A Day in the Life of a Brand Marketer: Honest Insights from the Field

If you are interested in brand marketing and aspire to build a career in the marketing field, this session is for you. A Soongsilian working as a cosmetic brand marketer met with ST to share insights and offer guidance on career paths for juniors.........Ed

     For those who dream of turning a brand into something people love, the path of a brand marketer is anything but simple. We sat down with a brand marketer to hear firsthand about the realities of the role—the late nights, the lessons, and the moments that make it all worthwhile.

 Please give us a brief introduction.

     Hello. I am Park Ji-hyo, a senior student majoring in Business Administration. Currently, I am working as a marketer for Uvivaldi, a brand under Sayabout.

Q: What inspired you to become a brand marketer among various marketing roles?

     A: I found the role of a brand marketer highly attractive because it offers the most comprehensive learning experience and a strong sense of ownership in building a brand from the ground up. Working for a startup means being part of the brand’s inception. I chose this path to gain the fulfillment of knowing that I was one of the key figures who led and grew the brand from its very beginning.

Q: What are your specific responsibilities at Uvivaldi?

     A: My primary role is overseeing the brand’s expansion into the Japanese market. Through this, I’ve realized that beauty consumers in Korea and Japan have vastly different tendencies. While Koreans are heavily influenced by influencers, Japanese consumers move based on credibility and trust. This is a significant barrier for new brands. To overcome this, I analyze consumer behavior deeply, engage with them on SNS to build reviews, and contact influencers to find the “Muse” of Uvivaldi Japan.

Q: What does a typical day look like for you?

     A: In the morning, I review posts and monitor engagement on our SNS channels. While I am currently focused on Japan, I previously managed our Korean accounts as well. In the afternoon, I work on product detail pages for Qoo10, a major Japanese e-commerce platform. Since we are a startup, I also handle order processing and various other tasks. As for core competencies, I believe planning ability is the most crucial. A brand marketer is like a captain; you must plan based on data and lead design, logistics, and communication. The success of all subsequent stages depends on how solid your initial plan is.

Q: What are the characteristics of working at a startup?

     A: The biggest advantage is the sense of achievement. Since I oversee almost every aspect, the results feel truly mine. Also, since startup leaders are often young and open-minded, there is room to persuade them even if they initially disagree with a proposal. The downside, however, is the heavy workload. Even as a newcomer, the responsibilities are vast. But because we are a small, tight knit team, we support each other through challenges

Q: I’m curious about the most challenging and rewarding aspects of your work.

     A: The most challenging part is the lack of work-life balance. Since the company I work for is a startup, even as someone in a marketing role, I have to oversee everything—from order management to reviewing product detail pages—which sometimes means working remotely or on weekends to finish tasks I couldn’t complete during regular hours. However, having to manage everything also gives me the feeling that I’m not confined to just one area, but rather building the brand itself, which is one of the things that makes the work deeply rewarding.

Q: Do you feel that club activities and extracurricular experiences are particularly important? Which activities have been most helpful to you?

     A: The marketing club at my university was the most helpful for me. Since I entered through College Scholastic Ability Test, I had almost no experience with presentations or writing personal statements, but I was able to build those skills through club activities.

Q: Could you tell us more specifically about how field training works?

     A: Simply put, field training is doing an internship at companies partnered with the school. While there aren’t many large corporations among them, since the companies are vetted and connected through the school, there are many reliable options. The selection process is the same as regular companies—a personal statement and an interview. And since you can get accepted even without a particularly high grade, you don’t need to stress too much about your grades.

Q: Do you have any advice for juniors who dream of becoming brand marketers?

     A: A marketer needs a wide range of skills. Since the quality of your output depends heavily on how well you plan, the ability to set a thorough strategy before execution is essential. You should also develop the habit of not just glancing at promotional materials like posters across various media, but actually analyzing them—asking yourself why a brand’s logo was designed that way, how colors were used, and so on. To that end, practicing how to write effective prompts using AI tools is also important. Lastly, I’d encourage you to try posting content on your own SNS with the mindset of putting yourself out there and expressing who you are.

Kim Hee-nu(Planning Editor)

heennx@soongsil.ac.kr

Park Seo-won(ST Reporter)

sparkttha1@soongsil.ac.kr