MARKETING SALARIES are no longer in decline, according to a pay survey by Alternatives, a specialist recruitment firm that operates in the sector. Four-fifths of the 106 pay packets surveyed by the company have either remained at the same level as 2011 or increased.

The stabilisation, which follows downward pressure on salaries in 2009 and 2010, is driven by demand in areas such as digital marketing, customer relationship management and data analytics. Experienced brand and product managers are also securing competitive packages.

“Increases, when they are awarded are modest, but nevertheless they are back on the agenda,” says Alternatives’ head of recruitment Donal O’Donoghue. “And, as is always the case, in-demand skills and talent attract a premium.”

In digital marketing, a two-speed industry is developing for job seekers, with specialisation paying off, according to Edward Conmy, head of the firm’s digital division. “People with skills in very specific disciplines of online marketing and ecommerce are doing very well, particularly those who are focused on one very competitive discipline, such as paid search marketing and search engine optimisation,” says Conmy.

But the rewards of a salary above the sectoral average are not so readily available for generalist online professionals, where the market is “a little saturated”.

The fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) and drinks sector has been the most buoyant sector over the past year, but there are fewer strategic roles available at the larger companies, as responsibility for strategy has in many cases moved overseas, Alternatives has found.

In financial services, the market is “quite active” beyond the job-shedding big four banks, thanks to a flurry of marketing activity by new players in general insurance.

“Although bonuses have not been paid in many years, salaries in financial services relative to the rest of the market remain relatively high,” the report states.

For example, a brand manager in the financial services sector can expect to earn €55,000-€70,000, while someone with the same title in the FMCG/drinks or retail sectors takes home a salary of €40,000-€55,000.

With under-pressure agencies letting staff go, Alternatives also identifies “a sharp increase” in ex-agency employees moving in-house, particularly at junior level. Salaries for account directors at marketing agencies range from €65,000 to €120,000, its survey found, while in PR agencies, an account director earns €58,000 to €90,000.