Whats is Advertising?
Advertising is a market of Communication which employs the users dealing with a particular product, or a set of services. It is a non-personal, openly sponsored program on monetary terms that includes promotion and consumption of a service, product, or any idea. Advertising differs from public relations and sponsors promote their services and products by paying for it and having full control over the message. Advertisement is referred to as “ad” or “advert” which is associated with qualities and images in the mind of the consumers.
Purpose Of Advertising?
Advertising targets producing demand, motivating marketing and establishing direct contact between the manufacturers and consumers. The entire purpose of advertising is to influence and apprise the public to purchase goods and services. As modernization is at its highest peak today, advertising uses data-driven techniques and analyzes tools and targets for promotion. It uses all the possible media to inform the society about the pros and cons of the products and services it offers.
Eligibility for an Advertising Course
The Advertising Association defines the industry as, “Advertisements are messages paid for by those who send them and are intended to inform or influence people who receive them”. The advertising industry is composed of agencies responsible for the creation of ads, media who carries the news and messages, and several people like heads, researchers, editors, copywriters, brand managers, etc. which reaches out to the customers and their needs.
Eligibility for admissions in an advertising course is as follows:
Undergraduate course
- The required criteria are 10+2 with a minimum 45-50% marks from the recognized Board examinations
- To qualify the centralized examinations held by the State or Central government, 50% marks or the rank specified is essential
- Some private Universities/Colleges also offer admissions based either on merit ranking or percentage aggregates
Post-graduate course
- 10+2 completed with an aggregate of 45-50% in all the subjects
- A Bachelor’s degree in advertising securing good grades from a certified University
- Proficiency in measurement, avid learning ability, sensitivity to patients’ well-being, excellent observational skills, calculation, critical thinking, reasoning, and analysis
Diploma course
- A candidate can take up this course after completing class 12th
- Post-graduate diploma degree can be taken up after completing the three-year diploma course
Syllabus in an Advertising Course
The youth of today is inclined towards new and modern ways to fulfill their dreams; therefore, they are ready to allocate their time in gaining deep knowledge about ways to enhance production and consumption of goods and services. The curriculum for pursuing courses in advertising comprises subjects like:
Undergraduate course
- Introduction to Advertising
- Creative Writing
- Media Laws & Ethics
- Communication & Communication Theories
- Regulation in Advertising & Public Relation
- History of Advertising & Journalism
- Advertising Concepts & Visualization
- Professional Communication & Technical Writing
- Editing (Printing)
- Development Communication
- Ad Copy Writing
- Still Photography
- Photojournalism
- Introduction to Consumer Behavior
- Layout Design & Printing
- Contemporary issues in Media
- Ad Campaign & Media Planning
- Ownership Pattern in Print Media
- Communication Research
- Introduction Web Journalism & New Media advertising
- Introduction to Advertising Research
Post-graduate course
- Introduction to Advertising
- Advertising & PR
- Introduction to Communication
- Media Planning
- Creativity and Campaign Planning
- Production techniques and Methods
- Principles of Public Relations
- Oral and Visual Communication
- Creating Advertisements
- Advertising, PR and Marketing Research
- Communication Theory and Research Marketing
- Digital Public Relations and Corporate Communication
- Advertising: Principles, Concepts, and Management
Courses available in the field of Advertising
The courses as furnished by the deemed colleges and universities for advertising aspirants are as follows:
| Name | Time Duration | Fee Structure (Full Course) |
| Bachelor of Arts in Advertising | 3 years | INR 50,000 – 3 Lakhs |
| Bachelors in Media Management | 3 years | INR 50,000 – 3 Lakhs |
| Bachelor of Arts Advertising and PR | 3 years | INR 60,000 – 3 Lakhs |
| Bachelor of Journalism and Mass Communication | 3 years | INR 90,000 – 3 Lakhs |
| Integrated Bachelor of Arts in Advertising, Sales Promotion, and Sales Management | 5 years | INR 1 Lakh – 6 Lakhs |
| Bachelor of Arts in Advertising and Brand Management | 3 years | INR 40,000 – 3 Lakhs |
| Diploma in Advertising and Business Studies | 1 year | INR 60,000 – 2 Lakhs |
| Diploma in Public Relations and Advertising | 1 year | INR 40,000 – 2 Lakhs |
| Diploma in Advertising and Marketing Communication | 1 year | INR 40,000 – 2 Lakhs |
| Post Graduate Diploma in Advertising | 1 year | INR 1 Lakh – 3 Lakhs |
| MBA in Advertising, Public Relations, and Sales Marketing | 2 years | INR 4 Lakhs – 9 Lakhs |
Educational Institutions for Advertising
Advertising is always present in our society even though many remain unaware of it. Several entrance exams organized by deemed universities on a central/state level are:
- Pondicherry University
- Banaras Hindu University (BHU)
- Jamia Millia Islamia University, Delhi
- India Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC)
- Film and Television Institute of India, Pune (FTII)
- Aligarh Muslim University Entrance Exam (AMU EE)
- MGM College of Journalism and Mass Communication, Aurangabad
- Andhra University, Visakhapatnam Common Admission Test (AU CAT)
- B.A. (H) Multimedia and Mass communication, Delhi University (BMMMC),
- Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University Common Entrance Test (GGSIPU CET)
Institutes offering courses in Advertising
India is an economically developing nation that is coming up with several universities offering studies in advertising. Some of them are mentioned below:
- MET Institute of Mass Media, Mumbai
- Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media, Bangalore.
- Symbiosis Institute of Mass Communication, Pune.
- All India Institute of Management Studies, Chennai
- International School of Business and Media, Pune.
- Times School of Journalism, New Delhi.
- Xavier Institute of Communications, Mumbai.
- Film and Television Institute of India, Pune.
- Bharathidasan University, Tamil Nadu
- Asian College of Journalism, Chennai.
- AJ Kidwai Mass Communication Research Centre, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi.
Job Opportunities in Advertising
This field has great job prospects due to the rapid growth of modernization. Some of the fields are listed below:
- Art Director
- Media Director
- Account Director
- Creative Director
- Media Buying Director
- Account Planner
- Illustrator
- Account Executive
- Media Planner
- Copywriter
- Market Research Executive
- Client Services Manager or Account Manager
Popular and reputed companies that hire advertising scholars are:
- Grey India
- Hindustan Thompson Associates (HTA)
- JWT-India
- GroupM
- Dentsu Aegis
- Contract Advertising India Ltd.
- McCann Erickson India Ltd.
- Mudra Communications Pvt. Ltd.
- Chaitra Leo Burnett Pvt. Ltd.
- R K Swamy/ BBDO Advertising Ltd.
- TLG India Pvt. Ltd. (Leo Burnett)
- FCB-Ulka Advertising Ltd.
- Mullen Lowe Lintas Group
- Traverse Advertising
- Rediffusion Dy & R Pvt. Ltd.
- Ogilvy & Mather Ltd.
FAQs for Advertising
Q1. Which colleges/universities offer courses in advertising in the USA?
A1. Some colleges/universities that offer courses in advertising are as follows:
- Columbia University, New York
- University of California, Berkeley
- Stanford University
- University of Texas, Austin
Q2. What are the other international exams to get admissions in mass communication?
A2. There are a variety of exams conducted by foreign universities. Some are:
- IELTS
- TOEFL
- SAT
Q3. What are the eligibility criteria for admissions in foreign Universities in advertising?
A3. The criterion is as follows:
- SAT – After completing their high school (10th)
- IELTS – After completing high school (10th) and intermediate (12th)
- TOEFL – After completing high school (10th) and intermediate (12th)
Q4. Which foreign companies recruit the employees of the advertising industry?
A4. Some of the renowned companies that recruit scholars of the advertising industry are:
- Nestle
- Coca-Cola
- Hershey’s
- P&G
Q5. What are the benefits of pursuing an advertising course?
A5. The advertising industry is so broad that no one can point out one specific specialization. It encompasses Journalism and Mass Communication which has set their standards entering a wide scope of opportunities for all.
