Advertising, Promotions, and Marketing Managers

Written By Keandra Wilson

1. OVERVIEW

Advertising, promotions, and marketing managers develop and execute strategies to generate interest in products, services, or brands. They work closely with creative teams, executives, analysts, and media buyers to plan advertising campaigns, conduct market research, evaluate branding efforts, and optimize promotional activities across digital and traditional channels.

2024 Median Pay: $159,660/year ($76.76/hour)
Job Growth (2023–2033): +8% (faster than average)
Typical Education: Bachelor’s degree in marketing, communications, or related field

2. ROLE BREAKDOWN BY LEVEL

ENTRY LEVEL

Job Titles: Marketing Assistant, Promotions Coordinator, Media Buyer Assistant, Brand Intern
Education: Bachelor’s degree (Marketing, Communications, Business)
Experience: Internships or 0–2 years in sales, customer service, or junior marketing roles
Certifications (Recommended): Google Ads Certification, HubSpot Inbound, Meta Digital Marketing
Core Duties:

  • Assist with campaign planning and tracking metrics

  • Manage social media accounts or email lists

  • Support promotional events and giveaways

  • Research consumer behavior and competitor campaigns
    Salary Range: $48,000–$75,000

MID LEVEL

Job Titles: Marketing Manager, Advertising Manager, Brand Strategist, Promotions Manager
Education: Bachelor’s degree + 3–7 years experience
Certifications (Preferred): AMA PCM® (Professional Certified Marketer), Meta Blueprint, Hootsuite Social Marketing
Core Duties:

  • Lead marketing or advertising campaigns

  • Oversee budgets, ad buys, and vendor contracts

  • Manage branding strategy and team performance

  • Conduct and interpret market research
    Salary Range: $85,000–$145,000

SENIOR LEVEL

Job Titles: Director of Marketing, VP of Marketing, Chief Marketing Officer (CMO)
Education: Bachelor’s or Master’s (MBA preferred), 8–15+ years experience
Certifications (Optional): Executive marketing programs, digital transformation certificates
Core Duties:

  • Set strategic marketing goals across business units

  • Align marketing with business objectives and revenue goals

  • Manage large cross-functional teams and vendor partnerships

  • Represent marketing in C-suite and investor communications
    Salary Range: $150,000–$300,000+

3. HOW TO BECOME ONE

  • Minimum Education: Bachelor’s degree in marketing, advertising, communications, or business

  • Preferred Experience: Entry-level or mid-level experience in sales, PR, brand, or campaign management

  • Training: On-the-job training, mentorship, and hands-on campaign experience

  • Licenses: None required

  • Soft Skills: Creativity, communication, leadership, analytical thinking, decision-making, time management

4. SKILLS & TOOLS

Core Skills:

  • Campaign strategy and execution

  • Consumer behavior analysis

  • Media buying and planning

  • Brand positioning and storytelling

  • Budget management and ROI tracking

Tools:

  • Google Ads, Meta Business Suite, HubSpot, Salesforce Marketing Cloud

  • Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign)

  • Analytics tools: Google Analytics, Tableau, SEMrush

  • Project tools: Asana, Trello, Monday.com

  • Email and automation: Mailchimp, Klaviyo, Marketo

5. WORK ENVIRONMENT

  • Locations: Offices, marketing agencies, corporate HQs, remote/hybrid teams

  • Schedules: Full-time, often over 40 hours/week; may involve travel or late hours during product launches or deadlines

  • Environment: High-pressure, team-oriented, fast-paced, data-driven and creative

6. JOB OUTLOOK

  • Demand Drivers: Growth in digital marketing, social media, customer analytics, and global branding

  • Annual Openings: ~36,600 per year through 2033

  • Growth Opportunity: Rising need for data-driven marketers and omnichannel campaign managers; strong opportunities in tech, healthcare, and e-commerce sectors

7. RELATED OCCUPATIONS

Role: Market Research Analysts | Salary: $76,950 | Education Level: Bachelor’s degree

Role: Public Relations Managers | Salary: $132,870 | Education Level: Bachelor’s degree

Role: Art Directors | Salary: $111,040 | Education Level: Bachelor’s degree

Role: Sales Managers | Salary: $138,060 | Education Level: Bachelor’s degree

Role: Graphic Designers | Salary: $61,300 | Education Level: Bachelor’s degree

8. RESOURCES FOR LEARNING & ADVANCEMENT

Certifications & Courses:

  • Google Digital Garage

  • Meta Blueprint (Facebook Ads)

  • HubSpot Academy (Inbound & Email)

  • American Marketing Association (PCM®)

  • LinkedIn Learning: Marketing Strategy, SEO, and Branding Tracks

Books:

  • Contagious by Jonah Berger

  • This Is Marketing by Seth Godin

  • Building a StoryBrand by Donald Miller

  • Marketing Management by Kotler & Keller (college-level)

Videos & Channels:

  • Neil Patel (YouTube)

  • MarketingProfs

  • GaryVee (Instagram & YouTube)

  • Moz Academy SEO Tips

Communities:

  • r/marketing (Reddit)

  • MarketingProfs Community

  • American Marketing Association (AMA)

  • GrowthHackers.com

9. REGIONAL DATA & EMPLOYMENT TRENDS

 

Keandra Wilson
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