Talent Pitch is an AdNews initiative to help industry professionals, during COVID-19, to display their skills and experience. Contact AdNews at adnews@yaffa.com.au if you would like to be included.
Jo Hines is a media director:
What’s your best skill to show off?
In my professional life it is connecting the dots in what appears to be a simple way, but delivering an outcome that is greater than the sum of it’s parts. Usually this is shaping media strategies based in both science and sense, but it also applies to agile teams delivering business outputs.
In my personal life it is putting together perfect travel itineraries, but that is currently limited to weekends away in Victoria!
What do you like most about your work?
To put it simply - it’s the people. Our industry is made up of a community of smart vibrant people, and I’m lucky enough to get exposure to the majority of players - clients, agency partners, media specialists, media partners, content creators, etc. There is nothing better than the feeling of when we are delivering great work, collaborating seamlessly, and achieving exceptional results.
It’s been harder of late with WFH, but there is one quote that sums it up for me - “by overvaluing flexibility we undervalue connection”. The trick will be in finding the balance – with our internal team, with our clients and agency partners, and with the broader media community.
Examples of campaigns/work
I’ve been lucky enough to work across many stellar brands, and there have been many highlights.
However, I’ll take my cue from a previous CEO who counted her wins as strong agency NPS scores, positive client satisfaction scores, long account tenures and the strength of her network. Wise words.
Something about yourself that few know
Not many people know that I love a good library. It all started when a previous mentor suggested that I schedule ‘thinking time’ into my work diary and that the NSW State Library was his favourite place for this. He was onto something good. Now that I call Melbourne home, I minimise travel time whilst still getting my ‘thinking time’ in and steal a few moments in libraries down here - sometimes in the beautiful State Library of Victoria, or sometimes closer to home in the local Toorak Library.
What did the pandemic do for you?
When COVID-19 hit I was contracting at Hatched (a great bunch of real people doing really great work).
When my daughter’s school closed early we took the opportunity to move to the mountains to be able to enjoy more space than a high-rise apartment allows during a lockdown. It was actually a beautiful period where we created lots of memories.
When schools returned back to the physical classroom we were back in the city and ready to think about the next chapter of working life. Recently I’ve worked on numerous projects – from helping pure eCom brands to broaden their reach, to helping local cafes/restaurants adjust their social media strategy for these strange times. I’ve also been able to spend time helping MFA Support, Mentally Healthy, alongside further studies (IPA #Eff Test, ADMA Marketing Masterclass and Yoga Teacher Training).
As we all start to adjust to a new normal I’m looking for my next role and am enjoying exploring opportunities in the media / marketing space. It’s great to be speaking to people who are building teams and shaping their businesses for the future. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch if you are hiring, I’m always up for an exploratory converation!
In five years, I want to be …
That feels like an impossible question, especially right now, so I’m going to reframe the question and answer with the 5 elements that guide my decisions.
- Working with people who are smart, humble, and generous, whilst also being ambitious.
- Living in a place that is cultural, progressive and active by nature.
- Continuously deepening my knowledge of the media/marketing industry.
- Contributing to both our industry and my community.
- Always travelling, in whatever form this takes.
Jo Hines's LinkedIn profile.
Contact AdNews at adnews@yaffa.com.au if you would like to be included in Talent Pitch.
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