The Roles of Advertising Account Executive
The advertising account executive is the key go-between for both the advertising agency and the client company. This individual is actively involved in soliciting the account, finalizing details of the contract, and working with the creative who will prepare the actual advertisements. Many times, the account executive helps the company refine and define major message for an overall IMC Programme and provides other support as needed.
Clients companies always want to know if they are getting good value. Many clients believe they don’t have a clue in trying to understand the relationship between an agency’s cost and its actual value to the company. Ron Cox, a vice president at Wrigley Jr. Company, suggests that agencies update clients regularly on the work they are doing and the results obtained. These types of reports (called “stewardship reports”) help clients understand the process and the outcome more clearly. Updating clients on what is being done for them becomes more important as the amount of amount being spent on advertising increases.
Further, periodic reviews should be help to show that the agency is doing its work. These reviews should not be confrontational. To the client company, the updates represent the opportunity to evaluate how well the agency has done and also to become better acquainted with the personnel working on the account. As part of the process, the client firm can spend time with creative as they work on the campaign. Client-company employees can also talk to media buyers, public relations experts, and other working on the account. In short, the account manager oversees the process in such a way that everyone involved feels comfortable and oriented towards the goal of creating an effectively integrated advertising campaign and marketing communications program.
The traffic manager works closely with the accounts executive. This person’s responsibility is to schedule the various aspects of the advertising agency’s work to ensure the work is completed by the targeted deadline.
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