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Media planner vs account executive

The differences between media planners and account executives can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an account executive has an average salary of $69,618, which is higher than the $58,044 average annual salary of a media planner.

The top three skills for a media planner include media planning, powerpoint and campaign performance. The most important skills for an account executive are customer service, CRM, and healthcare.

Media planner vs account executive overview

Media PlannerAccount Executive
Yearly salary$58,044$69,618
Hourly rate$27.91$33.47
Growth rate8%5%
Number of jobs24,126205,561
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 89%Bachelor's Degree, 78%
Average age4244
Years of experience4-

What does a media planner do?

A media planner is responsible for managing market campaigns and promotions for clients' advertising needs through various social media platforms and other mediums of communications. Media planners handle the brand's media presence, strategizing its maximum appeal to the target audience. They coordinate closely with the clients for the progress updates, as well as informing them of any adjustments, especially on meeting the public's interests and concerns. A media planner develops innovative techniques, analyzes market data, and manage campaign results, ensuring to meet the clients' objectives and goals.

What does an account executive do?

An account executive is responsible for supporting existing clients, closing client deals, and developing sales strategies to increase the company's sales and satisfaction. An account executive must be competitive enough to keep up with the constant changes in the sales industry, including the high demands of digital marketing, a different approach to product advertising, effective negotiation, and presentation skills. An account executive also requires excellent communication skills for the successful acquisition of client accounts and immediately resolve possible complaints as they arise.

Media planner vs account executive salary

Media planners and account executives have different pay scales, as shown below.

Media PlannerAccount Executive
Average salary$58,044$69,618
Salary rangeBetween $48,000 And $69,000Between $44,000 And $109,000
Highest paying CityWashington, DCPortland, OR
Highest paying stateWashingtonOregon
Best paying companyRPAHitachi Vantara
Best paying industryProfessionalFinance

Differences between media planner and account executive education

There are a few differences between a media planner and an account executive in terms of educational background:

Media PlannerAccount Executive
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 89%Bachelor's Degree, 78%
Most common majorCommunicationBusiness
Most common collegeNorthwestern UniversityUniversity of Pennsylvania

Media planner vs account executive demographics

Here are the differences between media planners' and account executives' demographics:

Media PlannerAccount Executive
Average age4244
Gender ratioMale, 39.2% Female, 60.8%Male, 57.2% Female, 42.8%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 10.4% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.3% Asian, 5.4% White, 66.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%Black or African American, 6.7% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 16.3% Asian, 5.6% White, 66.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage12%5%

Differences between media planner and account executive duties and responsibilities

Media planner example responsibilities.

  • Partner with programmatic buying team to manage DSP campaign and ensure tactics maintain maximum efficiency.
  • Lead monthly meetings with each AE to discuss key accounts and strategize for revenue growth.
  • Manage multiple inboxes handling numerous RFP inquiries from top tier clients while training new employees on processes.
  • Manage multiple million dollar budgets, budget analysis and reconciliations.
  • Manage MRI research system generating specific demographic information for media recommendations.
  • Experience with Comscore, Nielsen, Kantar & Mediamind.
  • Show more

Account executive example responsibilities.

  • Create and manage Facebook and twitter accounts.
  • Have achieve Google certification for both SEM and SEO sales.
  • Lead proposal team in winning a $1MM RFP, turning around a key account relationship.
  • Manage all aspects of new FedEx implementations (automation set-up, operational support and training of customers).
  • Develop and manage networking, VoIP, IP/TV, video, cloud, wireless, and security/disaster recovery projects.
  • Source all leads by means of cold calling, leveraging linkedin, referrals, and upselling to existing customers.
  • Show more

Media planner vs account executive skills

Common media planner skills
  • Media Planning, 11%
  • PowerPoint, 8%
  • Campaign Performance, 5%
  • MRI, 4%
  • Digital Marketing, 4%
  • Nielsen, 4%
Common account executive skills
  • Customer Service, 9%
  • CRM, 6%
  • Healthcare, 5%
  • Sales Process, 5%
  • Salesforce, 4%
  • Work Ethic, 4%

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