Analysis
NAICS 541890 is the 2022 national industry for other services related to advertising, part of 54189 (Other Services Related to Advertising). Census lists 7 example activities under it in the official index.
County Business Patterns counts 7,395 US establishments in this code in 2023, employing 97,046 people at an average annual payroll of $47,269 per employee (15th percentile of national industries). 66% of the establishments have fewer than five employees, which marks it as a small-business industry.
Census lists 12 related activities that belong elsewhere, most often in 541810, 541820, 541830 and 541840. Businesses that do several things are classified by their primary activity, the one that generates the most value, so check those boundaries before settling on this code.
Its index entries, the activities Census uses to assign businesses to this code, include advertising specialty (e.g., keychain, magnet, pen)…, demonstration services, merchandise, display lettering services and mannequin decorating services, among 7 in all.
For example, creating advertising campaigns and placing such advertising in newspapers, television, or other media are classified in 541810 (Advertising Agencies) instead.
Official definition
This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in providing advertising services (except advertising agency services, public relations agency services, media buying agency services, media representative services, display advertising services, direct mail advertising services, advertising material distribution services, and marketing consulting services).
Illustrative Examples:
Advertising specialties (e.g., keychains, magnets, pens) distribution services (except direct mail) Sign lettering and painting services Display lettering services Store window dressing or trimming services Mannequin decorating services Welcoming services (i.e., advertising services) Merchandise demonstration services
Source: US Census Bureau, NAICS 2022 Manual.
Not this code if…
| The business mainly does | Use instead |
|---|---|
| Creating advertising campaigns and placing such advertising in newspapers, television, or other media | 541810 Advertising Agencies |
| Designing and implementing public relations campaigns | 541820 Public Relations Agencies |
| Purchasing advertising time or space from media outlets and reselling it directly to advertising agencies or individual companies | 541830 Media Buying Agencies |
| Selling media time or space for media owners as independent representatives | 541840 Media Representatives |
| Providing display advertising services | 541850 Indoor and Outdoor Display Advertising |
| Providing direct distribution or delivery (e.g., door-to-door, windshield placement) of advertisements or samples | 541870 Advertising Material Distribution Services |
| Providing direct mail advertising services | 541860 Direct Mail Advertising |
| Publishing newspapers or operating television stations or online information services | 51 Information |
| Providing access for clients to advertising servers and/or real-time bidding marketplaces from a central host site (except by publishers, Web search portals, and other content providers) | 518210 Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services |
| Providing custom search engine optimization (SEO) services | 541511 Custom Computer Programming Services |
| Providing marketing consulting services | 541613 Marketing Consulting Services |
| Printing advertising specialties | 32311 Printing |
Index entries (7)
- Advertising specialty (e.g., keychain, magnet, pen) distribution services
- Demonstration services, merchandise
- Display lettering services
- Mannequin decorating services
- Sign lettering and painting services
- Welcoming services (i.e., advertising services)
- Window dressing or trimming services, store