Advertising, public relations and marketing

Sector introduction

The advertising, marketing and public relations (PR) sector is responsible for client marketing and influencing others to consume a brand or product. It differs slightly from other sectors in that many individuals working in these roles do not work in the sector as such, but rather they work for organisations from a range of sectors with needs for marketing, advertising and PR. As the majority of organisations require some form of promotion, it means that many individual roles in this sector form part of the rest of the economy, making the scope of employment very diverse. 

The sector is estimated to generate about £6.2bn for the economy every year [Skillset] and funds the vast majority of commercial television, national press, magazines and commercial radio. This makes it vital for the media industry in general in the UK and worldwide.

This sector is a fast-moving, creative and often very innovative industry that leads the way in the use of cross-platform technology, with campaigns designed for a very wide range of media, from mobile online platforms to static billboards. This sector, like many others, struggled as a result of the recession, with cuts to budgets and lay-offs, and the unsettled economy, coupled with uncertainty over future budgets, means that recovery for the industry is choppy, but slow. The first quarter of 2011 saw marketing budgets revised down, but expectations within the sector of an improved future outlook [Q1 2011 Bellwether, IPA/BDO].