CAREER IN ADVERTISING

We Begin with the question, what is advertising? "Advertising consists of those activities by which visual or oral messages are addressed to selected public for the purpose of informing and influencing them to buy products or services or 5o act or to be inclined favorably towards ideas, persons, trademarks or institutions featured. As contrasted with publicity and other forms of propaganda, advertising messages are identified with the as\advertiser either by commercial transaction involving payment to publishers, broadcasters, or others whose media are employed.

What are the various activities include in advertising? According to S.S. Bawa , "Advertising includes the following form of messages: Messages carried in newspapers and magazines, on outdoor, boards on street cars, buses and trains, cards and posters, on radio and television in circulars of all kinds, and window display.

However, certain activities, although they stimulate sales promotional efforts, are excluded from advertising. They are the use of exhibitions and demonstrations at fairs, show and conventions, the use of samples, and the so - called "publicity activities" involved in sending out news releases. The services of salesman, the entertainment of customers and the conduct of demonstration stores etc. are excluded. Btu it should be noted that these exclude activities from advertising are include in advertising budgets."

What do the advertisements do? Some of the advantages of Advertising are summed up by him as:

• Advertising creates demand.
• It promotes marketing system.
• Through advertising the manufactures can approach the consumers quickly and efficiently.
• It boosts economic growth.

ADVERTISING - A GROWING PROFESSION

The Indian economy has opened up. Multinational companies have invaded our markets, not only giving us a wider range of products to choose from, but also providing us with job options. With growing literacy, consumer awareness and rapid advances in the electronic media, advertising, through a comparatively young profession, has begun to play a major role in shopping life - style in the urban metropolitan.

Advertising in India is, along with the sweeping changes seen across industries, also changing, as industry mirrors events taking place in the economy and industries it serves and reflects changes with little or no lead times. Witness to this is the fact that most of the top 156 agencies have tie - ups with global agency networks, and many more tie - ups are in the offing , with a global affiliation being the key to survival and growth. With the advent of MNC clients and increases professionalism among Indian companies. Global networks which have historically had presence in India are increasing.

You need talent and aptitude: The sheer joy of creating a winning concept, the challenges of influencing the masses, the excitement of delivering against stiff deadlines, the pride and pleasure of teaming up with first class professionals, and the heady feeling that comes with a successful campaign …. All these go to make advertising the thrilling profession, where more than the training, it's the aptitude for advertising and your creativity that matters.

An ideal 'AD' person must be:

• Well read and informed.
• Proficient in the language.
• Outgoing with an awareness of the social and cultural environment.
• Hard - working, stress resistant and capable of working against deadline pressures, even with factors beyond his / her control.
• Adept at conceptualizing, at thinking naturally, at being off beat, at spotting areas no one else has noticed.
• Expert at interacting with people since the job involves handing people from client to people in various departments.

ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE OF AN ADVERTISING AGENCY

Organizational structures may vary in different advertising agencies; however the key departments are more or less the same.

Client servicing - Direct link with the client: In addition to dealing with the client (the sponsor) major role of client servicing is to interpret the inputs provided by the client with the support of the Creative, Media , Film , Production and Studio team.

One can say that Client Servicing department to an advertising agency, is what the heart is to the. The function of this department includes:

• A study of the client , the product and the market
• Analysis of consumer behaviour & market trends
• Knowledge of all available media, their cost - effectiveness.

A good client servicing executive tries to learn as much bout the client's business as the client himself knows and more (that is how he develops the client's faith in and respect for his agency). Then he recommends to the client:

• The potential markets and the strategy to be adopted
• The media channels for reaching targeted markets
• What 'appeal' will work for the target audience
• What the message in the different media should be Client Servicing is involved from the briefing stage and the concept of the ad campaign right through its completion, including the the placements of advertisement in relevant media, print or electronic.

Creative Department:

This department executes the advertising plan proposed by Client Servicing. It Writes, directs and illustrates advertising, coordinating with the other departments of the agency.

It aims towards attracting attention of the consumer (e.g. A stone smashing a TV. Screen: ONIDA T.V.) Holding his interest (the tension before the green devil appears) arousing his desire for the product (neighbour's envy …etc.) impressing the brand name on his mind and finally influencing him into buying the product.

The copy writer creates ideas and writes words that should sell. The key word is 'SELL'. It takes a lot of research and hard work to come up with something like 'Khata Rahe Mera Dil' on which Pepsi Foods spends money. The Art Director (Senior Visualize) is responsible for the visual appearance of whatever is produced. It is he who creates the concept of thick paint trickling down the Asian Paints double page. With a visual impact like that, who needs words

Media Department: This department is responsible for the Planning, Scheduling,

Booking and the purchase of space and time (in newspapers, magazines, 'TV's, outdoor hoardings). The Media Manager usually works with the client servicing department to plan and implement the client's advertising. The department also keeps a check on the quality of reproduction of the advertisement. It is not unusual to see sacks full of newspapers and magazines being sifted everyday for advertisements by his department.

Media planning is a specialized function aimed at spending the client's money in the most cost effective manner. It focuses on who the products is trying to reach, therefore, how it should be positioned. This department takes over once the media to be used is decided. It contracts for the space and time and coordinates the release of advertisements according to schedules.

Production and studio:

As the names suggest, Production & Studio produce the advertisements, and their members are technical experts on printing, Typography, Photography and other processes and materials. Television production is also a rapidly expanding field. Agencies usually depend on independent producers for TV commercials, but they are likely to advice on props, costumes, models and scenery.

Administration:

This department is normally responsible for making sure that the office runs smoothly - from Accounts … to that of correct billings, to client, to personnel getting paid on time, to messengers getting the art work and meet news papers deadlines.

Finance Department:

Like any other business firm, this department looks after the finance of the advertising agency.

How do I get into any of the Departments?

1. Client Servicing: A post graduate diploma or an MBA (preferably) in marketing if you are good enough, you can even get through with a graduates degree!
2. Films: Some kind of course in audio visuals.
3. Studio: Course in commercial art.
4. Production: Course in printing.
5. Media: M.B.A., or B.Sc. in statistics.
6. Finance : C.A., I.C.W.A., M.B.A. (Finance)

ADVERTISING PEOPLE : WHAT MAKES THEM CLICK?

Advertising is not for the weak hearted! Working in an Ad agency is very stressful - the never ending in ones projects, and here seeing some of one best ideas being (e.g.: when the creative department does not submit work on time or the media does not get the required bookings done on time.)

Successful Ad people learn to manage. They display high energy levels, ambition, enthusiasm and an obsessive curiosity about product, people and advertising. Accustomed to working hard, people in advertising are good gut-feel psychologists, and many are instinctively endowed with good taste.

WHAT ADVERTISING WOULD BE LIKE IN FUTURE

Most advertising is about making people want something (a favourite expression is " advertising doesn't sell/ it makes people want to buy." For advertising to be registered and for it to evoke a response it must be provocative - it must be unusual and challenge the standard advertising methods. It must stimulate the consumer, not reflect the consumer. In the future, advertising will deal with issues that are called "social" by the critics - such as gender discrimination, family planning prejudice, and conditions of employment.

"The whole process of advertising and selling is now a part of contemporary culture. Papers have a regular column on advertising. TV series are made about it and feature films refer continually to it. In addition, many work forces now have their company's advertising presented and explained to them. The consumers of today actively seek information on advertising and enjoy talking about it.

Advertising is part of everyday conversation. It is not feared and loathed. Surveys show it is actually respected! All this means that the area of the "hidden persuades" is well and truly past. In the new era of public persuades advertising, people can share their "games" with a knowing audience."

The Tip: For all those who want to join advertising: do it provided you're clear about one thing - it's no fun and games' its serious business.