City Year executive Gillian Smith is a marketing professional with more than 15 years' experience in the industry. Prior to her role with City Year, Gillian Smith worked for Burger King Corporation, focusing on many aspects of the company’s advertising operations, including brand management.

2.  City Year executive Gillian Smith is a marketing professional
with more than 15 years' experience in the industry. Prior to her
role with City Year, Gillian Smith worked for Burger King
Corporation, focusing on many aspects of the company’s
advertising operations, including brand management.
Brand management involves developing and maintaining a
public image that accurately portrays a company’s values. To do
this, brand management professionals must utilize marketing
and advertising tools, such as broadcast, print, and online
media. When a brand is strong, it can generate customer loyalty,
lessen the effects of competitive pricing, and make it easier to
secure funding from investors.

3.  One of the most important aspects of brand
management for companies is identifying and
understanding their target demographic as well
as their competitors. The target demographic
dictates the approach that a company takes
when marketing itself, while the competitors
dictate the context in which consumers see a
product or service. Additionally, it is important
for companies to remain consistent and loyal to
the spirit of their brand despite changes made
over time to foster trust in customers.