After MBA???? A Career in Advertising

Posted by kiran

March 20, 2008

Daily we are shell by messages in visual or audio form, wheedle us to buy a particular product or service. Whether it is a brand of soap, a computer, the latest model of a car, or a service that transports you to foreign locations, the message always is that of persuasion. It is the appeal and the clutch of advertising, which reaches out to people with the intent of power their acceptance or buy of an idea, product or service. With the bang of television programmes, silky magazines, and a plethora of information from all sources in an increasingly spirited market place, advertising has gained unprecedented buoyancy.

Advertising serves three basic purposes. One is to pressure people to buy a particular product or service or to attend an event. Secondly, it also serves to make a positive image of a company, organization or activity. And thirdly, advertising seeks to tell people about sure matters of public interest, to create awareness, or try to influence social attitudes on matters of universal concern.

Advertising agencies vary in size as well as in the scope of services handled. Often, the range and degree of services depends on the agency’s size and transportation. All, however, are ready to plan, make and launch an advertising campaign with professionals from different disciplines working together for these reasons.

WORK

Client servicing is the area which handles the client’s requirements and liases between the client and the group. Those in client servicing must therefore interrelate with clients, collate information, oversee research where needed, gauge consumer attitudes and based on this, work along with the various subdivision of the agency to invent the most suitable and effective advertising strategy within the particular budget.

The creative department is responsible for conceptualizing and designing advertisements in the form they appear in print, audio-visuals or display. This requires the working together of those who grip the text (or ‘copy’ - as it is called in advertising jargon) , and those who work on the visual and artistic. The original department, once it is concise on the campaign, evolves a theme for which the copywriter then provides the appropriate slogans, jingles or scripts, or any other textual matter, while the art department handles the chart aspect including layouts, graphics, symbols, logos, etc. in turnout are also visualizes and graphic artists who convert the designs into finished works or slides.

Once the ad is total, it is the liability of the media planning department to position the advertisement in the press, radio, television, or any other point of display. The media department must therefore devise the most effective use for an advertising budget to effectively and cheaply transmit a campaign message to the target audience.

There is also necessitating for other disciplines within the ambit of advertising, such as those with knowledge of printing and typography for those in the production department who are accountable for the final look of a print advertisement. As more and more ads are released in the film format, the production department is also likely to be caught up in the production of the ad film. Many agencies prepare the total story-board and all other details for the film, but depend on sovereign producers for such television commercials.

Another important area is that of market research, which has to do with collection of data, of in order about the customer, the market, and existing competition and so on. Market research specialists require being high-quality at statistics, or having a background in psychology or behavioral sciences. Most agencies do not have a part market research department and work with specialized market research companies for this obligation.

ENTRY

Most advertising agencies recruit candidates with a formal management or advertising qualification. However, in small agencies it is still possible to make an entry without this, and spend about six months to a year learning on-the-job and then move on to a bigger agency after a few years of experience. Most advertising agencies prefer MBA’s for posts in the market research, client servicing and media preparation departments, although a BA in economics can also be acceptable.

In the creative department, on the other hand, a general BA with a command of the language of communication is the requirement for all copywriters ; some creative talent and a qualification in commercial art from a reputed design or art school is necessary for entrance into the art department.

Eligibility:

Since advertising is offered as a course only at the postgraduate level, the basic eligibility criteria is, graduation in any discipline. However, advertising is also offered as a subject for the graduate degree course in mass communication studies at certain institutions, to students who have cleared the 10+2 examination. The minimum qualification for the degree course in commercial or applied art is 10+2 with art.

INSTITUTIONS LIST

Some of the significant institutions for courses in Advertising / Mass Communication are listed as follows:

(1). Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies, Vile Parle (West), Mumbai.
(2). Institutions for degrees in Commercial Art include :
(3). JJ School of Art, Mumbai.
(4). College of Art , Tilak Marg, New Delhi.
(5). College of Art, Sector 10-C, Chandigarh
(6). Govt College of Arts and Crafts, 28 J L Nehru Marg, Calcutta
(7). Mudra Institute of Communications, Ahmedabad. (MICA)
(8). Indian Institute of Mass Communications (IIMC), JNU campus, New Delhi.
(9). Bhavan’s College of Communication and Management, Mumbai

PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES REQUIRED

Interest in social and economic trends ; a basic grasp of the pulse of the consumer ; business acumen ; communication skills ; spirit of teamwork ; ability to withstand the high stress levels of an very competitive work environment ; ability to handle disapproval which very often may or may not be justified ; originality ; ability to work under pressure for long hours ; stamina ; resilience ; persistence ; ability to transport uncomplicated messages / images ; objectivity ; a logical, analytical brain.

JOB PROSPECTS

(1). Advertising sections of newspapers, journals, magazines,
(2). Commercial sections of radio / television programmes,
(3). Market research organisations,
(4). Freelance work.
(5). Advertising agencies,
(6). Advertising departments of public / private sector companies