Advertising agencies are creative agencies overlooking the advertisement campaigns of a company. They ideate, implement, and analyze the success of the campaigns, and their impact on the firm’s business. A company builds its brand image through thoughtful advertising and targets its customer base. Advertising agencies, thus, also help in marketing, promotional mix, and brand positioning.
Some firms, especially big MNCs have in-house marketing and advertising teams that look after their social media and digital communications. However, advertising agencies bring the expertise and industry knowledge to target the right audience with the right content. They hire copywriters, designers, and motion graphics professionals to help create unique advertising campaigns that resonate with everyone, whereas, the analysts and salespeople are responsible for client onboarding and communication.
Departments in an Advertising Agency
There are five main departments in an advertising agency that are responsible for the effective delivery of an advertising campaign.
Account Planning- Account planners are responsible for gathering and analyzing the needs of the client. This team helps visualize a campaign and supports the creative department in execution. They set clear goals and expectations for the creative team in order to avoid miscommunication and ensure an efficient workflow.
Creative Services- These roles mainly consist of designers and writers who create interesting content for social media, as well as, help in any creative decks. Each piece of content is designed as per the client’s requirements and the market’s demand. Creators usually use trending topics and styles for maximum impact and creativity.
Media Planning & Buying- Media planners are responsible for researching and allocating the best media spaces for the company’s content. The reach of the advertising campaign is determined by the media platforms they are showcased on. Booking prime slots for advertisements, sponsorships, paid social media partnerships, etc. comes under media planning.
Sales & Client Onboarding- The client onboarding process requires the agency to pitch its services to prospective clients. The team aligns the agency’s value proposition with the client’s needs. They cold call, prepare creative pitch decks, set the agreement terms, and bring business to the firm.
Client Servicing- Client servicing essentially bridges the gap between the clients and the creators. They help understand the messaging behind a campaign and what the client wants to put out. The team lays out clear objectives and workflow for the timely delivery of the projects, as well as, handles all criticisms and feedback.
All five departments work in sync to deliver the final campaign and ensure a smooth flow of operations. Clients from different industries have specific needs that should be fulfilled to maximize customer engagement and drive sales.
Common Roles Within an Advertising Agency
As a fresher or an experienced professional, there are several roles in an advertising agency that might suit your strengths. An agency is a creative space that keeps evolving. Every team member must be up-to-date with the latest trends in the industry and have a creative knack for problem-solving. Some of the common roles are-
Graphic Designers- Use software or hand-drawn sketches to conceptualize and design online content.
Creative Directors- Overlook the entire workflow and bridge the gap between creators and clients.
Copywriters- Conceptualize and write text, copies, articles, etc. for product awareness or brand reach.
Web Analytics Specialist- Analyses the web traffic, customer engagement, and other indicators to determine the success of advertising campaigns.
Types of Advertising Agencies
Depending on their services, advertising agencies can be separated into various categories-
Digital Advertising- Companies that prefer advertising on the Internet through various digital platforms hire these agencies. Besides advertisers, there is a complete team of creative professionals working on digital campaigns.
Traditional Advertising- Clients who prefer offline advertising strategies, focusing more on local consumers and the market choose traditional agencies. They have a strong core team of marketers and advertisers, who have field expertise.
Full-Service Agencies- These agencies offer services of both digital and traditional advertising for clients that want a combination of both. The teams in these agencies are professional in handling both digital and offline deliverables, sometimes simultaneously.
Social-Media Advertising- Social media agencies focus solely on driving engagement through organic methods on various social media platforms like Instagram and LinkedIn. They optimize clients’ accounts, help with content, and advise on growth strategies in the digital space.
Media-Buying Agencies- Media-Buying agencies help their clients find a suitable advertising platform for maximum exposure. They work on media rights, time slots, sponsorships, etc. driving the growth of the company.
In-House Advertising- In-House advertising refers to the internal department of a company that looks after planning, implementing, and analyzing advertising campaigns. These companies do not hire a third-party agency but have professional advertisers and creators as employees.
Working in an advertising agency is a great career option, especially if you like creative tasks and analyzing market trends around you. On Mouthshut, you can find reviews for several top advertising agencies in India to help you choose the right one. Apart from their services, you can find employee reviews that give a clear idea about the work culture and values of the agency. An agency that values proper work ethics and takes on interesting projects will help you grow as a professional.
