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Most employees in advertising and public relations services work in comfortable offices operating in a teamwork environment; however, long hours, including evenings and weekends, are common. There are fewer opportunities for part-time work than in many other industries; in 2002, 14.5 percent of advertising and public relations employees worked part time, compared with 15.8 percent of all workers.
Work in advertising and public relations is fast-paced and exciting, but it can also be stressful. Being creative on a tight schedule can be emotionally draining. Some workers, such as lobbyists, consultants, and public relations writers, frequently must meet deadlines and consequently may work long hours at times. Workers whose services are billed hourly-such as advertising consultants and public relations specialists-are often under pressure to manage their time carefully. In addition, frequent meetings with clients and media representatives may involve substantial travel.
Most firms encourage employees to attend employer-paid time-management classes. This helps reduce the stress sometimes associated with working under strict time constraints. Also, with today's hectic lifestyle, many firms in this industry offer or provide health facilities or clubs to help employees maintain good health.
In 2002, workers in the industry averaged 34.2 hours per week, a little above the national average of 33.9.
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In 2002, nonsupervisory workers in advertising and public relations services averaged $602 a week-significantly higher than the $506 a week for all nonsupervisory workers in private industry.
In addition to a straight salary, many workers receive additional compensation, such as profit sharing, stock ownership, or performance-based bonuses.
Only 2 percent of workers in advertising and public relations services belong to unions or are covered by union contracts, compared with about 15 percent of workers in all industries combined.
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The advertising and public relations services industry employed 442,000 workers in 2002. An additional 56,000 workers were unincorporated self-employed workers.
Although advertising and public relations services firms are located throughout the country, they are concentrated in the largest States and cities. California and New York together account for about 1 in 5 firms and more than 1 in 4 workers in the industry. Firms vary in size, ranging from one-person shops to international agencies employing thousands of workers. However, over half of all advertising and public relations establishments employ fewer than 20 employees.
The small size of the average advertising and public relations services firm demonstrates the opportunities for self-employment. It is relatively easy to open a small agency; in fact, many successful agencies began as one- or two-person operations.
Almost three-quarters percent of advertising and public relations employees are 25 to 54 years of age. Very few advertising and public relations services workers are below the age of 20, which reflects the need for postsecondary training or work experience.
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Working with an idea that account management obtains from the client, the creative department brings the idea to life. For example, an ad agency's staff works together to transform a blank piece of paper into an advertisement. As the idea takes shape, copywriters and their assistants write the words of ads-both the written part of print ads as well as the scripts of radio and television spots. Art directors and their assistants develop the visual concepts and designs of advertisements. They prepare pasteups and layouts for print ads and television storyboards, cartoon-style summaries of how an advertisement will appear. They also oversee the filming of television commercials and photo sessions. Graphic designers use a variety of print, electronic, and film media to create designs that meet clients' commercial needs. Using computer software, they develop the overall layout and design of print ads for magazines, newspapers, journals, corporate reports, and other publications. They also may produce promotional displays and marketing brochures for products and services, design distinctive company logos for products and businesses, and develop signs and environmental graphics-aesthetically pleasing signs that deliver a message, such as a sunset to advertise a beach resort. An increasing number of graphic designers develop material to appear on the Internet.
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Workers in the research department try to understand the desires, motivations, and ideals of consumers, in order to produce and place the most effective advertising or public relations campaign in the most effective media. Research executives compile data, monitor the progress of internal and external research, develop research tools, and interpret and provide explanations of the data gathered. Research executives often specialize in specific research areas and perform supervisory duties. Market research analysts are concerned with the potential sales of a product or service. They analyze statistical data on past sales to predict future sales. They provide a company's management with information needed to make decisions on the promotion, distribution, design, and pricing of products or services.
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Management, business, and financial workers; professionals and related workers; and sales and related workers account for nearly 6 of every 10 jobs in the industry. Employees have varied responsibilities in agencies with only a few workers, and the specific job duties of each worker often are difficult to distinguish. Workers in relatively large firms specialize more, so the distinctions among occupations are more apparent.
Within advertising and public relations, the account management department links the agency and the client. It represents the agency to the client, as well as the client to the agency. Account management brings business to the agency and ultimately is responsible for the quality of the advertisement or public relations campaign. Account management workers carefully monitor the activities of the other areas to ensure that everything runs smoothly. Account managers and their assistants analyze competitive activity and consumer trends, report client billing, forecast agency income, and combine the talents of the creative, media, and research areas. The creative director oversees the copy chief, art director, and their respective staffs. The media director oversees planning groups that select the communication media-for example, radio, television, newspapers, magazines, Internet, or outdoor signs-to be used to promote the organization, issue, or product.
In public relations firms, public relations managers direct publicity programs to a targeted public. They often specialize in a specific area, such as crisis management-or in a specific industry, such as healthcare. They use every available communication medium in their effort 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 specialists handle organizational functions such as media, community, consumer, and governmental relations; political campaigns; interest-group representation; conflict mediation; or employee and investor relations. They prepare press releases and contact people in the media who might print or broadcast their material. Many radio or television special reports, newspaper stories, and magazine articles start on the desks of public relations specialists.
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Media planners gather information on the public's viewing and reading habits, and evaluate editorial content and programming to determine the potential use of media such as newspapers, magazines, radio, television, or the Internet. The media staff calculates the numbers and types of people reached by different media, and how often they are reached. Media buyers track the media space and times available for purchase, negotiate and purchase time and space for ads, and make sure ads appear exactly as scheduled. Additionally, they calculate rates, usage, and budgets. Advertising sales agents sell air time on radio and television, and page space in print media. They generally work in firms representing radio stations, television stations, and publications. Demonstrators promote sales of a product to consumers, while product promoters try to induce retail stores to sell particular products and market them effectively. Product demonstration is an effective technique used by both to introduce new products or promote sales of old products because it allows face-to-face interaction with potential customers.
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Office and administrative support occupations accounted for 3 out of 10 jobs in 2002 in the United States. Positions ranged from secretaries and administrative assistants to financial clerks. The occupational composition of this group varies widely among agencies. The remaining jobs in the industry were in service, construction and extraction, production, transportation, and installation, maintenance, and repair occupations.
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