FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: George M. Tomczyk, (716) 275-8189, [email protected]
Nadia Bolalek, (716) 273-4806
SIMON SCHOOL PIONEERS BRAND MANAGEMENT SPECIALIZATION
Country's First M.B.A. Brand Management Specialization Mixes Academia With Corporate Influence
Rochester, N.Y.--September 25, 1998--The William E. Simon Graduate School of Business Administration has announced the launch of the country's first M.B.A. brand management specialization. The program, a sub-concentration of the School's marketing program, marries leading academic thought with input from marketing experts for some of the world's largest multi-national brands to prepare students for brand management in today's global marketplace.
The brand management specialization at Simon was launched informally in 1997--in a response to high numbers of students entering the brand management field and major corporations utilizing Simon as the best source for M.B.A. graduates in this area. Using the School's current marketing program as a platform, the concentration incorporates specialized courses and an innovative workshop experience to give students an upper hand. Nearly 25 percent of Simon students major or double-major in marketing, and a vast majority express desire to work as brand managers. "We strive to keep a pulse on the career goals of our students and better equip them for success," says Simon professor Dan Horsky, Benjamin L. Forman Professor of Marketing and marketing area coordinator. "Niche programs like this one, which build on Simon's traditional strengths, are a way we can better focus the educational process and help our students stand out in a competitive marketplace."
According to Horsky, a major differentiation of this program when compared to similar specializations is a close tie to real-world companies. In addition to an advisory panel with representatives from Procter & Gamble, Microsoft and Citibank established to fine-tune the program, Simon offers a unique brand management workshop that mixes hands-on experience and discussions with brand managers from major corporations. Last year, 20 students participated in a trial-run of this workshop, and as part of the course, developed a comprehensive brand management strategy for the formal launch of this program.
"We feel it is essential to get our students familiar with both the academic strategy involved in brand management as well as buzzwords and case studies in the industry today," says Horsky.
Major corporations already value Simon as a leading source of top-notch brand managers. Todd Garrett, senior vice president and chief information officer of the Procter & Gamble Company, perhaps the corporation most synonymous with brand management, says Simon students are among the best. He attributes this to an integrated problem-solving approach that gives Simon grads a broader perspective. "Statistically, we find a good fit between the Simon School and what it takes to succeed at Procter & Gamble," says Garrett.
Simon has often been called the most international of leading M.B.A. programs, with 44 percent of the student population coming from outside the U.S. This creates a learning environment with diversity elements commonly seen in the international marketplace. According to Garrett, companies moving from regional markets to globalization need brand managers with the knowledge and experience to solve problems in an increasingly complex world. "We find that Simon grads are well-trained in their ability to think analytically and to apply that knowledge on a quickly expanding playing field," says Garrett.
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The Simon School consistently ranks among the top 25 U.S. graduate schools of business in rankings such as those published by Business Week and U.S. News & World Report. With one of the most highly regarded faculties in the country, it is one of the nation's premier research institutions. The School, recognized for its leading scholarship in management, employs a distinctive approach to business education because of its flexibility, innovation, youth, size, global outlook and vision.
More information about the Simon School: www.ssb.rochester.edu
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