
Advertising and Promotions Managers work to create awareness and interest in a product or service by developing related material or formulating a campaign. They may lead or be a part of a team that is responsible for the advertising project right from conceptualization to the actual presentation, including identifying and interacting with the most appropriate media outlet. Advertising and Promotions Managers are employed in corporate offices and work in close alignment with top management as they are expected to articulate the marketing stance formulated by the leaders. To this end, they may be required to spend long hours in the office, including weekends and holidays, and work under pressure to meet deadlines.
While the job of an Advertising and Promotions Managers may appear manageable, certain traits in the people working in this field spell certain success. Among these, an outgoing personality that revels in group settings, an inherent understanding of human psychology, and the enthusiasm to motivate people are some prime factors. The nature of the work requires collaborative interaction with internal cross-functional groups, as well as regular dealings with clients. The ability to stand out with unique work in a competitive spirit must be complemented with the knack of sharing and nurturing a team spirit. A peoples’ person will make a better Advertising and Promotions Manager.
An undergraduate degree in business administration is essential in the field of Advertising and Promotions. Some top professionals possess a master’s in business administration when the bachelor’s degree is in some other discipline. Since the professed goal of advertising has been “to inform, persuade and remind consumers of companies' products,” it would be apt to compare the field to that of a salesperson. Both aim to market and sell products or services at a profit even if the methods used are different and they often play complementary roles. Consequently, knowledge of the technology and business applications along with the creative or visual aspects is a plus. Being a strong communicator is also an advantage as is the ability to establish and maintain long-term relationships with peers and the client.
A degree in advertising includes coursework in advertising or journalism topics like marketing, consumer behavior, market research, sales, communication methods and technology, and visual arts such as graphic design, art history or photography. Business fundamentals and exposure to the diverse software programs that are used in modern, Internet-based advertising campaigns will also be provided. Along with work experiences, participation in management training programs conducted by your office or elsewhere will put your career on the fast track. These could include programs on brand and product management, international marketing, sales management evaluation, telemarketing and direct sales, interactive marketing, promotion, marketing communication, market research and analytics, organizational communication, and procedures and management of data processing systems.
While all the above credentials will instill the skills required to obtain the first foot in the door, your own hard work and creative ideas in brand building for mid-to-large sized corporations ideally with a focus on customer communications will spell success in the long run.Online degrees will help you get the tools you need and will allow you to be creative.
Nomenclature that generally accompanies the role of an Advertising and Promotions Manager includes ‘Brand Manager’ or ‘Creative Director’ or some other as decided by the management. The career field relates to developing marketing and servicing-related creative across different channels that may include direct mail, print, online display and Internet websites. It typically involves the following responsibilities:
Advertising and Promotions is an evolving field that quickly absorbs technology developments and seeks to maximize the potential and scope that may be inherent to it. This was evident with the advent of the Internet and computers which added Online advertising and promotions to the job scope. Today, use of films has achieved parallel stature to print media in the domain. The Advertising and Promotions Manager would therefore have to keep abreast of changing times and amalgamate new technology and trends to his advantage. An online school would help anyone who would like to pursue a career in this domain.