Advertising, Marketing, and Public Relations Professionals

(NOC 1123)

in All Business, Finance, and Administration

This group includes specialists in advertising, marketing and public relations who develop and implement communication and promotion strategies and information programs, analyze advertising needs and develop appropriate advertising and marketing plans, advertise activities and events, and maintain media relations on behalf of businesses, governments and other organizations, and for performers, athletes, writers and other talented individuals. They work for consulting firms, advertising agencies, corporations, associations, government, social agencies, museums, galleries, public interest groups, and cultural and other organizations, or they may be self-employed. Agents like entertainment, literary and sports agents are included in this group. Literary agents specialize in representing specific types of authors and writers. Performance agents specialize in representing singers, musicians, actors or other performers. Sports agents specialize in representing specific athletes or sports teams.

Job Outlook

Average

Read more

  • Estimate Strong growth employment change, 2021-2023
  • Estimate 345 openings due to growth and retirements, 2021-2023
  • Estimate Low rate of unemployment in 2022

Compared to: All Business, Finance, and Administration

  • Estimate 3555 employment change, 2021-2023
  • Estimate 9370 openings due to growth and retirements, 2021-2023
  • Estimate rate of unemployment not available for these occupation.

Halifax employs the vast majority of workers in this occupational group in the province. Employment can be short-term, contract-driven, and volatile at times, depending on business conditions and government spending. Business conditions over the forecast period seem slightly positive and those with the right mix of skills and experience shouldn't have as much trouble finding work.

Hourly Pay

$15.49

Minimum

$25.76

Median

$43.27

Maximum

Annual Pay

$5,148

Minimum

$36,755

Median

$84,099

Maximum

Compared to: All Business, Finance, and Administration

Hourly Pay

$15.00

Minimum

$23.00

Median

$38.50

Maximum

Annual Pay

$6,754

Minimum

$36,515

Median

$70,271

Maximum

About the job

Nature of work

This group includes specialists in advertising, marketing and public relations who develop and implement communication and promotion strategies and information programs, analyze advertising needs and develop appropriate advertising and marketing plans, advertise activities and events, and maintain media relations on behalf of businesses, governments and other organizations, and for performers, athletes, writers and other talented individuals. They work for consulting firms, advertising agencies, corporations, associations, government, social agencies, museums, galleries, public interest groups, and cultural and other organizations, or they may be self-employed.

Agents like entertainment, literary and sports agents are included in this group. Literary agents specialize in representing specific types of authors and writers. Performance agents specialize in representing singers, musicians, actors or other performers. Sports agents specialize in representing specific athletes or sports teams.

Job duties

Specialists in advertising, marketing and public relations:

  • Assess characteristics of products or services to be promoted and advise on the advertising needs of an organization.
  • Advise clients on advertising or sales promotion strategies.
  • Develop and implement advertising campaigns appropriate for print or electronic media.
  • Gather, research and prepare communications material for internal and external audiences.
  • Develop, implement and evaluate communications strategies and programs designed to inform clients, employees and the general public of initiatives and policies of businesses, governments and other organizations.
  • Carry out public opinion and attitude surveys to identify the interests and concerns of key groups served by their organization.
  • Prepare reports, briefs, bibliographies, speeches, presentations, Web sites and press releases.
  • Develop and organize workshops, meetings, ceremonies and other events for publicity, fundraising and information purposes.
  • Prepare and deliver educational and publicity programs and informational materials to increase awareness of museums, galleries and other tourist attractions.
  • Maintain contact with the media.
  • Arrange interviews and news conferences.
  • Act as spokesperson for an organization and answer questions.
  • Coordinate publicity events and promotions for internal and external audiences.
  • Help prepare brochures, reports, newsletters and other material.
  • Represent and act as an agent for talented individuals or individuals with specific job expertise.
  • Prepare sports, literary, performance or other contracts.

Sample job titles

  • advertising account executive
  • assistant brand manager
  • communications specialist
  • event marketing specialist
  • fundraiser
  • information officer
  • marketing coordinator
  • public relations consultant
  • publicist
  • talent agent

Skills

  • You need good interpersonal skills and effective spoken and written communication skills. You should be organized and capable of analytical and logical thought. Negotiating skills and research skills are also important.

Job requirements

  • A university degree or college diploma in business marketing, public relations, communications, journalism, museology or a discipline related to a particular subject matter is usually required.
  • Public relations practitioners may require an APR (Accredited in Public Relations) designation.

Other considerations

  • Many companies are contracting with outside firms to provide professional services so the number of people working on a contract basis is likely to increase. Movement to managerial positions in public relations, communications and fundraising is possible with additional training and experience.

By the numbers

Quick look

1,785

employed in 2016

82.6%

employed full-time

7.8%

self employed

71.4%
Icons/female Created with Sketch.
28.6%
Icons/male Created with Sketch.
36.1

median age

Compared to: All Business, Finance, and Administration

63,775

employed in 2016

78.4%

employed full-time

6.6%

self employed

73.4%
Icons/female Created with Sketch.
26.6%
Icons/male Created with Sketch.
47.9

median age

Where will I likely work?

73.3%

Halifax

$38,965 median annual income
8.7%

North Shore

$26,017 median annual income
7.3%

Annapolis Valley

$15,210 median annual income
5.9%

Southern

$27,233 median annual income
4.8%

Cape Breton

$30,538 median annual income

Compared to: All NS Occupations

47.0%

Halifax

15.6%

North Shore

12.9%

Annapolis Valley

12.7%

Cape Breton

11.8%

Southern

Top Industries of Employment

23.0%

Professional, scientific and technical services

14.2%

Other services (except public administration)

12.1%

Public administration

11.0%

Educational services

7.8%

Information and cultural industries

What is the age of Employment?

29.0%

25-34

20.0%

35-44

19.0%

15-24

17.0%

45-54

12.0%

55-64

3.0%

65+

Compared to: All Business, Finance, and Administration

26.3%

45-54

22.6%

55-64

19.4%

35-44

16.7%

25-34

7.5%

65+

Top levels of education

52.4%

Bachelor

$43,282 median annual income
14.3%

College Diploma

$33,974 median annual income
13.7%

High school

$13,804 median annual income
10.1%

Master

$51,983 median annual income
3.1%

Diploma Above Bachelor

$45,071 median annual income

Compared to: All Business, Finance, and Administration

33.8%

College Diploma

$36,304 median annual income
23.8%

High school

$32,903 median annual income
22.8%

Bachelor

$41,755 median annual income
5.8%

Trade Certification

$34,807 median annual income
4.9%

Less than high school

$23,174 median annual income

Education & training

Advertising

College or University Program

These programs focus on creating, implementing, transmitting, and evaluating commercial messages in various media intended to promote and sell products, services, and brands and prepares students to function as advertising assistants, technicians, and managers. They include courses in advertising theory, marketing strategy, advertising design and production methods, campaign methods and techniques, media management, related principles of business management, and applicable technical and equipment skills.

Institutions providing this program

Nova Scotia Community College

Various, NS

Business Administration and Management

College, Trades, or University Program

These programs prepare students to plan, organize, direct, and control the functions and processes of a firm or organization. They include courses in management theory, human resources management and behaviour, accounting and other quantitative methods, purchasing and logistics, organization and production, marketing, and business decision-making.

Institutions providing this program

Maritime Business College

Lower Sackville, NS

Academy of Learning Career College - Halifax

Halifax, NS

Acadia University

Wolfville, NS

Dalhousie University

Halifax, NS

Mount Saint Vincent University

Halifax, NS

Universite Sainte-Anne

Pointe-de-l'Église, NS

St. Francis Xavier University

Antigonish, NS

Saint Mary's University

Halifax, NS

Cape Breton University

Sydney, NS

Dalhousie University Faculty of Agriculture

Truro, NS

Nova Scotia Community College

Various, NS

Communications and Media Studies

College or University Program

These programs focus on the study of communications mass communication/media studies, old and new media technologies, social and political applications, and speech communication and rhetoric. They include courses in interpersonal, group, organizational, and intercultural communication, theories of communication, critical thinking, argumentation, and persuasion, written communication, print, electronic, and digital media, rhetorical tradition and criticism, media, society, and culture, consequences and effects of mass media, media social science and criticism, and quantitative and qualitative methods of inquiry.

Institutions providing this program

Mount Saint Vincent University

Halifax, NS

Cape Breton University

Sydney, NS

Digital Communication and Media

College or University Program

These programs focus on developing, using, and regulating new electronic communication technologies using computer applications and prepares students to function as developers and managers of digital communications media. They include courses in the principles of computers and telecommunications technologies and processes, design and development of digital communications, marketing and distribution, digital communications regulation, law, and policy, the study of human interaction with, and use of, digital media, and emerging trends and issues.

Institutions providing this program

Eastern College - Halifax

Halifax, NS

English Professional, Technical, Business, and Scientific Writing

College or University Program

These programs focus on professional, technical, business, and scientific writing and that prepare students for academic positions or for professional careers as writers, editors, researchers, and related careers in business, government, non-profits, and the professions. They include courses in theories of rhetoric, writing, and digital literacy, document design, production, and management, visual rhetoric and multimedia composition, documentation development, usability testing, web writing, and publishing in print and electronic media.

Institutions providing this program

Dalhousie University

Halifax, NS

Health Communication

College or University Program

These programs focus on how people, individually and collectively, understand and accommodate to health and illness and the role of communication and media in shaping professional health care messages and public acceptance of these messages. They include courses in developing and using health-related and care-related messages and media, the goals and strategies of health care promotion, relationships, roles, situations, and social structures in the context of health maintenance and promotion, and applications to disease prevention, health advocacy, and communications concerning treatments.

Institutions providing this program

Mount Saint Vincent University

Halifax, NS

Humanities/Humanistic Studies

College or University Program

These programs focus on combined studies and research in the humanities subjects as distinguished from the social and physical sciences, emphasizing languages, literatures, art, music, philosophy and religion.

Institutions providing this program

St. Francis Xavier University

Antigonish, NS

International and Intercultural Communication

College or University Program

These programs focus on the specialized knowledge and skills needed for effective communication in the international community and among people of different cultures and prepares students to function at the national and international levels as journalists, public relations specialists, travel industry representatives, intercultural trainers, and/or foreign service officers. They include courses in journalism, communications, intercultural and international relations, marketing and public relations, and global communications policy.

Institutions providing this program

Dalhousie University

Halifax, NS

Journalism

College or University Program

These programs focus on the theory and practice of gathering, processing, and delivering news and that prepares students to be professional print journalists, news editors, and news managers. They include courses in news writing and editing, reporting, photojournalism, layout and graphic design, journalism law and policy, professional standards and ethics, research methods, and journalism history and criticism.

Institutions providing this program

Dalhousie University

Halifax, NS

University of King's College

Halifax, NS

Marketing/Marketing Management

College or University Program

These programs prepare students to undertake and manage the process of developing consumer audiences and moving products from producers to consumers. They include courses in buyer behaviour and dynamics, principles of marketing research, demand analysis, cost-volume and profit relationships, pricing theory, marketing campaign and strategic planning, market segments, advertising methods, sales operations and management, consumer relations, retailing, and applications to specific products and markets.

Institutions providing this program

Acadia University

Wolfville, NS

Dalhousie University

Halifax, NS

Mount Saint Vincent University

Halifax, NS

St. Francis Xavier University

Antigonish, NS

Saint Mary's University

Halifax, NS

Cape Breton University

Sydney, NS

Public Relations

College or University Program

These programs focus on the theories and methods for managing the media image of a business, organization, or individual and the communication process with stakeholders, constituencies, audiences, and the general public and prepares students to function as public relations assistants, technicians, and managers. They include courses in public relations theory, related principles of advertising, marketing, and journalism, message/image design, image management, special event management, media relations, community relations, public affairs, and internal communications.

Institutions providing this program

Mount Saint Vincent University

Halifax, NS

Nova Scotia Community College

Various, NS

Technical and Scientific Communication

College or University Program

These programs focus on communicating technical and scientific knowledge to a variety of audiences through print, video, and digital media and prepares students to function as technical writers and editors, documentation developers, web designers, and usability specialists. They include courses in scientific and technical writing and editing, graphic and information design, web design, audience analysis, document usability and field testing, publications management, and applications to specific technical fields.

Institutions providing this program

Dalhousie University

Halifax, NS

Mount Saint Vincent University

Halifax, NS

Employment requirements & contacts

No regulating bodies were found under this occupation profile

Contacts

International Association of Business Communicators - Maritimes
Maritimes, Canada
Association of Canadian Advertisers
Toronto, ON
Canadian Public Relations Society
Toronto, ON

Additional resources