Advertising & Media Apprentice

Their client base spreads from clients with budgets in the tens of thousands to those with budgets in the tens of millions, spread across; healthcare, power tools, home appliances, food and technology. Universal McCann are in the middle of a period of rapid growth and are looking for an apprentice hungry to learn the bedrock of TV planning, buying and campaign management who can support the wider team.

We use intelligent data to draw valuable insights, so that we can understand and curate the best possible strategy to motivate customers – at the right time, in the right place.

Our integrated, media-neutral approach to delivering brand or direct response messages allows us to deliver the most impactful combination of media channels. Whether we’re working digitally through SEO, PPC and Display marketing or via offline channels like TV, Print, Radio, Door Drops or Out of Home advertisements, our goal is always meaningful connections.

The UM Planning, Client Service and Offline media team are a fundamental part of the wider UM Birmingham Media team.  We nurture effective relationships with cross-channel and offline only clients, and take the lead on media planning decision making.

We are in the middle of a period of rapid growth and are looking for an apprentice hungry to learn the foundations of media planning theory along with real world experience of buying across offline channels (Newsbrands, Cinema, Audio, Out of Home and Direct channels).  The role will involve integration with other areas of the Media team as we seek to deliver truly integrated media services to our clients.

The right candidate will be given training across;

• The foundations of advertising
• Advertising for TV & radio
• The advertising campaign lifecycle and management
• How data plays a vital role in the media buying process
• Video on Demand
• Sponsorship & TV trading 
• Offline media
• Media Booking and Invoicing
• Negotiation Skills

Core Duties:

• Supporting the team across all offline media buying – Print, Radio, Outdoor and Direct media
• Creating daily, weekly and monthly reports using Excel pivot tables
• Media planning research using industry standard and agency-owned tools
• Assisting with the preparation of PowerPoint presentations 

General

• Undertake ad-hoc reporting for the wider media team as and when required to do so
• Act as a positive advocate for the company at all times

5 GCSEs grade A*-C/9-4 or equivalent (including English and Maths)

• Computer literate, i.e. good working knowledge of Microsoft Office, Excel and PowerPoint in particular
• Strong administrative skills
• A keen attention to detail
• Ability to prioritise workloads while working to multiple deadlines

Advertising and Media Executive Level 3 Standard

An advertising and media executive will help with the day to day progress of the whole advertising process, from receiving the brief from the marketing team, including objectives, budget and timescales, through to the measurement of how effective the advertisement has been. In their daily work, they will interact with many other people, processes and systems. (For example the client, 3rd party suppliers, the broad team at the agen­cy.) They help campaigns move forward, coping with inevitable setbacks and changes in direction (some at the last minute), whilst showing collaboration and maintaining relationships with all. Usually, they report to an Account or Media Manager.

They usually specialise in one of two parts of the advertising process: the first is the process of producing the advertisement (creative); the second is the process of distributing the advertisement (media). Apprentices must therefore complete the core apprenticeship and one of these options.

Training Sessions Overview

Seminar 1: Preparing for your apprenticeship

Outcome: Developing an understanding of the expectations of the apprenticeship

Seminar 2: Preparing for your employer

Outcome: Understanding and developing their knowledge, skills and behaviours

Seminar 3: Introduction to advertising

Outcome: Introduction to advertising and media and identifying the key aspects of the industry and your role within the industry.

Seminar 4: The foundation of advertising

Outcome: Explain the benefits of understanding the changing advertising landscape to their organisation

Seminar 5: Understanding commercial

Outcome: Understanding the commercial dynamics of advertising and media

Seminar 6: Advertising campaigns

Outcome: Understanding advertising campaign lifecycle and management

Seminar 7: Advertising and Media standards & legislation

Outcome: The key legal, regulatory and ethical issues for advertising and media.

Seminar 8: Principles of Project Management

Outcome: Understanding the importance of project management techniques, such as timing plans, to do lists, used to keep campaigns on track.

Seminar 9: Supply Chain Management

Outcome: Understanding the benefit of services provided by members of the supply chain

Seminar 10: Principles of third party

Outcome: Understanding how your knowledge can add value/profit through proactive enhancement of the day to day running of the account

Seminar 11: The briefing and approval processes

Outcome: The ability to understand and challenge a client brief to ensure the client objectives are successfully achieved. Your role in managing activity against the brief and the internal and external approval processes.

Seminar 12: The media buying process – TV

Outcome: Developing an understanding of the media buying process, the role within the TV specific advertising landscape. Commercial implications and negotiation in this environment.

Seminar 13: The media buying process – Out of home, Radio and Print.

Outcome: Developing an understanding of the media buying process, the role within the greater traditional advertising landscape. How media channels influence and interplay with each other.

Seminar 14: Negotiation techniques

Outcome: Understanding how to effectively negotiate within the media environment to maximise the commercial success for both your client and agency.

Seminar 15: Data and media metrics

Outcome: Understanding how data plays a vital role in the media buying process. How to identify high quality data against your target audience and managing metrics and performance.

Seminar 16: Data and media metrics – Practical Excel session

Outcome: Understanding how to apply data within Microsoft Excel and develop abilities to read complex data through using functionality such as pivot tables, etc.

Seminar 17: Media planning

Outcome: Developing an understanding of the media planning process, how to interpret a client brief and create plans to achieve your objectives.

Seminar 18: Distribution of Creative through the appropriate channels

Outcome: Identifying how your understanding of the creative can influence the distribution of a campaign through different channels to enhance reach.

Seminar 19: Evaluating campaign performance

Outcome: Understanding how to manage and report effective campaign performance against campaign objectives. Gaining valuable insights from data and media metrics.

For a full overview of the Advertising & Media Executive standard please copy and paste the following link:

https://www.instituteforapprenticeships.org/apprenticeship-standards/advertising-and-media-executive-v1-0

• Excellent communication skills and the ability to communicate to senior stakeholders in client marketing teams, as well as to media owners and colleagues
• A proactive and positive can-do attitude
• A genuine interest in the media landscape