What do Brand / Product Manager (Assistant)s do?

The role of an Assistant Brand or Product Manager working in the music industry is to support the Brand Manager in carrying out marketing campaigns to maximise the sales or to promote a particular record label, artist, online music service, radio station or other music product. They will usually be employed by a large or well established record label or music company and are likely to assist in campaigns for a specific artist or product or group of artists or products. All sorts of events, products and artists may be defined as a brand. For example Top of the Pops is considered a major global music brand and has a Brand Manager who works across all media and markets, nationally and internationally.

A knowledge of the music business and of current trends is helpful. Good project management skills and experience in customer care and customer relationship management, including knowledge of CRM software packages are also important. Good skills in teamwork are also important as you will often need to work closely with other departments, including public relations and sales, as well as with other members of your own team. An Assistant Brand or Product Manager will also need a high level of administrative and project management skills, along with flexibility, as the tasks carried out are varied and can change from capaign to campaign and there are often pressures from deadlines. An Assistant Brand or Product Manager may be involved in assisting with the setting up and running of focus groups, managing and responding to feedback and handling, packaging, advertising, and sales promotions. Other tasks they may assist in include planning and organising publicty and promotion work around events, live performances and tours, and their tasks can range from design, creation and distribution of packaging and marketing materials such as cover images, posters, web sites and point-of-sale assets, to liaising with media buyers about placing adverts.

The work can involve long hours and managing deadlines and launch and release dates can be stressful. Experience of marketing, project management, customer relations and technical skills such as database administration and research in other industries, particularly other creative and entertainment industries can be a bonus.