As 2025 kicks off, we are all being overwhelmed by articles telling us how the media industry is being taken over by AI and that we will all, in essence, be unemployed in the next few months if we don’t pull up our socks and out-perform the robots.
We are reminded that ad spend is down and pressure is up, that Google is taking over the world, and that there is no talent left in the industry. That procurement is the enemy and that clients don’t pay for good work anymore.
Doom and gloom, with a sprinkling of doom and gloom on top of it.
This year, I celebrate 25 years of working in the media industry. Quite to the contrary, I am actually filled with newfound optimism and gratitude for this wonderful industry I am privileged to be part of.
So, if you are young and looking for a cool career path to follow—read on. If you have worked in media for longer than you can remember and need a boost—read on as well!
Five reasons why working in media is still a great job
You get to know a little about a lot
Over most media people’s careers, they will work across a variety of industries and know a little about a lot. You’ll learn how mobile companies make money, what triggers fast food sales, what consumers look for when buying a car, and what the formula is for the right baby powder.
You’ll learn what ARPU stands for, understand the complexity of the financial services industry, and know which is the most popular show on TV every year.
Many people work in one industry all their lives and have no exposure to the rest of the world. In media, you get a broad view of the whole business world—don’t ever underestimate that. That’s why media professionals can generally hold a conversation at a surface level on most business topics.
You get to use your left brain and your right brain
Which other industry does that? Very few. You get to figure out how to conquer the Google algorithm, gain incremental reach on a television schedule, and determine your client’s effective share of voice relative to their market share—some real number-crunching and left-brain thinking.
Then, you’ll get to see cool and amazing ads and find clever and innovative ways to showcase them. You’ll think about how to make your campaign stand out against the millions of others—some real right-brain creativity. Not many other industries offer this unique blend.
No two days are ever the same
Definitely not! Today, you are sorting out late material and going on an OOH site trip; tomorrow, you are negotiating a great deal and trying to convince your client to listen to you. Oh, and then there’s the endless stream of new media opportunities crossing your desk.
No two days are the same, and you really get to see cool stuff before most other people. Many jobs are the same today as they were 10 years ago—you can’t say that about media.
You also get to meet new people every day. From media owners to clients to new staff, there are always fresh and excited faces walking through the doors. That’s pretty cool.
Media owner trips and gifts
They are amazing and a privilege. Declare them, thank your media owner friends for them, and appreciate what you get. Enough said.
We get paid pretty well
Media professionals love to moan about the pay in the industry, but I really don’t think it’s that bad, considering the actual qualifications required to do what we do. You can live a very comfortable life on a media salary.
I truly believe media is a great career and an awesome job. If we take a moment to focus on the amazing privileges we have and the rapid, exciting changes happening around us, we will appreciate our jobs more and get a lot more out of them.
Happy 2025. May it be an amazing year for the amazing people in our industry.
Contributed by Chris Botha, managing director of Park Advertising, on behalf of the AMF Board. The Advertising Media Forum (AMF) is a collective of media agencies and individuals including media strategists, planners, buyers and consultants through whom 95% of all media expenditure in South Africa is bought. The AMF advises and represents relevant organisations and aims to create open channels of communication and encourage and support transparent policies, strategies and transactions within the industry.
