Q: Will the CPG Camp program offer me good value for my money?

A: We will not waste your time. Our 16 modules and assignments were curated by senior leaders in the brand marketing world to step-change the trajectory of your career and/or marketing recruiting process. Why? Because after decades of experience interviewing prospective brand marketers and training new interns & associates, we are able to pinpoint the areas where these individuals have been consistently unprepared to hit the ground running. The course covers every critical topic that we wish someone had taught us before we sat down to interview or begin day 1. Relative to the cost of business school or the lost revenue potential of missing out on your dream job, the fees for our Brand Management courses and recruiting services are pretty small.

Q: There are a lot of resources on the Internet. How do I know this is the right one for me?

A: While there are some other Brand Management courses and resources on the web, pay close attention. Most are either thousands of dollars or focused on just one aspect of the job, like ‘digital media’. CPG Camp is tailored to students looking to launch a successful career in Brand Management and covers all the diverse aspects of the role. Some top CPG companies host boot camps aimed at providing a view of day-to-day Brand Manager life, but students tell us that most of time is spent selling you on their headquarter location, company culture or portfolio of brands. This program offers a real-world perspective with content developed by senior marketing leaders working across numerous top companies. We’ve been in your shoes, led successful careers and are looping back around to teach you what we learned along the way. Vet your alternatives, but we know you’ll be back because this program wouldn’t exist if there wasn’t an unmet need among students and new marketers. The education you’ll receive pinpoints the top areas where brand marketing recruiters and leaders feel candidates and new hires consistently show up unprepared. After teaching thousands of students from over 250 universities & companies, 95% of students tell us they’d recommend this program to a peer. Our Exit Survey shows they would have paid hundreds more for this information because it offers a-ha moments that give you a leg-up in recruiting and can fast-track new hire onboarding.

Q: What is the Certified Brand Manager® credential?

A: The parent company of CPG Camp (Marketing EDU) is recognized by the US Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) as the sole owner of the registered trademark for the Certified Brand Manager accreditation. We take great effort in maintaining the highest quality curriculum that covers a wide spectrum of Brand Management responsibilities. And our consortium of Content Advisors provides feedback that helps our Brand Management certification program keep up with industry changes. Students who complete our rigorous Online Brand Management Boot Camp have a chance to take our Marketing Aptitude Test. Those who pass receive an official certificate that to display in their LinkedIn profiles. While we recommend that our students become lifelong learners and continue to immerse themselves in industry news and advancements, our brand management certification does not expire or require renewal.

Q: I’m already in business school. Do I really need this course on top?

A: We look at our program as a ‘finishing school’ that helps give you that last 10% of knowledge to crush your interviews and hit the ground running in a Brand Management role. Our goal is NOT to provide a comprehensive review of every marketing theory - your professors are best-suited to the task. We have MBA’s and absolutely loved the experience. However, after attending business school and successfully navigating the competitive brand marketing industry, there were several skills, behaviors and helpful tricks that no one ever taught us. Whatever the reason, learning these skills earlier might have accelerated our career progression - and may have increased the chances of getting hired in the first place. CPG Camp teaches students how to talk-the-talk (understand daily life & responsibilities of a Brand Manager) and walk-the-walk (succeed from day 1 with real-world skills). We got lucky and made it through - but we want to help the next generation of brand marketing leaders learn from our experiences.

Q: I am a career-switcher, not a business school student. Is CPG Camp for me?

A: Yes. We get this question all the time. CPG Camp was designed to give you a taste of life in Brand Marketing to decide if the field is right for you. But it also allows you to speak intelligently to recruiters to help land your dream job and hit the ground running on Day 1, as if you’d spent months learning the ropes. The resume accreditation that CPG Camp graduates receive can help set you apart from other candidates, which is especially handy when your resume is light on marketing experience.

Q: I am already working in the industry, but our training isn’t great. Will this help?

A: Absolutely. Many of our enrollees are brand marketers working in the industry that are not getting the training they expected. What was supposed to be a ‘classical training’ turned out to be 100% ‘on-the-job learning’. Sound familiar? Taking this course can help fill in the blanks. We don’t pretend there is only 1 right way to do everything, especially when the brand marketing world seems to change under our feet every day, but sometimes it’s helpful to learn some of the best practices for managing and building brands that marketers have honed over time. This can help speed up your development and position you as an efficient producer & thought-leader in your organization.

Q: How does the service work?

A: Once you enroll in the Online Boot Camp, you will receive an email with log-in instructions to access the 16 modules. If you sign up for a Resume Review or Mock Interview, a member of the CPG Camp team will reach out directly to schedule. The online curriculum is self-paced, so you can log in whenever you’d like to pick up where you left off. Each of the modules includes a video and most have an optional assignment. Students usually take 8-10 hours to get through the material, but you can go at your own pace. Once the modules are complete, students take the Marketing Aptitude Test (MAT), which evaluates knowledge and application of the CPG Camp curriculum. A score of 80% is needed to pass the 50-question multiple choice test. Students then complete a written case study that is evaluated separately. Students can only attempt the MAT once per month. Successful CPG Camp graduates receive accreditation for resumes and enter into our Recruiting Database. Students are considered for opportunities with recruiters or our personal networks as they arise, but there is no guarantee of interviews or placement.

Q: I would love to take this course but am just not sure I have the time. How can I balance?

A: Our signature Online Brand Management Boot Camp is 100% online and self-paced, meaning you can pick up wherever you left off. Each module + assignment is designed to take 30-60 minutes. Including the 90-minute Marketing Aptitude Test, the entire program usually takes 8-10 hours, which could be completed over a weekend if you are in a crunch. Considering the competitive edge that CPG Camp provides, most students tell us they are able to find a way to make it work.

Q: Is the CPG Camp material up-to-date?

A: Yes. We regularly refresh content and speak with our team of Content Advisors to ensure our curriculum reflects the latest & most relevant information for our students. For instance, our media modules reflect the latest trends in Performance Marketing and our Interview guides include helpful tips for nailing your virtual interview.

Q: I represent a company or university Career Office and am not sure whether my students would prefer the Live Boot Camp (via Zoom) or the self-paced Online Boot Camp. Can you help me decide?

A: Yes. Many students tell us that they prefer the Online Boot Camp because it is self-paced and allows them more time to absorb the material on their schedule. However, when schools or companies purchase the Live Boot Camp, we do offer a discount on the Online program, so it’s possible to have the best of both worlds. Administrators often choose the Live Boot Camp in the Fall, when students are choosing between careers or looking to get a quick immersion before recruiting begins. With sessions lasting 4-5 hours, it’s enough time to hit on the major topics like Career-Pathing, Day-in-the-Life, Brand Analytics, Brand Strategy, Creative Development and Demystifying the Marketing Interview. Whereas many of our Online Boot Camp participants are more certain that they will be pursuing a career in Marketing and want to get more polished, plus earn the resume credentials - the 10-15 hour total time commitment allows for that. If you still aren’t sure, just send us a note below and we’d be happy to help you decide.

Q: I already have access to resume feedback and mock interviews at my school/company or with friends. Will it help to get the additional feedback from CPG Camp?

A: That’s up to you, but the CPG Camp team has decades of Brand Marketing industry experience and knows exactly what companies are looking for. We often find that the constructive feedback and coaching from CPG Camp team members provides value beyond the day-to-day resources available to our members. Because students have different levels of access to alumni, industry veterans or current brand leaders, we’ll just tell you what we can provide and let you decide!

Q: The ‘CPG’ in your name is throwing me off. Is this for Brand Management, Product Management or just people in the CPG industry?

A: The reason why we selected ‘CPG’ (Consumer Packaged Goods, also known as FMCG or Fast-Moving Consumer Goods), is that this is where brand marketers have traditionally received the best ‘classical training’ in marketing and general management that allows them to go on to leadership positions across all industries (Tech, Financial, Retail, Auto, Luxury, etc). Forbes conducted a comprehensive study in 2019 that found that companies in the CPG industry rank highest when it comes to preparing marketers for the role of CEO (“By collecting data from LinkedIn, researchers determined which current CEOs had previous marketing experience, and found that large CPG companies stood out as the most effective training grounds for future CEOs”). Our point is NOT that you have to start your marketing career at a traditional CPG firm, as many marketers find quick career trajectory and high compensation in Tech or with Direct-to-Consumer brands - and many ‘traditional’ brands are being squashed by disruptive start-ups. We aim to provide a solid foundation for any marketer to advance their career, grounded in the principles (new & old) used every day in the Consumer Packaged Goods industry.

Q: I work at a start-up looking to dial up our marketing expertise. Will this be relevant for us?

A: Regarding the Online Boot Camp, it depends. If your start-up manufactures a consumer product, the program will likely be highly relevant. If you are selling exclusively in the DTC space, you may find that a few topics like ‘analyzing a Consumption Report’ or ‘planning retail promotions’ are more appropriate for larger brands selling across more channels. If your organization wants to develop more Brand Marketing expertise, there are numerous topics that provide this grounding - and a couple that are more financially-oriented, given Brand Marketers often act as the general manager of a business. You can review the specific topics to help decide by clicking on any of the offerings on our Services page.

If you are looking more for Marketing Strategy or Consulting for your company, we offer those as standalone offerings on the same Services page. This may be what you’re looking for to help your organization or brand(s) find its identity and build top-to-bottom brand development & marketing strategy plans.

Q: I’m still on the fence. How do I know CPG Camp won’t let me down?

A: We know it can feel overwhelming to navigate all the resources out there for recruiting and skills enhancement, so want you to feel confident that this is the best place to develop world-class, real-life brand management skills. After working with thousands of students, over 90% of graduates tell us they'd recommend our program to a peer. We hear all the time from BBAs, MBAs and professionals that the CPG Camp skillset & resume endorsement helps in a competitive job market, especially when boosting your marketing credentials to compensate for a non-traditional background or lack of internships. Because the 16-module Online course is self-paced, you can take it at your convenience. If you are intrigued but not ready to pull the trigger, you can view the first minute of each module on our Services page for free before enrolling in the full Boot Camp.