Björn Schumbrutzki

Brand you can touch

Björn Schumbrutzki comes from publishing and built up merchandising from 2009 – first for universities, today for institutions, brands and companies. What remains is the question of when a product becomes a brand. A tote bag, a hoodie or a mug carries no information, it carries belonging. He selects material, finishing and format to fit the brand and is responsible for delivery from the webshop to shipping.

• Merchandising – brand worlds with their own webshop, warehouse and shipping from a single source – over 100 webshops in operation.
• Textiles – branded clothing and finishing, including in-house DTF printing.
• Promotional products – selection and use by target group and brand impact.
• Publication – "How haptic brand management makes identity tangible", transfer 2026 (peer-reviewed). View issue (in German)

Career

• since 2009 – Managing Director, UNICUM Merchandising GmbH. Built the merchandising business, which began with universities (where it is, by our own evaluation, the market leader in Germany) and now serves institutions, brands and companies.
• since 2023 – Managing Director, Baldschus Beteiligungs GmbH, and further mandates within the UNICUM Group.
• 2012 – 2022 – Head of Business Development & E-Commerce, authorised signatory and Managing Director, UNICUM. 2015: first place in the "Best Job Portal" test with the UNICUM Karrierezentrum.
• 2002 – 2012 – Media marketing and business development, UNICUM Verlag.
• 1999 – Apprenticeship as publishing clerk, Ruhr Nachrichten.

Qualifications

Diplom-Betriebswirt (FH) (business administration degree), PFH Private Hochschule Göttingen (part-time, with a federal advancement scholarship). Certified business administrator (IHK) and media specialist (IHK), IHK Dortmund.

Publications

• "Wissenschaft zum Aufsprühen, Beton zum Tragen. Wie haptische Markenführung Identität greifbar macht." With Frank-Christoph Sinn. transfer, vol. 72, no. 2, 2026. View issue
• Innovation management using the example of media companies. GRIN Verlag, 2012 (diploma thesis, in German).
• ePublishing – impact of mobile e-readers on the magazine market. GRIN Verlag, 2012 (in German).

Talks

On diversification, entering new markets without capital, and brand identity through merchandising. Enquiries to schumbrutzki@unicum-merchandising.com or via schumbrutzki.com.