Creative and marketing talent recruiter Aquent has been looking into adland and marketing salaries and found – which won’t really surprise you – that senior ad professionals and marketing directors have seen a big drop in salary, nine per cent down in real terms over the past five years.
Creative directors and marketing directors are on about £95,000. Junior designers, however, have seen a big pay rise over the past year of 12 per cent, testimony presumably to the digitisation of the ad business.
Elsewhere junior content managers and copywriters (up six per cent and eight per cent respectively to £27,500) and senior copywriters (five per cent) and copy editors (ten per cent to £55,000) have seen their wages increase in the past five years.
Aquent UK MD Aliza Sweiry says: “2019 has been a positive year for people trying to break into the advertising and creative industries. Excellent junior pay rises point to employers keen to secure new talent and willing to put more resources into employee growth and development than in hiring more senior staff.
“However with senior pay packets seeing no movement over the past five year’s ad agencies and brands alike will need to take heed. Increased competition from management consultancies and a growing trend for senior execs to escape the rat race for freelance opportunities will necessitate improved offering in the year ahead.”
