What does advertising manager do

The Bureau of Labor Statistics BLS projects faster growth for advertising managers than the average for all occupations by Advertising managers are charged with creating and planning programs to generate interest in products or services.

They work in roles such as account executives in advertising agencies, media directors in media agencies, and communications managers in public relations firms. In an agency environment, an advertising manager serves as a liaison between clients and the agency. During marketing campaign planning, advertising managers determine not only the best content for particular audiences but also the best mediums for each campaign, which can include platforms such as television, print, digital, and billboards.

A relatively recent and important responsibility is to stay up-to-date on the latest techniques for creating advertising campaigns on social media. Advertising managers may also oversee the negotiation of advertising contracts and media placements, maintain client relationships, evaluate the aesthetics of print and online layouts, and conduct research studies to better understand audience behaviors and market opportunities. The following steps can start a student or career changer on the path to becoming an advertising manager.

Undergraduate study can open doors to a diverse range of advertising opportunities and pursuing an advanced degree, such as an MBA in marketing , can increase the possibility of achieving career goals more efficiently. The advertising manager position is not an entry-level role and therefore also requires years of on-the-job experience. In these programs, students gain the versatile skills needed to keep up with an ever-changing and unpredictable marketing environment, where consumers are constantly bombarded with messages.

The typical undergraduate communication curriculum offers concentrations in various areas, including strategic communications, media strategy, and social media.

The multifaceted program can also lead to an internship, which is an excellent opportunity to work with advertising and media professionals in a real-world setting and to gain experience using communication tools to interact with clients. The path to becoming an advertising manager usually starts with an entry-level position, such as a media or advertising associate, account coordinator, advertising sales assistant, or junior creative team member often in a brand planning or art role. In agency environments, employees might then advance to a supervisor role, helping entry-level employees move advertising layouts through approval phases in various departments.

This provides valuable exposure to the cross-functional communication needed to successfully execute a campaign from beginning to end. Often, advertising managers serve as liaisons between the client and the advertising or promotion agency that develops and places the ads.

In larger organizations with extensive advertising departments, different advertising managers may oversee in-house accounts and creative and media services departments. In addition, some advertising managers specialize in a particular field or type of advertising. For example, media directors determine the way in which an advertising campaign reaches customers. They can use any or all of various media, including radio, television, newspapers, magazines, the Internet, and outdoor signs.

That task becomes the work of the creative services department. Promotions managers direct programs that combine advertising with purchasing incentives to increase sales. Often, the programs use direct mail, inserts in newspapers, Internet advertisements, in-store displays, product endorsements, or special events to target customers.

Purchasing incentives may include discounts, samples, gifts, rebates, coupons, sweepstakes, or contests. Marketing managers estimate the demand for products and services that an organization and its competitors offer. They work with sales, public relations, and product development staff. For example, a marketing manager may monitor trends that indicate the need for a new product or service.

Then he or she may assist in the development of that product or service and to create a marketing plan for it. Advertising and promotions managers held about 23, jobs in The largest employers of advertising and promotions managers were as follows:. Marketing managers held about , jobs in The largest employers of marketing managers were as follows:.

The jobs of advertising, promotions, and marketing managers can often be stressful, particularly near deadlines. Additionally, they may travel to meet with clients or media representatives.

Most advertising, promotions, and marketing managers work full time. Some advertising and promotions managers work more than 40 hours per week. A relevant course of study might include classes in marketing, consumer behavior, market research, sales, communication methods and technology, visual arts, art history, and photography. Marketing managers typically need a bachelor's degree in a business field, such as marketing, or in a related field, such as communications.

In addition, completing an internship while in school can be useful. Advertising, promotions, and marketing managers typically have work experience in advertising, marketing, promotions, or sales. For example, many managers are former sales representatives ; buyers or purchasing agents ; or public relations specialists. Analytical skills. Advertising, promotions, and marketing managers must be able to analyze industry trends to determine the most promising strategies for their organization.

Communication skills. Managers must be able to communicate effectively with a broad-based team made up of other managers or staff members during the advertising, promotions, and marketing process.

They must also be able to communicate persuasively with the public. Advertising, promotions, and marketing managers must be able to generate new and imaginative ideas. Decisionmaking skills. Managers often must choose between competing advertising and marketing strategies put forward by staff. Interpersonal skills. Managers must deal with a range of people in different roles, both inside and outside the organization.

Organizational skills. Advertising, promotions, and marketing managers must manage their time and budget efficiently while directing and motivating staff members.

Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U. Source: U. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. In May , the median annual wages for advertising and promotions managers in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:. In May , the median annual wages for marketing managers in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:.

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program. Marketing managers will continue to be in demand as organizations use marketing campaigns to maintain and expand their market share. These managers will be sought after for their advice on crafting pricing strategies and finding new ways to reach customers.

Promotions may take the form of discount coupons, giveaways, rebates, or contests. In addition to creativity, strong leadership ability and excellent communication skills are important qualities for these managers. Advertising and promotions managers work for ad agencies and in the advertising department of a business in almost any industry, from manufacturing to scientific innovation, finance to insurance.

The hours can be long and dealing with deadlines can be stressful. But many managers say they never tire of the thrill of seeing their ideas come to life.

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U. The video is Public Domain from the U. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Free Career Tests. Powered by Campus Explorer. Skip to content An advertising or promotions manager creates an advertising plan to create as much interest as possible for a product or service.