Top 10 Brand Director Certifications

Certifications are an important asset for a brand director in the job market. They demonstrate knowledge, skills, and commitment to their profession. Certifications provide validation that a brand director has met certain standards of excellence and understands the complexities of managing a successful marketing strategy. With certifications, employers can be confident that they are hiring someone who is knowledgeable and capable of leading their team. Additionally, certifications allow brand directors to stay up-to-date with industry trends and best practices which can give them an edge over other candidates when competing for jobs.

The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of the top certifications for Brand Directors and explain how they can help to enhance a brand director's career.

What are Brand Director Certifications?

Brand director certification is a professional designation for those in the field of marketing, brand management and communications. It is designed to recognize individuals who have achieved a high level of expertise within the discipline, and it provides certification holders with a competitive edge when seeking employment or promotion in their chosen field.

Brand director certification can help professionals by providing them with the necessary skills and knowledge to become successful in their careers. Certification holders learn about the principles of branding, including strategy development, marketing communication, consumer behavior analysis and product positioning. They also gain an understanding of how to effectively use digital media platforms to build strong brands and engage target audiences. Additionally, they are taught how to develop effective marketing campaigns that align with business goals and objectives.

Overall, brand director certification can provide professionals with the tools needed to create successful marketing plans that reach desired audiences through appropriate channels. This can ultimately help them advance their careers by displaying their knowledge of modern branding techniques as well as their ability to lead successful campaigns.

Pro Tip: When considering a brand director certification program, look for one that is accredited by a professional organization like the American Marketing Association. This will ensure that the certification is recognized and respected in the industry, and will help to validate your credentials as a brand director.

Related: What does a Brand Director do?

Top 10 Brand Director Certifications

Here’s our list of the best certifications available to Brand Directors today.

1. Certified Brand Manager (CBM)

A Certified Brand Manager (CBM) is a professional designation that recognizes individuals who have achieved a high level of expertise in brand management. The certification program is designed to enhance the knowledge and skills of professionals working in the field of brand management, and to provide them with an industry-recognized credential.

How long does it take to get it?

The Certified Brand Manager program takes approximately 6 months to complete. It consists of four courses, which include Brand Management Fundamentals, Strategic Brand Management, Advanced Brand Management and Professional Practice. Each course requires approximately 15 hours of study time.

How to get it?

To become a Certified Brand Manager, you must complete all four courses and pass the final exam with a score of 70% or higher. You can register for the program online at the CBM website or by contacting their customer service team directly.

How much does it cost?

The cost for the entire CBM program is $1,495 USD. This includes access to all four courses as well as the final exam and certification fee.

2. Certified Professional Brand Manager (CPBM)

Certified Professional Brand Manager (CPBM) is a certification program designed to provide brand professionals with the knowledge and skills necessary to effectively manage and grow their brands. The CPBM program is offered by the American Marketing Association (AMA) and is designed for experienced brand managers, marketing professionals, and entrepreneurs.

The CPBM program consists of three courses: Brand Management Fundamentals, Advanced Brand Management, and Brand Leadership. Each course provides an in-depth look at the various aspects of managing a successful brand. The courses cover topics such as brand strategy, positioning, customer segmentation, competitive analysis, product development, pricing strategies, market research, and more.

The CPBM program takes approximately 12 months to complete. Each course requires approximately 40 hours of study time over a period of 4 weeks. After completing all three courses, students must pass an exam in order to receive their certification.

To get started on your journey towards becoming a Certified Professional Brand Manager (CPBM), you must first register with the AMA and pay the registration fee ($495). You will then be provided with access to the online learning platform where you can begin your studies. Once you have completed all three courses and passed the exam, you will receive your certification from the AMA.

The cost of becoming a Certified Professional Brand Manager (CPBM) varies depending on which payment plan you choose when registering with the AMA. Payment plans range from $495 for full payment up front or $99 per month for 12 months if paying monthly installments.

3. Certified Brand Strategist (CBS)

A Certified Brand Strategist (CBS) is a professional designation that recognizes an individual's knowledge and expertise in the field of brand strategy. The certification program is offered through the Brand Strategy Institute, a global organization dedicated to advancing the practice of brand strategy.

In order to become a CBS, individuals must complete an online course that covers topics such as brand identity, positioning, messaging, and communication. The course consists of four modules and takes approximately 10 hours to complete. Upon successful completion of the course, applicants must pass a final exam with a score of 80% or higher in order to receive their certification.

The cost for the CBS certification program is $495 USD. This fee includes access to the online course materials and one attempt at the final exam. Once certified, individuals are eligible to use the CBS designation after their name.

4. Certified Digital Brand Manager (CDBM)

A Certified Digital Brand Manager (CDBM) is a professional certification that demonstrates an individual's knowledge and experience in digital marketing. This certification is designed to help professionals understand the fundamentals of digital marketing and how to effectively manage a brand’s online presence.

The CDBM program takes approximately three months to complete, depending on the individual's learning pace. The program consists of five courses: Introduction to Digital Marketing, Social Media Marketing, Search Engine Optimization, Content Marketing, and Analytics & Measurement. Each course covers topics such as creating an effective digital strategy, understanding customer behavior online, optimizing content for search engines, using analytics tools to measure success, and more.

To get the CDBM certification, you must complete all five courses and pass the final exam with a score of 80% or higher. You can take the courses online at your own pace or attend in-person classes offered by various organizations.

The cost for the CDBM program varies depending on where you take it. Online programs typically cost between $1,000-$2,500 while in-person classes may cost up to $5,000.

5. Certified Global Brand Manager (CGBM)

Certified Global Brand Manager (CGBM) is a professional certification program designed to recognize and validate the knowledge, skills and abilities of professionals in the field of global brand management. The CGBM program is administered by the Global Brand Management Institute (GBMI), an independent non-profit organization dedicated to advancing the profession of global brand management.

The CGBM certification is a comprehensive program that covers all aspects of global brand management, including strategy, positioning, messaging, marketing communications, research and analytics. It requires applicants to demonstrate their understanding of global branding principles and practices through a series of written assessments and practical exercises.

To become certified as a CGBM, applicants must meet certain requirements. These include having at least five years' experience in global brand management or related fields; completing at least three courses in global branding from an approved provider; passing two written assessments; and submitting a portfolio demonstrating their knowledge and experience in the field.

The certification process takes approximately six months to complete. The cost for the CGBM program varies depending on the number of courses taken and other factors such as location. Generally speaking, it can range from $2,000 - $5,000 USD.

6. Certified Experiential Brand Manager (CEBM)

Certified Experiential Brand Manager (CEBM) is a professional certification program designed to help experienced brand managers gain the skills and knowledge needed to create, manage, and measure experiential marketing campaigns. This certification program is offered by the International Association of Experiential Marketers (IAEM).

The CEBM program consists of four modules that cover topics such as experiential campaign strategy, planning and execution, measurement and analytics, and budgeting. The course also includes a final exam. To obtain the CEBM certification, candidates must complete all four modules and pass the final exam with a score of 80% or higher.

The CEBM program takes approximately 12 weeks to complete. Candidates can enroll in the program online at any time. The cost for the CEBM program is $2,500 USD for IAEM members or $3,000 USD for non-members.

7. Certified Social Media Brand Manager (CSMBM)

Certified Social Media Brand Manager (CSMBM) is a professional certification program designed to help social media professionals develop the skills and knowledge necessary to effectively manage brands in the digital world. The program focuses on developing an understanding of how to create, maintain, and measure successful social media campaigns.

The CSMBM program consists of four courses: Introduction to Social Media Brand Management, Social Media Platforms & Strategies, Content Creation & Optimization, and Measurement & Insights. Each course is approximately 3 hours long and can be completed online at your own pace.

To become a Certified Social Media Brand Manager, you must pass all four courses with a score of 70% or higher. The cost for the entire program is $599 USD.

8. Certified International Brand Manager (CIBM)

Certified International Brand Manager (CIBM) is a professional certification program designed to help individuals gain the skills and knowledge necessary to manage international brands. The program focuses on developing core competencies in areas such as brand positioning, market analysis, global marketing strategy, and cross-cultural communication.

It takes approximately 6 months to complete the CIBM program. To get certified, you must successfully complete an online course and pass a final exam with a score of 80% or higher. The course covers topics such as international branding, global marketing research, and managing multi-country campaigns.

The cost for the CIBM program varies depending on your chosen provider. Generally speaking, it will cost around $1,500 - $2,000 USD for the entire program including materials and exam fees.

Overall, the Certified International Brand Manager (CIBM) certification is an invaluable asset for those looking to work in international brand management or expand their current skill set in this field. It provides you with the knowledge and skills needed to effectively manage international brands and build successful global campaigns.

9. Certified Corporate Brand Manager (CCBM)

Certified Corporate Brand Manager (CCBM) is a professional certification program designed to provide brand managers with the knowledge and skills needed to effectively manage corporate brands. The CCBM program focuses on the strategic, tactical, and operational aspects of managing corporate brands, including brand positioning, messaging, identity systems, customer experience design, digital marketing, and more.

The CCBM program consists of an online course and a final exam. The online course covers topics such as brand strategy, brand identity development, customer experience design, digital marketing tactics, analytics & measurement tools for tracking performance of campaigns and other initiatives. The final exam is an open-book multiple-choice test that assesses the candidate's understanding of the material covered in the course.

The CCBM program takes approximately 8 weeks to complete. It includes 8 modules that must be completed in order for a candidate to receive their certificate. Each module consists of 4-6 hours of self-paced learning materials and activities.

The cost of the CCBM program is $1,495 USD. This fee covers access to all course materials and activities as well as the final exam fee.

10. Certified Product Brand Manager (CPBM)

A Certified Product Brand Manager (CPBM) is a professional certification program designed to provide individuals with the knowledge and skills needed to manage product brands in today’s competitive marketplace. The CPBM program was created by the American Marketing Association (AMA) in partnership with the Association of National Advertisers (ANA). It is designed to help professionals develop their understanding of brand management and marketing, as well as to recognize their expertise in this field.

The CPBM program consists of three core courses: Brand Management, Brand Strategy and Brand Execution. Each course is comprised of eight modules that cover topics such as market research, positioning, messaging, creative development, media planning and buying, public relations and social media. Upon completion of all three courses, participants are eligible for the CPBM certification exam.

The CPBM certification exam takes approximately four hours to complete and can be taken online or at an AMA-approved testing center. The cost of the exam is $500 USD plus applicable taxes. To become certified, applicants must pass the exam with a score of 70% or higher.

Once certified, individuals are recognized as having achieved a high level of expertise in product brand management and can use the “CPBM” credential on their resumes and business cards. They also gain access to exclusive resources like industry reports, webinars and networking events through AMA membership.

Do You Really Need a Brand Director Certificate?

No, a Brand Director Certificate is not required to become a successful brand director. While having certifications and formal qualifications can certainly help with landing a role as a brand director, it is not essential. There are many people in the marketing industry who have achieved success without having any formal qualifications or certifications.

The most important skills for becoming a successful brand director are knowledge, experience and creativity. A strong knowledge of the principles of marketing, including branding, positioning, consumer insights and digital media is essential. Having several years of experience in marketing roles will also be beneficial as this will give you an understanding of how different strategies work and what works best for each situation. Finally, having creative problem-solving skills and being able to think outside the box will be beneficial when it comes to finding innovative solutions to brand challenges.

In conclusion, while having a Brand Director Certificate may give you an advantage when applying for jobs in the field, it is not necessary to become successful in this role. To be successful as a brand director you need knowledge, experience and creative problem-solving skills.

Related: Brand Director Resume Examples

FAQs About Brand Director Certifications

Q1. What is a Brand Director Certification?

A1. A Brand Director Certification is a professional certification that demonstrates an individual’s expertise in brand management, marketing, and strategy. This certification is typically earned through passing an exam administered by a professional organization or educational institution.

Q2. How do I become certified as a Brand Director?

A2. To become certified as a Brand Director, you must first complete the required coursework and pass the relevant exam administered by a professional organization or educational institution. You may also need to have several years of experience working in the field of brand management and marketing in order to be eligible for certification.

Q3. What are the benefits of being certified as a Brand Director?

A3. Being certified as a Brand Director can open up many opportunities for career advancement, such as higher salaries and more job opportunities in the field of brand management and marketing. Additionally, having this certification can help establish credibility with employers when applying for jobs or promotions within your current company.

Q4. How long does it take to get certified as a Brand Director?

A4. The amount of time it takes to get certified as a Brand Director will vary depending on your background and how much preparation you put into studying for the exam. Generally speaking, most individuals can prepare for the exam within 6-12 months by taking classes or studying independently at home with study materials provided by their professional organization or educational institution offering the certification program.

Q5. What type of career options are available after becoming certified as a Brand Director?

A5: After becoming certified as a Brand Director, there are many different career paths available, including roles such as brand manager, product manager, marketing director, sales director, digital marketing specialist, content strategist and more!