Marketing, Advertising and PR Sector

Getting messages and information seen and heard by defined target markets is the aim of people working in this sector. Most jobs in this sector require a team approach to research, develop and create ideas and campaigns that communicate specific messages.

The industry can broadly be divided into those who work within an organisation and those who work for an agency where teams are appointed to provide specific services to paying clients. Both areas offer jobs in:

Brand management - getting to know customers, tracking competitors, product development and creating an identity.
Advertising - developing concepts, words and artwork, booking media space, managing client relationships, sourcing specialists like photographers, film directors and scriptwriters for advertising placed on terrestrial and digital TV, radio and the internet, and in magazines and newspapers.
Sales and marketing - planning direct marketing and promotional activities, producing literature, creating website content, communicating to staff, organising launch parties, exhibitions and conferences, and negotiating sponsorship deals.
Public relations - securing positive media coverage as a spokesperson for a company or organisation.

Check out the professional bodies’ own entries in the Profession Finder

There are a number of professional bodies covering these sectors. Here you will find information on:

Jobs and salaries
Routes and Qualifications
Funding

Jobs and Salaries

Marketing

What is Marketing like as a career?

What type of jobs are available?

Advertising

Is a career in advertising right for you?

What is advertising?

What do employers look for?

Are you interested in PR?

What does the a profession in PR offer?

Routes and Qualifications

It is not necessary to have a specific degree in Marketing, Advertising or PR, however, training and qualifications might provide you with useful skills, networking opportunities and fresh ideas.

Marketing

The CIM (Chartered Institute of Marketing) offer qualifications and training courses.

The CIM also offer information on how to get into marketing, career guides for those already in the business and career advice on how to keep on progressing.

Advertising

How can I get in to Advertising?

What about work experience?

The IPA (The Institute of Practitioners in Advertising) also offer courses to help train and develop professionals in advertising.

Work experience is often essential as PR is a very competitive profession.

Read about the benefits of taking a course in PR.

What courses are available?

Funding

Available funding for courses varies between each institution. However, the CIM offer a 10% discount on training courses for members.

What’s it like working in this sector?

This sector is fast moving, dynamic and highly creative, however it can be stressful and highly pressurised when having to meet tight deadlines. Salaries can vary considerably depending on location, experience and specialism.
While most jobs are office based, people may have to travel long distances to visit clients and attend events. Long hours are often required to meet deadlines. There is some part time work or in the case of telesales shifts. Some freelance work is also available; however this is more common in public relations, exhibitions and copywriting.
Networking and socialising with customers and clients are important, to build and maintain relationships.
Advertising is a young industry, with nearly half of employees aged under 30 (2006 Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA) census).
It is estimated that 50.3% of men and 49.7% of women are employed within advertising agencies (2006 IPA census).

How big is the sector?

According to the 2006 IPA census, there are 17,367 people employed in 258 IPA member agencies, with the average agency employing 67.3 individuals.
It is estimated that there are now 48,000 people working in PR roles in the UK, (Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR)).
The total number of employees generated by the direct marketing industry in the UK is estimated to be 814,000, or 2.9% of the workforce (Direct Marketing Association Economic Impact, 2005).

Where can I work?

Many large advertising, direct marketing and full-service agencies and PR consultancies are based in and around London and the south-east, as are many in-house marketing and PR consultancies.
However, opportunities exist throughout the whole of the UK, these are focused in the larger cities such as Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh, Leeds and Manchester.
Large agencies and PR consultancies are increasingly international in scope. Many are part of a larger media and communications group whose parent company may be based in another European country or the USA. This can provide opportunities abroad.

What do employers look for?

Type of degree is not as important as work experience, enthusiasm and dedication.
Statistician graduates are highly sought after in the advertising and direct marketing industries.
Employers look for: excellent communication and interpersonal skills; social skills, such as being involved with student radio or university societies; teamwork; negotiation skills; ability to use initiative; creativity and imagination; flexibility; ability to cope under pressure and think strategically as the work often involves tight deadlines; organisational skills, e.g. organising events, such as student balls or sports events.
Advertisers want people with a real passion for advertising, and an understanding of what makes a good advertisement.
In PR, writing skills are very important. It can be helpful if you can provide evidence that you are a good writer, e.g. writing for your student magazine.
Work experience is crucial and can lead to offers of permanent employment. Some agencies offer formal internships, but the majority of graduates find work-experience through speculative applications and networking. The IPA, the DMA and CIPR websites have details of agencies that offer work experience placements. In addition to this Voluntary organisations sometimes have opportunities in their marketing/PR departments, which can provide useful experience and will prove necessary should you choose charity and development work.
For posts within PR, experience of working in newspapers and radio will help your understanding of how the media works.
Although postgraduate study is not essential, postgraduate qualifications will increase your chances in this increasingly competitive field. Formal qualifications offered by the CIM, such as the Professional Certificate or Diploma in Marketing, are available. The Postgraduate Diploma in Marketing is available to those who have already gained a significant level of knowledge and/or experience of marketing. The Institute of Direct Marketing (IDM) also offers a variety of formal qualifications.