Future of the brand management structure in FMCG

The aim of this paper is to contribute to the debate on the future of the brand management structure in fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) by examining current managerial perceptions of the relationship between brand and category management. The paper is based on a case study of a single FMCG category in New Zealand. The research involved in-depth interviews with managerial representatives of the majority of suppliers and retailers operating in this category. The results indicate that brand management and category management structures are not perceived to be incompatible; that the traditional brand management structure still works well for certain companies; and that it is expected to continue to do so well into the future. Changing environmental factors may call for modifications, but the modification requirements are not of nature that would lead the brand management structure to be discarded.