The second year of results.

1. Account Planning Survey Results
April 2006

2. The 411
• Last year’s response was overwhelmingly positive, so decided to give it
another go
• Called upon planners to participate and pass on a survey - this year
including salary, experience, satisfaction, and helpfulness of recruiters
• 192 completed surveys (compared to 133 last year) from March 22 -
April 7
– 46% Men/54% Women

3. Some overview info (in percentages)
Planners’ Origins Participants by Title
Size of Department Agency Type Avg. Size of Dept
at office location
at office location Large:
51% have
15 or more
Medium:
8.9 planners
Small:
4.3 planners

4. Some overview info cont. (in percentages)
What would you say is your How is planning perceived at your
company’s reputation in the industry? company?
I have a foreign accent:
Yes: 10% Too few to see if it
No: 90% commands a premium

5. Salary results
Key to reading salary info
•Salaries are shown as bell curves (ok, bell triangles) - averages plus the 75th and
25th percentile
•For example, when you see a number listed under 75%, this is the average
of the upper 25% of the set, the number under 50% is the mean for the
whole set, and the number under 25% is the average for the bottom 25% of
the set
•Last year’s average is in the upper right-hand corner
•For most titles, there were enough completes to divide among small, medium
and large shops
•Absolute minimum and maximum salaries are shown next to the “total” curves

6. 2005 Avg.
$39,580
Asst. Planner results Years in planning 1.3
Years working 3.5
25% 50% 75% 25% 50% 75%
Large Medium
Agency Agency
(n=11) (n=15)
$33,000 $43,818 $58,333 $29,250 $35,400 $45,000
Years in planning 1.6 1.3 1.3 Years in planning 1 1.1 1.3
Years working 2.7 5.1 3.7 Years working 2.3 2.3 2.8
25% 50% 25% 50% 75%
75%
Small TOTAL
Agency (n=30)
(n=4) Min= $27K
Max = $70K
$30,000 $39,750 $48,000 $29,625 $39,067 $52,125
Years in planning 1.3 1.2 1.4
Years in planning 1 1.3 1
Years working 2.1 3.4 4.4
Years working 3 3.5 2

7. 2005 Avg.
$59,415
Planner results Years in planning 3.2
Years working 5.8
25% 50% 75% 25% 50% 75%
Large Medium
Agency Agency
(n=19) (n=31)
$49,800 $65,342 $83,700 $40,400 $57,958 $82,000
Years in planning 2.2 3.2 3.8 Years in planning 2 2.7 3.6
Years working 3 5.2 6.2 Years working 3.4 5.5 8.3
25% 50% 75% 25% 50% 75%
Small TOTAL
Agency (n=60)
(n=10)
Min= $36K
Max = $120K
$38,000 $57,056 $80,000 $41,147 $60,198 $82,633
Years in planning 2.1 2.9 3.9
Years in planning 2 3.1 4
Years working 3.5 5.5 7.4
Years working 2 5.9 6

8. 2005 Avg.
$83,926
Senior Planner results Years in planning 5.3
Years working 9.5
25% 50% 75% 25% 50% 75%
Large Medium
Agency Agency
(n=24) (n=23)
$76,667 $110,000 $153,333 $60,900 $94,347 $138,000
Years in planning 4.8 6.2 9.2 Years in planning 4.4 5.7 6
Years working 8.5 9.8 13 Years working 6.7 10.5 12.8
25% 50% 75% 25% 50% 75%
Small TOTAL
Agency (n=53)
(n=6)
Min= $50K
Max = $180K
$68,500 $85,667 $105,000 $68,385 $94,347 $143,077
Years in planning 4.5 5.8 7.5
Years in planning 4.5 4.7 4.5
Years working 8 9.9 12
Years working 8.5 11 9

9. 2005 Avg.
$122,325
Group Planning Director results Years in planning 8.6
Years working 12
25% 50% 75% 25% 50% 75%
Large Medium
Agency Agency
(n=15) (n=12)
$109,500 $165,200 $222,500 $111,667 $142,417 $183,333
Years in planning 8.8 10.5 13.8 Years in planning 7.3 9.3 8.3
Years working 11.3 13.9 18.8 Years working 8.3 12.9 15.3
25% 50% 75% 25% 50% 75%
Small TOTAL
Agency (n=33)
(n=2)
Min= $97K
Max = $250K
$187,500 $111,625 $157,310 $206,875
Years in planning 8.5 9.9 12.3
Years in planning 10.5
Years working 10.1 13.7 16.6
Years working 17

10. 2005 Avg.
$159,091
Head of Planning results Years in planning 9.6
Years working 14
Not enough to break out by agency size
25% 50% 75%
TOTAL
(n=16)
Min= $52K
Max = $325K
$105,000 $172,188 $251,250
Years in planning 9 11.1 13.3
Years working 13 15.3 17.8

11. The Value of Advanced Degrees
I was disheartened to see the following results - just looking at the Planner and Sr. Planner levels
(because of the numbers) those with Masters/MBAs or Bootcamp for Planners are not commanding
higher salaries than our colleagues without advanced education, though Bootcamp may get you to a
level faster or expedite a career change without the corresponding salary
Planners with Planners with Bootcamp Planners with BAs Only
Masters/MBA (n=13) (n=14) (n=32)
Average Salary
$61,808 $55,929 $61,412
Average years in planning
2.9 2.4 3.1
Average years working 6.2 5.1 5.3
Sr. Planners with Sr. Planners with Bootcamp Sr. Planners with BAs
Masters/MBA (n=22) (n=3) Only (n=29)
Average Salary
$102,500 $71,667 $101,948
Average years in planning
5.9 3.7 6
Average years working 10.2 10.3 9.7

12. The New York Factor
Living in New York does seem to come with a significant bump in salary. Looking at the most stable
group at the planner level, you’re talking a 21% increase in salary, which is big, but probably doesn’t
match up with the increased cost of living.
Asst. Planners Planners Sr. Planners
NY Not NY Not NY Not
(n=6) (n= 24) (n=20) (n=39) (n=29) (n=24)
Average Salary
$50,500 $36,208 $68,025 $56,185 $112,232 $87,146
Average years in planning
1.3 1.2 3.3 2.7 5.6 6
Average years working 3.8 3.3 5.4 5.5 10.1 9.8
Group Planning Directors Head of Planning
NY Not NY Not
(n= 13) (n=16) (n=5) (n=11)
Average Salary
$175,077 $142,875 $213,000 $153,636
Average years in planning
10 9.8 11.2 11.1
Average years working 14.3 13.2 17 14.5

13. The Male/Female Comparison
The numbers are really close, but the guys are ahead every time until Head of Planning (our smallest
group). But do the guys get a shot at the title “head of planning” at an earlier age? The male Heads of
Planning are comparable in experience and salary to GPDs.
Asst. Planners Planners Sr. Planners
M F M F M F
Average Salary
$39,353 $38,692 $61,885 $58,870 $102,875 $98,448
Average years in planning
1.4 1.1 3 2.8 5.8 5.7
Average years working 2.8 3.8 5.2 5.7 10.2 9.7
Group Planning Directors Head of Planning
M F M F
Average Salary
$165,636 $152,222 $168,333 $177,143
Average years in planning
10 9.8 9.8 12.9
Average years working 13 14.8 13.7 17.4

14. Additional Compensation
Please select each of the additional
elements of compensation that you receive
61% of planners surveyed are receiving some level of bonus
“Other” includes profit sharing, blackberries, tuition
reimbursement, gym fees, free food, and weekly beatings
from the CEO (loved that one!)

15. What could your company offer that would make you more
loyal? (open-end)
# of Other ideas Agency commit to better work
mentions
Encouragement More staff/interns
Extra vacation days/flex time 51
Company car Parking/transit
Training 30
Ability to take vacation without Appreciation/Respect
Stipend for learning/networking 11 guilt/dirty looks
Gi=s
Pay for cell phone 10 Ability to work part-time
Spa day
Tuition reimbursement 10 Dogs at work
Blackberry
More salary 9 Longer maternity leave
Dept. trips/outings
Profit sharing/stock 9 Better looking agency
Cannes
environment
Send to AP conference 9
Lunch/Snacks
Promotion
Gym membership/facilities 9
Ability to telecommute
Internal rewards
Sabbatical 8
International work
Better 401K match
More responsibility/better role 6
Thinking time
Fewer hours
Flexible schedule 6
Better office location
Pay for home internet
Summer Fridays 6
Own office (not shared)
Child care
Better IT equipment 5
T-shirt
Paid overtime
Better agency culture 5
Better coffee
Dinner when working late
First/business class travel 5
Paternity leave
Regular reviews

16. Will the day-to-day ever live up to the ideal?
How much you like current job How much you like planning
As you move up the food chain (job title), like turns to
really like, really like turns to love. So maybe it’s better at
the top.

17. What would you change about your job? (open-end)
“Less politics.”
“That I’d be more involved in brand experiences, a creative in my own right, not
just a ‘research keeper.’”
“I would probably want the head of my department to take a more active role in
the growth of each planner.”
“Higher salary. Change clients more frequently.”
“Nothing wrong with my job, just wish I had more hours in the day to do it better
and enjoy life more.”
“More time to read up on stuff going on in the world. (books, blogs, etc.) Less
time dealing with the latest ‘fire.’ Due to these out-of-the-blue problems, I don’t
have time during the normal work week to get any real thinking done on the
projects I have going on, and that’s incredibly annoying.”
“Less chasing of new business.”

18. If you could change anything about the planning discipline or industry
you work in, what would you change? (open-end)
“Have planners be paired up more closely with creative teams.”
“Research techniques. We tend to rely on the same stale methods.”
“The arrogance and provincial nature of planning. For idea people, planners look
at surprisingly few influences.”
“I would love to let the air out of those pompous assholes that seem to be lurking
around every corner in agencyland: the first ones to take credit and the last ones
to roll up their sleeves and get stuff done - drive me crazy!!! We are not curing
cancer or painting the Sistine Chapel. We are hired to sell shit. Don’t pretend
otherwise, do it well, on time and on budget. Why all the drama and arrogance?
They make it less fun for the rest of us.”
“I would like to see us better learn from others who might be the equivalent of
planners in their field, outside of marketing. i.e. urban planners, anthropologists.”
“The hours!”
“Planning awards need to be more attainable. This “no grand prix” crap is
ridiculous and NOT motivating.”

19. Satisfaction with compensation by title
Completely Somewhat Fair Somewhat Really
Unfair Unfair Better Than Awesome
Fair
Assistant/Junior 7% 40% 43% 10% 0%
Planner 5% 36% 43% 12% 3%
Senior 6% 13% 53% 23% 6%
Group Director 7% 15% 37% 33% 7%
Head 6% 6% 44% 25% 19%

20. Planners on the Move
How likely are you to change
Number of years at current co. jobs this year?
39%

21. Ah, recruiters
Did you use one? Did they help?
Top Box
Percent who
say “helped a
great deal”

22. Closing thoughts
• I think I may come off as a feminist watch dog, but I believe based on
what I’ve seen that women and men are paid on par with each other,
but perhaps the guys get a shot at the top job at a younger age
• Graduate degrees should command a premium. WTF?
• I haven’t added ethnicity because I won’t be able to look at it by level,
but if you’re curious how diverse we are (or likely, aren’t), let me know
and I will add
• Would love to know your comments - it seems most people are
comfortable with emailing me directly so feel free to drop me a line:
heather.lefevre@martinagency.com