Advertising Manager is a highly demanding position. Job responsibilities of advertising managers include overseeing advertising and promotion staffs which are not in large numbers except in very big firms. In smaller firms, an advertising manager also acts as liaison between the firm he is working in and the advertising or promotion agency which has been awarded contract for many advertising or promotional functions. Job responsibilities of an advertising manager in larger organizations include the overall supervision of an in-house account and the creative and media services departments. The account services department is managed by account executives where he assesses the advertising needs, advertising agencies, and maintains the accounts of clients. In the creative services department, subject matter and presentation of advertisement is developed. Copy chief, art director, and associated staff are supervised by the creative director. Planning groups that select the media of communication to disseminate the advertisements like outdoor signs, internet, magazines, newspapers, radio or television, is supervised by the media director.
The work of marketing professionals including the advertising manager involve inevitable work pressure particularly when schedules change or problems arise but the requirement of meeting the goals and deadlines exists. Substantial travel in this profession is also mandatory. The advertising managers are required to travel to meet with representatives of communications media and clients. The possibility of job transfers between headquarters and regional offices always exist. Often these people have to work for long hours including weekends and evenings. As per statistics, in the year 2006, about two thirds of marketing professionals including advertising managers had worked more than 40 hours a week.
Academic requirements for advertising managers include a bachelor's degree in advertising or journalism. The course of study could include consumer behavior, sales, visual arts, photography, marketing, market research, communication methods, technology, and art history.
Besides academic qualifications, an advertising manager is expected to have familiarity with word processing and database applications. Skills in computers are vital for marketing professionals because the internet has now become a strong medium for the advertising, marketing, and promotion of products.
The other skill required for an advertising manager includes the ability to communicate persuasively both in writing as well as orally with other managers, staff, and the public. He should be tactful and should have the ability to take good judgments. An advertising manager must have exceptional ability to establish and maintain an effective personal relationship with professional and supervisory members of staff and client's firm. A person aspiring for a career as an advertising manager should be highly self motivated, decisive, flexible, creative, mature, and resistant to stresses.
Salary levels varied substantially depending upon the responsibility, education, location, length of service, industry, and size of the firm. A survey conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers indicated that starting salaries for marketing majors who graduated in 2007 on average was $40,161 and those of advertising majors it was averaged $33,831. Advertising and promotions managers had median yearly earnings of $73,060 in May 2006 as per the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
In the year 2006, there were 583,000 jobs of advertising, marketing, promotions, public relations, and sales managers in US. Practically in every industry these marketing professionals were found. Half of these jobs were held by sales managers; most of them were employed in wholesale trade, retail trade, manufacturing, finance, and insurance industries. Professional, scientific, and technical services industries and wholesale trade employed about one fourth of the advertising and promotions managers. As per predictions of Bureau of Labor Statistics, there is expected to be a growth of 12 percent through 2016 in the employment of advertising, marketing, promotions, public relations, and sales managers. This growth is as fast as the average for all occupations. There is expected to be keen competition for these highly coveted jobs.
A college graduate having related experience, high level of creativity, and strong communication skills could have the best job opportunities. A candidate capable of conducting advertising, marketing, promotions, public relations, and other sales activities on the internet will especially have first preference by the employers.
The advertising manager is a highly demanding position. Hence, these are often the prime candidates for promotion to the highest ranks. A well trained, experienced and successful advertising manager may achieve a higher position either in its own firm or another firm. Some of them even become top executives. Advertising Managers having great experience and adequate funds may have the opportunity to start their own business.
