There are careers in advertising for minds ranging from the analytical to the creative.
The advertising industry offers many varied and exciting positions whether you are an analytical or a creative minded person. The creation of an advertising campaign is a multiple-step process involving careful research, production, and implementation. Additionally, you may enter the advertising field without a traditional background in advertising due to the diverse positions within the advertising cycle.
Research
The research department in an advertising agency is the backbone for any firm collecting data about their ad campaigns. Individuals in research often assist in the methodology of the advertising project, including the steps to be taken in an ad campaign according to statistical data that the department has collected. For example, if the research department determines that a product performs well with males 18 to 34 years of age, the department will determine what medium will reach that audience in the most statistically efficient manner and suggest that medium be added to the advertising strategy.
Creative Department
The creative department in an advertising agency is responsible for creating the advertising copy in ads with writing and developing radio and television scripts. The creative department uses information gathered from the research and marketing departments to create materials that sell the product to the correct audience. Additionally, if there are special offers or other important product information, the creative department must work to implement those items into its scripts or copy.
Advertising Production
The advertising production department takes the creative material from the firm's creative department and produces the final product. If the creative material is a radio or television commercial script, the production department will rent equipment, hire actors, secure locations, shoot the commercial, edit the final spot, and send the finished product to the appropriate media outlet. Print or Internet advertising will first go through a "mock-up" process in a photo-editing suite where it is then edited for quality and errors until it is ready to be sent to a webmaster or to a publication.
Internet Advertising
Internet advertising at an ad firm involves strategically placing the company's ads on sites that draw high Internet traffic for the appropriate and sought-after demographic. The Internet department may buy "banner impressions" on a website to advertise a product in the hope that Internet users will "click through" to the firm's website. The Internet advertising department can negotiate with websites on the proper rate to pay for impressions, based on the "click through" rate during a given time period.
