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Advertising Manager Interview Questions

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Indeed’s Employer Resource Library helps businesses grow and manage their workforce. With over 15,000 articles in 6 languages, we offer tactical advice, how-tos and best practices to help businesses hire and retain great employees.

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Whether you are preparing to interview a candidate or applying for a job, review our list of top Advertising Manager interview questions and answers.

  1. How well do you work under pressure, and are you able to meet deadlines? See answer
  2. How do you evaluate the success of an advertising campaign? See answer
  3. Since an advertising manager must stay on top of the latest trends, how do you remain current? See answer
  4. Say that your employees disagree on an advertising strategy. How would you respond? See answer
  5. Will you describe the most successful advertising campaign you worked on and the role you played? See answer
  6. How would you use social media to help clients promote their businesses? See answer
  7. Tell me about an advertising campaign produced by our company that you admired. See answer
  8. How do you create, manage, and track non-digital aspects of marketing campaigns? See answer
  9. How would you describe the advertising manager position at our company? See answer
  10. What do you think the field of advertising might look like in 10 years? See answer
  11. What current advertising certifications do you have? See answer
  12. Since advertising is a creative position, can you give some examples of when you’ve had to be creative in your work before? 
  13. Tell me about a successful advertising campaign from another company that you wish you’d created and why.
  14. How do you evaluate your team’s success?
  15. Tell me about a time when a client felt dissatisfied with your team’s work. How did you respond?
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Indeed’s Employer Resource Library helps businesses grow and manage their workforce. With over 15,000 articles in 6 languages, we offer tactical advice, how-tos and best practices to help businesses hire and retain great employees.

Read our editorial guidelines

15 Advertising Manager Interview Questions and Answers

Since advertising is a creative position, can you give some examples of when you've had to be creative in your work before?

Advertising managers not only oversee employees but also entire advertising campaigns. Asking this question can help you assess a candidate's ability to think creatively about logistical situations, such as handling a budget. What to look for in an answer: 

  • Ability to use creative and analytical skills simultaneously
  • Unique ways of approaching situations
  • Understanding of how to produce emotional responses in an audience

Example:

"When my previous company launched multiple new product lines at once, I had to devise different creative strategies for each, such as by creating different slogans and design schemes. I also once had to create copy for different landing pages that targeted various countries. While the copy between pages had some similarities, I also needed to vary the copy based on geography."

Tell me about a successful advertising campaign from another company that you wish you'd created and why.

Asking this question can help you evaluate if candidates stay up to date on current advertising trends. This question also requires applicants to consider specific campaign strategies. What to look for in an answer:

  • Awareness of current news in the advertising industry
  • Knowledge of various campaign tactics
  • Creative thinking

Example:

"I felt impressed with the advertising campaign that Pests Be Gone ran a few months ago. They took a unique approach in telling the advertisement from the perspective of a household's pets and children. I thought it was also a smart strategy to get people engaged online through print efforts, such as by putting catchy URLs and QR codes on their billboards and brochures."

How well do you work under pressure, and are you able to meet deadlines?

Advertising jobs are often fast-paced and strict about meeting deadlines. This question can help you evaluate a candidate's ability to meet those deadlines while successfully doing their tasks and staying calm. What to look for in an answer: 

  • organisational skills, such as goal setting and time management
  • Ability to concentrate 
  • Capable of remaining calm during challenges

Example:

"I work well under pressure. I'm great at separating larger projects into smaller tasks, focusing on one responsibility at a time, and achieving both professional and personal goals. This helps me successfully meet the client's or company's deadlines."

How do you evaluate the success of an advertising campaign?

Candidates should have knowledge of specific marketing key performance indicators and metrics that they can use to measure a campaign's success. An advertising manager should also understand the importance of non-numerical factors, such as customer satisfaction. What to look for in an answer:

  • Knowledge of marketing analytics software
  • Skilled at setting and tracking advertising metrics
  • Understanding of both qualitative and quantitative marketing data

Example:

"How exactly I measure the success of a campaign depends on the campaign's goals and strategies. Typically, I monitor and evaluate conversion rates, return on investment, and engagement rates, such as the number of shares for a social media post. I also consider how effectively we represented the brand with their desired aaesthetic and the client's satisfaction with our results."

Since an advertising manager must stay on top of the latest trends, how do you remain current?

Advertising managers need to understand a variety of advertising concepts, such as targeting different audiences, using digital tools, and tracking campaigns. Since advertising trends change often, advertising managers need to remain informed on the latest industry developments. What to look for in an answer: 

  • organisational abilities
  • Ability to use resources efficiently
  • Motivation to learn new advertising skills and strategies

Example:

"I take advertising courses every few years to help me stay current on the industry's developments and news. I also subscribe to multiple advertising blogs and digest emails that summarise the most recent advertising headlines."

Say that your employees disagree on an advertising strategy. How would you respond?

Since advertising managers typically supervise a team, they must be able to resolve workplace disputes or conflicts. Candidates should understand how to mediate these disputes professionally and successfully. What to look for in an answer:

  • Conflict-resolution skills
  • Emotional intelligence, such as the ability to adapt communication styles to various situations
  • Negotiation skills

Example:

"When my employees disagree on an advertising strategy, I first speak with each individual or group separately so that I can thoroughly understand their viewpoint. I then sit down with everyone and mediate a conversation about the merits of both strategies as well as potential compromises. Even if ultimately our team chooses one strategy over another, I make sure that every employee feels heard and understood."

Will you describe the most successful advertising campaign you worked on and the role you played?

Asking about a specific campaign the candidate has worked on can help you determine their advertising strengths. You can also gain a better understanding of their experiences and advertising abilities, such as writing copy or creating websites. What to look for in an answer: 

  • Experience with starting and completing campaigns
  • Ability to use advertising analytics tools
  • Technical advertising skills

Example:

"My most successful advertising campaign was a series of billboards that told a narrative to commuters stuck in traffic. The campaign was so unique that it attracted a lot of attention and engagement online as well as in the mainstream news. At the time, I worked in the design department, so I helped make the visuals and layout."

How do you evaluate your team's success?

Candidates should understand quantitative factors that can help measure a team's success, such as productivity reports. An advertising manager should also know how qualitative aspects, like employee satisfaction, influence a team's success. What to look for in an answer:

  • Knowledge of business metrics
  • Appreciation for teamwork
  • Leadership skills

Example:

"I evaluate my team's success by examining marketing and productivity metrics. This helps me ensure that we're achieving our client's expectations and that every member is fully contributing. I also meet regularly both with the entire team and with employees one-on-one to gain a better understanding of factors that are harder to measure in numbers, such as creative problem-solving strategies."

How would you use social media to help clients promote their businesses?

Candidates for an advertising manager position need to understand various social media platforms and the best strategies for managing each. What to look for in an answer: 

  • Understanding of social media engagement strategies
  • Knowledge of each platform's unique capabilities
  • Ability to use analytics software

Example:

"Social media is a great tool for engaging potential and current customers, such as by responding to their comments, running interactive campaigns with hashtags, or getting people to share your content. Each client has unique needs, but one of my primary goals is typically to drive up engagement rates."

Tell me about an advertising campaign produced by our company that you admired.

Ask this question to evaluate how much research candidates have done about your company. A candidate should understand both the past campaign and some strategies that made your company's a success. What to look for in an answer: 

  • Knowledge of your business's projects
  • Observational skills
  • Understanding of successful advertising techniques

Example:

"One campaign made by your company that I particularly enjoyed was the digital scavenger hunt. I thought that this was a great way to get customers engaged with your brand physically by visiting different sites in their city as well as digitally by posting about their travels online."

How do you create, manage, and track non-digital aspects of marketing campaigns?

While it's important for candidates to be familiar with digital advertising tools and techniques, it's also crucial that they understand how to use and evaluate non-digital campaigns. What to look for in an answer: 

  • Ability to make and track non-digital campaigns
  • Knowledge of traditional marketing tactics
  • Creative thinking

Example:

"I make non-digital campaigns by considering first the needs and communication methods of my target audience. I typically track non-digital campaigns by creating unique landing pages for each campaign effort. For example, if the campaign used both billboards and flyers, they'd each direct visitors to a different landing page so that I'd know how those visitors got to my site."

How would you describe the advertising manager position at our company?

Asking this question can help you evaluate how much research candidates have done about both the job role and your company. What to look for in an answer: 

  • Knowledge of specific job requirements
  • Research skills
  • Ability to perform the job

Example:

"Based on the knowledge I have, the advertising manager position at your company involves generating innovative advertising strategies to sell your various beauty products, working closely with the marketing and finance departments, and negotiating advertising contracts. The job requires candidates to both think creatively and navigate logistical challenges, such as marketing budgets." 

What do you think the field of advertising might look like in 10 years?

Asking candidates about their predictions for the future of advertising can help you gauge how up to date they are about the advertising industry. It may also reveal how passionate about and committed they are to an advertising career. What to look for in an answer: 

  • Knowledge of current advertising news or trends
  • Creative thinking
  • Enthusiasm for the advertising field

Example:

"In 10 years, I expect that digital advertising strategies and tools will be even more powerful and effective than they are now. Simultaneously, however, I expect that we'll see an increase in personalised advertising techniques, as more and more customers long for relevant and meaningful connections with their brands."

Tell me about a time when a client felt dissatisfied with your team's work. How did you respond?

Prospective advertising managers should be capable of dealing with challenging situations, including customer dissatisfaction. What to look for in an answer:

  • Prioritization of customer satisfaction
  • Problem-solving abilities
  • Ability to manage workplace stress

Example:

"At my previous company, a client felt displeased with how we'd handled their social media advertising campaign. I met with the client in person, first to apologise and then to express my determination to make their next campaign a success. We then discussed specific strategies and components that the customer wanted included in future advertising campaigns."

What current advertising certifications do you have?

If a candidate has current advertising certificates, that might show their commitment to professional development. What to look for in an answer:

  • Awareness of current marketing tactics and tools
  • Effort to stay up to date with advertising trends
  • Commitment to furthering their professional skills

Example:

"I currently hold certificates in advertising management, analytics software, and digital strategy. I'm also currently enroled in a certificate programme for interactive marketing techniques."

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