Advertising Specialist
Ngaio Pānui Toko
Alternative titles for this job
Advertising specialists create, co-ordinate, plan and implement advertising campaigns to sell products or services for clients.
Pay
Advertising specialists usually earn
$40K-$150K per year
Source: The Creative Store, 2021.
Job opportunities
Pay
Pay for advertising specialists varies depending on the type of work they do.
- Account executives usually earn between $40,000 and $55,000
- Account managers usually earn between $55,000 and $100,000 a year.
- Media buyers usually earn between $50,000 and $120,000.
- Media planners usually earn between $65,000 and $100,000.
- Advertising art directors can earn between $65,000 and $150,000.
Sources: The Creative Store, 'New Zealand Salary Survey 2021', 2021.
(This information is a guide only. Find out more about the sources of our pay information)
What you will do
Advertising specialists may do some or all of the following:
- liaise between the client and the advertising agency
- brief the creative team (who create the visual concepts) on advertising campaigns
- develop creative concepts that fit the client's brief
- present campaign ideas back to the client
- develop media plans for campaigns
- prepare media budgets
- reserve and book media spaces for advertising
- co-ordinate the day-to-day campaign work
- ensure work is delivered on time and on budget
- monitor media and campaign progress and report back to the client.
Skills and knowledge
Advertising specialists need to have knowledge of:
- digital and non-digital media platforms
- digital marketing tools
- developing creative ideas that appeal to a specific audience
- planning and implementing campaigns and strategies
- budgeting.
Working conditions
Advertising specialists:
- usually work regular business hours, but may also work evenings and weekends
- usually work in offices
- may travel locally and nationally to attend photo and video shoots, or to visit clients.
Entry requirements
There are no specific requirements to become an advertising specialist. However, many employers prefer to hire advertising specialists who have a degree or diploma in areas such as advertising, marketing, sales, communications, graphic design or media studies.
Secondary education
No specific secondary education is required for this job, but NCEA Level 3 English, media studies, business studies, and design and visual communication are useful.
Personal requirements
Advertising specialists need to be:
- creative
- excellent communicators
- observant, with an eye for detail
- good listeners and negotiators
- analytical
- highly organised with strong time management and planning skills.
Useful experience
Useful experience for advertising specialists includes:
- work in radio, television or news
- work as a graphic designer
- business management
- sales and marketing
- public relations.
Find out more about training
- Commercial Communications Council
- (09) 303 0435 - office@commscouncil.nz - www.commscouncil.nz
- New Zealand Marketing Association
- (09) 361 7760 - marketing@marketing.org.nz - www.marketing.org.nz
What are the chances of getting a job?
Advertising specialist vacancies common, but competition high
Advertising specialist vacancies are common, as people tend to leave the role after a short time. Some leave the industry and others move into higher positions.
However, competition for available positions is high.
According to the Census, 1665 advertising specialists worked in New Zealand in 2018.
Internships and voluntary work useful
If you are a graduate, you can increase your chances of securing advertising specialist work by doing internships or relevant voluntary work. Most employers expect graduates to have some advertising experience.
Most advertising specialists work for advertising agencies
Most advertising specialists work for advertising agencies, or are self-employed. They also work for media companies.
Advertising agencies range from small businesses that employ a few people, to large companies that may employ more than 200 people.
Sources
- Deloitte, 'Advertising Pays: The Economic, Employment and Business Value of Advertising', 2017, (www.deloitte.com).
- Lawton, L, consultant, The Creative Store, careers.govt.nz interview, November 2018.
- Smith, M, industry development manager, Commercial Communications Council, careers.govt.nz interview, November 2018.
- Stats NZ, '2018 Census Data', 2019.
(This information is a guide only. Find out more about the sources of our job opportunities information)
Last updated 19 February 2021