Advertising, Promotions, and Marketing Managers

Career, Salary and Education Information

What They Do: Advertising, promotions, and marketing managers plan programs to generate interest in products or services.

Work Environment: Many of these workers are employed in advertising agencies or in corporate or regional managing offices.

How to Become One: A bachelor's degree is required for most advertising, promotions, and marketing management positions. These managers typically have work experience in advertising, marketing, promotions, or sales.

Salary: The median annual wage for advertising and promotions managers is $127,150. The median annual wage for marketing managers is $135,030.

Job Outlook: Overall employment of advertising, promotions, and marketing managers is projected to grow 10 percent over the next ten years, faster than the average for all occupations.

Related Careers: Compare the job duties, education, job growth, and pay of advertising, promotions, and marketing managers with similar occupations.

Following is everything you need to know about a career as an advertising, promotions, or marketing manager with lots of details. As a first step, take a look at some of the following jobs, which are real jobs with real employers. You will be able to see the very real job career requirements for employers who are actively hiring. The link will open in a new tab so that you can come back to this page to continue reading about the career:

Top 3 Advertising Manager Jobs

  • Advertising Account Manager - The Aspen Times - Aspen, CO

    As an Advertising Account Manager , you will have a good working knowledge of the local market, with an appreciation of Aspen and the Roaring Fork Valley. Responsibilities Include (but are not limited ...

  • Test Management Engineer III - Romads Advertising - Portland, OR

    Daimler Truck North America LLC seeks Test Management Engineer III in Portland, OR. This position will develop define and maintain Overall Testing Process for the cross-functional of "Verification ...

  • Sports Minded Marketing Manager Trainee - OMI Inc. - Los Angeles, CA

    Marketing / Advertising * Management / Sports Management / Entrepreneurship * Administration * Public Relations /Communications * Business / Team Development #LI-Onsite

See all Advertising Manager jobs

Top 3 Marketing Manager Jobs

  • Marketing Manager - Entry Level - Ventura Business Management - Ventura, CA

    Venture Business Management provides the opportunity for those looking to excel in the field of marketing and sales by utilizing a hands-on approach in our training. Our company specializes in taking ...

  • Marketing Manager - Coldwell Banker-Holman Premier - Klamath Falls, OR

    Marketing Manager Job Description: We are seeking an experienced and innovative Marketing Manager to join our real estate brokerage, which operates across two locations in Oregon and California. With ...

  • Assistant Marketing & Sales Manager - Apollo Consulting Group - Renton, WA

    Our Assistant Marketing & Sales Manager is ambitious, highly creative, has a passion for marketing , and is enthusiastic about building client brands and motivating people to succeed. What You'll ...

See all Marketing Manager jobs

What Advertising, Promotions, and Marketing Managers Do[About this section] [To Top]

Advertising, promotions, and marketing managers plan programs to generate interest in products or services. They work with art directors, advertising sales agents, and financial staff members.

Duties of Advertising, Promotions, and Marketing Managers

Advertising, promotions, and marketing managers typically do the following:

  • Work with department heads or staff to discuss topics such as budgets and contracts, marketing plans, and the selection of advertising media
  • Plan promotional campaigns such as contests, coupons, or giveaways
  • Plan advertising campaigns, including which media to advertise in, such as radio, television, print, online media, and billboards
  • Negotiate advertising contracts
  • Evaluate the look and feel of websites used in campaigns or layouts, which are sketches or plans for an advertisement
  • Initiate market research studies and analyze their findings to understand customer and market opportunities for businesses
  • Develop pricing strategies for products or services marketed to the target customers
  • Meet with clients to provide marketing or related advice
  • Direct the hiring of advertising, promotions, and marketing staff and oversee their daily activities

Advertising managers create interest among potential buyers of a product or service. They do this for a department, for an entire organization, or on a project basis (referred to as an account). Advertising managers work in advertising agencies that put together advertising campaigns for clients, in media firms that sell advertising space or time, and in organizations that advertise heavily.

Advertising managers work with sales staff and others to generate ideas for an advertising campaign. They oversee the staff that develops the advertising. They work with the finance department to prepare a budget and cost estimates for the campaign.

Often, advertising managers serve as liaisons between the client and the advertising or promotion agency that develops and places the ads. In larger organizations with extensive advertising departments, different advertising managers may oversee in-house accounts and creative and media services departments.

In addition, some advertising managers specialize in a particular field or type of advertising. For example, media directors determine the way in which an advertising campaign reaches customers. They can use any or all of various media, including radio, television, newspapers, magazines, the Internet, and outdoor signs.

Advertising managers known as account executives manage clients' accounts, but they are not responsible for developing or supervising the creation or presentation of advertising. That task becomes the work of the creative services department.

Promotions managers direct programs that combine advertising with purchasing incentives to increase sales. Often, the programs use direct mail, inserts in newspapers, Internet advertisements, in-store displays, product endorsements, or special events to target customers. Purchasing incentives may include discounts, samples, gifts, rebates, coupons, sweepstakes, or contests.

Marketing managers estimate the demand for products and services that an organization and its competitors offer. They identify potential markets for the organization's products.

Marketing managers also develop pricing strategies to help organizations maximize their profits and market share while ensuring that the organizations' customers are satisfied. They work with sales, public relations, and product development staff.

For example, a marketing manager may monitor trends that indicate the need for a new product or service. Then he or she may assist in the development of that product or service and to create a marketing plan for it.

Work Environment for Advertising, Promotions, and Marketing Managers[About this section] [To Top]

Advertising and promotions managers hold about 28,000 jobs. The largest employers of advertising and promotions managers are as follows:

Advertising, public relations, and related services 38%
Self-employed workers 16%
Information 16%
Management of companies and enterprises 8%
Wholesale trade 2%

Marketing managers hold about 319,000 jobs. The largest employers of marketing managers are as follows:

Professional, scientific, and technical services 22%
Management of companies and enterprises 12%
Finance and insurance 11%
Manufacturing 7%
Wholesale trade 7%

Because the work of advertising, promotions, and marketing managers directly affects a firm's revenue, people in these occupations typically work closely with top executives.

The jobs of advertising, promotions, and marketing managers can often be stressful, particularly near deadlines. Additionally, they may travel to meet with clients or media representatives.

Advertising, Promotions, and Marketing Manager Work Schedules

Most advertising, promotions, and marketing managers work full time. Some advertising and promotions managers work more than 40 hours per week.

How to Become an Advertising, Promotions, or Marketing Manager[About this section] [To Top]

Get the education you need: Find schools for Advertising, Promotions, and Marketing Managers near you!

A bachelor's degree is required for most advertising, promotions, and marketing management positions. These managers typically have work experience in advertising, marketing, promotions, or sales.

Education for Advertising, Promotions, and Marketing Managers

A bachelor's degree is required for most advertising, promotions, and marketing management positions. For advertising management positions, some employers prefer a bachelor's degree in advertising or journalism. A relevant course of study might include classes in marketing, consumer behavior, market research, sales, communication methods and technology, visual arts, art history, and photography.

Most marketing managers need a bachelor's degree. Courses in business law, management, economics, finance, computer science, mathematics, and statistics are advantageous. For example, courses in computer science are helpful in developing an approach to maximize online traffic, by utilizing online search results, because maximizing such traffic is critical for the success of digital advertisements and promotions. In addition, completing an internship while in school can be useful.

Work Experience in a Related Occupation for Advertising, Promotions, and Marketing Managers

Advertising, promotions, and marketing managers typically have work experience in advertising, marketing, promotions, or sales. For example, many managers are former sales representatives; buyers or purchasing agents; or public relations specialists.

Important Qualities for Advertising, Promotions, and Marketing Managers

Analytical skills. Advertising, promotions, and marketing managers must be able to analyze industry trends to determine the most promising strategies for their organization.

Communication skills. Managers must be able to communicate effectively with a broad-based team made up of other managers or staff members during the advertising, promotions, and marketing process. They must also be able to communicate persuasively with the public.

Creativity. Advertising, promotions, and marketing managers must be able to generate new and imaginative ideas.

Decisionmaking skills. Managers often must choose between competing advertising and marketing strategies put forward by staff.

Interpersonal skills. Managers must deal with a range of people in different roles, both inside and outside the organization.

Organizational skills. Advertising, promotions, and marketing managers must manage their time and budget efficiently while directing and motivating staff members.

Advertising, Promotions, and Marketing Manager Salaries[About this section] [More salary/earnings info] [To Top]

The median annual wage for advertising and promotions managers is $127,150. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $61,250, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $208,000.

The median annual wage for marketing managers is $142,170. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $77,680, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $208,000.

The median annual wages for advertising and promotions managers in the top industries in which they work are as follows:

Information $163,360
Management of companies and enterprises $129,510
Advertising, public relations, and related services $126,300
Wholesale trade $103,030

The median annual wages for marketing managers in the top industries in which they work are as follows:

Professional, scientific, and technical services $155,470
Management of companies and enterprises $155,030
Finance and insurance $151,870
Manufacturing $136,150
Wholesale trade $132,450

Most advertising, promotions, and marketing managers work full time. Some advertising and promotions managers work more than 40 hours per week.

Job Outlook for Advertising, Promotions, and Marketing Managers[About this section] [To Top]

Overall employment of advertising, promotions, and marketing managers is projected to grow 10 percent over the next ten years, faster than the average for all occupations.

About 35,300 openings for advertising, promotions, and marketing managers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.

Employment of Advertising, Promotions, and Marketing Managers

Marketing managers will continue to be in demand as organizations use marketing campaigns to maintain and expand their market share. These managers will be sought after for their advice on crafting pricing strategies and finding new ways to reach customers.

The continued rise of electronic media will result in decreasing demand for print advertisements. However, the demand for advertising and promotions managers is expected to be concentrated in industries that rely on these workers to create digital media campaigns that target customers through the use of websites, social media, or live chats.

Employment projections data for Advertising, Promotions, and Marketing Managers, 2021-31
Occupational Title Employment, 2021 Projected Employment, 2031 Change, 2021-31
Percent Numeric
Advertising, promotions, and marketing managers 347,000 380,700 10 33,700
  Advertising and promotions managers 28,000 30,000 7 2,000
  Marketing managers 319,000 350,700 10 31,700


A portion of the information on this page is used by permission of the U.S. Department of Labor.


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