Advertising specialist

Advertising specialists provide advice to companies and organisations about the development of their advertising strategies and on advertising-related topics covering a more general strategic approach. They combine knowledge of marketing, budgets, and psychology with a creative mind to develop advertising campaigns. They propose alternatives to clients that promote their organisations, products, or projects.

Advertising specialists typically perform the following tasks:

• Develop and execute advertising campaigns across multiple platforms, including digital, print, and broadcast.
• Collaborate with creative teams to produce engaging and visually appealing ad content.
• Conduct market research to identify target audiences and consumer behavior.
• Analyze advertising performance metrics and adjust strategies accordingly.
• Stay current on industry trends, competitor activities, and emerging advertising technologies.
• Negotiate and manage relationships with advertising vendors and media outlets.
• Develop and manage advertising budgets, ensuring optimal allocation of resources.
• Monitor and ensure compliance with advertising regulations and industry standards.

The following job titles also refer to advertising specialist:

advertising specialists
advertising consultant
advertising strategist
strategic marketing specialist
advertising adviser
brand specialist
advertising advisor
advertising and promotional specialist
advertising account manager

Advertising specialists typically work in office settings, collaborating with cross-functional teams including marketing, creative, and sales. The role may involve occasional travel for meetings, presentations, or to attend industry events. Advertising specialists often face tight deadlines and may need to adapt quickly to changes in campaign strategies or market dynamics.

A bachelor’s degree in marketing, advertising, or a related field is commonly required for advertising specialist roles. Strong creative and analytical skills are essential, along with proficiency in advertising platforms and tools. Practical experience through internships or entry-level positions in advertising or marketing is valuable. Continuing education and staying updated on industry trends can enhance an advertising specialist’s ability to create impactful campaigns. Additionally, certifications in relevant areas, such as Google Ads or Facebook Blueprint, can demonstrate expertise and proficiency in digital advertising.

ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:

• the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
• the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
• the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.

Advertising specialist is a Skill level 4 occupation.

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to advertising specialist.

creative director
advertising copywriter
advertising media planner
advertising manager
promotion assistant

This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of advertising specialist.

• Advertising techniques: The communication strategies intended to persuade or encourage an audience, and the different media which are used to achieve this goal.
• Copyright legislation: Legislation describing the protection of the rights of original authors over their work, and how others can use it.

These skills are necessary for the role of advertising specialist.

• Persuade clients with alternatives: Describe, detail, and compare possible alternatives that clients could take about products and services to persuade them to take a decision that benefits both the company and the client.
• Brainstorm ideas: Pitch your ideas and concepts to fellow members of the creative team in order to come up with alternatives, solutions and better versions.
• Identify customer’s needs: Use appropriate questions and active listening in order to identify customer expectations, desires and requirements according to product and services.
• Liaise with advertising agencies: Communicate and cooperate with advertising agencies in transmitting the goals and specifications of the marketing plan. Liaise to develop an advertising and promotional campaign that represent the aim of the marketing plan.
• Develop creative ideas: Developing new artistic concepts and creative ideas.
• Develop professional network: Reach out to and meet up with people in a professional context. Find common ground and use your contacts for mutual benefit. Keep track of the people in your personal professional network and stay up to date on their activities.
• Give live presentation: Deliver a speech or talk in which a new product, service, idea, or piece of work is demonstrated and explained to an audience.
• Perform market research: Gather, assess and represent data about target market and customers in order to facilitate strategic development and feasibility studies. Identify market trends.

This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of advertising specialist. However, mastering this knowledge allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

• Media studies: Academic field dealing with the history, content, and impact of diverse media with a special focus on mass communication.
• Public relations: The practice of managing all aspects of the image and perception of a company or individual among stakeholders and the society at large.
• Graphic design: The techniques to create a visual representation of ideas and messages.
• Types of media: The means of mass communication, such as internet, television, journals, and radio, that reach and influence the majority of the public.
• Brand marketing techniques: The methods and systems used in researching and establishing a brand identity for marketing purposes.
• Marketing principles: The principles of managing the relationship between consumers and products or services for the purpose of increasing sales and improving advertising techniques.
• Publishing market: The trends in the publishing market and the type of books that are are appealing to a certain audience.
• Media planning: The process of selecting the best media to reach marketing and advertising strategy objectives in order to promote a client’s product or service. This process encompasses research on target audiences, frequency of advertisements, budgets and media platforms.

These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of advertising specialist. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

• Analyse cultural trends: Keep up to date with popular cultural trends such as pop culture, cultural and social slang.
• Manage budgets: Plan, monitor and report on the budget.
• Assist in the practical actions for developing marketing campaigns: Provide assistance and support in all the efforts and actions required to implement a marketing campaign such as contacting advertisers, preparing briefings, setting up meetings, and shopping around for suppliers.
• Follow a brief: Interpret and meet requirements and expectations, as discussed and agreed upon with the customers.
• Advise on public relations: Advise business or public organisations on public relations management and strategies in order to ensure efficient communication with target audiences, and proper conveying of information.
• Recommend market-related measures: Analyse information and recommend possible improvements, market strategies, and customer preferences in order to adapt the company’s market approach.
• Meet expectations of target audience: Research the needs and expectations of the target audience to ensure the program’s theme meets both.
• Draw conclusions from market research results: Analyse, draw conclusions and present major observations from the results of market research. Suggest on potential markets, prices, target groups, or investments.
• Monitor media industry research figures: Keep up to date with distribution figures of the various printed media outlets such as newspapers and journals; with the audience figures of radio and television or of specific broadcast programs; and of those of online outlets such as search engine optimisation and pay-per-click results.
• Evaluate advertising campaign: Assess the performance of the advertising campaign after implementation and conclusion. Check if objectives were met and if the campaign was successful.
• Approve advertising campaign: Check all advertising material such as leaflets, websites, television commercials and newspaper ads to make sure they comply with the advertising strategy and customer requirements. Approve the way of distribution.
• Create media plan: Determine how, where and when advertisments will be distributed in various media. Decide on consumer target group, area and marketing objectives in order to choose the media platform for advertising.
• Analyse consumer buying trends: Analyse buying habits or currently prevalent customer behaviour.
• Define brand identity: Define the characteristics of a brand. Identify what the brand stands for. Develop a strong brand perception both internally and externally.
• Examine advertisement layout: Examine and approve the layout of advertisements to ensure that they are according to customer and target audience requirements and specifications.
• Perform media outlets research: Research what will be the best and most effective way to reach the majority of consumers by defining the target audience and the type of media outlet that better fit with the purpose.
• Create advertisements: Use your creativity to draft advertiments. Keep in mind the costumer’s requirements, target audience, media and marketing objectives.
• Coordinate advertising campaigns: Organise course of action to promote a product or service; oversee the production of TV advertisements, newspaper and magazine ads, suggest mail packs, email campaigns, websites, stands and other advertising channels
• Collaborate in the development of marketing strategies: Work together with a group of professionals to develop marketing strategies performing market analysis and financial viability while staying aligned with the company’s goals.
• Develop media strategy: Create the strategy on the type of content to be delivered to the target groups and which media to be used, taking into account the characteristics of the target audience and the media that will be used for content delivery.
• Develop public relations strategies: Plan, coordinate and implement all the efforts required in a public relations strategy such as defining the targets, preparing communications, contacting partners, and spreading information among stakeholders.
• Advise on public image: Advise a client such as a politician, artist or another individual dealing with the public on how to present themselves in a way which would gain most favour from the general public or a target audience.

2431 – Advertising and marketing professionals

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References

1. Advertising specialist – ESCO
2. How to Become an Ads Specialist: a Comprehensive Guide – Indeed.com
3. How to Become an Advertising Specialist – Open Universities Australia
4. Featured image: Photo by Mikael Blomkvist