The account executive/manager in the advertising agency (part 1)
The President of Ghana at the recent International Advertising Association leadership conference at the Movenpick Ambassador Hotel, stressed the importance of marketing communications professionals in building a vibrant brand Ghana.
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My brother and friend Joel Nettey (President of the Advertisers Association of Ghana) also entreated the President and Minister of Trade to speed up the passing of the Advertising Bill that will ultimately lead to the setting up of an Advertising Standards Authority. President Mahama promised Joel in the most heartwarming manner that an Advertising Bill is being prepared to be laid before Parliament.
If I am allowed a little pidgin at this time, I would scream “Big tiings agowon” and acknowledge the role of BUSAC Fund in the initial advocacy efforts for the Advertising Bill journey.
In this article I will be using account manager and account executive interchangeably.
Despite my obvious excitement about the upcoming Advertising Bill, I want to focus on this two-part series on the role of account managers in the advertising agency.
Advertising (Ad) agencies are becoming increasingly relevant to the formulation and implementation of marketing communications strategy in various industries in Ghana; including the strengthening of the Brand Ghana office.
According to http://www.prospects.ac.uk/advertising_account_executive_job_description.htm, account executives work within advertising agencies, acting as a link between clients and the agency.
They are responsible for the coordination of ad campaigns and, therefore, communicating clearly to all those involved. They must understand their clients' needs and objectives and liaise closely with them throughout campaigns, often on a daily basis.
They manage administrative and campaign work and ensure that advertising projects are completed on time and on budget. The website goes on further to note that the role can involve handling multiple accounts and the hours can be long in a competitive environment.
The typical work activities of account executives according to the website alluded to earlier include meeting and liaising with clients to discuss and identify their advertising requirements; working with agency colleagues to devise an advertising campaign that meets the client's brief and budget; presenting, alongside agency colleagues, the campaign ideas and budget to the client; working with the account manager to brief media, creative and research staff, and assisting with the formulation of marketing strategies; liaising with, and acting as the link between, the client and advertising agency by maintaining regular contact with both, ensuring that communication flows effectively.
Other roles include negotiating with clients and agency staff about the details of campaigns; presenting creative work to clients for approval or modification; handling budgets, managing campaign costs and invoicing clients; writing client reports; monitoring the effectiveness of campaigns; undertaking administration tasks; arranging and attending meetings; and most crucially, making 'pitches', along with other agency staff, to try to win new business for the agency.