Advertising Design

Advertising Design Career Overview

Advertising designers are the people who create the images and video for advertising campaigns. While some advertising firms might hire outside companies to design the logos, graphics, and video for ad campaigns, many firms have in-house designers who serve these functions. Depending on the format, a designer will create logos or graphics, help with the shooting and editing of film or video, and design Web sites or blogs to promote products.

Advertising designers often work as freelancers, so it is important that individuals who plan to go into this career field have a basic understanding of marketing and business in order to be successful.

Advertising Design Career Training & Education

Advertising design requires at least a bachelor’s degree. Depending on the medium, a designer might have a bachelor’s degree in art, graphic design, illustration, or film and video production.

The portfolio is the most important part of an applicant’s submission to a company. If a designer wants to create a portfolio more specific to advertising, he or she can attend a “portfolio school,” a one to two-year program where artists work with professionals to create an advertising-specific body of work for a portfolio.

Advertising Design Career & Salary Outlook

The average earnings for advertising designers was about $41,600 in 2006, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Entry-level designers earned around $35,000 per year. More experienced designers, on average, earned about $62,000.

The field of advertising designers is projected to grow at about the average rate between now and 2016. Competition for positions in this field will be heavy, and those that have at least a bachelor's degree and some knowledge of design software will fair best in the job market.

Characteristics of Successful Advertising Designers

Collaboration is key in an advertising career. Advertising designers often work in teams alongside copywriters, art directors, producers, and other designers to develop and present ideas to a client. Designers need to be able to work well with others and communicate effectively with teammates or clients.

Professionals in the advertising field also need to be creative and familiar with popular culture trends.

Advertising Design Career Fields & Specializations

Advertising designers might work in one of many different design mediums, including:

Print design focuses on printed advertising, such as those found in magazines, newspapers, billboards, and posters. Print advertisers often use photography, illustrations, or graphics to convey their message. Designers in print advertising are sometimes called studio specialists, graphic designers, or production designers.

Digital and interactive design concentrates on Internet advertising, including banner ads on Web site, blogging, and viral video campaigns. This specialty may also involve creating a promotional site devoted to a particular product or company.

Video or broadcast design involves television and video advertising, including advertising done for television, online video (such as streaming video advertisement), or radio. Designers in this field are involved in shooting, recording, mixing and editing of video and audio. Designers in broadcast are also sometimes called broadcast producers or broadcast studio specialists.

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