Our Industry Profiles take a look at the professionals working across the advertising, adtech, marketing and media sector in Australia. They aim to shed light on the varying roles and companies across the buzzing industry.
Rachael Townsley, Head of Marketing APAC,Quantcast:
Time in current role/time at the company: 4 years
How would you describe what the company does? Quantcast specialises in digital advertising solutions for the open internet. We help brands, agencies, and publishers know and grow their audiences online.
What do you do day-to-day?
Every day is different in this industry. Each one could bring a new project, challenge, or conversation. My day usually kicks off with meetings with the global teams in the US, followed by catch-ups with local leadership, commercial, and marketing teams, as well as a few client and industry calls here and there. In between supporting and managing my team, I spend my time building strategy, getting into the data, ideating, writing content, and proactively finding ways to amplify our brand message and value in a cluttered market across multiple regions within APAC.
Define your job in one word:
Collaborative
I got into marketing because: It seemed to be the creative side of business, and business is where the money is, right? That was my rationale when I was 18 years old and deciding what to study at university. A creative spark and my passion for storytelling led me to choose a degree in Marketing and English. I came to learn and love the mix of critical thinking and creativity which modern marketing requires. I have also always been interested in advertising, particularly in the powerful emotional connections that great ads can bring viewers. To this day, I could sit and watch the good ones for hours!
What’s the biggest challenge you face in your role?
Balance. It can be challenging being a leader and working in a global organisation with multiple stakeholders that have different priorities. In APAC alone, our marketing efforts span multiple regions, with different cultures, different levels of understanding of the programmatic space, each coming with their own nuances. Similarly, leading and empowering a team whilst also being an individual contributor requires some top-notch prioritisation and that’s something that I continue to work on.
What’s the biggest industry-wide challenge you’d like to see tackled?
I would like to see diversity being represented more across the industry, both in the workforce and in the ads that we serve as part of the advertising community.
The different cultures, genders, sexualities, and ethnicities (I could go on) that make up our country should have equal representation, giving future generations the feeling of acceptance and driving the message across that no matter where they’re from or the experiences they’ve had, they can progress to the top. I don’t think there’s enough being done in this space currently. Studies show that for every percentage increase in diversity, revenues also increase. It’s good for the industry, for the community, and for business! Why wouldn’t this be a priority?
Notable campaigns you have worked on:
Going back to my days at Pandora (music, not jewellery) in 2016, I was pretty proud of the work I did there which focused on growing ad spend in the audio streaming category, and pushing advertisers to think about their audio strategy–which at the time saw radio channels take a disproportionate share of ad dollars. I learned that the share of listening did not equal the share of investment for the music streaming industry. In fact, it was way off!
Advertisers were struggling to adjust to the new world order for audio and they needed a push to a new way of thinking. And so,Unrivalled was born. This was an event and content series between two fierce rivals–Pandora and Spotify. It shocked the industry, it got people talking, and it delivered results.
Who has been a great mentor to you and why?
My dad, who always taught me to work hard, lead by example, and be a good, fair human being. Seeing the effort that my dad put in as a single father inspired me as I entered the workforce (at the ripe old age of 13) and it continues to do so to this day. I work hard in everything I do; I lead how I would like to be led; and I show care and compassion for those around me. Family, friends, and colleagues have also helped to shape who I am and continue to challenge me to help me grow.
Words of advice for someone wanting a job like yours?
I’ve always had it drilled into me to ‘work hard and the rewards will come.’ In reality, that’s not always the case, but it’s a belief I still have. For those looking to progress in marketing, I would encourage putting your hand up and seeking out opportunities that will challenge you to grow. Hone your deep-listening skills and find a network that will challenge and inspire you with a sense of humour. We work a lot, so we might as well have fun doing it!
If I wasn't doing this for a living, I'd be:
If you’d ask the younger me, I’d be a tennis pro. Now (having not stepped on a tennis court in years), I’d be spending more time with my son and penning a series of books to empower young children.
My mantra is:
Bring your true self to the table every day.
My favourite advert is:
This one is a little random, but it’s an ad that moved me and tugged at the heartstrings. Having lost my grandfather to Alzheimers in 2013, it’s a disease that is close to my heart. A few years ago when I was checking out the Cannes Lions finalists, I came across a Brazilian ad calledUnforgettable Songs. This campaign brings joy and helps Alzheimers sufferers bring lost memories back to life through music.
The part of the brain that has musical memory is one of the last parts of the brain to be affected by Alzheimers and the campaign enabled families to transform real-life stories into songs, helping those with the disease remember the things that they’ve forgotten. This was much bigger than an ad campaign: it sparked a movement and helped families rekindle relationships with loved ones. You cannot put a price on that!
Music and TV streaming habits. What do you subscribe to?
Lockdown with a toddler, I have everything! Netflix, Stan, Binge, Amazon Prime, Disney+, Spotify.
Tell us one thing people at work don’t know about you?
My first ‘office job’ was working in a prison for the summer after my first year at university. On day one, at the age of 20, I was told that if I messed up I could go to jail for 28 days. We all experience pressure in our jobs, but hearing that on day one as a fresh-faced uni student helped build the resilience that I have today.
In five years' time I'll be:
I don’t have an end goal as to where I’d like to be in five years’ time. What I do hope to be doing is inspiring and empowering those around me, championing diversity, equity, and inclusion, and driving change within my organisation and the wider industry.
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