Advertising Account Planner

Job Description:

Advertising account planners develop and plan ad campaigns to make sure adverts reach the right audience.

Job Category:
Marketing & Advertising

What you will do:

You could:

  • meet clients to create objectives and work out a strategy
  • conduct research like sales data and focus groups
  • develop an advertising strategy to reach the target audience
  • explain what the client needs to the creative team
  • monitor the success of an ad campaign
  • keep up to date with trends

Skills:

You’ll need:

  • knowledge of media production and communication
  • knowledge of English language
  • to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently

As well as:

  • the ability to use your initiative (drive)
  • to be thorough and pay attention to detail
  • to be flexible and open to change (adaptable)
  • the ability to come up with new ways of doing things (creativity)
  • excellent verbal communication skills
  • patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
Illustration of employee looking at workspace

Entry Requirements:

You can get into this job through:

  • a university course
  • an apprenticeship
  • working towards this role
  • specialist courses run by professional bodies

University
To become an advertising account planner, you could do a degree in:

  • advertising and marketing
  • statistics
  • communication and media studies
  • business or management
  • psychology

With your degree you can apply for graduate schemes in advertising companies.

Work experience during university
Employers value work experience so it’s important to get as much as you can during your studies.

Your university careers service can help you find work experience, internship and placement opportunities.

Apprenticeship
You could start by doing an advertising and media executive advanced apprenticeship.

If you also get some advertising experience, you can apply for jobs as an account planner.

Work
You might be able to start in a junior position at a small advertising agency in a position like admin assistant.

You can then work your way up as your experience in advertising grows.

Volunteering
Experience will help you understand advertising and allow you to meet new people who may help you find paid work.

You could try:

  • work experience
  • internships
  • temporary jobs

You could contact agencies directly to ask about volunteering opportunities. You could also make contacts on social networking sites like Twitter or LinkedIn.

Other Routes
In the UK, for example, you could take the advertising Foundation Certificate to get some of the skills you need to get a paid job in advertising.

The course is offered by the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising and is open to anyone with less than one year of experience in an advertising, marketing or communications role.

Career tips
Some companies may expect you to start as a trainee advertising account executive or advertising account manager and move into account planning when you have experience.

School Subjects

To become an Advertising Account Planner in the UK, specific GCSE subjects are not mandatory, but certain subjects can be beneficial in developing the skills and knowledge required for this role, such as:

  1. English: Strong language and communication skills are crucial for developing persuasive and creative advertising campaigns.
  2. Mathematics: Basic mathematical skills are useful for analyzing market data, budgets, and advertising performance metrics.
  3. Business Studies: This subject can provide insights into marketing principles, consumer behavior, and advertising strategies.
  4. Media Studies (if available): Knowledge of media platforms and their impact on advertising can be advantageous.
  5. Art and Design: Developing creative skills can be beneficial in understanding the visual aspects of advertising and contributing to the creative process.
  6. ICT (Information and Communication Technology): Familiarity with digital tools and media platforms is essential in modern advertising.

Working Hours and Environment:

You could work in an office or at a client’s business.

You may need to wear smart business clothes.

Career Path & Progression:

With experience you could:

  • become a senior account planner
  • manage a team
  • get a specialist research job
  • work as a freelance planning consultant
  • set up your own agency