Advertising and promotions managers held about 27,600 jobs in 2018. The largest employers of advertising and promotions managers were as follows:
| Advertising, public relations, and related services | 40% |
| Information | 11 |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 8 |
| Self-employed workers | 6 |
| Wholesale trade | 6 |
Marketing managers held about 259,200 jobs in 2018. The largest employers of marketing managers were as follows:
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 23% |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 14 |
| Finance and insurance | 10 |
| Manufacturing | 10 |
| Wholesale trade | 8 |
Because the work of advertising, promotions, and marketing managers directly affects a firm’s revenue, people in these occupations typically work closely with top executives.
The jobs of advertising, promotions, and marketing managers can often be stressful, particularly near deadlines. Additionally, they may travel to meet with clients or media representatives.
Work Schedules
Most advertising, promotions, and marketing managers work full time. Some advertising and promotions managers work more than 40 hours per week.
A bachelor’s degree is required for most advertising, promotions, and marketing management positions. These managers typically have work experience in advertising, marketing, promotions, or sales.
Education
A bachelor’s degree is required for most advertising, promotions, and marketing management positions. For advertising management positions, some employers prefer a bachelor’s degree in advertising or journalism. A relevant course of study might include classes in marketing, consumer behavior, market research, sales, communication methods and technology, visual arts, art history, and photography.
Most marketing managers need a bachelor’s degree. Courses in business law, management, economics, finance, computer science, mathematics, and statistics are advantageous. For example, courses in computer science are helpful in developing an approach to maximize online traffic, by utilizing online search results, because maximizing such traffic is critical for the success of digital advertisements and promotions. In addition, completing an internship while in school can be useful.
Work Experience in a Related Occupation
Advertising, promotions, and marketing managers typically have work experience in advertising, marketing, promotions, or sales. For example, many managers are former sales representatives; buyers or purchasing agents; or public relations specialists.
Advertising and promotions manager typically have an interest in the Creating and Persuading interest areas, according to the Holland Code framework. The Creating interest area indicates a focus on being original and imaginative, and working with artistic media. The Persuading interest area indicates a focus on influencing, motivating, and selling to other people.
If you are not sure whether you have a Creating or Persuading interest which might fit with a career as an advertising and promotions manager, you can take a career test to measure your interests.
Advertising and promotions manager should also possess the following specific qualities:
Analytical skills. Because the advertising industry changes with the rise of digital media, advertising, promotions, and marketing managers must be able to analyze industry trends to determine the most promising strategies for their organization.
Communication skills. Managers must be able to communicate effectively with a broad-based team made up of other managers or staff members during the advertising, promotions, and marketing process. They must also be able to communicate persuasively to the public.
Creativity. Advertising, promotions, and marketing managers must be able to generate new and imaginative ideas.
Decision-making skills. Managers often must choose between competing advertising and marketing strategies put forward by staff.
Interpersonal skills. These managers must deal with a range of people in different roles, both inside and outside the organization.
Organizational skills. Advertising, promotions, and marketing managers must manage their time and budget efficiently while directing and motivating staff members.
The median annual wage for advertising and promotions managers was $125,510 in May 2019. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $61,930, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $208,000.
The median annual wage for marketing managers was $136,850 in May 2019. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $71,010, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $208,000.
In May 2019, the median annual wages for advertising and promotions managers in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:
| Advertising, public relations, and related services | $147,100 |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 119,250 |
| Information | 106,270 |
| Wholesale trade | 86,700 |
In May 2019, the median annual wages for marketing managers in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:
| Finance and insurance | $145,720 |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 145,510 |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 145,300 |
| Manufacturing | 138,950 |
| Wholesale trade | 128,680 |
Most advertising, promotions, and marketing managers work full time. Some advertising and promotions managers work more than 40 hours per week.
Overall employment of advertising, promotions, and marketing managers is projected to grow 8 percent from 2018 to 2028, faster than the average for all occupations. Employment growth will vary by occupation.
Advertising, promotional, and marketing campaigns are expected to continue to be essential as organizations seek to maintain and expand their market share. Advertising and promotions managers will be needed to plan, direct, and coordinate advertising and promotional campaigns, as well as to introduce new products into the marketplace.
However, the newspaper publishing industry, which employs many of these workers, is projected to decline over the next 10 years. The continued rise of electronic media will result in decreasing demand for print newspapers. Despite this decline, advertising and promotions managers are expected to see employment growth in other industries in which they will be needed to manage digital media campaigns that often target customers through the use of websites, social media, or live chats.
Through the Internet, advertising campaigns can reach a target audience across many platforms. This greater reach can increase the scale of the campaigns that advertising and promotions managers oversee. With better advertising management software, advertising and promotions managers can control these campaigns more easily.
Job Prospects
Advertising, promotions, and marketing manager positions are highly desirable and are often sought by other managers and experienced professionals. With Internet-based advertising becoming more important, advertising managers who can navigate the digital world should have the best prospects.
For more information about advertising managers, visit:
American Association of Advertising Agencies