There are no particular patterns of structure and organization of advertising agencies.  There are huge media agencies with hundreds of people on staff and there are small agencies with only a few people working there.  Smaller agencies add organizational units as they grow.  That is why there are no unified plans of advertising agency structure and development.

However, there is one particular organizational structure of management which is defined as a traditional one.  A full cycle advertising agency that has this structure consists of four main departments headed by vice presidents.  They are:

1.  creative department;

2.  client (accounts) department;

3.  marketing department;

4.  management and finances department.

Let us take a closer look at each of them.

Creative department of a full cycle service advertising agency includes a number of subdivisions responsible for text and art, fashion, print and TV production.  It is managed by a creative director.  The person in charge of this subdivision must be very capable in different areas of activities, and apart from being skilled in art, text, images, and design creation should have excellent managerial and communication skills as well as planning abilities, deep knowledge of psychology, design and media.  Excellent taste is also a must.  A creative director has to inspire, direct, guide and lead all art processes and staff workers of the department.  Creative directors have final say in various decisions made by advertising agencies because creative department produces the most valuable product that the agency sells, and this product is creative advertising ideas.

Client department works with advertisers.  This department is responsible for communications with clients, finding new orders, developing advertising strategies that suit clients' interests, monitor the implementation of these strategies, prepare advertising budgets and schedules, etc.  The main goal of this department is to keep agency's clients happy and encourage them to further cooperation.

Marketing department may be subdivided into media division, demand stimulation division, and marketing research division.  This department is responsible for media planning and buying as well as for promoting the agency itself.  Large full cycle advertising agencies have many media buyers with every one of them specializing in one specific means of communication and dealing with one type of media only.

Management and finances department takes care of general management, financing, bookkeeping and other types of office work.  This department is responsible for coordinating all activities of the agency.