How often do you come across the ads on TV, FM radio, billboards, metro, newspaper, or social media feed? Very often, right?
Do you feel influenced to buy a new pair of running shoes, ordering a new smartphone, booking your next holiday trip, trying a new healthy (organic) drink, or signing up for a new gym after coming across those ads?
Do you feel intrigued to know how those things work?
It’s all about advertising and public relations, both of which come under the broad field of marketing. Both advertising and public relations are aimed at creating a buzz about products, services, and brands (including individuals).
Careers in Advertising and Public Relations (PR) in India
The Advertising and Public Relations industry focuses on the relationship between a product/service and the public. You can also consider it as a sub-domain of the marketing domain. Marketing is the wide range of activities involved in making sure that you’re continuing to meet the needs of your customers and getting value in return.
Careers in advertising and public relations are genuinely fast-paced and exciting. The advertising and public relations sector is constantly innovating and changing in response to the changing habits of consumers and to engage with an increasingly technologically savvy audience.
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The general objective of each different area of the industry is to develop and enhance public interest in a brand, organization, person or product. New companies and new job roles are continually emerging to keep up with growing demand. It’s an exciting career area requiring versatility and a willingness to constantly update your skills to keep abreast of the latest developments.
Advertising Careers
Advertising is the art of conveying a message to the masses. Advertisements are messages paid for by those who send them and are intended to inform or influence people who receive them. The objective of advertisements is to persuade consumers about commercial products, services and even draw attention towards social issues. Advertising is one of the key functions of any industry that ensures the industry’s competitiveness in the corporate world.
Advertising uses every possible media to get its message through. Advertising occurs via television, print (newspapers, magazines, journals etc.), radio, press, internet, direct selling, hoardings, mailers, contests, sponsorships, posters, clothes, events, colors, sounds, visuals and even people (endorsements).
Advertising is bringing a product (or service) to the attention of potential and current customers.
Major Careers in Advertising are:
Account Management – acts as a liaison between the ad agency and the client.
The Creative Department – comes up with concepts and drafts the initial designs for the ads.
Production – is responsible for making the finished product (the ad).
The Media Department – is responsible for placing ads where they will most effectively reach their target audiences.
Public Relations (PR) Careers
Public relations (PR) is the way organizations, companies and individuals communicate with the public and media. PR combines both science and art. The objective of PR is to communicate with the target audience directly or indirectly through media. PR aims to create and maintain a positive image and create a strong relationship with the audience through press releases, newsletters, social media, blogs, videos, podcasts, webinars, public appearances, etc.
PR activities include helping the public to understand the company and its products.
While marketing and advertisements persuade the masses to buy the goods and/or services, PR focuses on using the resources to create an impact by creating an intangible value of the organization or individual that the public holds, and not making the public pay.
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Major differences between Advertising and Public Relations
- Public relations is free while advertising isn’t
- Advertising allows creative control while PR only influences the message
- Both advertising and PR require you to apply your creativity differently
Major Careers in Public Relations (PR) are:
Publicist – is responsible for coming up with publicity campaigns and identifying the best ways for clients to promote their brands to the press and to their customers.
Copywriter – is responsible for writing publicity and marketing materials on behalf of clients. Know more about Career in Copywriting.
PR Specialist – acts as the first point of contact for media outlets
Social Media Manager – is responsible for promoting the brand on various social media channels such as Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, and Instagram etc.
Spokesperson – act as the face of the brand, the spokesperson is responsible for making statements on behalf of the company.
Few other key functions are:
- Branding
- Corporate Communications
- Media Planning
- Event Management
- Advertising & Market Research
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Advertising and Public Relations Industry in India
Public relations and advertising functions are often performed by outside agencies that specialize in those areas. But, the marketing functions are usually performed within a large or midsize company or corporation. The marketing department hires the PR, advertising or market research organization to perform these functions.
The value of advertisement and public relations industry in India (as of April 2011) was estimated at USD$5 billion. The PR industry grew by 19% in 2016 as compared with 13% in 2015. The PR industry in India is estimated to reach Rs. 2,100 crore by 2020, according to a report by Public Relations Consultants Association of India. Total advertising expenditure (AdEx) across the PR & media sector stood at Rs 327.4 billion (US$ 5.28 billion) in 2012, while advertising revenues grew by 9%.
The market and job opportunities are definitely there. If you like meeting new people, expressing new ideas, find creative ways of doing things or writing then a career in the advertising, public relation (PR) and marketing sector will be the best option for you.
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Salaries of Advertising and Public Relation Professionals in India
The salary & perks and career progressions are very good in advertising & public relations domain. Even if someone has to start as low as Rs. 8,000 per month at the entry-level stage, s/he can draw a monthly salary of Rs. 30,000 per month within 2 years.
With experience and more qualifications (say a foreign MBA or online courses), the remunerations can go even higher. Advertising or PR professional with an MBA degree in Marketing or a Masters degree in Media & Communications or Advertising & PR can fetch an annual salary package of Rs. 30 Lacs (excluding perks).
Additionally, if you can demonstrate Analytics capability along with Creativity and super Communication, you will be Gold in this sector. According to NASSCOM, the use of marketing along with analytics insights will hold the key to gain a competitive advantage in the Indian market. While the industry is largely driven by the services and manufacturing segment, startups, sports and entertainment are seen as the emerging business segment.
Top Online Courses for Continuous Professional Development
Reputation Management in a Digital World
Fundamentals of Digital Marketing, Social Media, and E-Commerce
Integrated Marketing Communications: Advertising, Public Relations, and Digital Marketing
Selling Ideas: How to Influence Others, and Get Your Message to Catch On
Public Relations for Digital Media
Content, Advertising, and Social IMC
Powerful Tools for Teaching and Learning: Digital Storytelling
Social Media in Public Relations
Public Relations Capstone
Marketing Analytics: Data Tools and Techniques
Leadership Communication & Storytelling for Maximum Impact
Presentation skills: Speechwriting and Storytelling
How to Make a Career in Advertising and Public Relations in India
Top 5 Essential Skills
- Creativity
- Research
- Planning
- Strategy
- Communication
Required Education
You have to do graduation first; the stream really doesn’t matter that much. Later, all you need is a post-graduate diploma or degree course at a leading institute specialized in advertising or mass communication, to launch your career in advertising and public relations.
If you want to make it big, a Bachelor degree in communications, journalism, English, business, or public relations followed by an MBA degree could be a great pathway.
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Top Institutes in India
- Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media, Bangalore
- Mudra Institute of Communications, Ahmedabad
- Asian College of Journalism, Chennai
- Symbiosis Institute of Mass Communication, Pune
- Indian Institute of Mass Communication, New Delhi
- Xavier Institute of Communication, Mumbai
- AJ Kidwai Mass Communication Research, Jamia, New Delhi
- Manorama School of Communication, Kottayam
- Film and Television Institute of India, Pune
- Times School of Journalism, New Delhi
- National Institute of Advertising, New Delhi
- Sardar Patel College of Communication & Management, New Delhi
- Wigan & Leigh College, New Delhi
- International School of Business and Media, Pune
Top Institutes Abroad
- University of Amsterdam (Netherlands)
- UC Berkeley (USA)
- University of Southern California (USA)
- London School of Economics and Political Science (UK)
- Goldsmiths, University of London (UK)
- Columbia University (USA)
- UT Austin (USA)
- Stanford University (USA)
- University of Wisconsin-Madison (USA)
- University of Pennsylvania (USA)
- UC Los Angeles (USA)
- Nanyang Technological University (Singapore)
- New York University (NYU)
- National University of Singapore (Singapore)
- Michigan State University (USA)
- Northwestern University (USA)
- King’s College London (UK)
- The Chinese University of Hong Kong (Hong Kong)
- University of the Arts, London (UK)
- Yale University (USA)
- Queensland University of Technology (Australia)
- MIT (USA)
- Ohio State University (USA)
- University of Melbourne (Australia)
- Loughborough University (UK)
- University of Queensland (Australia)
- University of Warwick (UK)
- Aarhus University (Denmark)
- University of Zurich (Switzerland)
- University of Westminster (UK)
Top Advertising and PR Agencies in India
- Perfect Relations
- Text 100
- Ad Factors
- Weber Shandwick
- Edelman
- Ogilvy PR
- Triverse Advertising
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