A chief brand officer manages the integrity and evolution of a company's brand — the sum total of the public's visual and mental image of a business that often occurs at a subliminal level. In addition to typically overseeing marketing, a chief brand officer also monitors and evaluates consumer analytics and consumer purchasing trends. He or she may also be involved in bridging cultural differences, while maintaining the entire brand image. A brand is more than just a logo, as it often involves the psychological relationship customers have with a company or organization. As a result, a chief brand officer will continually work to reinforce a positive psychological attachment to a brand.
Management of a brand brings the chief brand officer well within the territory of human emotional behavior. Well-loved brands can be immensely difficult to manage, because consumers may have strong attachments to them. The chief brand officer typically conducts extensive research before a brand is updated or changed in any way. When a major corporation makes even small changes in the company's branding image, news organizations often report the event, and stockholders may take notice, too.
At the same time, a chief brand officer is also typically expected to keep the brand fresh and appealing. This can be challenging, as the styles and even shades of color used in logos that are part of a brand's overall image change just like clothing fashions do. Research is almost always conducted before a change is made to a product name that has been in existence for a long time. A chief brand officer will likely tread carefully in such cases.
These officers generally keep an extremely close watch over media, paying careful attention to any mention of the brand in the press, or in other communication venues. He or she may monitor social media for references to the name, for example. If the brand name or logo is used without proper permission, a chief brand officer may initiate legal action to protect against trademark infringement. He or she may also be heavily involved in major advertising campaigns, ensuring that the psychological image of the brand is communicated in a way that prevents drift from the company's core values or image.
Those who work in this profession often successfully transfer skills to working for another company. These types of moves frequently occur among major corporations, as brand officers have skills that can be applied in virtually any industry. A person in this career path will likely come from a background rich in marketing experience, and possess a keen understanding of consumer behavior. He or she will likely have either training or an intuitive understanding of visual imagery, and its effect upon purchasing behavior.
