Advertising managers can be found in advertising agencies that put together advertising campaigns for clients, in media firms that sell advertising space or time, and in companies that advertise heavily.
Advertising, promotions, and marketing managers plan programs to generate interest in products or services. They work with art directors, advertising sales agents, and financial staff members.
Duties
Advertising, promotions, and marketing managers typically do the following:
Work with department heads or staff to discuss topics such as budgets and contracts, marketing plans, and the selection of advertising media
Plan promotional campaigns such as contests, coupons, or giveaways
Plan advertising campaigns, including which media to advertise in, such as radio, television, print, online media, and billboards
Negotiate advertising contracts
Evaluate the look and feel of websites used in campaigns or layouts, which are sketches or plans for an advertisement
Initiate market research studies and analyze their findings to understand customer and market opportunities for businesses
Develop pricing strategies for products or services marketed to the target customers
Meet with clients to provide marketing or related advice
Direct the hiring of advertising, promotions, and marketing staff and oversee their daily activities
Advertising managers create interest among potential buyers of a product or service. They do this for a department, for an entire organization, or on a project basis (referred to as an account). Advertising managers work in advertising agencies that put together advertising campaigns for clients, in media firms that sell advertising space or time, and in organizations that advertise heavily.
Advertising managers work with sales staff and others to generate ideas for an advertising campaign. They oversee the staff that develops the advertising. They work with the finance department to prepare a budget and cost estimates for the campaign.
Often, advertising managers serve as liaisons between the client and the advertising or promotion agency that develops and places the ads. In larger organizations with extensive advertising departments, different advertising managers may oversee in-house accounts and creative and media services departments.
In addition, some advertising managers specialize in a particular field or type of advertising. For example, media directors determine the way in which an advertising campaign reaches customers. They can use any or all of various media, including radio, television, newspapers, magazines, the Internet, and outdoor signs.
Advertising managers known as account executives manage clients’ accounts, but they are not responsible for developing or supervising the creation or presentation of advertising. That task becomes the work of the creative services department.
Promotions managers direct programs that combine advertising with purchasing incentives to increase sales. Often, the programs use direct mail, inserts in newspapers, Internet advertisements, in-store displays, product endorsements, or special events to target customers. Purchasing incentives may include discounts, samples, gifts, rebates, coupons, sweepstakes, or contests.
Marketing managers estimate the demand for products and services that an organization and its competitors offer. They identify potential markets for the organization’s products.
Marketing managers also develop pricing strategies to help organizations maximize their profits and market share while ensuring that the organizations’ customers are satisfied. They work with sales, public relations, and product development staff.
For example, a marketing manager may monitor trends that indicate the need for a new product or service. Then he or she may assist in the development of that product or service and to create a marketing plan for it.
Advertising, promotions, and marketing managers may travel to meet with clients or representatives of communications media.
Advertising and promotions managers held about 28,600 jobs in 2019. The largest employers of advertising and promotions managers were as follows:
Advertising, public relations, and related services
43%
Self-employed workers
11
Information
10
Management of companies and enterprises
7
Wholesale trade
4
Marketing managers held about 286,300 jobs in 2019. The largest employers of marketing managers were as follows:
Professional, scientific, and technical services
23%
Management of companies and enterprises
14
Finance and insurance
10
Manufacturing
9
Wholesale trade
8
Because the work of advertising, promotions, and marketing managers directly affects a firm’s revenue, people in these occupations typically work closely with top executives.
The jobs of advertising, promotions, and marketing managers can often be stressful, particularly near deadlines. Additionally, they may travel to meet with clients or media representatives.
Work Schedules
Most advertising, promotions, and marketing managers work full time. Some advertising and promotions managers work more than 40 hours per week.
How to Become an Advertising, Promotions, or Marketing Manager About this section
These managers typically have previous work experience in advertising, marketing, promotions, or sales.
A bachelor’s degree is required for most advertising, promotions, and marketing management positions. These managers typically have work experience in advertising, marketing, promotions, or sales.
Education
A bachelor’s degree is required for most advertising, promotions, and marketing management positions. For advertising management positions, some employers prefer a bachelor’s degree in advertising or journalism. A relevant course of study might include classes in marketing, consumer behavior, market research, sales, communication methods and technology, visual arts, art history, and photography.
Most marketing managers need a bachelor’s degree. Courses in business law, management, economics, finance, computer science, mathematics, and statistics are advantageous. For example, courses in computer science are helpful in developing an approach to maximize online traffic, by utilizing online search results, because maximizing such traffic is critical for the success of digital advertisements and promotions. In addition, completing an internship while in school can be useful.
Analytical skills. Advertising, promotions, and marketing managers must be able to analyze industry trends to determine the most promising strategies for their organization.
Communication skills. Managers must be able to communicate effectively with a broad-based team made up of other managers or staff members during the advertising, promotions, and marketing process. They must also be able to communicate persuasively with the public.
Creativity. Advertising, promotions, and marketing managers must be able to generate new and imaginative ideas.
Decisionmaking skills. Managers often must choose between competing advertising and marketing strategies put forward by staff.
Interpersonal skills. Managers must deal with a range of people in different roles, both inside and outside the organization.
Organizational skills. Advertising, promotions, and marketing managers must manage their time and budget efficiently while directing and motivating staff members.
Advertising, marketing, promotions, public relations, and sales managers
$134,120
Advertising and promotions managers
$133,460
Total, all occupations
$41,950
Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
The median annual wage for advertising and promotions managers was $133,460 in May 2020.
The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $68,940, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $208,000.
The median annual wage for marketing managers was $142,170 in May 2020.
The lowest 10 percent earned less than $74,620, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $208,000.
In May 2020, the median annual wages for advertising and promotions managers in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:
Advertising, public relations, and related services
$150,930
Management of companies and enterprises
126,420
Information
119,090
Wholesale trade
96,380
In May 2020, the median annual wages for marketing managers in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:
Professional, scientific, and technical services
$150,840
Finance and insurance
150,280
Management of companies and enterprises
149,480
Manufacturing
143,800
Wholesale trade
134,630
Most advertising, promotions, and marketing managers work full time. Some advertising and promotions managers work more than 40 hours per week.
Advertising, marketing, promotions, public relations, and sales managers
5%
Total, all occupations
4%
Advertising and promotions managers
-1%
Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program
Overall employment of advertising, promotions, and marketing managers is projected to grow 6 percent from 2019 to 2029, faster than the average for all occupations. Employment growth will vary by occupation.
Employment of marketing managers is projected to grow 7 percent from 2019 to 2029, faster than the average for all occupations. Marketing managers will continue to be in demand as organizations use marketing campaigns to maintain and expand their market share. These managers will be sought after for their advice on crafting pricing strategies and finding new ways to reach customers.
Employment of advertising and promotions managers is projected to decline 1 percent from 2019 to 2029. The continued rise of electronic media will result in decreasing demand for print advertisements. The newspaper publishing industry, which employs many of these workers, is projected to lose jobs over the next 10 years. Despite overall employment declines for advertising and promotions managers, there may be some growth in industries that rely on these workers to create digital media campaigns that target customers through the use of websites, social media, or live chats.
Job Prospects
Advertising, promotions, and marketing manager positions are highly desirable and are often sought by other managers and experienced professionals. With Internet-based advertising becoming more important, advertising managers who can navigate the digital world should have the best prospects.
Employment projections data for advertising, promotions, and marketing managers, 2019-29
Occupational Title
SOC Code
Employment, 2019
Projected Employment, 2029
Change, 2019-29
Employment by Industry
Percent
Numeric
SOURCE: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program