The work

An advertising media planner is responsible for deciding which media will be most effective for an advertising campaign.

A media buyer buys the space or time where the greatest number of people in the target audience will see the advertisement, at the lowest cost to the client. Space refers to newspapers, magazines and posters; time refers to radio, television and cinema ads.

In most agencies and media independents (companies that specialise in buying media), the roles of planner and buyer are combined.

The planner is briefed by an account executive about the product or service to be advertised, and relevant information on strategy, target audience and available budget.

After this, the planner presents a media and cost schedule to the client, recommending which type of media should be used where and when. When agreed by the client, it is used to brief the media buyer.

A buyer negotiates advertising time/space as detailed in the media plan. Much of the negotiation is carried out by phone. It is important to build good working relationships with the people they are buying from.

The buyer records transactions and prepares costings, often working on more than one account at a time.

Some media personnel are also involved in designing advertising campaigns, formulating strategy and generating ideas.

Hours and Environment

Planners/buyers normally work office hours, Monday to Friday, and evenings and weekends when necessary. Flexible hours may be available.

Skills and Interests

An advertising media planner needs to be:

• able to work with a range of people and as part of a team
• able to understand the business side of advertising
• an excellent communicator with a confident telephone manner
• good with numbers and statistics
• computer literate
• able to work under pressure and to deadlines
• smartly dressed with a professional manner
• well organised and capable of careful record keeping
• persuasive and tactful, with good negotiating skills
• able to make decisions instantly and often under pressure.

Entry

Advertising is a young persons industry and 80 per cent of agency personnel are under 40. Mature applicants without previous experience of a marketing and/or communications will find entry very difficult. Late entry to media planning or buying is more likely for those with experience of selling advertising. They may spend time shadowing experienced staff. Larger agencies are likely to have structured training programmes.

Training

As the advertising industry becomes more international, agencies expect all staff to be commercially aware and business qualifications are becoming more important, as are languages.
Courses in advertising, communications and media studies are run at many different levels. While these courses are good preparation for a career in advertising, they do not guarantee entry into the industry.
Degree courses require a minimum of two A levels grades and five Olevels grades. Specific grade and subject requirements vary from course to course.

Opportunities

Advertising is a very popular career among graduates, and applicants outnumber vacancies by ten to one. Agencies with a structured graduate recruitment programme are listed in the IPA Factfile, although the best approach may be to contact agencies directly.

Most agencies employ fewer than 50 staff and the majority of opportunities occur in the larger agencies, which employ 80 per cent of the total workforce.

With the growth of more varied media such as cable and digital TV, new radio stations, and the Internet, specialist media agencies, or media independents, have developed which may provide further job opportunities.

Annual Income

Further information

The Advertising Association
www.apg.org.uk