IDG Contributor Network: New strategies for growth with product management

What does a product manager do? Where do a product manager’s responsibilities begin and end?

To answer the question, “What exactly is a product manager?” we need to understand the roots of the profession and the origin of the concept. Product management began with brand management and other tangible facets such as the look, pricing, and packaging of the product.

Brand management

It all started in May 1931 as a justification for upping the headcount in the promotion department of Proctor & Gamble. Neil McElroy, an ad manager, drafted an internal memo to pitch his idea of “brand men.” He wanted two more hires to focus on brand responsibility: a “brand man” and “assistant brand man.”

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