Anyone work for an advertising agency (or do online marketing)?

z28dreams · #1 04-02-2007, 02:52 PM

So,

I do online marketing type stuff ( SEO, PPC, light web development - php/mysql/etc).

I'm trying to figure out the best route to go to give me upward-mobility, and have started considering big-name advertising agencies.

Does anyone work at one of these?

If so,

- are there many positions available for online/internet guys?
- what's the pay range like?
- how's the culture?

Any input would be greatly appreciated!

(Or other ideas for career paths w/ internet marketing)

nyc999 · #2 04-02-2007, 03:05 PM

I don't work for an ad agency, but most of my clients are in advertising. The "traditional" ad agencies have differing levels of online capabilities - your best shot may be to go after a position in a digital-based agency - companies like Digitas, Avenue A, etc.

blunty31 · #3 04-02-2007, 03:28 PM

I work at the online advertising division of BBDO advertising. We are one of the biggest advertising firms with clients like citigroup, J&J, Target, Ebay. Culture is really cool, most people work here are young, creative, theres no dress code, foosball tournaments after work in our gameroom. Most people that get hired here start of as temps and if we like them we hire them full time. Pay rate depends on your job title, we have about 60 titles in our company ranging from $85 to $350 an hour. If youre interested in some temp companies that we use PM me.

z28dreams · #4 04-02-2007, 03:34 PM

[ QUOTE ]
I work at the online advertising division of BBDO advertising. We are one of the biggest advertising firms with clients like citigroup, J&J, Target, Ebay. Culture is really cool, most people work here are young, creative, theres no dress code, foosball tournaments after work in our gameroom. Most people that get hired here start of as temps and if we like them we hire them full time. Pay rate depends on your job title, we have about 60 titles in our company ranging from $85 to $350 an hour. If youre interested in some temp companies that we use PM me.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is exactly like what I'm looking for. BTW, you had me sold on foosball!

I'm going to PM you, but I may post a few questions here in the thread in case others are interested.

- How much experience do you need to get into these agencies? My degree is actually in electrical engineering but I like the marketing stuff more
- Do I need much of a 'portfolio' to get started?
- Are there entry level type positions open?
- What major cities are agencies based out of? I'd be looking for mostly chicago or DC.

I'd love to hear more.

nyc999 · #5 04-02-2007, 03:38 PM

[ QUOTE ]
I work at the online advertising division of BBDO advertising. We are one of the biggest advertising firms with clients like citigroup, J&J, Target, Ebay. Culture is really cool, most people work here are young, creative, theres no dress code, foosball tournaments after work in our gameroom. Most people that get hired here start of as temps and if we like them we hire them full time. Pay rate depends on your job title, we have about 60 titles in our company ranging from $85 to $350 an hour. If youre interested in some temp companies that we use PM me.

[/ QUOTE ]

You're saying the salary range at BBDO is about 175K - 700K per year? I've always been under the impression that entry level/temps get paid next to nothing.

blunty31 · #6 04-02-2007, 03:48 PM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I work at the online advertising division of BBDO advertising. We are one of the biggest advertising firms with clients like citigroup, J&J, Target, Ebay. Culture is really cool, most people work here are young, creative, theres no dress code, foosball tournaments after work in our gameroom. Most people that get hired here start of as temps and if we like them we hire them full time. Pay rate depends on your job title, we have about 60 titles in our company ranging from $85 to $350 an hour. If youre interested in some temp companies that we use PM me.

[/ QUOTE ]

You're saying the salary range at BBDO is about 175K - 700K per year? I've always been under the impression that entry level/temps get paid next to nothing.

[/ QUOTE ]

I work in the budget dept. and that is how much we pay the temp agencies, which is taken directly from the rate card. The cheapest rate we have is for a junier developer which is $85/hr and the largest is $340/hr which is for director of account or creative services. I would assume when the person becomes a permanent we would pay them aproximatly close to what we were paying the temp agency for them, but then again that would have to include the benefits package then. Now im sure the starting salary is not 175k but Im pretty sure we dont have any permanent creative, development, or account people working for less then 85k a year.

blunty31 · #7 04-02-2007, 03:54 PM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I work at the online advertising division of BBDO advertising. We are one of the biggest advertising firms with clients like citigroup, J&J, Target, Ebay. Culture is really cool, most people work here are young, creative, theres no dress code, foosball tournaments after work in our gameroom. Most people that get hired here start of as temps and if we like them we hire them full time. Pay rate depends on your job title, we have about 60 titles in our company ranging from $85 to $350 an hour. If youre interested in some temp companies that we use PM me.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is exactly like what I'm looking for. BTW, you had me sold on foosball!

I'm going to PM you, but I may post a few questions here in the thread in case others are interested.

- How much experience do you need to get into these agencies? My degree is actually in electrical engineering but I like the marketing stuff more
- Do I need much of a 'portfolio' to get started?
- Are there entry level type positions open?
- What major cities are agencies based out of? I'd be looking for mostly chicago or DC.

I'd love to hear more.

[/ QUOTE ]

We hire all our workers through temp agencies, so I'm not sure how much experience they need to start off with, and I dont beleive we have any entry level positions here. I work in NY and our main office is in Atlanta, I'm not sure about other states. My boss worked for a different agency, which he said was even more progressive then ours. He said everything would be paperless, and people didnt have desks, they had lockers where they kept whatever they needed, everyone has a laptop, and when you come in the morning you go sit at whatever desk you like, that way 1 day you might work with 1 person and sit next to him, the next you might need to collabarote with a diff person and sit next to him. This is good because designers often work as teams.

DonkeyKongSr · #8 04-02-2007, 05:10 PM

I work in media planning, but I'm on the client side instead of an agency these days, so my company is out of the question. However, I can tell you that working at an advertising agency (especially on the creative side) is a blast. Always a fun, laidback atmosphere.

Where are you located? The interactive business for my company is done through Carat USA and they have offices in LA, San Fran, New York, and several other places. I might be able to see if there is an opening somewhere if I knew where you wanted to work.

kaboshedx · #9 04-02-2007, 05:15 PM

lol, it's obvious you are on the client side - ad agencies love to appear as though all of their employees are having a "blast" when in reality most are overworked and underpaid.

DonkeyKongSr · #10 04-02-2007, 05:32 PM

[ QUOTE ]
lol, it's obvious you are on the client side - ad agencies love to appear as though all of their employees are having a "blast" when in reality most are overworked and underpaid.

[/ QUOTE ]

Well, that too. I used to work at Foote, Cone, and Belding. Advertising pay absolutely blows right now and every agency is understaffed. However, they still are fun otherwise.