CAREER FIT DECISIONS

Q: How do I know if a career in Brand Management is the right fit?

A: First of all, Brand Management is awesome. If you’re a curious, driven person who gets bored easily and likes managing all parts of a business, this could be the perfect career path for you. Where else can you build breakthrough advertising and campaigns one day, develop winning product innovations the next and see everything succeed or fail at retail soon after with seemingly endless consumer and sales date to draw conclusions. Jobs in Brand Management are often a mix of Strategy + Creativity + Analytics, so it’s not for everyone. Some people underestimate the amount of time spent in the numbers for instance. But for many, the fast-paced nature and diverse responsibilities of Brand Management roles keep them energized for years. There are some key considerations around Function, Role, Industry and Company Size to keep in mind, so make sure you understand exactly what situation you are walking into because all jobs are not created equal.

Q: How do I decide what job FUNCTION is best for me?

A: If you search job postings on LinkedIn, you may identify open roles at a company you admire but feel overwhelmed by the different functions. If we focus on the Consumer Packaged Goods industry, you may see roles in Marketing, Sales, Operations or Finance. These roles are obviously quite different. Here is a handy recap of responsibilities by function. Think of it as a cycle:

• Marketing → Drives Consumer Demand. Marketers develop Brand strategy (segmentation, targeting, positioning) & activation (advertising, media & promotions) to influence consumer behavior. They also provide analytics & insights on market trends & competitive positioning. And they work with Sales to refine messaging and promotional strategies at retail.

• Sales → Converts Demand into Revenue. They secure distribution & manage retailer relationships, as well as negotiate pricing, trade promotions & retail execution. Sales professionals also work w/ Operations to ensure product availability

• Operations → Ensures Product Availability & Efficiency. Operations specialists manage supply chain, production, logistics & inventory. They collaborate w/ Sales to meet demand & avoid stock issues. And they work with Finance to optimize costs & maintain efficiency.

• Finance → Drives Profitability & Investment. Finance professionals oversee budgets, pricing, trade spend & financial planning. They, in turn, work with Marketing to determine ROI on campaigns & promotions to feed investment & brand growth.

Q: How do I decide what job ROLE is best for me?

A: Job descriptions are extremely confusing because many titles are used interchangeably and often mean something entirely different at different companies. It’s important to read the entire description and ask questions to make sure you understand the true scope of each role. At the risk of over-generalizing, below are 10 common Marketing job roles and associated responsibilities. While larger organizations may have several of these roles, many smaller companies ask the same person to wear multiple hats!

• Brand Manager: These roles often include a mix of Strategy + Analytics + Creative and true ownership of the business. Brand Manager roles in CPG are often positioned as General Manager roles because they include accountability for the entire business performance, even if different subject-matter experts are responsible for certain pieces. Be aware that in some industries and at some companies, the Brand Manager role is more acutely focused on creative development, media and brand equity, while a separate Product Management team leads portfolio management and day-to-day performance. This is not good or bad but it is certainly different. Many companies also carve out roles within a Brand Management organization, such that one team may focus entirely on Product, while another leads Activation (e.g. P&L, retailer strategy) and a third owns Brand Equity.

• Marketing Manager: Sometimes, this means the same thing as Brand Manager! More often though, a Marketing Manager has a more focused job scope that centers around creative, media and brand equity, as described in the alternate Brand Manager role above. For individuals who are most passionate about creative and media, this might be the perfecft scope. In CPG companies, the Marketing Manager role is less common.

• Product Manager: This job title is very common in Tech, where specialization is required to develop complete new offerings. However, many businesses have Product Manager roles, focused on portfolio management and innovation. If you are most passionate about strategy and innovation (and less so creative), these roles may be the perfect fit.

• Content Marketing: Given the proliferation of content production to fuel the beast of social media and other digital channels, teams often have specialists focused on building content calendars and go-to-market media plans.

• Media Manager: Bigger companies that work with media agencies often have an individual or team focused on liasing with agencies or, at smaller companies, leading all the media planning themselves!

• Communications Manager: Internal PR & Communications team often lead corporate messaging or partnerships with external PR agencies to maximize earned media coverage. They also often lead partnerships with content creators / influencers for the brand.

• Marketing Analyst: If you are more passionate about solving problems with numbers, there are many Marketing Analyst roles that require an in-depth understanding of business performance drivers and forecasting.

• Marketing Research: Understanding consumers is a full-time job on many brands and research teams are tasked with matching the right research methods to different business problems to set a clear path forward. Research teams often lead consumer segmentation projects sometimes lead ROI analysis and Equity studies with outside agencies.

• Trade/Shopper Marketing: Marketers focused on the retail environment may have a job scope that centers in in-store promotions (Trade) or other marketing activities (Shopper) that drive conversion at the shelf. Increasingly, these teams also manage the brand’s retail media budgets, so synchronization with the brand team is important.

• Consumer Marketing: Promotions that are managed beyond the realm of retailers are often led by a consumer promotions expert. Examples include experiential programs, national couponing or sweepstakes. When teams have a consumer marketing expert, they are often responsible for managing these types of activities across the entire business, rather than focused on one brand.

Q: How do select the right INDUSTRY?

A: Many years ago, the best marketers would often ‘earn their stripes’ at big CPG organizations like Proctor & Gamble or Unilever before moving on to work in other industries. However, with the rise of marketing roles in diverse industries like Tech, Healthcare, Financial Services, Gaming & Sports, there is really more choice than ever - and no WRONG way to manage your careers. Many generalists still start their marketing careers in CPG before spreading their wings in a passion industry like sports. But if you know you want to work in Tech or Gaming, there is no reason to wait. Just understand that general management experience in CPG often leads to future roles in any industry, whereas specializing in a specific industry like Gaming may limit future roles outside of that niche. One other question to ask is whether marketers in your selected industry are a profit center or a cost center - said differently, are you a hub or a spoke? In CPG, the company often revolves around the brand manager, whereas in Tech, the coders may call the shots - and in Financial Services, the risk analysts are at the hub of the wheel.

Q: How do select the right company SIZE?

A: Selecting the right company size means balancing structure and autonomy. There are more start-ups than ever before with the easier distribution through eCommerce, low-cost media through Instagram and even new sources of funding. If you have an opportunity to work at a smaller company, you may not be missing out on as much structured training as you think. Even the largest companies often employ an 70/20/10 model, where 70% of learning is on-the-job, 20% is via mentors and 10% through classroom-style training. 5 factors to consider are: 1. Think about how much formal training you want/need - that 10% may be meaningful to achieve a ‘classical training; 2. Decide whether you want to be a jack-of-all-trades or focus on one discipline at a time. Larger companies ofter more opportunity for specialization and job rotations, whereas smaller firms often ask you to wear many hats at once; 3. Do you need fast promotions or is slow-and-steady acceptable? Lean organizations often reward performance with more senior job titles, whereas large organizations sometimes have more structured career paths that take longer to advance within. However, the inverse may be true at a cash-strapped start-up with a Marketing Director who isn’t planning to leave anytime soon, so ask questions!; 4. If you are considering work at a start-up or starting your own, ask yourself whether that same job may be available later or as a side hustle, while earning experience and a more reliable salary elsewhere. It’s often easier to start at a big company via college/MBA recruiting pipelines and move smaller as you advance in your career, while the inverse is less common.

LIVE BOOT CAMP FOR STUDENT GROUPS

Q: I’m already in business school. Do I really need this course on top?

A: We look at our program as a ‘finishing school’ that helps give you that last 10% of knowledge to crush your interviews and hit the ground running in a Brand Management role. Our goal is NOT to provide a comprehensive review of every marketing theory - your professors are best-suited to the task. We have MBA’s and absolutely loved the experience. However, after attending business school and successfully navigating the competitive brand marketing industry, there were several skills, behaviors and helpful tricks that no one ever taught us. Whatever the reason, learning these skills earlier might have accelerated our career progression - and may have increased the chances of getting hired in the first place. CPG Camp teaches students how to talk-the-talk (understand daily life & responsibilities of a Brand Manager) and walk-the-walk (succeed from day 1 with real-world skills). We got lucky and made it through - but we want to help the next generation of brand marketing leaders learn from our experiences.

Q: Is it better to focus a session on Recruiting or Critical Skills?

A: We love covering both in our boot camps with MBA and BBA marketers, but the content focus is flexible and depends on your needs. We have a helpful Marketing Careers Primer module that addresses some of the key choices that students face when entering the industry (roles, industry, company size), as well as common career paths, important behavioral competencies and common myths. We also have modules on winning Resumes and Interviewing that students frequently say go beyond what they’ve received from alumni & career advisors. Some schools like to focus on just those areas, while most like to give students a taste of Brand Manager life. We think this is important to help students decide whether this career path is a good fit - and offer modules of varying lengths (quick hits vs. immersions) to address critical skills and common blind spots in Brand Strategy, Brand-Building and Analytics. These are consistently well-reviewed by students. If you are debating what is best for you, reach out for a live conversation to talk it through!

RECRUITING RESOURCES

Q: I already have access to resume feedback and mock interviews at my school/company or with friends. Will it help to get the additional feedback from CPG Camp?

A: That’s up to you, but the CPG Camp team has decades of Brand Marketing industry experience and knows exactly what companies are looking for. We often find that the constructive feedback and coaching from CPG Camp team members provides value beyond the day-to-day resources available to our members. Because students have different levels of access to alumni, industry veterans or current brand leaders, we’ll just tell you what we can provide and let you decide!

Q: How do the recruiting sessions work?

A: You can book a one-hour session on our website for a Resume Review or Mock Interview. An instructor will reach out to determine how we can use the time best. Sometimes, we just talk about your career for an hour. Other times, we role-play as an interviewer at one of your target companies and throw hard questions at you for 45 minutes, then debrief for 15. We are not exaggerating when we say that candidates often tell us it was the most valuable advice they received to date. In fact, we are probably under-charging for this service lol.

ONLINE BOOT CAMP

Q: Will the CPG Camp program offer me good value for my money?

A: We will not waste your time. Our 16 modules and assignments were curated by senior leaders in the brand marketing world to step-change the trajectory of your career and/or marketing recruiting process. Why? Because after decades of experience interviewing prospective brand marketers and training new interns & associates, we are able to pinpoint the areas where these individuals have been consistently unprepared to hit the ground running. The course covers every critical topic that we wish someone had taught us before we sat down to interview or begin day 1. Relative to the cost of business school or the lost revenue potential of missing out on your dream job, the fees for our Brand Management courses and recruiting services are pretty small.

Q: There are a lot of resources on the Internet. How do I know this is the right one for me?

A: While there are some other Brand Management courses and resources on the web, pay close attention. Most are either thousands of dollars or focused on just one aspect of the job, like ‘digital media’. CPG Camp is tailored to students looking to launch a successful career in Brand Management and covers all the diverse aspects of the role. Some top CPG companies host boot camps aimed at providing a view of day-to-day Brand Manager life, but students tell us that most of time is spent selling you on their headquarter location, company culture or portfolio of brands. This program offers a real-world perspective with content developed by senior marketing leaders working across numerous top companies. We’ve been in your shoes, led successful careers and are looping back around to teach you what we learned along the way. Vet your alternatives, but we know you’ll be back because this program wouldn’t exist if there wasn’t an unmet need among students and new marketers. The education you’ll receive pinpoints the top areas where brand marketing recruiters and leaders feel candidates and new hires consistently show up unprepared. After teaching thousands of students from over 250 universities & companies, 95% of students tell us they’d recommend this program to a peer. Our Exit Survey shows they would have paid hundreds more for this information because it offers a-ha moments that give you a leg-up in recruiting and can fast-track new hire onboarding.

Q: What is the Certified Brand Manager® credential?

A: The parent company of CPG Camp (Marketing EDU) is recognized by the US Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) as the sole owner of the registered trademark for the Certified Brand Manager accreditation. We take great effort in maintaining the highest quality curriculum that covers a wide spectrum of Brand Management responsibilities. And our consortium of Content Advisors provides feedback that helps our Brand Management certification program keep up with industry changes. Students who complete our rigorous Online Brand Management Boot Camp have a chance to take our Marketing Aptitude Test. Those who pass receive an official certificate that to display in their LinkedIn profiles. While we recommend that our students become lifelong learners and continue to immerse themselves in industry news and advancements, our brand management certification does not expire or require renewal.

Q: I am a career-switcher, not a business school student. Is CPG Camp for me?

A: Yes. We get this question all the time. CPG Camp was designed to give you a taste of life in Brand Marketing to decide if the field is right for you. But it also allows you to speak intelligently to recruiters to help land your dream job and hit the ground running on Day 1, as if you’d spent months learning the ropes. The resume accreditation that CPG Camp graduates receive can help set you apart from other candidates, which is especially handy when your resume is light on marketing experience.

Q: I am already working in the industry, but our training isn’t great. Will this help?

A: Absolutely. Many of our enrollees are brand marketers working in the industry that are not getting the training they expected. What was supposed to be a ‘classical training’ turned out to be 100% ‘on-the-job learning’. Sound familiar? Taking this course can help fill in the blanks. We don’t pretend there is only 1 right way to do everything, especially when the brand marketing world seems to change under our feet every day, but sometimes it’s helpful to learn some of the best practices for managing and building brands that marketers have honed over time. This can help speed up your development and position you as an efficient producer & thought-leader in your organization.

Q: How does the service work?

A: Once you enroll in the Online Boot Camp, you will receive an email with log-in instructions to access the 16 modules. If you sign up for a Resume Review or Mock Interview, a member of the CPG Camp team will reach out directly to schedule. The online curriculum is self-paced, so you can log in whenever you’d like to pick up where you left off. Each of the modules includes a video and most have an optional assignment. Students usually take 8-10 hours to get through the material, but you can go at your own pace. Once the modules are complete, students take the Marketing Aptitude Test (MAT), which evaluates knowledge and application of the CPG Camp curriculum. A score of 80% is needed to pass the 50-question multiple choice test. Students then complete a written case study that is evaluated separately. Students can only attempt the MAT up to 3 times. Successful CPG Camp graduates receive accreditation for resumes and enter into our Recruiting Database. Students are considered for opportunities with recruiters or our personal networks as they arise, but there is no guarantee of interviews or placement.

Q: I would love to take this course but am just not sure I have the time. How can I balance?

A: Our signature Online Brand Management Boot Camp is 100% online and self-paced, meaning you can pick up wherever you left off. Each module + assignment is designed to take 30-60 minutes. Including the 90-minute Marketing Aptitude Test, the entire program usually takes about 10 hours, which could be completed over a weekend if you are in a crunch. Considering the competitive edge that CPG Camp provides, most students tell us they are able to find a way to make it work.

Q: Is the CPG Camp material up-to-date?

A: Yes. We regularly refresh content and speak with our team of Content Advisors to ensure our curriculum reflects the latest & most relevant information for our students. For instance, our media modules reflect the latest trends in Performance Marketing and our Interview guides include helpful tips for nailing your virtual interview.

Q: I represent a company or university Career Office and am not sure whether my students would prefer the Live Boot Camp (via Zoom) or the self-paced Online Boot Camp. Can you help me decide?

A: Yes. Many students tell us that they prefer the Online Boot Camp because it is self-paced and allows them more time to absorb the material on their schedule. However, when schools or companies purchase the Live Boot Camp, we do offer a discount on the Online program, so it’s possible to have the best of both worlds. Administrators often choose the Live Boot Camp in the Fall, when students are choosing between careers or looking to get a quick immersion before recruiting begins. With sessions lasting 4-5 hours, it’s enough time to hit on the major topics like Career-Pathing, Day-in-the-Life, Brand Analytics, Brand Strategy, Creative Development and Demystifying the Marketing Interview. Whereas many of our Online Boot Camp participants are more certain that they will be pursuing a career in Marketing and want to get more polished, plus earn the resume credentials - the 10-15 hour total time commitment allows for that. If you still aren’t sure, just send us a note below and we’d be happy to help you decide.

Q: The ‘CPG’ in your name is throwing me off. Is this for Brand Management, Product Management or just people in the CPG industry?

A: The reason why we selected ‘CPG’ (Consumer Packaged Goods, also known as FMCG or Fast-Moving Consumer Goods), is that this is where brand marketers have traditionally received the best ‘classical training’ in marketing and general management that allows them to go on to leadership positions across all industries (Tech, Financial, Retail, Auto, Luxury, etc). Forbes conducted a comprehensive study in 2019 that found that companies in the CPG industry rank highest when it comes to preparing marketers for the role of CEO (“By collecting data from LinkedIn, researchers determined which current CEOs had previous marketing experience, and found that large CPG companies stood out as the most effective training grounds for future CEOs”). Our point is NOT that you have to start your marketing career at a traditional CPG firm, as many marketers find quick career trajectory and high compensation in Tech or with Direct-to-Consumer brands - and many ‘traditional’ brands are being squashed by disruptive start-ups. We aim to provide a solid foundation for any marketer to advance their career, grounded in the principles (new & old) used every day in the Consumer Packaged Goods industry.

Q: I work at a start-up looking to dial up our marketing expertise. Will this be relevant for us?

A: Regarding the Online Boot Camp, it depends. If your start-up manufactures a consumer product, the program will likely be highly relevant. If you are selling exclusively in the DTC space, you may find that a few topics like ‘analyzing a Consumption Report’ or ‘planning retail promotions’ are more appropriate for larger brands selling across more channels. If your organization wants to develop more Brand Marketing expertise, there are numerous topics that provide this grounding - and a couple that are more financially-oriented, given Brand Marketers often act as the general manager of a business. You can review the specific topics to help decide by clicking on any of the offerings on our Services page.

If you are looking more for Marketing Strategy or Consulting for your company, we offer those as standalone offerings on the same Services pages. This may be what you’re looking for to help your organization or brand(s) find its identity and build top-to-bottom brand development & marketing strategy plans.

Q: I’m still on the fence. How do I know CPG Camp won’t let me down?

A: We know it can feel overwhelming to navigate all the resources out there for recruiting and skills enhancement, so want you to feel confident that this is the best place to develop world-class, real-life brand management skills. After working with thousands of students, over 90% of graduates tell us they'd recommend our program to a peer. We hear all the time from BBAs, MBAs and professionals that the CPG Camp skillset & resume endorsement helps in a competitive job market, especially when boosting your marketing credentials to compensate for a non-traditional background or lack of internships. Because the 16-module Online course is self-paced, you can take it at your convenience. If you are intrigued but not ready to pull the trigger, you can view the first minute of each module on our Services pages for free before enrolling in the full Boot Camp.