Advertising Jobs

Unfortunately, not. A post on Quora advises: “Throughout most of the year you’ll be creating banner ads, copycat TV commercials, and not-so-funny FB ads. Why? Because your agency’s clients – the guys who pay your salary – generally don’t like to take risks. They’d rather go with a good old, ‘We’re good, buy us’ slogan, than risk anything more creative…. Most of the time, it’s all about selling John/Jane Doe another smartphone, pair of shoes, or box of washing powder that he/she doesn’t need. Great purpose in life, eh?”

What’s important to note, is that to work well, a good advertisement should “be like a good sermon: it should not only comfort the afflicted, but it must also afflict the comfortable.” 

Advertising can be "fabulous" because it allows businesses to:

• connect with potential customers;
• build brand awareness;
• introduce new products;
• ultimately drive sales. 

It can also be used to reinforce positive experiences, remind customers about a brand, and encourage repeat purchases. Some believe advertising to be a powerful tool for competitive differentiation, helping brands to stand out from their competitors within a crowded marketplace. Joining this industry niche will allow you to work with highly innovative individuals, often at agencies and firms with great benefits despite the relatively long hours.

Start by asking yourself whether you fit into the creative, strategic/managerial, or specialise/supportive category.

Within the creative category, select between:

• a graphic designer, who is generally required to put together the creative design of marketing collateral, promotions and campaigns, and website content;
• copy writer, who focuses on crafting clear, engaging, and sophisticated text for use in the digital space that aligns with brand strategy and drives measurable results;
• an art director, whose job it is to turn bold ideas into compelling visuals as they set about shaping standout campaigns;
• an illustrator, who creates visual images to convey a specific message, idea, or story, using techniques and software to produce artwork for diverse applications.

Within the strategy and management category, select between:

• an account executive, who is the main point of contact between an advertising agency and its clients, to manage client relationships and sales, and ensure campaigns are effectively executed;
• a media planner, who selects the most cutting-edge channels and strategies to help a client’s campaigns meet their target audiences;
• a social media manager, who leads and executes client social media strategies, across content creation, account management, performance tracking, and identifying opportunities for growth;
• an SEO and digital marketing specialist, who focuses on optimisation and digital-growth strategy for a client’s website and associated marketing initiatives, by improving website ranking and user experience, visibility for expos and events, and driving targeted traffic through performance marketing and optimised content strategies;
• a creative director, whose job it is to lead the visual and conceptual direction of creative projects (often across branding, digital, film, motion and experiential campaigns), ensuring that all work is strategically sound, well executed and highly impactful;
• a marketing manager, who oversees all marketing activities for an agency or client, ensuring brand integrity, profitability, and growth through effective marketing strategies.

Lastly, but certainly not lowest in importance, are the advertising industry’s more specialised and/or supporting roles. Select between:

• a market researcher, who conducts market research and analyses trends with the aim being to best understand a target audience for the purpose of driving business success;
• a sales representative, who is skilled at finding and securing new clients, while at the same time working hard to maintain the relationships that have already been forged with existing clients;
• a web developer, who is passionate crafting visually stunning and technically robust web experiences on a client or agency’s behalf;
• a content producer, whose job it is to create engaging and mindful content across a wide range of different marketing channels.

W3WebSchool highlights a number of things – features, if you will – that make the advertising industry more than a little unique. Advertising…

• is a form of communication, in that the right message will reach the right audience, if it is imparted effectively;
• demands creativity, in that demand for products and services is largely driven by the innovation showcased within an ad campaign;
• acquires customers, simply by capturing the attention of consumers who may not even be aware of a specific brand;
• utilises real-time data to draw in customers via their special interests and preferences, which makes them feel heard; and
• is able to retain happy customers, who like to remain affiliated with a brand that serves their needs well.

Read more, here.

While the best option for your needs will depend on which area of the advertising industry you wish to enter, a well-rounded selection appears below:

• UCT’s Digital Marketing online short course;
• Digital Regenesys’ Digital Marketing with Gen AI course;
• Boston City Campus’ Higher Certificate in Advertising & Integrated Communication;
• IAB SA and Red & Yellow’s Digital Content and Copywriting Course;
• UCT’s BA in Media and Brand Management;
  • University of Stellenbosch’s Post-graduate Diploma in Advertising (or Marketing Management); and
• Wits Business School’s MBA in Sales and Marketing.

Simply ask your favoured search engine: “Where can I study (specific course) in South Africa?” In exchange, you’ll receive a range of options applicable to your area – including the AAA School of Advertising, the University of Cape Town, the Vega School, the University of Pretoria, the University of Johannesburg, and Unisa, not to mention a range of technical colleges on your doorstep (or offering what you need online).