School of Media and Marketing launches the Master’s in Brand Management Program
Together with its inaugural cohort, the School of Media and Marketing (SCM) introduced the country’s pioneer Master’s in Brand Management Program (MBM) on Saturday, July 4, with its first onsite session. Along with this and the first online session held on June 30, the program marks a new direction in SCM’s academic offerings. The program was designed as a twelve-month intensive course on real-world brand building that highlights the university’s long-standing commitment to equipping individuals with the analytical skills and strategic expertise needed in the 21st-century business landscape.
MBM Program Director Manfred Salandanan formally welcomed the inaugural cohort comprising 15 students, emphasizing that the program’s intentionally small size was designed to ensure focused learning. Salandanan highlighted three sources of learning: the faculty lineup of industry leaders and practitioners, the intentionally structured curriculum, and peer learning from a diverse group spanning expertise and experience in technology, energy, government, fashion, and entrepreneurship. Furthermore, he stressed the program’s use of real market and company data in its coursework, reinforcing the program’s emphasis on the data-driven application to real-world scenarios.
SCM Dean Jerry Kliatchko then introduced himself and the faculty who will teach the cohort’s first 8 courses. He discussed what defines SCM: its “crimson class” culture and its four pillars. These include: passionately human, fiercely truthful, obsessively strategic, and insanely creative. The university’s strong roots in Opus Dei and its commitment to premium business education were also touched upon. An open discussion was held regarding the program and its prospects of company trips and international study tours, showcasing the program’s promise for real industry networking and global thinking.
The cohort’s first class was led by Professor of Practice and President & CEO of Acumen Strategy Consultants, Pauline Fermin, who shared her professional journey—from brand manager at Procter & Gamble to senior strategy roles at Coca-Cola Philippines and the Coke-Nestlé joint venture in Bangkok to her current position leading transformation for some of the biggest local companies like the Gokongwei Group, Cebu Pacific, NutriAsia, among others. Each of the 15 participants introduced themselves, sharing their companies, roles, reasons for enrolling, and one key business question they hoped to answer. Among them was Loreine, GCash Product Manager and Engineer, who wants to upskill in marketing and personal branding; and Chris, a Filipino-American, who moved from California to the Philippines to establish his fragrance business in Southeast Asia. Together with their peers, they discussed the importance of marketing and the value chain, structured business model canvases on their respective companies, and emphasized value propositions and customer segments.
With the School of Media and Marketing’s dedication and penetrating business expertise, the University of Asia and the Pacific ensures that its inaugural cohort of the Master in Brand Management is readily equipped with the data-driven analytics, keen insights, and refined expertise needed for the professional world.
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