Advertising Account Planner
What is the work like?
As an account planner, it would be your job to target advertising campaigns at the right audience. You would aim to find out who buys or uses the client’s brand and why, so that you can come up with ways of making the brand stand out from its competitors.
Your work would involve:
- meeting clients to find out about their product or service
- analysing existing data, market reports, and information from past campaigns
- deciding whether new market research is needed
- carrying out market research, or commissioning an outside agency to do it
- developing an advertising strategy to reach the target audience
- presenting the strategy to the client
- briefing the agency's art directors and copywriters (‘creatives’) about the client’s product or message
- monitoring audience response and sales figures to judge the campaign’s effectiveness.
You may work with several clients and brands at the same time.
In larger agencies, account planning is a full-time job. In smaller agencies, you would be involved in account planning as part of a wider account executive or account manager role.
What qualifications and experience will employers look for?
You do not need particular qualifications to become an account planner. However, advertising is a very competitive industry and many employers will expect you to be qualified to BTEC HND or degree level.
Any degree or HND subject is acceptable, but you may have an advantage with one of the following:
- advertising
- marketing
- statistics or operational research
- communication and media studies
- business or management
- psychology.
Contact colleges or universities about course entry requirements.
Previous work experience in a related area like the media, marketing or sales would be helpful.
Before you look for work it is a good idea to find work placements in advertising agencies, as a way of getting relevant experience and making contacts in the industry. The Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA) website includes a list of member agencies offering work experience, and IPA also runs a Graduate Recruitment Agency.
What further training and development can I do?
You will usually start as a junior account planner and develop your skills on the job, possibly through a structured graduate training scheme.
You may also be able to work towards qualifications from the professional associations, such as:
- IPA Foundation Certificate – an online course for junior staff with at least six months’ experience in any area of advertising
- IPA Excellence Diploma – for middle managers with at least three to five years’ experience
- Communication Advertising and Marketing Education Foundation (CAM) Diploma in Marketing Communications – for this you will need a degree or equivalent, or at least two years’ relevant work experience.
The Account Planning Group offers training courses for new and experienced account planners. The IPA and the Market Research Society also offer a range of short courses which may be useful for your career development.
Where can I go for more information?
16 Creighton AvenueLondon
N10 1NU
Tel: 020 8444 3692
London
EC1V 0JR
Tel: 020 7490 4911
Cookham
Maidenhead
Berkshire
SL6 9QH
Tel: 01628 427120
London
SE1 1RQ
Helpline: 0800 093 0444
London
SW1X 8QS
Tel: 020 7235 7020
Artillery House
11-19 Artillery Row
London
SW1P 1RT
Tel: 020 7340 1100
Related profiles...
What salary and other benefits can I expect?
- Graduate starting salaries are around £18,000 to £22,000 a year.
- Experienced account planners earn between £30,000 and £40,000 a year.
- Senior directors in advertising agencies can earn £60,000 to £120,000 a year.
Figures are intended as a guideline only.
What are the hours and working conditions?
Your basic working hours would usually be 9am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, but deadlines and workload can mean evening work is common.
You would be office-based, but you may also travel to meet clients and to conduct market research.
What skills and knowledge will I need?
- good spoken and written communication skills
- strong presentation and negotiation skills
- confidence, assertiveness and tact
- the ability to analyse and interpret statistical information
- good organisational and planning skills
- the ability to work as part of a team
- the ability to cope with long hours and pressure
- an interest in psychology and consumer issues
- a professional manner.
What opportunities are there?
Advertising is a very popular career among graduates, and competition for jobs is strong.
Jobs are advertised in the national and trade press, on the IPA website and by specialist recruitment agencies. However, not all jobs are advertised, so you could also find work by approaching agencies directly, and through making contacts in the industry.
With experience and a good track record, you could progress to senior account planner and into management. You could also become self-employed as a freelance planning consultant, or you could set up your own agency.
You may find the following links useful for job vacancies and further reading (links open in new window):
Brand Republic
Campaign
Marketing Week
Media Guardian
We do not accept responsibility for the content of external sites.
Search
Contact an adviser
Email
Call back
or phone: 0800 100 900
Bilingual advisers available
Face-to-face advice
