Following are the different career paths in the advertising field:
Account services:
Account services professionals are responsible for handling the relationship between the advertising agency and the customer. They are the "contact person" for the customers. As such, they are the project managers for advertising client accounts. Job profiles in the accounting services includes account coordinators to account directors, who manage one or more client relationships. Account services professionals are also marketing and communications consultants. They are supposed to know about the brand and devise methods to promote it.
Media services:
Responsibilities of a media services personnel include preparing and purchasing of print, broadcasting, billboards and digital media in the most efficient way. Media planners also called as strategists decide on advantageous methods to buy advertising space for an ad campaign.
Creative services:
For many people, a creative services job seems to be very idealistic. However, copywriting as well as art direction is hard work. Though creative services jobs are really thrilling, there is also a possibility of failure.
A creative strategy is set by the account services department and approved by the client. After this, consumer research is transformed into a media plan and then the creative services department translates this strategy into an advertisement. Copywriters are responsible for writing copy which includes words, scripts or slogans. Art directors visually design the ads. Both of them work together as a team.
Traffic:
Traffic managers are responsible for adhering to the creative production schedules and approvals. They also set and manage the entire strategy. Traffickers are the foot soldiers and work with the creative services department, media and the account services department to ensure that all deadlines are successfully reached.
Production:
Production specialists are of two types - print and broadcast specialists. Print production specialists know each and every side of the print production process, and are experienced in creating ads for newspapers, magazines, and other venues. Generally, print production advertising professionals are recruited from printing and graphic design companies.
Broadcast production specialists are responsible for creating ads for television and radio commercials. They work with the creative services department to choose directors, and production facilities, music, talent as well as to manage other aspects of the broadcast production.