Gator Advertising Board

Background

The purpose of this document is to give University of Florida advertising students an introduction to career choices in advertising and related industries. The content is based on the assumption that, in order to understand the smartest career path, one must understand where that path will lead. It is also based on the understanding that career choices change over time and that career paths can be chosen to maximize opportunities and flexibility.

It should be noted that every company is unique in its structure and culture. Larger companies will have jobs that are more specialized. Smaller companies will encourage people to wear more hats. While the following information is correct industry-wide, it is the rule proven by the sum of its exceptions.

Agency Careers

Among the different types of agencies are Advertising, Design, Media, Relationship Marketing, Buzz, and Public Relations. Although every agency will be different, most agencies will have jobs within the following disciplines:

Account Service

Account Coordinator

Acts as the coordinator of all account functions. In a good job, you’ll learn at the right hand of the account service team. In a bad job, you’ll spend your time making copies and filing. In most jobs, you’ll do some combination of the two. This is a good entry-level job. Prerequisites are internships and positive attitude.

Assistant Account Executive

Works coordinating the account function. Closely involved with running status meetings, keeping jobs on track and managing the various disciplines on an account.

Account Executive

Front line representative of the agency to the client. Responsible for the day-to-day marketing strategy of the brand. Orchestrates the team to meet objectives of the brand.

Account Supervisor

Responsible for big picture strategy of a brand. Deals with senior brand people at the client.

Account Manager

Big honcho. Deals with major brand and agency issues.

Creative

Traffic Coordinator

Manages day-to-day workflow between departments. It’s the Traffic Coordinator’s job to tell the creative people they need to work faster than they can and to tell the Account Service people that they can’t get the job when they need it. The Traffic Coordinator works closely with all disciplines at the agency, so this is a great place to start when you’re not sure what you want to do. Key job-getters are internships and positive attitude.

Traffic Manager

This person is starting to rise up in the traffic discipline. In a smaller agency, this job can lead to account service. In a larger agency, this job leads to more traffic.

Copywriter

This is the person who approaches creative ideas from a “wording” perspective. If you want to do this, you’d better have a portfolio put together. Get ready to go to a portfolio school after graduating.

Art Director

This person approaches creative ideas from a visual perspective. Like the aspiring Copywriter, you’ll need a portfolio. Portfolio school, here you come.

Production Coordinator

This person organizes broadcast productions. He or she probably is going to the film school. Lots and lots of internships dealing with production are crucial. If you love film, this is for you. If you love strategy, look for another path.

Producer

This person runs radio recordings and television shoots. Showbiz with a lot of money on the line. If you want to do this, better go to film school and be prepared to move a lot of props while your paying your dues.

Creative Director

King of the creative hill. This person probably came up as a Copywriter or Art Director. Now, he or she deals in ideas, creative strategy, and client presentations with an occasional writing/art direction gig thrown in for old time’s sake.

Media

Media Coordinator

Works in support of client team by stewarding national TV purchases to ensure delivery of agreed-upon terms. Stewardship includes allocation of commercials to appropriate programming/networks, communicating all changes between client and networks, facilitating trafficking and billing processes, and producing appropriate reports to clients. A great place to start, as the Media Coordinator will wear many hats.

Media Buyer

Responsible for executing strategies developed by the Media Director including negotiating media purchases, analyzing the need for scatter purchases, and implementing allocation and billing tools to facilitate a smooth transition from buy to airtime.

Media Planner

This person will analyze pricing for media purchases made by the Media Buyer. He or she must have a strong knowledge of the marketplace. This job can lead to Media Buyer or even a position within Research.

Media Supervisor

This person will work with networks to prospect for added-value opportunities such as sponsorships. He or she always keep the bigger picture in mind. Must have strong network relationships.

Media Director

Head of the Media team. This person will work with the client to put together media strategies to meet the clients needs.

Advertising Sales Careers

Advertising sales positions are offered across many different platforms: Television, Radio, Print, and Online. Most advertising sales departments will have jobs within the discipline as follows:

Sales Assistant

Maintain Account Executive and client awareness of all changes in advertising schedules, availability, and programming. Communicate with the clients over the phone to solve problems and handle requests. Create and maintain sales orders, flowcharts, and contracts, and solve discrepancies. This person must be detail-oriented and be able to multitask. Since there are many responsibilities, this position is a great way to learn the business.

Sales Planner

This person will price and analyze sales packages. Also assists in building and maintaining the rate card. A working knowledge of market value is a must. Planners must be good at analyzing data and be able to put that data to work.

Sales Service Executive

The Sales Service Executive is the right-hand person for the Account Executive. This person will work closely with the Account Executive to build and create sales strategies and proposals. This position could be considered training to become an Account Executive.

Account Executive

This person is responsible for the actual sale of the advertising time and related marketing promotions. He or she demonstrates outstanding agency relationships. This position requires making presentations, so good public speaking skills are a must.

Director

This person manages the entire sales department. He or she are skilled in marketing, research, new business development, and sales and constantly tries to find new ways to generate more business.

Careers on the Client Side

Marketers who go to the client side focus on Brand Management. Brand Management is responsible for the marketing and sometimes responsible for the business.

• Marketing Owner
  • Brand vision and equity
  • Consumer communication and agency work
  • Marketing budget
  • Media
  • Research
• Business Owner
  • Business model
  • Profit and loss
  • Product innovation plan
  • Pricing/distribution
  • Volume forecasting

Most clients will have brand management jobs within these disciplines:

Marketing Specialist

Responsible for executing the marketing plan. This person works with the agencies, making sure the job is delivered on time and on budget. This is a good entry-level job. Prerequisites are internships and a positive attitude.

Assistant Brand Manager (ABM)

Owns holistic marketing projects starting with identifying the target, understanding consumer needs, and delivering marketing that communicates the product benefit. Very often the ABM develops the marketing plan and business review. In larger companies, an MBA is often required for this position.

Brand Manager (BM)

Owns the business including all marketing projects and, in some companies, business decisions. Responsible for the brand vision, equity, agency relationships and, in some companies, the brand’s profit and losses.

Assistant Marketing Director & Marketing Director

Responsible for multiple brands and developing synergies between the brands efforts. Helps to deliver larger profits towards company goals.

Chief Marketing Officer / General Manager

Big honcho. Deals with major marketing and business issues.

Because brand management “owns the business,” it interacts and sometimes makes decisions for areas outside its traditional responsibilities:

Brand Manager daily interaction

• Internal
  • Product Development
  • Research
  • Product Supply
  • Sales
  • Legal
• External Agencies
  • Advertising
  • Design
  • Interactive
  • Relationship Marketing
  • Public Relations