US ad employment rebounded with strong gain of 2,100 jobs in April

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics. Seasonally adjusted. Expanded jobs data: AdAge.com/adjobs. Credit: Infographic by Ad Age. Photo: iStock Employment in advertising, public relations and related services jumped by 2,100 jobs in April, a surprising rebound that marked the biggest monthly gain since last summer. For the overall economy, U.S. employers added 253,000 jobs in April, the highest job gain since January, according to the monthly employment report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The unemployment rate fell to 3.4% in April from 3.5% in March, a reflection of a tight labor market with significant job openings despite all the economic stress. You’d need to go back to 1953 to find a lower unemployment rate. Below, Ad Age Datacenter breaks down the report—by the numbers. Advertising, PR and related services U.S. employment in the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) classification of advertising, public relations and related services came in at 494,800 jobs in April based on seasonally adjusted figures. The ad market gained 2,100 jobs in April following a loss of 1,900 jobs in March. BLS revised the March figure from a preliminary loss of 2,100 jobs reported a month ago. The ad business scored strong job gains in 2021 through summer 2022 as the advertising market rebounded from pandemic losses. Then ad staffing hit a plateau, with employment in April (494,800) essentially unchanged from last August (494,600). Monthly advertising employment has ebbed and flowed since last fall. Staffing decreased in four months (September, November, December and March) and increased in four months (October, January, February and April). The April gain of 2,100 jobs was the highest since last August. The job market remains unsettled with layoffs at tech companies, major non-tech firms including Walt Disney Co. and agencies including Interpublic Group of Cos.’ R/GA. This BLS jobs bucket includes ad agencies, PR agencies and related services such as media buying, media reps, outdoor advertising, direct mail and other services related to advertising. Ad agencies account for the biggest portion—about 46%—of those jobs. Read more: What to do if you are laid off from your ad job Tracking layoffs and budget cuts How brands and agencies are bracing for a recession Click here Ad agencies U.S. ad agency employment rose to 227,300 jobs in March, up 400 jobs for the month on a non-seasonally adjusted basis. That followed a gain of 800 jobs in February after agencies reduced payroll in November, December and January. BLS reports ad agency employment on a one-month lag, so April figures aren’t yet available. But the April jump in advertising, public relations and related services employment suggests that ad agency staffing increased last month. U.S. ad agency employment March 2023 vs. previous month: +400March 2023 vs. year earlier: +9,400 Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics. Not seasonally adjusted. Expanded jobs data: AdAge.com/adjobs. Ad Age Agency Report 2023 Revenue, listings and analysis for agencies and agency companies Read more here Unemployment rate The U.S. unemployment rate, based on a separate survey of households, dropped a tick to 3.4% in April from 3.5% in March. The unemployment rate is now back to its January level of 3.4% amid a tight labor market. Prior to 2023, the jobless rate hadn’t been this low since 1969. Back in that period, the unemployment rate held at 3.4% from September 1968 through May 1969. Again, you’d have to go back to 1953 to find an unemployment rate below 3.4%. U.S. unemployment rate April 2023: 3.4% Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics. Seasonally adjusted. Ad spending, marketing and financial stats Analyzing the latest data Click here U.S. employment The nation in April added 253,000 jobs based on seasonally adjusted figures. The economy gained 165,000 jobs in March (downwardly revised from 236,000 jobs) and added 248,000 jobs in February (downwardly revised from 326,000 jobs). BLS explained the downward revisions this way: “Monthly revisions result from additional reports received from businesses and government agencies since the last published estimates and from the recalculation of seasonal factors.” Following an unprecedented loss of 20.5 million jobs in April 2020 as the nation locked down in the coronavirus pandemic, the economy has added jobs every month except for December 2020. Total U.S. employment (155.7 million jobs in April) has recovered all of its pandemic losses, topping its February 2020 pre-pandemic peak (152.4 million) to reach a new all-time high. The World Health Organization, which in March 2020 classified COVID-19 as a pandemic, today said it was ending its emergency declaration for COVID. The organization’s director general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, tweeted: “With great hope I declare COVID-19 over as a global health emergency.” Ad Age Datacenter subscribers can see an expanded table showing advertising employment back to 2000 at AdAge.com/adjobs. Month-to-month change in U.S. nonfarm payrolls April 2023 vs. previous month: +253,000 Month/year Jobs increase (decrease) Jan. 2022 364,000 Feb. 2022 904,000 March 2022 414,000 April 2022 254,000 May 2022 364,000 June 2022 370,000 July 2022 568,000 Aug. 2022 352,000 Sep. 2022 350,000 Oct. 2022 324,000 Nov. 2022 290,000 Dec. 2022 239,000 Jan. 2023 472,000 Feb. 2023 248,000 March 2023 165,000 April 2023 253,000 Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics. Seasonally adjusted. Top marketers, brands and agency ventures Ad Age Datacenter’s definitive rankings of the biggest U.S. and global advertisers and agency companies Click here Subscribe to Ad Age's Datacenter for ongoing data and insights on all of the most-advertised brands.

US ad employment rebounded with strong gain of 2,100 jobs in April

Featured Stories