Know-How Exchange : Career/Training

A truly good marketer, or brand manager, can do a great job on luxury brands as well as "value" brands. The positioning of a brand is not something you should focus on when deciding on an education, or a career, in brand management or marketing.

That's a degree of specialization that may, in fact, be counter-productive, because it could warp your thinking to the point of being unrealistic. You're much better off being a marketing master and applying your talents to whatever brand comes your way.

BTW, I've been a brand/marketing manager on soaps and laundry products, women's underwear, feminine hygiene products, and snack chips -- quite a broad range. You know what? The marketing thinking was exactly the same for all of them. You identify your primary target audience, get to know their needs, beliefs, values, likes/dislikes, etc. Then position your product to communicate an important and meaningful benefit. Then go through each marketing mix element and apply the positioning (strategically). Then translate all the strategies into action plans.

That's the formula.

Hi Felix,

My own Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth features Kevin Keller's Strategic Brand Management and Marketing core classes, with a strong emphasis on high-end brands.