The MFA's NGEN Award gives media agency executives with less than five years’ experience the opportunity to create positive impact by using their core skills: strategic thinking, creativity, storytelling and media execution expertise. NGENers were this year invited to respond to a brief calling for a bespoke fundraising campaign for the Indigenous Literacy Foundation (IFL).
AdNews presents, Meet the Finalists:
Sam Murray, Investment Executive, Hearts & Science
Zac Kelly, Media Strategy & Planning Partner, Dentsu
How long have you been in the industry?
Sam: 3 years
Zac: 4 years
What attracted you to working in a media agency? Was this always the plan?
Sam: I wanted to learn how you would tackle marketing if you had a million dollar budget compared to a small business and media seemed like a good industry to learn. Definitely was not always the plan.
Zac: It was always the plan to get into advertising. The creative side drew me in as I didn’t know the media side existed until I finished uni.
What were your greatest lessons from the experience of entering the NGEN Award?
Sam: The “what if” ideas that seem out of the realm of possibility can develop into your best ideas.
Zac: 1. Create Theatre 2. Spend time on the response 3. Ask for feedback
What’s the one tip you would give future entrants of the NGEN Award?
Sam: Just apply. Get uncomfortable and dedicate time to thinking about the problem.
Zac: Enter as many competitive awards as possible.
What’s the best thing about the industry you work in?
Sam: Free drinks
Zac: The feeling of a successful campaign or presentation.
Where do you plan to be in five years’ time?
Sam: Who knows, there’s so much to learn and so many potential avenues that can arise from media.
Zac: It depends on the opportunities, but I would like to be managing a team in a position that gets to solve interesting problems.
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