Our Industry Profile takes a look at some of the professionals working across the advertising, adtech, marketing and media sector in Australia. It aims to shed light on the varying roles and companies across the buzzing industry.
This week we speak to Samsung Ads Australia general manager Alex Spurzem.
Time in current role/time at the company:
15 months.
How would you describe what the company does?
At Samsung Ads we help advertisers to engage hard-to-reach TV audiences in new and innovative ways.
What do you do day-to-day?
In Australia, we’re building a new business from the ground up and a lot of that is about growing the team and coaching them to deliver against our customers’ objectives.
Define your job in one word:
Rewarding.
I got into advertising/ because:
My dad worked in media and as kids we’d guess the brands during ad breaks, which was a game that was often more fun than the actual show. I’ve also always liked technology, so much so that I built computers out of components as a teenager. In hindsight it seems almost inevitable.
What’s the biggest challenge you face in your role?
Australia is a very tech-forward market but I also think we’re slightly behind on education around CTV as a whole and that’s also where we’re focusing with a new and unique offering like Samsung Ads.
What’s the biggest industry-wide challenge you’d like to see tackled?
Measurement is still quite difficult.
Previous industry-related companies you have worked at:
PHD, Google.
Who is/has been a great mentor to you and why?
I’ve always had a great deal of respect for Melanie Silva at Google who helped me stretch beyond my comfort zone on more than one occasion. Also, my boss, Guy Gibbs, is one of the most critical thinkers I know and always helps me look at things in a different light.
Words of advice for someone wanting a job like yours:
When you join a company, take your time to figure out why exactly things are done the way they are done. Then challenge the status quo.
If I wasn't doing this for a living, I'd be:
A helicopter pilot in the Swiss Alps.
My mantra / philosophy is:
Love change or leave it.
My favourite advert is:
I’m German and remember when I first got to Australia the Volkswagen ‘Time To Unpimp Ze Auto’ ads made me laugh.
What do you subscribe to?
Apple TV+, Amazon Prime, Disney+, Netflix, and of course all 57 channels of Samsung TV Plus.
Tell us one thing people at work don’t know about you?
I love to bake and make a pretty tasty apple strudel among other desserts, including lamingtons.
In five years' time I'll be:
Living on a vineyard and probably still amazed by how much advertising will have changed despite all the predictions.
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