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Advertising aims to turn the good option of a target prospect towards a specific product (such as cooking oil, shaving cream, detergent), or service (such as airline, banking), or a film, maybe even a political party. In the absence of competition this task would be very easy and convenient, in reality this is just not the case. At the very point of time when one advertising agency is trying to capture the attention of its target audience to its product, there are many such agencies which are trying the same thing with the same audience and a similar product. In advertising, therefore, beating the competition is the ongoing challenge. Advertisement is the business of communicating a message to an audience through the media-newspapers, magazines, radio, television, hoarding in public places, etc. not only the corporate sector with its vast range of products and services but also the government requires advertising to convey messages of the right social values, rights and duties, and the different social welfare schemes. TV companies, hotels, shops, and industries-all make use of advertisements to reach the masses. Advertising is, thus one of the processes of mass communication, journalism and public relations being the other two. It forms the basis of marketing. Agencies plan and execute advertising campaigns on behalf of their ‘clients’ or ‘accounts’: i.e., the firms and other organizations, which want to draw attention to their ‘product’. Time and space are bought from ‘media owners’ – publishers of newspapers and magazines. Poster and television/radio companies, which publish or transmit the advertisements. Advertising offers jobs on the executive side or the creative side. While the executive department deals with client servicing, media planning, and market research the creative department employs copywriters and visualizers along with the scriptwriters, storyboard artists, typographers, etc. The Executive department Account executives have to understand all aspects of the client's business, plan the advertising campaign, coordinate work on the campaign with the client and the various specialists working on the campaign. They are responsible for allocation of funds to the various media, for keeping within the agreed budget, and for producing detailed progress reports. Market research is carried out before planning a campaign in order to explore possible markets for the product. Facts are compiled about the product's uses, its advantages and limitations, the competitors, products, and an analysis is made of potential customers. Media executives study newspaper circulation statistics; television audience figures; statistics on income groups; buying habits; etc. On the basis of this research they suggest the media through which the advertisement is most likely to reach the greatest number of potential buyers. They negotiate the buying of advertisement time and space The Creative Department Copywriters are expected to help create the advertising message. Armed with facts provided by the research department and by the client, copywriters spend a long time seeking just the right words to put across the message and create the desired image. Scriptwriters have to plan and write television and radio commercials and for advertising films. Similar to a copywriter's job, scriptwriters have to develop their ideas in terms of sound and visual possibilities. Visualizers, also known as layout artists, work in conjunction with copywriters to give a graphic interpretation to an agreed campaign. Usually, agencies hire studios with professional film directors, editors and other specialists to produce the actual commercial The work at an advertising agency is extremely varied but much of it is sheer hard toil and less glamorous than it is often reputed to be. Life in this industry is often a 'rat race' and a tough go-ahead personality counts for as much as, or even more, than talent. Some personality traits are essential for all advertising personnel whether on the executive or the creative side. A creative visual imagination; good powers of observation; insight into the interests of people from all walks o life; the ability to interact with people, to work as part of a team; a practical temperament; patience and perseverance; and mental and physical toughness to be able to withstand high pressure and criticism. Market and media researchers should have an analytical and logical brain. Copywriters and visualizes and others on the creative side should possess exceptional artistic ability too. They need to be able to convey a lot with the minimum of words and so should possess a strong feeling for words.
Executive
department: Management graduates (MBAs) with specialization in marketing also constitute the executive side. MBA courses can be taken up after graduation. They are usually of two years' duration Graduation/postgraduation in statistics may lead to jobs in market research. These courses (mass communication, advertising, MBA can be taken up after graduation through a written test followed by group discussion and interview. Copy writers may be diploma holders in advertising; however those who have a flair for words and can find the phrase or word which sums up others' long-winded explanations should approach advertising agencies to appear for copywriting tests. Creative
department: BFA (Bachelor of fine arts) is a four or five-year programme to be taken up after plus two or equivalent level of education. It is offered at most universities in the country in their colleges of art. The National Institute of Design at Ahmedabad offers a School Leavers' Professional Education Programme (SLPEP) to students who have successfully completed plus two or its equivalent. Students may specialize in a particular branch of industrial design or visual communication. This course is very helpful for procuring jobs in the art departments of advertising agencies. Commercial art courses are available at most polytechnics in the country also after plus two or its equivalent. Admission into these programmes is on the basis of aptitude tests and interviews.
Nowhere in the world has a consumer been so responsive to advertising as in India. Over the last two decades consumers have become more aware of advertising than ever before. Liberalization of the economy, new products and services and proliferation of media have boosted the advertising industry in a big way. It has been witnessing an annual growth rate of over 30 per cent. The foreign tie-ups that Indian advertising agencies have secured in the recent past have been successful; multinational business has begun to flow in. In the scenario advertising professionals have no dearth of jobs and the remunerations depend on an individual's capability, the size of the agency and its volume of business. Newcomers can earn a minimum of Rs.7500 per month and with promotions being linked to ability, luck and success, remunerations can multiply very fast for those with flair, creativity and the go-getting instinct. In today's advertising clutter choosing the right media poses the biggest challenge. Media planning has emerged as the most potent tool which agencies are using to back up brilliant creative campaigns. Advertising professionals constitute the rare breed of strategic thinkers who will be the most sought after in the coming decade.
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