The advertising and public relations industries of the United States are used to promote the images and interests of the clients they represent. These company embrace and embody capitalism. Media buyers introduce and educate consumers about a product through advertising channels, in the hopes that eventually the consumer will purchase the product. As some firms in the advertising industry prepare ads for products, other types of firms buy space or advertising time directly from the media outlets that sell it. The media buyers then sell the space or time directly to advertising agencies or individual companies wanting to promote their product. These types of firms are called media buyers. In some cases, media buyers even develop the advertising campaign for the client, while also researching how that ad can be most effectively put to use.
The staff of most media buying agencies is mostly composed of sales people who conduct these transactions. Because much of the advertising industry is located in New York and California, competition for jobs is tough. For one, because of the glamour of the industry, there are usually more applicants than there are job openings. Secondly, because of how much money advertising space and time can cost, the people buying and selling it need to have fantastic money management skills in addition to working extremely well under pressure.
The Traits of a Typical Media Buyer
It has already been mentioned how cutthroat the advertising industry is. Competition for the jobs and clients is fierce. As someone who potentially wants to employ a media buyer, there are certain traits to look for to insure the best person has been selected for the job. For one, good writing and communication skills are a must. In addition to this, media buyers must be able to work as a team player. Because of the complexities of the advertising industry, knowledge about media, its effect on society and the business side of advertising are also good skills to look for in a media buyer. Usually, media buyers have undergraduate degrees in business, marketing, or journalism because of this specific requirement.
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By Jamie Ward
