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 Quantcast account manager Mia Marasco.
Time at the company:
18 months.
How long have you been in the industry?
Five years.
How did you get here? Was this always the plan?
In a roundabout way, yes. I studied journalism and enjoyed it but by chance landed an internship at a media agency and the rest, as they say, is history! From the moment I arrived, I knew that this fast paced, wildly fun and more-often-than-not challenging environment would be hard to beat, and alas my love affair with digital marketing began.
Who is your right-hand person?
Personally: My fiancé. A graphic designer/skateboarder who is the complete opposite to me, incredibly creative and the ultimate easy-going guy. He makes me feel calm and compliments my personality perfectly.
Professionally: My ‘work-wife’, Brooke McGregor, senior agency lead for Victoria at Quantcast. She is the epitome of a hard-working, strong-yet-kind, woman in media. She and I have worked together on some of my proudest achievements to date. She pushes me out of my comfort zone and in turn gives me the confidence to make my voice heard.
Professionally: Jodie Malcolm and Patrick Weiks from Nunn Media, where I started my career. These are two of the greatest gifts the media industry has ever given me!
What’s the best thing about the industry you work in?
Its fast pace, ever-changing, beastly but brilliant nature. And, of course, the people! Being surrounded by intelligent, driven and humble people daily makes me feel so lucky to work in my industry.
And the biggest challenge?
People being too obsessed with hierarchy. I work with a lot of different agencies and can confirm it doesn’t define ability.
Whose job have you set your sights on in the future?
I see myself growing within my current business, so, Nick O, I am coming for you! Head of account management APAC at Quantcast.
Where do you turn for inspiration?
The seaside. My parents both love the water so growing up, most hot summer days were spent at the beach. To this day it’s the first place I visit if I am feeling uninspired.
My favourite advert is:
Anything by Åkestam Holst. My favourite creative agency responsible for some of the most powerful ads. They just get it. I love this ad they did for IKEA.
Tell us one thing people at work don’t know about you?
I still love tap dancing… I always position it as a past tense hobby however when no one is home, I dust off my tap shoes and ruin my poor concrete floor!
In five years' time I'll be:
Married and living down on the Mornington Peninsula. Continuing my ‘Quantcast takeover’ mission and climbing my way through the ranks representing a strong, inquisitive and capable woman in media, always!
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