In this series, AdNews takes a look at some of the professionals working across the advertising, adtech, marketing and media sector in Australia. This time it's Clemenger BBDO chief growth officer Anita Zanesco.
Time in current role/time at the company:
One year.
How would you describe what the company does?
We reframe brands in culture and create work that Australians want to talk about. We’ve been doing it since Clems launched in 1946. We’ve a long history of reframing brands whether it’s for the RTA through our famous Pinkie campaign, the TAC with Meet Graham, Snickers with Hungerithm, NAB with More than Money, and of course, for the Yellow Pages with Not Happy Jan. This philosophy carries through to today with our campaigns for CUB and MYER, both clients for over 10 years as well as a host of other clients. We want their brands to be a part of Australian life so finding ways to get people talking about them is what we do.
What do you do day-to-day?
I have several hats, sometimes wearing a few at once which is always interesting (and can be entertaining), for those around me. I have my hunting hat complete with bow and arrow; my gathering hat accessorised with strategic insight and creativity from our national team of superstars; my coaching hat which I carry with me everywhere and feel privileged to use when needed; and my client hat, the one with the wide rim, as we prepare for pitches and second guess the questions and challenges clients might pose.
Define your job in one word:
Relentless (in an exciting way!).
I got into marketing because:
I had an entrepreneurial streak and was quite business minded but had a real interest in the interaction between people and brands too. I was also a closet creative wishing I had the talent to create famous ideas that got talked about. When I realised I didn’t, I did the next best thing and joined an agency where there were much more talented creatives than me and we could create fame for our clients together.
What’s the biggest challenge you face in your role?
Clems has been going through a huge transformation over the last 12 months. The biggest challenge in a role like mine, is making sure the market is aware of it. Aware of our vision, aware of our new capabilities, aware of our fierce ambition to reframe our clients’ brands (and our own!) and raise the game to create the type of work that Australians talk about.
What’s the biggest industry-wide challenge you’d like to see tackled?
Oh, where to start. It’s just not simple anymore. There’s not just one challenge, there’s a whole bucketful from gender pay gaps to inclusivity and diversity to transparency. From a selfish perspective, I’d love us to be able to tackle pitching as an industry. I think there are leaps to be made both client and agency side to find ways for marketers to more effectively assess an agency’s compatibility with their culture and capability requirements. This includes arming clients with the tools and resources to run an agency selection process efficiently, respectfully and successfully, especially if they are doing it without using an external consultant. It’s a big issue and one high on the agenda of lots of us new business leads across the country as well as consultants and industry bodies.
Who has been a great mentor to you and why?
A huge call out to Brian Martin who I haven’t seen for a few years now. Brian was my first boss in adland and a massive supporter. He gave me a shot when I was inexperienced and ambitious and hopefully, I didn’t let him down. One of the sharpest strategists and kindest people you’ll ever meet. Brian if you are reading this we are overdue a long lunch! More recently Darren Woolley has been a supporter and mentor in so many ways and I’ll be forever grateful for the intro to our fearless leader, Dani Bassil, which led to me joining Clems at such a pivotal time.
Words of advice for someone wanting a job like yours?
Be patient. It’s a long game. There’s a stat somewhere that between first contact with a prospect and conversion the average time is 13 months. I’ve made humans in less time.
Be brave. The worst that can happen is someone can say ‘no’ or worse ignore you.
Be kind. That’s just advice for life. You’re welcome.
If I wasn't doing this for a living, I'd be:
Working as a certified performance coach and personal trainer, both of which I’m qualified to do. I get a lot of joy working with people to help them get more clarity, to make them stronger and fitter – physically and mentally.
My mantra is:
Try to be a rainbow in someone’s cloud. Maya Angelou.
My favourite advert is:
WOW! I have a new one at least monthly. I love sport and have always been a fan of the amazing body of Nike work. I’m also a swimmer and recently Speedo launched a global campaign, ‘Go Full Speedo’, that made me smile. It was so iconically Australian, and yes, I talked about it. Isn’t that what it’s all about?
Music and TV streaming habits. What do you subscribe to?
Too many platforms. I’m in and out based on programming – I love a British Drama, cried when Ted Lasso finished and love The Bear.
Tell us one thing people at work don’t know about you?
I’m a pretty open book. I reckon they know a lot. Maybe more than they should! They possibly don’t know I started my career as a copywriter. Lucky for everyone I saw the light (or maybe the industry did!).
In five years' time, I'll be:
Prepping my youngest for the HSC and wondering what life looks like with no kids at school anymore. I’m already thinking it looks like a skippered boat and a champagne tinted view of the Croatian coastline.
Have something to say on this? Share your views in the comments section below. Or if you have a news story or tip-off, drop us a line at adnews@yaffa.com.au
Sign up to the AdNews newsletter, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter for breaking stories and campaigns throughout the day.