Advertising is influencing buyer perception to manipulate consumer decisions. Also, advertising pertains to disseminating information, especially in the case of social advertising like an AIDS awareness campaign or other such ads, which are aimed at creating public awareness like dowry deaths etc. Product advertising is all about weaving the product into the cultural matrix of the targeted consumer. If you like to sell, influence, and direct, and if you can do these things with a flair for amusing, informing, or engaging your audience, then you have a chance at being a success in advertising.
Advertising is done through various media—radio, video, newspapers, magazines, and now, e-mail, the Internet, and multimedia. The various players in advertising are media, advertising agencies, and businesses—in short, anyone who sees a need to influence people.
Some programs will prepare students to enter the creative side of advertising, where they will come up with ideas that sell and influence the target audience. There is also the producing side of advertising, taking creative ideas and making sure they are completed on time. This is not to say producers can’t be creative. Nor does it mean that creative people don’t care how an ad is produced. It simply acknowledges that there are two general divisions in advertising, and people tend to sort themselves out according to their specific strengths. Other options in advertising include, advertising research, account management, and new business development.
The advertising industry has a voracious appetite for creativity and talent. Though the industry is said to be in its infant stage as compared to the western world it has been receptive to changing times. There is a perennial shortage of talent in the ad industry considering the high rate of attrition. Shuffling of personnel from one agency to another seems normal. A critical component, client servicing is the delicate link between client and agency. Communication skills are tested here, where the client’s brief is communicated to the agency. Client servicing require individuals who go out into the market to get the right brief and then sell the idea.
Media personnel have grown from the minuscule one-man-army that would handle release orders, negotiate deals and send material to a full-fledged part of any ad agency. Thus, media agencies form the second link (first link is the ad agency) between the client and media. A full-fledged buying and media planning is implemented by media agencies. Simply, this translates to a demand for media personnel. As a beginner you get to do the basics, but experience enables you to negotiate deals with publications and talk your way to discounts.
The creative group forms the foundation of any advertising agency. It includes art directors, creative directors, visualisers, and copywriters. Freshers wanting to join advertising can enter at a trainee level. A basic stipend is paid. But if you are a quick learner and passionate about your work you will easily achieve success.
English-language advertising in India is among most creative in the world. TV advertising (especially in the Hindi language) has made major headway in the past ten years, especially with the advent of satellite TV. Most major international advertising firms have chosen local Indian partners for their work in this market. Mumbai remains the centre of all advertising business in India.
Account services department:
• Account services include assistant account executive, account executive, senior account executive, accounts supervisor and accounts manager
• Directs contact with the client, acts as liaison between art department, production department, and client.
• Conveys client needs to art and production departments.
• Provides interpretation support to client at presentations.
• Responsible for ensuring that client needs are met accurately and on time, which calls for closely monitoring in-house progress of the campaign
Account services department(traffic):
• Positions in this department include, account coordinator and traffic manager.
• Coordinate ongoing jobs and monitor their progress to ensure that production remains on schedule and deadlines are met.
• Generally works with all departments throughout the advertising campaign.
Media services department:
This department comprises of assistant media planner, media planner, media director and media manager.
• Applies statistical models to audience, circulation, and cost figures to minimize media cost and maximize media effectiveness
• Manages the purchase and control of large blocks of media time/space — whether in print or broadcast.
• Recommends and allocates purchased space among clients according to campaign requirements.
• Negotiates favorable billing terms for large, repeat, and/or guaranteed space purchases, which translates into more cost-effectiveness for clients and agency
Research department:
• Positions in research include, project director, research account executive, associate research director, advertising research director, and research department manager.
• Expert in statistical applications, mathematical modeling, project design, and methodology .
• Works with and often obtains outside services .
• Monitors project to ensure accuracy and validity of findings, which are then reported and presented to the client.
Creative department-art direction:
• Positions in art direction include, assistant art director, junior art director, art director, and senior art director.
• These positions require knowledge of advertising trends and strong visual communication skills.
• This department develops and recommend art strategy and rendition for client campaign, often presenting several briefs for client approval.
• They generate creative content for both, print and other media like broadcast etc.
• Often work with copywriters as a team to brainstorm for visual and verbal content.
• Supervise progression of campaign from rough sketches through final production.
Creative department-copywriting:
• Positions in copywriting include, junior copywriter, copywriter, senior copywriter, and copy chief.
• Responsible for writing ad and promotional copy and developing concepts for ad campaigns.
• Often work with art director as a team to brainstorm visual and verbal content.
• These positions require knowledge of advertising trends and a strong writing ability.
Creative department-production:
• Positions in production include, production manager, layout and graphic artist.
• The layout artists create visual impact of the ad by selecting photographs, drawing illustrations, choosing print size and type, and sketching scenes for commercials to go with the copy.
• They design packages and create logos, trademarks and symbols.
• The production manager oversees actual printing of ads, filming of commercials, and recording of radio spots.
There are a number of new departments that are being created within agencies to cover new types of media. They include:
Specialty advertising:
• Recommends and obtain imprinted merchandise appropriate to client campaign.
• Develops strategy and recommend items to be used.
• Monitor production to ensure timely arrival.
Internet advertising:
• Develops visual and written content for client web pages, and/or on-line advertisements.
• Develops strategy for on-line promotions and web page development.
• Monitors web site and on-line traffic.
Outdoor advertising:
• Develop content for outdoor/transit (vehicles) advertisements in adherence to client strategy.
• Obtain sources for production and monitor progress.
Direct response advertising:
• Develop content for direct response advertisements, such as direct mail and infomercials in adherence to client strategy.
• Obtain consumer information lists from client and/or outside sources.
• Monitors progress of direct response efforts.
