U.S. owned advertising
agencies have successfully operated in Canada, yet Canadians have not been able
to successfully enter the U.S. market. This is a result of lack of knowledge of
the United States market, insufficient client contacts, inadequate financial
resources, and the inability to attract top personnel. FTA and NAFTA haven’t had
a strong impact on daily operations as much as client sectors. The Canada-U.S.
Free Trade Agreement and the North American Free Trade Agreement have only made
relations between countries easier and clearer. The impact of free trade is
affected by the client or general economy.
Any economic increase will impact
clients to use more money towards advertising and this will bring further
business to advertising agencies. The structure of an agency will depend
strongly on the economy. There are four main sub-sectors of the advertising
industry. Advertising agencies create and publish advertising in the media.
Media representatives sell time and space for media. Outdoor display and
billboard advertising companies rent space for signs, billboards, and displays
only. The final sector is other advertising services, which are firms that
provide different services ranging from commercial art to copywriting. These sub
sectors allow for higher rates to be placed on indivualized and special services
(Strategies). The field of communication offers such a vast amount of jobs.
There are many opportunities in this service field. The field of communications
makes up eight percent of Canadian work (Pang).
Canadians are able to be a large
part of the communications field because the Canadian Radio-Television and
Telecommunications Commission states that sixty percent of all programs must be
written and performed by Canadians (Pang). This high percentage ensures
Canadians will be a dominant figure in the creation of television and radio
programs. The four sub-sectors of advertising allow for many jobs in the
communications field, anything from photographers, copywriters, graphic artists,
editors, publishers, account executives, and management or upper level
positions. Depending on the agency you can make above average salary for your
position if you work in a multinational agency. Multinational agencies can offer
better salaries, working conditions and training, possibility of overseas
postings. These factors also attract a more skilled employee. Canadian firms
that are not multinational can offer these opportunities as well and they have
the same quality employees as foreign owned agencies. The companies offer many
of the same perks you would find at many U.S. agencies including benefits,
company cars, free travel expenses and paid vacation. The Canadian human rights
code states that employers must give their employees two weeks paid vacation
(Shepard). The employees are also protected by labor laws that prohibit
employers from letting employees work more than forty-eight hours per week. The
minimum wage is frequently reviewed to determine whether or not changes need to
be made because of the economy or inflation. The All Canadian Congress of Labor
(A.C.C.L.) was established in 1927 and controls these labor regulations
(Shepard). The Congress of Industrial Organization (CIO) and the Canadian
Congress of Labor (CCL) also help regulate and control labor laws.
