Our Young Gun profile takes a look at some of the young talent across the advertising, adtech, marketing and media sector in Australia. It aims to shed light on the varying roles, people and companies across the buzzing industry.
Today we speak to Hello Social social media manager Gabriella Lock.
Time in current role/time at the company:
I started as an intern three years ago and have been in my current role for two and a half years.
How long have you been in the industry?
Three years now.
How did you get here? Was this always the plan?
When I was studying my Bachelor of Business, I had originally chosen an Economics major so you could say marketing wasn’t always in my plan. After deciding Economics wasn’t the right fit for me, a Marketing major seemed like my best choice – and it was, I haven’t looked back. It’s always been something that has come more naturally to me and as someone who lives and breathes all things digital, when I began to start looking for experience in the industry, social media/digital marketing was my first choice.
Who is your right-hand person/who guides you day to day?
I’m really lucky in that I’m surrounded by a great network of people both personally and professionally who inspire and challenge me. In terms of my day-to-day though, I’m mainly guided by my account director, Vicky. I’ve already learnt so much from her and continue to do so every day – she’s always there for support and someone I know I can turn to for advice (or just a good chat).
What’s the best thing about the industry you work in?
The people for sure! I’ve never met so many intelligent, creative and interesting people who are so passionate about what they do.
I also love the fast-paced nature of the industry - it’s constantly evolving so there’s always something new to learn. At Hello Social, I also get to work on a range of interesting clients from Skin Republic to Petmarket, to Asuria, and live and breathe these day-to-day. The variety has been great exposure!
And the biggest challenge?
Also, that it’s constantly evolving. Keeping myself up to date on everything that’s happening, while exciting, can be challenging. At this rate, I think I’m subscribed to every EDM in the industry so I’m always trying to read up on platform updates and industry news
(or that next big change Facebook has implemented).
Whose job have you set your sights on in the future?
I love the entertainment industry – cinema, TV, music, you name it – so it would be a dream to be working on the likes of Netflix, Spotify or something similar, creating and delivering impactful, results-driven campaigns. While I’m not sure on the exact role just yet, I know I’d also love to be leading a team.
Where do you turn for inspiration?
Everywhere! Inspiration for me can come from so many different – the people around me, social platforms (I’m looking at you Tiktok) and sometimes just listening to carefully curated Spotify playlists.
Our team Hello Social brainstorms though are a personal favourite. There’s nothing better than being able to bounce ideas off some incredible people in the industry and create something impactful that also drives results! The agency is also big on team Slack channels where we collaboratively share the latest news, creative ads, and general marketing findings from each other which is great for inspiration.
My favourite advert is:
You Can't Stop Us | Nike
Nike’s ‘You Can’t Stop Us’ is one of my more recent favourites. Showcasing sport living on through adversity as a result of the pandemic was compelling, powerful and timely. Not only was the storytelling exceptional, but the editing was too. It’s an ad that took the Internet by storm, and with good reason.
Tell us one thing people at work don’t know about you?
That I studied Economics, or I consider myself a pro in all things TV trivia - the latter is definitely more interesting.
In five years' time I'll be:
Continuing to learn from those around me and hopefully managing a team of people myself! I’d also love to work abroad (overseas travel pending) as that’s something I’ve always wanted to do.
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
Sign up to the AdNews newsletter, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter for breaking stories and campaigns throughout the day.