CENTER FOR BRAND & PRODUCT MANAGEMENT
UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON


AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

The Center for Brand and Product Management gives you a direct connection to the experience and advice of powerful people in leading companies. Their personalized attention helps you see business issues from a new perspective and start thinking like a CEO.

"There is only one program that develops people to the highest state of the art in being a great brand and product manager, and from that to being a great marketing and general manager. And that's here."
—Scott Cook, founder, Intuit Inc.

The focus on direct mentoring from senior executives has worked well for students, as evidenced by the center's 100% placement rate, and it also works well for the executives.

"I really like getting involved with the faculty and students [at the center]. I get jazzed by it."
—Colleen Goggins, worldwide chairman, Consumer and Personal Care Group, Johnson & Johnson

In turn, the quality of the center's students and graduates enhances the reputation of the school with recruiters.

"It's almost an embarrassment of riches, there are so many good people to pick from."
—John Brownlee, associate marketing director, Procter & Gamble

That's why the Center for Brand and Product Management is unique—and uniquely effective—in attracting top talent. It's a program that works.



STUDENT-LED PROJECTS

Part of what builds our students into ready brand and product managers is the exposure and experience they get through the program, including:

• Participating in the Selling to Retailers workshop (one of many small-group learning sessions with top executives), where student teams "sell in" a new product line to a panel of buyers from Procter & Gamble and Target.


• Designing and implementing a test of paid search advertising.


• Developing integrated marketing communication plans for local businesses.


• Initiating and planning the center's international trip to China, working closely with the advisory board and staff.

Students' summer internships in brand/product management at top companies, such as ConAgra, General Mills, Intuit and Nestlé, round out their experience. Last summer, students learned and contributed with projects that included:

• Developing multitier branding strategies.


• Doing pricing analysis.


• Initiating a go-to-market strategy for an upcoming new product launch.


• Evaluating potential strategic partnerships and co-branding opportunities.


• Leading the redesign of product packaging and labels.

WHAT WE OFFER

• THE PROGRAM The center offers a two-year, full-time MBA program focused exclusively on training MBAs in brand and product management. With relevant course work, real-world applied learning and personalized attention from senior executives, our students are ready to excel.



• BRAND AND PRODUCT MANAGEMENT Brand managers develop, market and nurture a company's most important asset: its brand. Brand managers run the business for the brands. They figure out what the customer wants and how to deliver it. Brand management is the one specialty that requires a breadth of business skills as well as great leadership. It's no wonder brand and product managers often step into general management. They already know how to run a business.



• OUR STUDENTS Each class includes 15 to 25 students with diverse backgrounds. While their experiences vary, they all have excellent academic records, good communication skills, meaningful work experience and a strong track record of leadership and teamwork.



• PLACEMENT Since the center was founded in 2002, 100% of our students have been offered internships and full-time positions in brand and product management. Every one of them. This year was no different. The 2007 graduates of the program went to work at top-notch companies, including Clorox, General Mills, Kraft Foods, Procter & Gamble and Abbott Vascular. They're off to a great start, with salaries exceeding $90,000 and average signing bonuses of more than $20,000.



• OUR ADVISORY BOARD Our students get to connect—directly and personally—with top executives in brand and product management through our advisory board. The board includes more than a dozen senior managers from pre-eminent companies, such as Johnson & Johnson, Kimberly-Clark, SC Johnson and Intuit, who meet with, mentor and provide career opportunities to our students.

Contact: Amy Schmidt
E-Mail: aschmidt@bus.wisc.edu
Phone: 608-265-1860
Website: www.bus.wisc.edu/adage

CONTACT US:
To learn more about the Center for Brand and Product Management, take a look at our site, www.bus.wisc .edu/adage. Be sure to watch the video available at our home page to get the real story on the center.

We'd also be happy to hear from you personally, to answer your questions about the Center for Brand and Product Management as you make decisions about your education and career.

Amy Schmidt
Director, Center for Brand and Product Management University of Wisconsin-Madison Phone: 608-265-1860 E-mail: aschmidt@bus.wisc.edu

Companies interested in talking with our students should contact our director, Amy Schmidt. She'll be happy to tailor a recruiting plan that works for your company.

DID YOU KNOW: 100% of our MBA students have gotten offers in brand and product management from top-tier companies.