High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! Medium to large-sized advertising agencies divide their work into various departments, traditionally splitting functions into interacting with clients and looking out for their interests (account management), buying advertising (media), and creating advertising (creative). The importance of the voice of the consumer has grown over time. Around the 1980s US ad agencies introduced a new discipline from the UK called account planning which became a primary function in most US ad agencies in the 90s. Account planning brings the consumer into the process of developing advertising.