Nature of Advertising & Marketing Jobs

[Benefito]

The objective of any firm is to market and sell its products or
services profitably. In small firms, the owner or chief executive
officer might assume all advertising, promotions, marketing, sales,
and public relations responsibilities. In large firms, which may offer
numerous products and services nationally or even worldwide, an
executive vice president directs overall advertising, promotions,
marketing, sales, and public relations policies. Advertising,
marketing, promotions, public relations, and sales managers coordinate
the market research, marketing strategy, sales, advertising,
promotion, pricing, product development, and public relations
activities.

Advertising managers oversee advertising and promotion staffs, which
usually are small, except in the largest firms. In a small firm,
managers may serve as liaisons between the firm and the advertising or
promotion agency to which many advertising or promotional functions
are contracted out. In larger firms, advertising managers oversee in-
house account, creative, and media services departments. The account
executive manages the account services department, assesses the need
for advertising, and, in advertising agencies, maintains the accounts
of clients. The creative services department develops the subject
matter and presentation of advertising. The creative director oversees
the copy chief, art director, and associated staff.


The media director oversees planning groups that select the
communication media-for example, radio, television, newspapers,
magazines, the Internet, or outdoor signs-to disseminate the
advertising.

Promotions managers supervise staffs of promotion specialists. These
managers direct promotion programs that combine advertising with
purchase incentives to increase sales. In an effort to establish
closer contact with purchasers-dealers, distributors, or consumers-
promotion programs may use direct mail, telemarketing, television or
radio advertising, catalogs, exhibits, inserts in newspapers, Internet
advertisements or Web sites, in-store displays or product
endorsements, and special events. Purchasing incentives may include
discounts, samples, gifts, rebates, coupons, sweepstakes, and
contests.

Marketing managers develop the firm's marketing strategy in detail.
With the help of subordinates, including product development managers
and market research managers, they estimate the demand for products
and services offered by the firm and its competitors. In addition,
they identify potential markets—for example, business firms,
wholesalers, retailers, government, or the general public. Marketing
managers develop pricing strategy to help firms maximize profits and
market share while ensuring that the firm's customers are satisfied.
In collaboration with sales, product development, and other managers,
they monitor trends that indicate the need for new products and
services, and they oversee product development. Marketing managers
work with advertising and promotion managers to promote the firm's
products and services and to attract potential users.

Public relations managers supervise public relations specialists.
These managers direct publicity programs to a targeted audience. They
often specialize in a specific area, such as crisis management, or in
a specific industry, such as health care. They use every available
communication medium to maintain the support of the specific group
upon whom their organization's success depends, such as consumers,
stockholders, or the general public. For example, public relations
managers may clarify or justify the firm's point of view on health or
environmental issues to community or special-interest groups.

Public relations managers also evaluate advertising and promotion
programs for compatibility with public relations efforts and serve as
the eyes and ears of top management. They observe social, economic,
and political trends that might ultimately affect the firm, and they
make recommendations to enhance the firm's image on the basis of those
trends.

Public relations managers may confer with labor relations managers to
produce internal company communications—such as newsletters about
employee-management relations—and with financial managers to produce
company reports. They assist company executives in drafting speeches,
arranging interviews, and maintaining other forms of public contact;
oversee company archives; and respond to requests for information. In
addition, some of these managers handle special events, such as the
sponsorship of races, parties introducing new products, or other
activities that the firm supports in order to gain public attention
through the press without advertising directly.

Sales managers direct the firm's sales program. They assign sales
territories, set goals, and establish training programs for the sales
representatives. Sales managers advise the sales representatives on
ways to improve their sales performance. In large, multiproduct firms,
they oversee regional and local sales managers and their staffs. Sales
managers maintain contact with dealers and distributors. They analyze
sales statistics gathered by their staffs to determine sales potential
and inventory requirements and to monitor customers' preferences. Such
information is vital in the development of products and the
maximization of profits.

Source:
Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational
Outlook Handbook, 2006-07 Edition, Advertising, Marketing, Promotions,
Public Relations, and Sales Managers, on the internet at
http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos020.htm (visited November 16, 2006).

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