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.
Toby Aldred: general manager of Saatchi & Saatchi Australia + chief client officer of The Neighbourhood
Duration in current role/time at the company:
Ten years.
How would you describe what the company does?
We create impossible outcomes for some of Australia’s best-known brands.
What do you do day-to-day?
I’m lucky to don two hats – with one I have the privilege to help clients achieve their impossible with Saatchi & Saatchi, and with the other I guide the Arnott’s business across the Publicis Groupe connected platform, The Neighbourhood. Keeps me busy and keeps me thinking.
Define your job in one word:
Fun.
I got into advertising/ad tech/marketing etc because:
I’m tickled by the many mysterious, magical, emotional and amusing ways advertising can persuade people to like or do something.
What’s the biggest challenge you face in your role?
Providing the right reassurance for all sorts of wonderful and different people at a time of great change.
What’s the biggest industry-wide challenge you’d like to see tackled?
Diversity is an on-going challenge when it comes to people, ways of thinking and our history.
Notable campaigns you have worked on:
Most recently, I’m very proud of our Arnott’s brand campaign in delivering growth, our work re-launching Ampol into the Australian market, and the new local work for Heineken.
Who is/has been a great mentor to you and why?
Philip Beeching, my first agency boss. He taught me that if you really want it, then throw everything at it.
Words of advice for someone wanting a job like yours?
Back your passion and your point of view, work hard, don’t take what we do too seriously and above all have fun – the industry attracts brilliant human beings.
If I wasn’t doing this for a living, I’d be:
A failed children’s TV presenter.
My mantra / philosophy is:
Stop complicating it.
My favourite advert is (and why):
BA – The Face – just everything. Visually striking, inspiring, joyful, minimal words, a beautifully delivered voice over and overall damn epic. Most becoming of the world’s favourite airline.
Music and TV streaming habits. What do you subscribe to?
Pretty much all of them, Only Murders In The Building on Disney+ is my top tip.
Tell us one thing people at work don’t know about you?
If an Alice band was good enough for Becks, it was good enough for me.
In five years' time I'll be:
Very happy.
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