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Advertising Copywriters write the words that tell the public about products and services. The purpose is to influence people who read advertisements in print or on the Internet or who hear radio and TV ads to respond favorably and buy the product or service being advertised. Advertising Copywriters also write informational messages to promote goods and services, as well as the acceptance of ideas.  

NATURE OF THE OCCUPATION  

Advertising Copywriters may:

Consult with sales, media, and marketing representatives for information about the product or service being advertised  

Discuss the style, type, and length of the advertising copy  

Obtain additional background and current development information through research and interviews  

Review advertising trends, consumer surveys, and other data about marketing specific goods and services to plan an advertising approach  

Write the first draft of the ad and send it to the supervisor for approval  

Correct and revise the copy as necessary  

Write articles, bulletins, sales letters, speeches, and other related informative and promotional material  

Established writers may work on a free-lance basis selling their work to publishers or publication units, manufacturing firms & public relations and advertising departments or agencies. Sometimes, they are hired to complete specific assignments such as writing about a new product or technique.  

The machines, equipment, and work aids used may include:

OCCUPATIONAL SPECIALTIES  

131.067-014 COPY WRITERS write advertisements to influence people who read ads in print or on the Internet or who hear radio and TV ads to respond favorably and buy the product or service being advertised.  

In addition to learning about these specialties, you may also find it helpful to explore the following MOIScripts:  

WORKING CONDITIONS AND REQUIREMENTS  

Advertising Copywriters may be supervised by a senior copywriter or supervisor. They may work together on some assignments, although many writers work on their own. They must be able to work closely with account executives.  

Copywriters usually work at desks in clean, well lighted, and well ventilated offices. New Copywriters may share offices at first, but with experience and advancement, they may have their own offices or cubicles later. They often work under intense pressure to meet deadlines.  

They usually work a 5-day, 40-hour week. Working hours are occasionally irregular in order to meet advertising deadlines and to make last-minute changes. They may need to work evenings or weekends to finish an assignment. Occasional travel and overtime may also be required when the Copywriter's work goes into production.  

Some may belong to professional associations and pay periodic dues.  

You Should Prefer:

• Activities involving the communication of ideas/information to others  

• Activities that bring satisfaction from working on or producing things  

• Activities involving business contact with people  

You Should Be Able To:

• Know the meanings of words/ideas and present information effectively  

• Influence people's opinions/attitudes/judgments about ideas or things  

• Deal with people beyond giving and receiving instructions  

• Interpret feelings, ideas, or facts from a personal point of view  

Math Problem You Should Be Able to Solve:

There are 5,000 people in the city in which you are advertising a product and 3,580 are over 60, 1,000 are over 30, and 420 are under 30. Make a graph showing the difference in age groups. What is the percentage of the largest population based on age?  

Reading Example You Should Be Able to Read and Comprehend:

When a client comes in with a product report, you need to know how to understand it in order to create an effective ad for the product.  

Writing Example You Should Be Able to Produce:

The day before a big television commercial is supposed to be filmed, your client decides it is no good and you have just a few hours to replace it with a new script.  

Thinking Skill You Should Be Able to Demonstrate:

What factors would you take into consideration when creating a commercial targeted to the elderly population.  

EDUCATION AND PREPARATION OPPORTUNITIES  

NOTE: A High School Diploma or Equivalent or a Bachelor's Degree (four years of study beyond high school) or a Master's Degree (five to six years of study beyond high school) may qualify a person for this occupation.

The following education and preparation opportunities are helpful in preparing for occupations in the MOIScript:  

***SCHOOL SUBJECTS***

10 ART , 0600 BUSINESS , 0700 CAREERS , 0900 COMMUNICATIONS , 1000 COMPUTERS , 1100 ECONOMICS , 1200 ELECTRONICS , 1300 ENGLISH , 2200 MATH

***VOCATIONAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS***

There are no Vocational Education Programs related to this MOIScript  

***POSTSECONDARY PROGRAMS***

003 ADVERTISING & PUBLIC RELATIONS

Programs in Advertising and Public Relations provide opportunities to gain the knowledge and skills used in testing public opinion and in making consumers aware of available products and services. Manufacturers, advertising agencies, mass media, government, nonprofit organizations, and many other groups are potential employers. Advertising and Public Relations may be a specific area of concentration in business or communication arts and sciences.  

Courses vary from school to school but may include:

Search for a College and/or Instructional Program

***APPRENTICESHIP OPPORTUNITIES***

There are no Apprenticeships related to this MOIScript  

***MILITARY TRAINING PROGRAMS***

There are no Military Programs related to this MOIScript  

E-Learning Courses and Programs

OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXPERIENCE AND METHODS OF ENTRY  

Some experience as an Advertising Copywriter may be gained through summer jobs in advertising or sales. A few advertising and research firms employ students to interview or do other research work. A job as a clerk or messenger may be found in an ad agency. High school students may develop copywriting skills by writing and editing articles for the school newspaper and by writing promotional and sales literature to sell products made in Junior Achievement programs. Postsecondary advertising and public relations programs may offer experience also.  

School-to-Work opportunities include:

informal apprenticeships  

mentorships  

job shadowing experiences  

touring a local Advertising Copywriter employer  

internships  

volunteer work with an Advertising Copywriter employer  

community service work with an agency  

Advertising Copywriters usually enter this occupation by applying directly to employers. Some of the larger ad agencies recruit college graduates through college placement offices. Assistance in locating a job may be obtained from a local office of Michigan Works! or by checking newspaper want ads and trade magazines, such as "ADVERTISING AGE". In addition, you should access and search the Internet's on-line employment services sites such as:  

Advertising Age Magazine ( http://www.adage.com )

Michigan Talent Bank

Michigan Jobs & Career Portal  

Classifieds Employment  

Yahoo! Careers

MONSTER.COM

You should also enter an electronic resume on these on-line services.

EARNINGS AND ADVANCEMENT  

Earnings of Advertising Copywriters depend on the type of work done, the size and type of company, its geographic location, the kinds of accounts handled, and the agency's gross earnings. Additional factors may be the individual's education, aptitude and experience.  

Salaries of Advertising Copywriters were generally higher in consumer product firms than in industrial product firms because of the competition in consumer product sales.  

Those employed in the newspaper industry had minimum annual salaries ranging from about $10,712 to $31,453 (1999).  

Earnings of some highly experienced Copywriters working for large ad agencies were in excess of $150,000 per year and may be determined by individual performance.  

Most Advertising Copywriters receive paid vacations and holidays; life, accident, disability, and hospitalization insurance; retirement plans; and sick pay.  

Advertising Copywriters advance according to experience, job skill, ability to supervise, and ability to produce. For some Copywriters, advancement may mean higher earnings and more responsibilities. Copywriters may also move within the same level among media outlets, department stores, and ad agencies.  

EMPLOYMENT AND OUTLOOK  

Employment of all writers and editors, including technical writers is expected to grow faster than the average for all occupations through the year 2006. The number of these copywriters working in the advertising field was about 10,100 nationally in 1996. An increase in the number of consumer goods and technical advances in consumer appliances and products and in the volume of financial advertising should produce growing advertising budgets. Competition among businesses and industries, an expanding population, and increased advertising on Internet web sites should result in openings for new Advertising Copywriters each year.  

There are about 250 Advertising Copywriters employed in Michigan. The employment of Advertising Copywriters in Michigan is expected to grow about as fast as the average for all occupations through the year 2005. They worked for ad agencies, newspaper and magazine publishers, radio and TV stations, and retailers and manufacturers. Intense competition, both domestic and foreign, is creating a need for promotional efforts among the makers and sellers of goods and services.  

Competition for Advertising Copywriter job openings should remain keen. Most openings will be in agencies, and well qualified, trained applicants will have an advantage. Because the economy affects advertising activity, the number of annual openings may change greatly from year to year.  

MICHIGAN'S EMPLOYMENT OUTLOOK TO 2005

SOURCES OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION  

Printed Occupational information is available upon written request from the sources below.  

SUMMARY PROFILE  

The occupation of Advertising Copywriter can be summarized by the following:

MOISCRIPTS are Copyright 2003, Michigan Department of Career Development