‘Pitching clients on how to target Gen Z is trending in the advertising sector’

She was very clear from class X that she wanted to pursue a career in Advertising. But her school didn’t have a subject related to advertising. So, she had to wait and complete her schooling to pursue the career of her dreams. As soon as she completed her schooling, Ritika Ray enrolled herself at Birla Global University, Bhubaneswar for a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Mass Communication. And after completing her graduation, she wanted to pursue Masters in the same course. But her teachers guided her that a two-year degree in the same course won’t be of any use; rather they suggested that she do specialisation in the field she wanted to pursue her professional journey.

As, advertising was her goal, she chose advertising as her master’s. After a lot of research, she joined Apeejay Institute of Mass Communication (AIMC) for a PG Diploma in Advertising and Marketing Communication. At present, she is working as an Account Manager at Yellow Circles India.

Excerpts from an interview:

What made you join AIMC? Tell us about your journey.

Since class X, I have been very certain that I wanted to pursue a career in advertising. I was intrigued by the idea of how advertising can alter one’s life. I enrolled myself for a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Mass Communication at Birla Global University, Bhubaneswar. When the world shut down and all I could rely on were Internet photos. It was incredibly difficult for me to find a reputable institute after graduating during the COVID-19 lockdown. I was unsure about whether I should pursue a master’s degree or a diploma. Then, I discovered Apeejay Institute of Mass Communication, which offered diploma courses with hands-on experience. I enrolled myself for the PG Diploma in Advertising and Marketing Communication in 2021. From basic to advanced, I got deep knowledge about Advertising and Marketing. The course’s topics were extremely engaging and useful.

What do you enjoy the most at your job?

I appreciate every aspect of my work. I manage clients like Snapdeal, Orient, Maashie, secret skin, and other companies as an account manager for Yellow Circles India. I enjoy most of all, the brainstorming sessions, the shoots, and the briefing.

What got you interested in this role?

The most crucial division in a company, in my opinion, is Client Servicing or Account Management. Working for a brand, knowing it inside and out, and out-of-the-box thinking are what initially piqued my interest in this position.

 Trends in the advertising sector.

Pitching clients on how to target Gen Z is a trend in the advertising sector. Knowing the strategy and preparation for the competition is crucial for an account manager because the world is evolving and every brand must change. How to stand out from the competition is the challenge the advertising sector is facing.

Tips you would like to give your juniors.

I would advise my juniors, who are interested in becoming account managers to network as much as possible. They ought to handle their customers as if they were their brand.

What are your best memories from AIMC days?

I was very active during the events at our college. Our team participated in an event activation on Valentine’s Day, where we were asked to give a brief about a brand case study. The brand was called ‘First Sight,’ a hypothetical dating app, for which we did a skit to promote the brand on Shark Tank. I would say that was the most memorable time for me as my team got the first prize for the act. Pijush sir and Sourabh sir guided us throughout; they used to give us ideas on what we can do for case studies, and how we could promote them.