Manager - Brand Marketing

The position is held responsible to develop and implement the long and short-term marketing and financial strategies for brand's/s.

The broad scope of the task requires interaction heavily with internal & external stakeholders.

Responsibilities:

Brand Management:

• Integrated communication strategy for enhancing brand equity and brand preference.
• Efficient media management and planning for optimum utilization of resources.
• Manage and coordinate all marketing, advertising and promotional staff and activities.
• Understanding of product positioning and brand management backed with strong understanding of brand communication using integrated communication tools.
• Formulating business plans for overall development and accomplishment of top and bottom-line profitability.
• Develop brand's/s positioning strategy in line with the Brand objectives.
• Ensure that the entire brand building strategies/exercise is implemented in all the stores and in all the territories.
• Liaison with Media Groups to develop appropriate theme communication methodology in line with brand objectives.
• Work with the brand principal and internal stakeholders, to both educate about the market and the brand, to help achieve the objective of building the brand.
• Put strategies and action plans to build and fix database and be the custodian for implementation.

Promotions & Events:

• Recommend Brand/store promotions in consultation with brand custodians.
• Ensure that all communication material required for the promotions is developed/designed and sent to the territories within the time frame specified, and with the required approvals, allowing adequate time in case changes to be adopted.
• Recommend events specific to brand/product category/season.
• Forecast along with brand custodians the increase in footfall sales during the promotions; hence come up with an ROI.

In-store / Out Door Media Planning:

• Ensure that the entire out-door media facilities are at the prime locations to attract customers (billboards/hoardings).
• Ensure time frame and seasonality peaks are met.
• Get preferential rates based on group's economy of scale and tactical negotiations.
• Ensure that the outdoor media communication is replaced regularly with images and captions.
• Co-coordinate with the territories and the brand principles as necessary on the media advertising.
• Ensure consistency in the brand image.
• Provide innovative solutions and proposals for new POS materials for stores/Brand.

Budgeting & Planning:

• Prepare the annual marketing budget for the Brand in consultation with the management team and allocate resources to territories/brands with the breakup in terms of season, campaign, media etc.
• Prepare annual marketing calendar and Product specification catalogs.
• Review the budgets and make recommendations to the management as deemed necessary.
• Report on the utilization of the Budgets periodically.
• Ensure budget is effectively and efficiently utilized.

Media Groups Management:

• Plan and coordinate with Corporate Marketing on media buying.
• Track advertising maintained with the Media Groups/Agencies.
• Review the effectiveness of advertisement promos and take corrective actions.
• Set agency deliverables with respect to the brand's communication strategy.
• Responsible for all approvals on the brand and marketing in coordination with brand and management.
• Ensure utilize internal manpower to achieve quality output.

Market Research:

• Conduct periodic market research to study the customer profile/preferences and buying patterns, in coordination with Corporate Marketing.
• Conduct market research to study the effectiveness of the media campaign and with respect to the money spent.
• Set goals and parameters for the Marketing Research, ensuring a meaningful output that can be utilized to develop plans and strategies.

Other Responsibilities:

• Negotiate with vendors/media groups and printers.
• Create opportunities for Cross Promotion (i.e., Banks, Airline, other retail brands) and co-branding.
• Plan with editors for PR and media coverage in consultation with Brand Head and Group Corporate communication & PR.
• Manage the loyalty program/privilege clubs of the brands and recommend strategies to ensure increase in the perception level of the program.
• Recommend strategies to Club Apparel team to increase membership in the Loyalty Program and provide support in sending mailers/brochures to privilege club members.
• Represent the Brands at media and marketing events i.e., to understand the essence and the fashion part of each of the brand to enable representing those brands as an ambassador in marketing related needs.
• Conduct territory and market visits to assess implementation of marketing/branding guidelines and source competitive intelligence.
• Keep abreast of best practices in marketing, global retail brands, competitive/strategic marketing initiatives and trends.
• Be close to stores and territories to know the customers and the market trend.
• Be abreast to the competition in the same sectors to enable market share knowledge.
• Coordinate with mall management to ensure capitalize on their activities, and utilize opportunities.
• Be abreast with seasonal launches and product heroes, and brand thematic displays.

Qualification:

The ideal Marketing Manager in a retail company should have 7+ years of progressive experience in brand management, with a minimum of 5 years specifically in the retail sector. Proven success in developing and implementing strategic brand initiatives, enhancing customer engagement, and achieving measurable business results is essential.