Most people don't realize that it is possible to get a Bachelor's degree in advertising, let alone a Master's degree or Ph.D. And even those who are aware of that possibility may think it's necessary to be an artist or writer to work in advertising. In reality, advertising is a business, and it involves much more than those "creative" jobs.
Although creative writing or drawing skills are absolutely essential in some advertising jobs, most jobs in advertising require no such abilities. They do, however, require some very important skills and qualities. Dr. John Murphy, of The University of Texas at Austin, believes that successful advertising people have the following qualities:
1. Excellent Communicators. They are excellent writers, and their ability to communicate verbally is well-developed. They know the basics of effective presentations and are strong presenters.
2. Excellent Listeners. They make sure they understand their bosses and clients before they begin work, and know when and how to ask questions to make sure they are on the right track. They realize that focusing on the right issues is of paramount importance.
3. Team Players. They are good at working with other people. They know when to give and when to take a stand.
4. Professionals. They can handle the details and deadlines which are an important part of the business. They are thorough in covering their assignments; then go beyond what is expected. They have high and uncompromising standards regarding the quality of their work. They are good time managers, shine under pressure, and are resilient in adversity. They have an obsessive interest in advertising, and are lifelong students of their craft. They are honest in everything they do.
5. Hard-Working, Creative, and Enthusiastic. They realize that success comes primarily through hard work, and constantly push themselves to do a better job. They seek creative solutions to the problems they encounter. They love their work and transmit their enthusiasm to others. And, they enjoy life and have a sense of humor.
For a person with these skills, there are many possible jobs in the field of advertising.
The following is an overview of the many jobs that someone with an advertising degree might obtain. While this is not a list of every job out there, it's a good overview to get you thinking! In order to provide an idea of the different types of advertising jobs, we will begin by looking at advertising agencies.
When a company has a product or service to sell, it may want to reach a large number of people. That's what advertising does best. The company (the Advertiser) can develop the advertisements by itself, and place them in newspapers, on radio, on television, on billboards, etc. However, frequently an advertising agency is hired to do that work.
There are around 10,000 ad agencies in the U.S. Some of them are very large, employing thousands of people, but many of them are very small and employ only one or two people. In a very small agency, a person might be responsible for many or all aspects of the business, but agencies that employ more than a few people usually are divided into four primary areas: Account Services, Creative, Media, and Research.
ACCOUNT SERVICES
From an agency's perspective, the Advertiser is a client. The client's business is normally called "the account." The Account Services department (sometimes called "Account Management") is the agency's contact with the client.
People in Account Services must be organizers, strategists, diplomats, and communicators. They must understand the advertising business, they must work with all of the other departments to ensure that the client's needs are met, they must understand the product or service being advertised, they play an important role in the strategic planning behind the advertising, and they are the communications link between the agency and the client. Basically, it is their job to make sure the client is happy and gets its money's worth.
Job titles in advertising vary somewhat from agency to agency. The following are some typical titles and basic descriptions of those jobs, beginning with the lowest positions and moving up the chain of command:
Assistant Account Executive
Sometimes called an Account Manager or Account Coordinator, this is an entry-level position. This person reports to an Account Executive, and may have a wide range of responsibilities.
He or she may be required to do anything from basic clerical tasks to analyzing what the client's competitors are doing. The assistant account executive typically attends meeting, writes reports, and coordinates schedules with the creative, media, and research departments. This is a good place to learn the inner-workings of the Account Services department.
Account Executive
The Account Executive, or "AE," is generally the next step up the ladder. The AE has the primary responsibility for the account. They are the agency's expert on that account, and the client's communications expert. They help to plan the advertising campaign, and they oversee the work to make certain that the agency meets the client's deadlines and stays within the budget. When the client wants to know the status of some work on an account, it usually is the AE who is called, so the AE must stay on top of the progress in all areas of the campaign.
Account Supervisor
This is normally the AE's boss, and they frequently carry the title of Vice President. The Supervisor is in charge of 2 or more accounts.
Management Supervisor, Account Director, Group Account Director, etc.
At this level, you might carry the title of Senior or Executive Vice President. Depending upon the size and structure of a particular agency, there may be several more layers of responsibility above the Account Supervisors.
CREATIVE
Often called "creatives," people in this department develop the ideas, words, and images that go into the print ads and commercials. This is the art side of advertising. Many people in the agency may contribute to the process, but creatives are ultimately responsible for developing an ad's concept and supervising its production.
Creativity is the heart and soul of an agency. No matter how well the account services, media, and research people do their jobs, and no matter how solid a strategy is developed, if the ad doesn't attract the attention of consumers and convey the desired information, the client won't get its money's worth.
The Creative department is composed mostly of copywriters, who are the wordsmiths for the ads, and art directors, who put those words into a visually appealing and appropriate package. To do this, they must take the strategy from Account Services, and create a "concept" that will effectively communicate what that strategy demands. They must learn about the product or service, what it does, how it's used, and who uses it. Copywriters and art directors usually work in teams, collaborating and exchanging ideas until a basic concept of the ad is created.
Once the concept is developed, the words written, and the art direction completed, the work must be produced. That might require the work of artists, photographers, cinematographers, directors, typesetters, actors, and many other people. Some of these people might work for the agency, or they might be part of other companies that are hired by the agency to produce the ad. But it is the art director and copywriter who must oversee that work, to guarantee that it is true to the concept they developed.
The basic job descriptions and titles for creatives are listed below. Although some production may be done within a Creative Department, most of it is done in a Production Department or outside of the agency. Consequently, production jobs are not listed here.
Junior or Assistant Copywriter
This is the entry-level for writers. To get a job as a junior copywriter, you will need a portfolio of work (called your "book") to show that you know how to develop a concept and write advertising "copy."
Copywriters are experts in the use of words. The words you see in magazine ads and on billboards are written by copywriters. When you hear actors in commercials say something, the script they speak comes from the copywriters. They know how to speak to consumers.
Junior Copywriters help one or more Copywriters. Their responsibilities might involve proofreading and editing, as well as writing some copy for print ads, commercials, sales promotion materials, etc. In some cases they might even participate in the development of a concept. They may work on ads for a single product, or several different products.
Junior or Assistant Art Director
This is the entry-level for art directors. If you want to land this job, like the Junior Copywriter, you will need a book of your work as evidence of your ability.
Art Directors are visual communicators. The overall design of print advertisements, as well as the "look" and visual aspects of television commercials, are their responsibility. They know something about art, layout, typography, photography, and they are experts at getting and keeping the consumer's attention.
The Junior Art Director may be involved in preparing paste-ups of ads, and doing the rough lettering. He or she may also help to design layouts and storyboards, develop the ad concepts, and over-see the print photography or filming of commercials. Like junior copywriters, they may work with a single product, or they may even work on several different accounts.
Senior Copywriter or Senior Art Director
Sometimes the word "Senior" is omitted, but these are full-fledged copywriters and art directors. They typically have several years of experience writing or designing ads, and developing the concepts behind those ads. As a result, they have significantly more authority and responsibility than the "juniors."
Executive Art Director, or Copy Director
Again depending on the size of the agency, there may be one or several more layers of responsibility above the senior copywriters and art directors. At each level the creative work may be screened to eliminate weak concepts and poor executions, and suggestions for improvement might be made.
Creative Director
At the very top there is a Creative Director, or Executive Creative Director, who ultimately is responsible for all creative work developed and produced in the agency.
MEDIA
The best advertisement in the world is worthless unless it is seen or heard by people who might buy the product. People who work in the Media Department are responsible for putting the ad where it will be seen by the right people -- as many as possible -- at the best price.
The Media Department is composed of planners and buyers, though occasionally those functions are combined. The planner is responsible for determining in which medium (e.g., magazines, newspapers, television) the ad should appear, as well as the vehicle to be used (e.g., the specific magazine to be used). The buyer must then try to purchase that space (or time) for the ad.
The ideal is to place the ad, at very little cost, in places where only potential buyers of the product will see it. However, that rarely occurs. The ad probably will be seen by many people who have no use for, or interest in, the product. When that occurs, the advertiser is wasting money. The goal of a media planner, therefore, is to find the best places to put that ad, where there is the least waste. And, of course, it must be cost-efficient and within the client's budget. This requires research, insight, creativity, and ingenuity.
Media buyers must then secure those spaces (or times), at the lowest possible cost. Although some prices are fixed, most are negotiable. Buyers deal with salespeople daily. They must be personable, organized, and tough negotiators.
Only a few years ago, Media Departments had very straightforward tasks. They could basically choose to buy space in newspapers, magazines, radio, or television. But today it is possible to place an ad on a shopping cart, on a computer disk, and literally thousands of other places. Even traditional media like magazines have invented new ways to deliver ad messages. New technologies continually bring new opportunities for advertisements to be seen. As a result, the Media Department has become a much more exciting and dynamic environment.
The jobs available in an ad agency Media Department are outlined here:
Assistant Planner
As the entry-level for Media Planners, Assistant Planners frequently do lots of research. Media planning requires an intimate understanding of how prospective consumers can and do receive information. Their viewing, listening, and reading habits must be known, so the planner will know when and where to place the ad.
The Assistant Planner may also be responsible for calculating the reach and frequency of specific vehicles, which helps the planner to gauge the efficiency of placing the ad in those vehicles. They are likely to find themselves using computers to access media data banks and to calculate figures needed for the plan.
Assistant Planners, therefore, need strong research abilities, computer skills, and a general curiosity. They need to understand how people live, and they should not be afraid of simple mathematics.
Junior Buyer
Sometimes called an Assistant Buyer, this is the entry-level position for media buying. Like Assistant Planners, Junior Buyers may find themselves doing a fair amount of number-crunching. This is necessary to maintain the schedules and track expenditures. But Junior Buyers also may learn a great deal about buying procedures and terminology, as well as developing their negotiating skills. Because they eventually will be directly involved in the purchasing process, Junior Buyers must familiarize themselves with the sales people, their vehicles, and the peculiar advantages and disadvantages of working with those vehicles.
Media Researcher
Some agencies today also have a separate section for media research. This is a "support staff" for Media Buyers and Planners, and can include entry-level positions. These researchers are responsible for collecting and interpreting facts and figures about various vehicles. They look at the ratings and audience composition of those vehicles, and prepare an evaluation to be used by the Media Planners. They may also conduct training sessions and act as a media information source for Buyers and Planners.
Media Planner
Media Planners have responsibility for making the strategic decisions that determine where and when an ad will be seen or heard. They must be a part of the overall planning for the ad campaign, so that they know what objectives need to be met, what consumers must be reached, and the particular demands of the creative work to be used. With this knowledge, planners can then consider the wide range of options as to where and when the ad might be placed. Once those options are considered, they must prepare a media plan. That plan is used to guide the buying process.
Media Buyer
Media Buyers place the orders specified in the media plan. They must act quickly, before the selected media space is sold to another buyer, they must ensure that all specific creative needs are met, and they must try to get the best possible price for that space.
Media Supervisor
Media Supervisors are responsible for the work of several buyers and planners.
Media Director
The Media Director is generally the top position in the department. Consequently, this person ultimately is responsible for all of the work performed in the department.
RESEARCH
While advertising involves art, it likewise depends upon science. Consequently, research is a vital part of advertising today.
Many people think of advertising as nothing more than words and pictures, and of advertising people as artists and writers. But it is not enough to use pretty pictures or a funny story, if you hope to sell a product or service. The advertisement must attract attention, be easily understandable, offer some reason why the item advertised is better than competing items, be memorable, and hopefully touch an emotional chord in the consumers. To achieve those goals, it is necessary to understand those consumers, their lifestyles, their desires, and what motivates them.
It is the researchers' job to study consumers. They test people's reactions to different advertisements, interview consumers, study purchase trends, conduct surveys, and analyze any other available information about consumers that might help the researchers to predict what types of advertising might be most effective. Researchers, therefore, become the agency's experts on the potential buyer of an advertised product or service.
Because research tends to involve a great deal of "number crunching" and computer analysis, researchers must be computer literate and somewhat mathematically adept. They must be curious, interested in different lifestyles, logical, and have a bit of Sherlock Holmes in them. Their responsibility is to unearth clues why different consumers buy different products, and to use those clues to deduce the best means of convincing a group of consumers to buy a specific item.
Because research sometimes requires advanced statistical analysis, some agencies hire only people who have a Master's or Ph.D. degree. There are some positions available for applicants holding only a Bachelor's degree, but for someone who has a serious desire to work in research, an advanced degree is advantageous. Research positions are described below:
Junior Project Director
Sometimes called an Assistant Research Executive, the Junior Project Director is the entry-level for researchers. These researchers typically gather much of the background information and perform simple tabulations of that data. This may involve a significant amount of library research. They may also be involved in helping to conduct interviews and monitor "focus groups," tracking project schedules, and providing some basic analyses of data.
Project Director
Project Directors, or Research Executives, bear the responsibility for all research on a particular account. They usually design the questionnaires used for surveys, and they determine what types of research are needed for an account. The Project Director may also be responsible for hiring outside suppliers to conduct research for an account. At this level the researcher may begin to develop some specialization in a certain research method, analytical method, or consumer group.
Research Supervisor or Director
Again, the titles and number of levels can vary from agency to agency. In some cases it is possible to specialize in a certain area of research (e.g., focus groups), while in others agencies as you move up the research ladder you acquire responsibility for a larger number of accounts.
OTHER
There are many other jobs within advertising agencies. Of course, there are administrative positions, like the president or chief executive officer, and office support staff (e.g., secretaries). And there also are positions that require specialized education, like accountants and lawyers. But entry-level candidates with an advertising degree, in some cases, can find additional job opportunities. Three of those are described below:
Production
Some agencies have a separate Production Department, and some have a few production people within the Creative Department. Although most of the production of print ads and broadcast commercials is done by "suppliers," as discussed below, larger agencies tend to employ one or more production people. In addition to artists that might work for the agency, there are some positions that require no special artistic talents. At the entry-level, generally, is the Production Assistant. This person may be responsible for contacting suppliers, coordinating, and scheduling, to help prepare the ads for publication. Above the Production Assistant may be a Production Supervisor, and above that, a Production Manager.
Once the Creative Department has designed an advertisement, these people see to it that the design becomes a reality. They may oversee in-house production, or may act as the agency's contact with outside production companies.
Traffic
Many agencies have "traffic" staff, or even a Traffic Department. These people are facilitators. They help the agency to meet deadlines, and ensure that all the necessary approvals are obtained in the process. They take care of the small details, so people in the other departments can concentrate on their primary responsibilities. For example, it is common for traffic personnel to carry an advertisement from one department to another, obtaining the required approvals, and then deliver the ad to the publication that is scheduled to publish it, in time to meet the publication's deadline. They also do much of the scheduling.
To a large extent, this position is like that of a courier. However, this is an excellent starting position for recent college graduates wishing to work in advertising, especially if they are uncertain about what area (e.g., account services, media, etc.) they would most like to pursue. By starting in traffic, they are able to see the function each department plays in the overall scheme of the agency. And, while gaining this broad perspective, they can make the necessary contacts to later move into one of those other departments.
As with other departments, a Traffic Department within an agency typically has a hierarchy. The entry-level position might be called a Traffic Assistant, with the opportunity to move up to Traffic Coordinator, and eventually to Traffic Manager.
Account Planning
A relatively small number of agencies in the United States have adopted an approach that originated in Great Britain. This approach, called "account planning," is considered by some to be significantly more consumer-oriented than traditional agency methods. Those agencies usually have an Account Planning Department, which offers rather unique employment opportunities.
Account planning can be considered something of a hybrid, involving aspects of both account services and research. And while research is a big part of the Account Planner's job, it may involve more "qualitative" forms of research than are used in most Research Departments. Once they have developed an understanding, or profile, of the consumer, every aspect of the advertising campaign is governed by that profile. Consequently, in agencies that have adopted the account planning approach, this department is central to the success or failure of the agency's advertising.
Account Planners must like people and enjoy an intense curiosity about their lifestyles. Ideally,they have a very broad range of knowledge, with some understanding of several different disciplines, like anthropology, sociology, and psychology.
As with research, an advanced degree is helpful for someone hoping to work in account planning. But, there are entry-level positions in this area, with titles like "Assistant Account Planner," and some agencies are willing to hire candidates with a Bachelor's degree.
There are many things that go into making print ads and broadcast commercials, and ensuring that they are seen or heard by the right audience. Some of those things are too specialized for an agency to do in-house, so they hire suppliers to provide those services. By supplying their services to a large number of agencies, those companies can better afford to maintain a staff of people to do quality work.
No agency is totally self-reliant. The smaller the agency, the higher the probability that it will need to employ several suppliers to perform work that cannot be done adequately within the agency. As a result, there are many opportunities for advertising-related employment in companies that supply services to ad agencies. The most common of those "outside" services are described here.
PRODUCTION SERVICES
Although the creative work that goes into the design of advertisements typically is done by an agency's Creative Department, it seldom looks like a professionally-produced advertisement until it is sent to the people who specialize in production.
For example, when the Creative Department designs a television commercial, it will take the form of a "story board" that provides the wording, concept, and a rough idea of how the commercial will look, but that is not a finished commercial. Someone still needs to hire the actors, do their make-up, design the set, film the commercial, and do the editing. That is the responsibility of production experts. Occasionally an agency will have an in-house Production Department, but more commonly it is handled by a separate production company.
Every different type of advertisement, such as newspaper or television, involves different areas of expertise. Most of those areas require skills that are not taught in university advertising programs. Photographers, artists, cinematographers, printers, etc., do most of the production work. But there are some positions for which an advertising degree provides sufficient background, particularly in the area of scheduling and coordination. And, of course, an advertising education can be a valuable asset to a photographer, artist, cinematographer, printer, etc.
INFORMATION SERVICES
Much of the research used by advertising agencies is provided by other companies. There are literally thousands of such research companies. Some of the best-known are companies like A.C. Nielsen Company, Arbitron, Starch, Gallup, Roper, and Burke Marketing Research.
Most magazines, newspapers, and broadcast stations are rated or indexed by some of these companies to indicate who reads or watches them, so that agencies can select the most appropriate media vehicle for a given ad campaign. LIsts of those ratings are then purchased by agencies.
Other research companies do specific projects on contract with agencies. They might test the memorability of specific ads, or test consumer attitudes toward particular products.
Each of these companies has a need for well-trained employees. It is quite possible to obtain a position in many of these firms with no more than an undergraduate degree, and an undergraduate advertising education is quite appropriate, but graduate degrees offer the potential for more rapid advancement in such companies.
OTHER SERVICES
Today, virtually everything that is done within an ad agency also is available through companies that specialize in only one area. For example, there are "creative boutiques" that do nothing but copywriting and art direction. Smaller ad agencies, in particular, find this convenient because they need not keep copywriters and art directors on the payroll when they are only needed for a few accounts.
Likewise, there are companies that specialize in media planning and buying. Because they are so specialized, they are in a position to purchase media space in quantity. Consequently, they can negotiate for heavily discounted prices. This efficiency, too, is quite attractive to many agencies.
Job candidates who are qualified to work in agencies are equally qualified for employment with these specialized companies. This offers an alternative to working within an agency.
There are some copywriting and art directing positions available in media companies. For example, radio and television stations often provide some writing, design, and production services for advertisers. However, far more advertising-related positions in media involve selling space or time to advertisers and agencies.
The choice of locations in which an ad can be placed is almost limitless. Depending upon the product and it's consumer, some of these locations are much more appropriate and efficient than others. Even so, there are many options that can fulfill the needs of a particular advertiser. As a result, there is intense competition for advertising dollars, which means that every vehicle needs a staff of sales people to inform agencies and individual advertisers of the potential benefits their vehicle offers.
This offers an immense number of employment opportunities for advertising graduates. Media sales, like any sales position, requires an outgoing, friendly, persuasive, and persistent personality. And the best sales people are extremely knowledgeable, about the vehicle they are selling, the competitors, and the advertising process.
These positions usually involve pay by commission, or a base pay plus commission, so that the sales person's income rests largely on their ability to sell advertising space. On the positive side, this offers the potential for almost limitless income. On the negative side, it is impossible to predict, when you take the job, how much you will earn. Below are brief descriptions of the variety of positions available in the area of media sales.
NEWSPAPERS
There are thousands of newspapers in this country, and each of them maintains a sales staff. Every town of more than a few thousand people has at least one newspaper -- some have more than one -- and there are a few newspapers with regional or national distribution. This means the media sales person has the potential to find work in almost any community. At times, the newspaper sales person may even help advertisers to design their ads, or advise them as to the best means of reaching their customers.
MAGAZINES
There are hundreds, if not thousands, of magazines. Some of them are general circulation, but most of them represent special interests. And all of them need sales people. A sales person with a special knowledge of a topic represented by a magazine (e.g., a biking magazine), may be especially attractive to that magazine.
RADIO
Most towns have one or more radio stations. The formats and listeners differ, as does their market share. Some are easier to sell than others, and the most popular stations also tend to attract the best sales people. Smaller stations, on the other hand, offer the opportunity for training and experience for the rookie sales person.
TELEVISION
Television sales can occur at several different levels. Networks, local network affiliates, independent stations, cable stations, and cable providers all sell advertising time. So they all maintain a sales staff.
OUTDOOR
Billboard companies, too, need to sell space. Some companies are large and support several salespeople, while others may be one-person operations.
OTHER MEDIA
Today, the alternatives for ad placement are expanding almost exponentially. Ads can be placed on taxicabs, buses, computer networks, computer disks, shopping carts, elevators, bathroom walls, the sides of buildings, and any number of other locations. As these options expand, so do the opportunities for sales positions.
The ad agency's client -- the advertiser -- also may have job opportunities for a candidate holding an advertising degree. These are commonly called "client-side" jobs.
The number of advertising-related positions in a client company depends upon the size and structure of the company. In some cases a client may have an entire in-house agency, generally called an Advertising Department. There may be account, media, research, and creative positions. In fact, they may do all, or nearly all, of their advertising without the help of an outside agency. Large retail stores or chains that depend upon newspaper advertising, for example, often handle much of their own advertising without the help of an agency. On the other hand, these in-house advertising departments may handle only minor advertising and sales promotion pieces.
Working for an Advertising Department of this sort can be very much like working for an agency. The main difference is that you have only one client to keep happy.
Other companies do little or none of their ads in-house, but they may still need someone with knowledge about advertising. Frequently there are people on the client-side to deal with those in the agencies.
For a large company there may be one or more people to handle the advertising for each product line or brand. They oversee the agency's work to be certain it is doing what the client needs. They may also create strategies and develop the marketing plans for the brand. At the entry-level, your title might be something like Assistant Product Manager.
There are some benefits associated with working on the client-side. Often, the starting salary is substantially higher. Job security is probably better, as well. And, unlike the agency, the client makes the ultimate decisions. If you are the product manager for a particular brand, you are the decision-maker. When the agency shows you its ideas, you decide which ads will be used.
Many of the skills used in advertising are transferrable to other marketing communications. Indeed, many collegiate advertising programs -- including the one at The University of Texas at Austin -- teach students some of the principles and uses of other forms of marketing communication. Consequently, it is not unusual for some advertising graduates to find themselves working in these related industries.
The industries most closely related to advertising are mentioned here. There are job opportunities for advertising graduates in each of them.
PROMOTIONAL PRODUCTS
Also called Specialty Advertising, promotional products include many familiar items like pens, buttons, and clocks imprinted with a message. These are generally useful products that carry a selling message and a brand name. If you look on your desk, in the drawers, or in your pockets you will probably find some promotional products.
Although historically people think of "cheap" products when they think about this area, the promotional products industry has grown and expanded in recent years to become a thriving and exciting profession. Some of the products continue to be a few cents per item, but they range up to products costing thousands of dollars. Because customers use these products, and some of them last for years, the advertiser's message lasts much longer than traditional advertising.
This field has a network of suppliers, distributors, and direct selling houses, all of which might use people with training in advertising. Much of this involves sales, because these products are yet another form of media, but it also is possible to be involved in strategic development for a client or in direct contact with advertising agencies that opt to use these products for their clients.
SALES PROMOTION
This area actually overlaps with promotional products, because sales promotion plans sometimes dictate the use of such products. It is broader, however, because it also can involve use of coupons, brochures, posters, contests, or even planning a promotional event.
Many companies specialize in planning, designing, and producing sales promotion materials and events. But in some instances this may be done within an advertising agency or client company. Over the past few years, the budgets dedicated to sales promotion by client companies has grown incredibly. Today the budgets rival those of traditional advertising.
DIRECT MARKETING
This includes direct mail and telemarketing, by which companies reach individual consumers in their homes. It also may include many new technologies, like interactive marketing methods. This has become a very "hot" area of marketing communication. New companies involved in some area of direct marketing are springing up everywhere. If you have an interest in being on the cutting edge of marketing technology, this is a good place to seek a job.
PUBLIC RELATIONS
Public relations (PR) is often viewed as "free advertising." In actuality, it is not "free," and PR is much broader than that description would suggest.
It frequently encompasses internal corporate communications, such as employee newsletters. And it is not uncommon for PR people to be responsible for the preparation of annual reports, to communicate to stockholders. They may even supervise press conferences, stockholder meetings, and other events. Consequently, PR can involve providing information to a company's employees, to its stockholders, and to its customers.
However, much of public relations involves encouraging media to publish news stories about the client's company, product, or service. While advertising tries to persuade consumers to buy a product, PR generally is aimed at persuading the news media that some event or development within a company is newsworthy.
PR people, as a result, often are involved in developing good relationships with news reporters and other people outside their company. A personable, approachable, and outgoing personality is an obvious benefit to someone entering the field of public relations. Good PR people tend to have the skills of a journalist, an advertising practitioner, and a politician.
Unlike the three industries mentioned in the sections above, some universities do offer a major or concentration in public relations. However, there is a great deal of crossover with advertising. It is not rare for advertising students to take jobs in public relations, or for public relations students to find employment in advertising.
OTHER
There are several additional industries that may offer some employment opportunities for advertising graduates. For example, it is becoming more and more common for movie and television production companies to place commercial products in the shows they produce. This is commonly known as "product placement," and it is yet another form of marketing communication. As technologies develop and the market changes, the number of jobs open to advertising graduates may continue to expand and change.