How much will marketing salaries rise in 2013? Expect 3.6% says new survey

A new marketing salary survey has found that over a quarter of marketers did not enjoy a pay rise at all in 2012, and for a third the rise was a paltry 3% or less. And what of marketing professionals’ salary expectations for this year? The Marketing Week/Ball & Hoolahan Salary Survey calculates that the average expected rise for 2013 is 3.6%, which suggests a slight improvement on last year.

There are other more encouraging findings in the survey. Nearly one in 10 are enjoying pay rises of 6 to 11%. Around 16% work for US-owned companies, which traditionally pay better than UK companies.

The survey shows how the restructuring of marketing departments continues, although much of this has already been implemented since the economic downturn hit in 2008.

Marketers expecting reorganisation in their teams this year is down from 53% in 2012 to 49%. However, last year 61 per cent experienced a shake-up.

What changes are expected by marketers this year?

Of those marketers expecting more changes, one-quarter anticipate staff cuts, 24% a reduction in marketing spend and 21% a merger with other departments.

Major marketing department reorganisations in 2012 included the overhauling of Ocado’s marketing team during a wider company restructure, Direct Line Group bringing together product development and marketing, and Royal Bank of Scotland implementing a new group marketing structure across its retail banking brands.

Pressure on marketing pay

Average salaries for some marketing job titles have slumped 2008. In 2007, marketing directors earned £82,300 on average. This year it is £75,345, down from £77,799 in just 12 months, the survey found.
Marketing managers also saw a fall – now at £36,767, down from £37,305 in a year, and from the £42,950 average in 2007.

Other job titles to see their average salary fall year-on-year include insight managers, down 5% to £38,007 and brand/product managers, down 2.5% to £35,166.

Meanwhile, graduates have seen an improvement, with their average earnings rising by 5.2% from £21,462 to £22,574.

It appears that roles less likely to have had their pay frozen are heads of category management/customer marketing, senior category managers, and senior brand and product managers. Among the most likely not to receive any pay rises are marketing assistants and those in communications roles.

The survey concluded that marketers with specialist knowledge remain in demand and can negotiate higher than average wages.

Key findings of the Marketing Week/Ball & Hoolahan Salary Survey

• 26% of marketers did not receive a pay rise in 2012, while for 34% any increase was less than 3 per cent.

• The average rise expected for 2013 is 3.6%

• A quarter of marketers expect their salary to remain unchanged during 2013. (This compares badly with 2001 when average salary increases were a generous 8.7%)

• . Marketers expecting reorganisation in their teams this year is down from 53% in 2012 to 49%. However, last year 61 per cent experienced a shake-up.

• Nearly one in 10 are enjoying pay rises of 6 to 11%.

• Among those questioned, 54% have a marketing-related qualification and 60% of those feel it has increased their earning potential.

The Marketing Week/Ball & Hoolahan Salary Survey is an authoritative guide to pay and benefits in the marketing industry. It is a benchmark to marketers of their earning power and helps employers retain and attract talent.

The web-based survey was designed and conducted by Marketing Week and analysed by Fusion Communications with fieldwork carried out in November 2012.

There are 3,153 respondents, of which 92 per cent are in full-time roles. Forty-two per cent are working in the services sector, 19 per cent in manufacturing and 17 per cent in media.

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