often come around this time of year. And if you ask most ABMs and brand managers what their goals are, chances are more than a few of them will mention their goal is to get promoted. Most managers will …
Five Potential Brand Management Career Pathways
Be sure you don’t miss any of the action: make sure you subscribe to receive future issues. As we head into the new year, no doubt many brand leaders are thinking about their career goals and aspirations. And if you follow the most general career advice, you already know that you need to find a path that leverages your strengths, …
The Best Holiday Ad of the Year (2022)
Be sure you don’t miss any of the action: make sure you subscribe to receive future issues. With the holidays upon us, there’s no shortage of favorite holiday ads out there. Usually these ads are emotionally driven, with people picking favorites based on what they think is funny or cute. While it’s tempting to pick ads that make you feel …
What Most Brands Miss in Their Strategic Plan
With most brands wrapping up 2023 planning, I want to address a common mistake that I see in many strategic plans (a.k. the brand plan). Whether you are writing a long-term strat plan for the very first time, or even if you’ve written them numerous times, you’re sure to learn a new trick here today… Although I hesitate to call …
Is Brand Management Right For You?
I want to address one of the most common questions that early career ABMs and brand managers have but are too afraid to ask. This will not only be helpful for brand managers, but if you are a Director, VP or CMO you’ll learn exactly what qualities to look for in your brand management team to determine if they truly …