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Advertising Media Planner

Do you want to become a Advertising Media Planner? Here is some information to help point you in the right direction:

Job Description - Print Page

Adverts appear in many different kinds of media: on television and radio, in cinemas, newspapers, magazines and brochures, and on posters and the internet. Advertisers want their message to reach as many people as possible, and it is the advertising media planner's job to decide which media to use for specific advertising campaigns.

The work involves:

• understanding the target audience the advertiser is trying to reach
• researching the sort of magazines they read, TV programmes they watch and other facts about their lifestyle
• deciding on the most appropriate times for adverts to appear
• booking advertising space with media owners
• meeting deadlines and working within a budget.

Media planners work daytime hours, Monday to Friday, but additional hours are often required. They are based in offices but may spend time travelling to meetings. A driving licence could be useful.

Salaries range from £15,000 to £70,000 or more.

An advertising media planner should:

• understand the role the media plays in advertising
• be good at teamwork
• have good communication skills
• be comfortable with numbers and statistics
• enjoy working with people
• have an interest in the media.

Entry is highly competitive. Most opportunities are in London, but there are also advertising agencies in larger cities like Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds and Manchester.

There are no set qualifications to become a media planner but most entrants are graduates. Qualifications aimed specifically at people wishing to work in advertising include HNDs, Foundation degrees and degrees. Work experience in customer service or sales could be an advantage.

Training is usually on the job but some larger advertising agencies offer structured graduate training programmes. There may be the chance to study for Communication, Advertising and Marketing Education Foundation Ltd (CAM) qualifications or short courses offered by the Account Planning Group (APG) and the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising.

Media planners may be promoted to senior or management positions. In smaller advertising agencies it may be necessary to move to a different employer and location for promotion.

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