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A career in advertising is a glamorous one, and more and more young people are joining the industry. Advertisement is actually brand-building through effective communication and is essentially a service industry. In advertising, the client or the company, when comes out with a new product or a new service, takes help of the media to reach more and more people and communicate brand effectiveness.
Advertising agencies have to be accredited to the Indian Newspaper Society (INS) and they, in turn, can release advisement in the newspapers, magazines, television, radio or any other mass media. A career in advertising is very demanding and needs commitment and hectic work hours.
Work
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The three basic component of advertising can be described as Sales Promotion, Consumer Education and Public Relations. In sales promotion, the main job is to persuade and convince people to buy the product when the company has brought out, and continue buying it. This cannot be done overnight with a magic wand, but can be achieved only thought a sustained campaign and promotional drive. In sales promotional, the first thing that one tries to do is to gather more and more people and explain the benefits of the product and convince the buyers to purchase it repeatedly.
Similarly, in Consumer Education, the public at large is taught the various benefits of a particular product or service so that the people get attracted to it. In such a procedure, campaigns are designed and splashed in various papers; posters are hung and hoardings painted. Door-to-door campaigns are also organized where the benefits is even greater and the reach more effective.
In public relations, the objective is to create a positive image of the company by organizing various activities, press meets and articles published in various newspapers and magazines. This also help in building a strong brand message as the effectiveness of the media is very strong in the country. It is very cost effective too.
Client Servicing
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This department is responsible for meeting prospective clients and getting business for the company. They are the main profit-makers for the company and their role is very important in the agency. It is the client-servicing people who ultimately reach the top slot of any agency. To be effective client servicing person, the candidate has to have a thorough knowledge of the client’s business and also know his weak points so that, through advertising and communications, the gap can be minimized.
Creative Department
The Creative Department is responsible for conceptualizing and designing an advertisement. The department is further divided into two sub-sections- Copy and Art. In the former, the text of the campaign is written and appropriate slogan are conceived. The work of the two has to be done and visuals are designed.
Copy writing department works on a brief that describes the client’s requirement , target group and the media channels. This department devises the campaign slogan, jingles, scripts and promotional literature of the products or service as well as proposals, concept notes and film treatments. The copy department is also expected to edit and textual matter for factual, syntax and typesetting discrepancies before it goes into production.
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The Art Department is responsible for the visual effect of a campaign. Layouts and graphics for advertisements are done by this department. displays, logos and mastheads are also designed. The task of a Visualize is to visualize and conceptualize the art work. The minimum requirement to join an agency’s Art Department is degree./diploma in commercial art form a reputed art college or a design school.
Media Department
This department is responsible for the positioning of an advertisement in the press, radio or television as well as identifying and procuring display space. The department, keeping in view the target segment, looks for innovative media outlets and places the advertisement accordingly. The department also negotiates for various media discounts and checks our effectiveness of the regional media and its reach to the targeted consumer. Post-campaign release research in undertaken by the department to keep a check on the effectiveness of the ad-campaign.
Production Department
Production Department of an advertising agency is responsible for how the advertisement looks after release in newspapers, magazines, posters and billboards. The production people ensure that the ad gets printed and, therefore, need to know all about typography, printing, photography, use of material, etc. As more and more ads are now released in film format, the production department is also likely to be involved in the production of ad films.
Career Prospects
Since advertising is a dynamic career, it offers day-to-day challenge for talented and career-minded people every time new markets open up and communication channels become more sophisticate and far-reaching. With this, the industry, grown in complexity and specialization. With India’s vast rural market becoming the focus of advertising, the industry’s turnover is projected to exceed Rs 30000 crores before the next century. This would also mean greater demand for advertising specialists, who can look forward to challenging and well paid work in this field.
Entry to an agency is through applying directly for a post in the relevant department, with the required qualifications. As one goes higher in the hierarchy, experience counts and the salary structure also improves. A trainee in a particular agency should continue to work at a particular agency for a period of at least three years and then switch over to different agency for career betterment. A trainee is put to work on all departments initially and later assigned his specialized area of work.
Career Opportunities
Career opportunities in advertising include openings in private advertising agencies, advertising departments in private or public sector companies, in advertising of newspaper, journals, magazines and the television industry. Since advertising is a fast-paced career one has to be on one’s toes and come out with brilliant ideas, making every campaign a success story.
Remuneration
A career in advertising brings attractive remuneration and peps. The average range of monthly salaries approximate :
Accounts Servicing : Trainee level – Rs 5500 to Rs 7500 rising on confirmation; Accounts executive – Rs 8500 to Rs 10,500 and at the level of Art Director to Rs 14,000 upwards plus perquisites.
Copy Department : Trainee level – Rs 5500 to Rs 7500 rising at Junior Art Executive to Rs 8,500 to Ts 10,500 and at the level of Art Director to Rs 14,000 upward plus perquisites.
Media Department : Rs 5,500 to 7,500 rising at Assistant Media Operator to Rs 8,000 to Rs 10,000 and at the level of Media Controller to Rs 18,000 upwards.