Advertising Manager

What an Advertising Manager Does

Advertising managers are responsible for directing, executing, and leading advertising campaigns for various firms and organizations. Advertising managers usually work within established advertising agencies where clients approach the agencies and request that a campaign be made for their company. Some advertising professionals work within advertising departments of media outlets such as newspapers and TV news stations selling ad space and time. Others work for companies that spend a large percentage of their annual revenue on advertising. Advertising managers must be an effective communicator and posses excellent leadership skills as they are in charge of overlooking a variety of different departments, including the sales and creative staff who come up with ideas and presentations for the campaigns, and the finance department who help establish budgets and costs. Often, these managers work as the middle men between the client and the departments developing the actual campaign, generating reports and monitoring the campaign's progress. Working hours are usually long, including working nights and weekends to ensure that the campaign meets its deadline.

How to Become an Advertising Manager

While many have acquired jobs in the advertising field without a formal education in advertising, most employers do require that prospects have a bachelor's degree in advertising or journalism, as well as some previous work experience regarding advertising. Through formal education, employers know that prospects are educated in the key concepts needed to be successful as an advertising manager, such as advanced knowledge in marketing techniques, consumer behavior, sales, communication methods, visual arts, and photography. A high proficiency in computer skills is also known to be quite beneficial when applying for an advertising manager position. As an increasing amount of advertising campaigns are being designed specifically for online usage, advertising managers who know how to effectively utilize technology and the Internet to promote their client's campaigns will have a greater chance of being hired than one who doesn’t possess these skills. Some associations offer certification programs that can not only prove proficiency in computers, but can also prove competence in the advertising industry — something that in addition to a degree could make you stand out in a competitive job market. While only a small number of advertising managers are certified, this is expected to change within the next eight years, according the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Career Outlook for Advertising Managers

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, advertising managers held 44,600 jobs in 2008 (the most recent statistics available) and earned $80,220 in median annual wages. Despite the fact that the two entities that employ the majority of advertising managers have been slowly declining in recent years (advertising agencies and newspapers), the career outlook for advertising managers should remain stable, experiencing little or no growth during the 2008-18 decade, according to the Bureau. This is because advertising holds a special and critical importance; it is what drives the inflow of revenue for the majority of media corporations. Thus, the advertising departments are less likely to be affected. That's not to say that number of available jobs will remain completely at a standstill. As the number of television and radio stations begins to increasingly shift towards digital and new media, advertising managers who are familiar with new technologies will be hired to oversee new and innovative advertising programs designed for these online mediums.