What Does An Advertising Manager Do?
"I want to work in the advertising industry once I get my bachelor’s degree. I know I have to start from the bottom but I am definitely going to be working my way up. I always like to be prepared for that moment so can you please tell me what an advertising manager does?"
asked by Anthony B. from Fort Myers, Florida
Appealing television commercials that make you want to order that mouthwatering box of pizza or tempt you to buy the latest basketball shoes are the work of advertising managers. They get customers interested in a product or service by initiating advertising campaigns. They may work for companies that create their own ads on a regular basis or for media firms that offer advertisers advertising space or air time. Most of them are employed by advertising agencies that design and come up with advertising concepts for clients.
Advertising managers will hold meetings with the members of the advertising team or with the company’s department heads to discuss an advertising campaign. Depending on the agenda, they may talk about a prospective or present advertising contract, the products that will be covered by the advertising campaign and the media where the ad campaign will be waged. Common media for ad campaigns are radio, television, print and billboards. Because of the advent of the Internet, advertisements are now also placed on various online platforms such as websites and social media sites.
Advertising managers then get the necessary information from various sources in the planning stage of the advertising project. They conduct market research, evaluate the results and see how the data can be used in making the campaign more effective. Regular studies about the demands of the market are integral for advertising managers to understand the potential opportunities to market their offers.
Together with the rest of the advertising team, they then start creating the television, radio or print commercial. Advertising managers also work with the members of the finance department to address the budgetary considerations of the entire project. They also approve the final layouts for the advertising campaign. If there is a need to hire staff members for a particular project, advertising managers are responsible for choosing those who are qualified for the job and directing them to their day-to-day tasks.
Excellent persuasion and negotiation skills are important for advertising managers since they will be tasked with negotiating the company’s advertising contracts. It is also part of their job to come up with pricing strategies for the products that they will be offering. They must always see to it that the company will still be able to meet its bottom line while still luring customers to patronize the products.

Advertising managers meet regularly with clients to give them advice on various matters about the project. In many cases, they act as the liaison officers between clients who require the advertising services and the advertising agency that comes up with the ad campaigns. By facilitating transactions, they ensure that the needs of the clients are met and the project proceeds as smoothly as possible.
Career Spotlight: Advertising Manager