Jobs in Advertising: The Lowdown
Published 3 Oct 2011 09:30
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Jobs in Advertising: The Lowdown
If we’re lucky, many of us will leave university some notion of the industry or profession we wish to pursue. A vague aspiration to work ‘in the media’ may cut it at a family dinner, but negotiating the ruthless job market without a concrete focus will leave many adrift on the sea of rejection. In order to really grapple with such a competitive sector as advertising, knowing the positions which stratify a typical company will prove invaluable to those who would give anything for a career in media. Jobs in advertising track a formidable range of skillsets, here are some roles worth investigation…
Account Executive: These act as the fundamental link between the client and the agency. Typical tasks may include liaising with clients, developing creative campaigns and pitching to clients to win business. Account executives are required to encourage the confidence of others in an idea to the point of investment. An account executive will be expected to be a dynamic, quick thinker, a talented communicator and have significant experience and education in PR or Marketing roles.
Art Director: Also known as the creative talent, the art director drives the look and texture of any campaign, and works with an ever-proliferating assortment of media including television, radio, posters, digital and print. In charge of photo-shoots, video production and the storyboards these spring from, the art director will be at the pulse of any advertising firm. Ideally from a design background, it’s become increasingly necessary in the age of online campaigns for an art director to touch their creativity to digital design, as well as through traditional channels of pen to paper.
Copywriter: If the art director reigns supreme over the look of any campaign, the copywriter works alongside them in command of its language. Draping their well-chosen words over the topic at hand, copywriters are responsible for the slogans, captions and blurbs which ensure carefully chosen visuals make a lasting verbal impact. All in all, it’s the copywriter’s job to ensure nothing gets lost in translation. Any copywriter should have an impeccable eye for detail, a flair for language and a creative outlook.
Marketing Executive: Will be in charge of the campaigns which promote the product, and orient appropriate levels of focus around events, public relations, research and advertising. The first point of contact for a marketing executive is the customer, as it’s their job to monitor and direct the material which reaches consumers on a day to day basis. Their duty to liaise and convince, as well as direct and organise requires them to be impressive leaders, lateral thinkers and organised workers.
Market Researcher: The market researcher is the source of information upon which a successful advertising firm can thrive. Their job is to assess opinion, preference and need through collecting data from the general public, holding focus groups and interviews and distributing questionnaires. As their role relies heavily on compiling reports and databases and advising of their findings, the role requires finely tuned organisational skills, research experience and an analytical mind set.
This article appeared in Reading Chronicle 03 Oct 11
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