The people who work in advertising agencies are outgoing go-getters. They are on the ball when it comes to knowing and understanding the product and the demographic their clients want to project. For instance, Gatorade, which was invented in 1965, quickly jumped on the advertising train and marketed themselves as what we know them to be today: the first and only sports drink. Today Gatorade spends about $40 million a year on advertising. It was revealed in Super Bowl XLII that Gatorade is going through a marketing transition, as the people at their advertising agency are working to reintroduce and reestablish a new attitude and image of Gatorade, called ''G.''
Keeping with the Gatorade example, the people involved with helping Gatorade, or, um ''G,'' spend that $40 million a year on ads are the people who work for their advertising agency—TBWA|Chiat|Day—in Los Angeles. The ad agency is responsible for coming up (and keeping up) with the client’s desired image. They are in charge of getting the client’s name and image out in all mediums including television, radio, the Internet, billboards, magazines, etc. The final goal of advertising is to get the consumer to not only buy into the image package, but to also get the consumer to buy the client’s product.
There are many different jobs at an advertising agency which all work together as a team. The sales people bring in clients. The marketing directors lead their teams to design an image and a campaign that pleases the client. The designers, with direction from the sales and the marketing teams, come up with look, the sound, and the feel of the campaign. The copywriters check for errors. The financial guys make sure all the money is in order. The lawyers make sure no one’s going to get sued. An advertising agency is a whole conglomerate of many different people working toward the same goal.
With so many available positions at an advertising agency, it is hard to put a finger on a salary average. Just know that a job at an advertising agency is more than just a job; it’s a career. With so many available titles at an advertising agency, it’s possible to start in one job and move around as the opportunity presents itself.
People who work in advertising agencies usually have desk-type jobs. They can be expected to be computer literate and have a general knowledge of day-to-day office routines. They are good communicators, both verbal and written.
To get a job in advertising there are a few helpful pointers. Be an intern, or take an entry-level position. Take the initiative and contact an ad agency, or even a television station, radio station, newspaper, or other media outlet. Network, network, network. Oftentimes it comes down to the old saying, ''It’s not what you know; it’s who you know.'' Take the job in sales, even if it’s not quite what you were going for. At an ad agency, there just may be room to move around after you get your foot in the door. Basically it breaks down to this: if you want a job, then you need get the skills and be comfortable enough with yourself to market yourself to the position you desire. The same goes for any job in media, advertising, sales, design . . . you get the picture. When it comes down to getting the job, it’s all about you and how you represent YOU! So stand up tall, tousle your hair, get out there, and get the job you want!
