AdNews is following the WFH Diaries with a series of Perspectives, asking two questions: What did you learn in 2021 and what are you looking forward to in 2022? We've also asked the industry to glam, dress for the best, and face the next year with optimism.
Kim Portrate, CEO, ThinkTV
I learned a lot this year. Most of it had nothing to do with the work. Well, almost nothing.
I learned that in this new world, old ways of doing things, of measuring success – performance or professional – don't hold as much water as they used to.
Pre-pandemic, I’d always ask about people's lives, but it was a polite enquiry from a respectful (not prying) distance.
COVID has changed that, fundamentally. And forever.
Like you, these past months, I’ve seen puppies and kittens, small people, inside bedrooms, people without makeup, without haircuts and, every now and again, without filters. And I don’t mean the Instagram kind.
I’ve seen stress that hadn’t existed in the form of home-schooling parents and stress that was maybe always there but not obvious such as people living alone and needing the human contact of a conversation.
COVID has made us more than before: it has made us all more human.
We’ve learned how to respond to people that need a hand, even if they didn’t ask, or even realise they needed it. It’s brought new layers to what it means to be part of a team, and to what it takes to lead a team.
As a leader, I've learned to be more aware of what isn’t said, shared or felt. And I’ve learned that without empathy, it’s impossible to be the authentic, truthful, kind person others want to work with.
Perhaps most importantly, I learned the need to understand the different drumbeats people march to and how to get them, and all the other members of the percussion section, to come together in harmony.
Yes, this year has been hard and difficult, but now, we look toward the future as better humans because of it. That's something to be grateful for.
Despite all this, the industry has done a remarkable job through a pretty difficult time.
Advertisers, in particular, learned how to navigate challenging circumstances, some so quickly they have grown their businesses exponentially. Many did so by holding the course and investing in their brands.
We’ve come so far from the early days of making tough decisions with little information and as we farewell 2021, the market is buoyant and expected to stay that way.
There’s no doubt COVID will leave a lasting imprint on the industry including the growth in cultural commerce. One of the big ah-ha moments for me was the way the pandemic drove shopping local because it better expresses the desire to connect, support and grow local communities and the businesses that operate in them.
This cultural commerce inflection point applies to media and marketing as much as it does to supporting local retailers. More and more, brands are discovering the importance of adding value to our communities, and our economy.
At the heart of this are Australia’s media owners. Part of the fabric of the country, our homegrown media businesses give local brands the chance to be a part of the stories they tell, our stories.
It’s been quite a year and I have no doubt 2022 will bring its own set of learnings. But after the last two years, as an industry, I reckon we can handle just about anything.
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
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