the conflict between brand & sales managers on marketing expenditure is classic. frequently each department felt righteous than the other while in fact the synergy is pivotal to business continuity. this is my arguments why they should be Best Friend Forever (BFF).

2. REAL STORY - CONT
• (2011) A WELL KNOWN MUTINATIONAL CONSUMER GOODS COMPANY JUST LAUNCH NEW PRODUCT TO THE
MARKET. THE PRODUCT IS A DRINK FOR KIDS, IT IS A POWDER PACKAGED IN A SMALL SACHET WITH
COMPETITIVE PRICE. THE BRAZILIAN MARKETING DIRECTOR KNEW THAT THE FIRST THING THEIR NEED TO
FOCUS ON IS TO ESTABLISHED BRAND AWARENESS AND PROVIDING BRAND EXPERIENCE TO THEIR TARGETED
CONSUMERS. SINCE IT IS A NEW PRODUCT, NOBODY KNOW WHAT IT IS, THEN THEREFORE AT LEAST THIS YEAR
HE THINK THAT THEY NEED TO FOCUS ON BRAND TO PENETRATE THE MARKET. HENCE, THE COMPANY HIRE AN
ADVERTISING AGENCY TO STRATEGIZE AND IMPLEMENT THEIR LAUNCH CAMPAIGN FOR 6 MONTH PERIOD. THE
AGENCY DIVIDE THE CAMPAIGN PHASE INTO TREE PHASES, AND THE FIRST LAUNCH PHASE, WHICH INVOLVES
ABOVE THE LINE PLATFORM AND ON GROUND BRAND ACTIVATION WAS A SUCCESS. IT WAS WENT WELL UNTIL
THEIR FIRST PHASE LAUNCH REVIEW MEETING THAT INVOLVES BOTH BRAND AND SALES DEPARTMENT.

3. REAL STORY - CONT
• THE BRAND ACTIVATION ACTIVITIES IS A SUCCESS WHERE THEY CAN ENGAGE WITH THE AUDIENCE BEYOND
THE AGREED KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATOR (KPI). THE MEETING WENT SMOOTH UNTIL THE SALES
DEPARTMENT REPRESENTATIVE ARGUE THAT THEY NEED TO SET UP A NEW KPI FOR SALES. THAT WAS THE
POINT WHERE DEBATE BETWEEN BRAND AND SALES DEPARTMENT BEGAN AND PUT THE ADVERTISING
AGENCY’S ACCOUNT TEAM IN AN AKWARD SITUATION. THE BRAND DEPARTMENT ARGUE THAT THIS PERIOD
SHOULD BE A PERIOD FOR BRAND DEVELOPMENT, NOT FOR CONSUMER ACQUISITION. WHILE SALES
DEPARTMENT ARGUE THAT THESE CAMPAIGN ACTIVITIES A JUST A WASTE OF MONEY IF THE COMPANY CANNOT
GET SALES REVENUE FROM THE PROGRAM. AFTER A TWO HOURS OF DEBATE, THE COMPANY DECIDED TO DO
INTERNAL MEETING, AND THE MEETING DISMISSED. AFTER A WEEK OF INTERNAL DELIBERATION, THE COMPANY
DECIDED TO DISCONTINUE THE PROGRAM. UNTIL TODAY (2013) HARDLY HEARD BY THE CONSUMERS.

4. JUDGEMENT – WHO IS RIGHT AND WHO IS WRONG?
• EVERYBODY IS RIGHT! IN CONSUMER GOODS INDUSTRY, BRAND IS TREMENDOULSY IMPORTANT. BUT, IN
EVERY BUSINESS, SALES IS THE ULTIMATE GOAL. THE IMPORTANT STANCE TO BE IN THE MINDSET OF EACH
DEPARTMENTS IS THAT THEY BOTH HAVE TO FOCUS ON GENERATING SALES. THEREFORE TO SOLVES THE
CASE EACH DEPARTMENT SHOULD FOCUS ON HOW THEY’RE GOING TO GENERATE SALES... AND IT REQUIRES
EACH DEPARTMENT TO UNDERSTAND HOW BRAND AND SALES COMPLEMENT EACH OTHER.
How can we sale this
brand in the long run if
the consumer dont
know it!?
How can we gain
revenue if the budget
wasted on brand
campaign?

5. OBJECTIVE, OUTPUT, AND CONTRIBUTION
• EACH DEPARTMENT HAS ITS OWN TASK, THEIR OWN WORK OUTPUT TO ACHIEVE THE OBJECTIVES, AND
THE OUTPUT CONTRIBUTION TO THE BUSINESS. THIS TABLE SHOWS THE SIMPLIFIED VERSION OF IT.
Aspects task output Contribution
Brand manager Create product
differentiation,
established values, and
convey it to the market
Brand identity and brand
campaign program
Brand equity (awareness,
association, perceivedquality,
loyalty, and more brand assets)
Sales manager Create sales and
revenue
Distribution channel, sales
promotion program, sales
force management, retail
account management.
Sales revenue and profit.

6. THE CORE QUESTION
WHY THIS GUYS SHOULD BE BEST FRIEND FOREVER?
First.... these are the arguments
why sales manager must be BFF with brand manager?
Must build equity!
Must make money?
The previous table shows how different their focus
differences. Therefore the question to be answer is...

7. ARGUMENT #1
GREAT BRAND MAKES SALES PERSON’S MOUTH A SLACK.
IMAGINE IF THERE’S A TWO SALES PERSON FROM TWO DIFFERENT BRANDS, BUT FROM THE SAME CATEGORY,
AND THEY BOTH AIMING AT ONE CONSUMER SIMULTANOUSLY. WHICH OF THESE BRAND SALES PERSON
REQUIRE MORE WORDS TO CLOSE THE DEAL?*
*the simulation is made based indonesian market context

8. ARGUMENT #1
VS
VS
VS
VS
*the simulation is made based indonesian market context

9. ARGUMENT #2
GREAT BRAND GIVES MORE MONEY TO SALES ACCOUNT.
BUSINESS ENTITY AIM FOR HIGHER SALES MARGIN. THE REAL PRODUCTION COST MAY BE SMALL, BUT THANKS TO
BRAND ACTIVITIES, COMPANY CAN INCREASE THEIR MARGIN AND ULTIMATELY GET OUT FROM A SITUATION LIKE
PRICE WAR. *
*the simulation is made based indonesian market context

10. ARGUMENT #2
VS
VS
*the simulation is made based indonesian market context

11. ARGUMENT #3
GREAT BRAND KEEP THE CONSUMER BACK FOR MORE.
GREAT BRAND COMES WITH GREAT EXPERIENCE. WHEN CONSUMERS FALL IN LOVE WITH THE EXPERIENCE, IT
DELIVERS THE PROMISE, IT JUST KEEP THEM BELIEVE THE BRAND AND REPURCHASE THE PRODUCT. SALES PERSON
JUST NEED TO WAIT AND SEE (NOT RECOMMENDED ACTION). *
*the simulation is made based indonesian market context

12. ARGUMENT #3
*the simulation is made based indonesian market context

13. ARGUMENT #4
WHEN GREAT BRAND LAUNCH NEW VARIAN, SALES
PERSON JUST NEED TO CATER THE QUESTIONS.
A GREAT BRAND STANDS FOR A PROMISE. HENCE THE NEW VARIAN WILL CONTINUE TO DELIVER THE
PROMISE WITH MORE VALUE ON THE TABLE. THE LOYAL CONSUMER WILL DEFINETELY COME TO SALES
COUNTER AND TELLS (OR CLARIFY) WHAT THEY KNOW ABOUT THE NEW VARIAN. THE SALES PERSON
JUST NEED TO CONFIRM IT.*
*the simulation is made based indonesian market context

14. ARGUMENT #4
*the simulation is made based indonesian market context

15. ARGUMENT #5
GREAT BRAND BECOME THE SALES REPRESENTATIVE AT THE
SUPERMARKET SHELF.
IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO HAVE A SALES REPRESENTATIVE IN EVERY AVAILABLE MARKET PLACE. THEREFORE, LET THE
BRAND SPEAK FOR ITSELF IN THE MARKET AND EVEN LET THEM SHOUT FROM THE SUPERMARKET SHELF. GREAT
BRAND SPEAKS THE LANGUAGE OF ITS CONSUMER, SO SALES PERSON CAN GIVE THEM THE JOB.*
*the simulation is made based indonesian market context

16. ARGUMENT #5
*the simulation is made based indonesian market context

17. ARGUMENT #6
GREAT BRAND GIVES PRIDE TO THE SALES PERSON.
A SALES PERSON FROM A GREAT BRAND GET VALUABLE IMPACT ON THEIR PERSONAL IMAGE (AND SELF
CONFIDENCE OF COURSE). IT IS THE SAME WITH AN EMPLOYEE FROM A REPUTABLE COMPANY, THEY
MUST BE PROUD TO SAY OUT LOUD TO THE WORLD THAT THEY WORK IN A COMPANY WITH A REPUTABLE
BRAND.*
*the simulation is made based indonesian market context

18. ARGUMENT #6
*the simulation is made based indonesian market context

19. CONCLUSION
ACTUALLY BRAND MANAGER JOB (IF SUCCESSFUL), EASEN THE SALES
MANAGER’S JOB IN THE COMPANY.
AND IN THE LONG RUN, ACTUALLY THE COMPANY MAKE MORE MONEY FROM BRAND. HOWEVER, JUST KEEP
IN MIND THAT GREAT BRAND COMES WITH GREAT EXPERIENCE. THEREFORE THE PRODUCT ITSELF SHOULD
BE GREATLY RESEARCHED AND DEVELOPED TO MEET THE CONSUMER NEEDS.

20. CONCLUSION
LAST BUT NOT LEAST, THIS IS MY ARGUMENT WHY BRAND MANAGERS SHOULD BE BFF WITH SALES MANAGERS...
SALES MANAGER’S SUCCESS KEEP BRAND MANAGER’S SALARY PAID.
SO FOR BRAND MANAGERS, KEEP THIS IN MIND... SALES! SALES! SALES!

21. THANKS
IR@ICHSANRASYID.COM