Define 'brand management' in the context of agency operations.

Brand management involves maintaining and improving a brand's reputation while ensuring it aligns with the agency's core values. In the context of agency operations, this means actively managing the perceptions of the brand in the marketplace, ensuring that the messaging, design, customer interactions, and overall brand experience resonate with the intended audience and reflect what the agency stands for.

Successful brand management requires a deep understanding of both the agency's mission and the audience's expectations. This includes developing strategies that not only promote the brand but also maintain its integrity and consistency across various platforms and campaigns. By focusing on reputation management, agencies can build trust and loyalty over time, which is crucial for long-term success.

The other choices focus on specific aspects of business operations that do not encompass the full scope of brand management. For example, increasing sales through advertising is just one element of how a brand can be promoted, and does not cover the broader responsibility of managing brand perception or reputation. Minimizing operational costs is an essential element of running an efficient agency, but it is not directly related to brand image or consumer perception. Lastly, while creating new brands can be part of a long-term strategy for expansion, it does not directly address the management of existing brands and their alignment with the agency's values.