The phrase ‘advertising, marketing and PR’ often conjures up images of hip, young people sitting around in incredibly stylish offices. The job responsibilities appear to include beard stroking, drinking coffee and ‘bouncing’ creative ideas around the office. Alternatively, the popular image of PR executives involves going to fancy business lunches, attending press conferences and appearing on celebrity gossip TV shows. So before you make the decision to get into advertising, marketing and PR, you should firstly discover what it’s really all about.

Careers in advertising, marketing and PR are genuinely fast-paced and exciting. The general objective of each different area of the industry is to develop and enhance public interest in a brand, organisation, person or product.

Everywhere we go, we interact with advertising initiatives, marketing strategies and PR campaigns; when we read an advert on the train, when we decide to buy a laptop, or when we discuss celebrities with our friends.

The industry is not completely dependent on creativity. True, creativity is important but the industry would not be able to function without essential research, planning, and strategy. People who work in advertising, marketing and PR are highly organised, energetic and have excellent communication skills.

What is a career in advertising like?

Companies who want to advertise their products or initiatives will often go to an advertising agency for help. The agency then conducts research, plans and creates adverts on their behalf. Advertising agencies use a variety of different media (TV, radio, billboards, websites, virals etc.) to persuade an audience to buy things or take certain actions. Many advertising agencies offer an integrated advertising service while some smaller agencies specialise in niche areas, such as digital or online advertising.

What is a career in marketing like?

Careers in marketing tend to start within the in-house marketing departments of larger companies. Rather than working on lots of individual projects (like advertising agencies), marketing departments can focus all their attention on a single mission: promoting their own company. They devise the strategy for all communication and sales campaigns, and build strong relationships with their customers.

What is a career in PR like?

For people or companies in the public eye, reputation is everything. PR companies are used to maintain, develop and manage the public image of various clients. They generate exposure and publicity for their clients and act as a go-between when interacting with the media.

What are other areas of advertising, marketing and PR?

Market research and brand consultancy companies conduct market research on behalf of companies to assess the value of their advertising campaigns. They then present their findings to the company and advise them on how their current advertising campaigns can be improved.

Careers in media buying, planning and sales are concerned with the nitty-gritty aspect of putting adverts in the right place. People who work in this area decide where adverts will be the most effective, and then purchase or sell the appropriate advertising space.

If you are now sold on advertising, marketing and PR then go forth and explore whether this sector has the right career for you!