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 This is Flow digital account executive Andrew Sarkis.
Time at the company:
I’ve been at This Is Flow for eight months now!
How long have you been in the industry?
Two and half years.
How did you get here? Was this always the plan?
Truth be told – there was no plan. Right after high school, I studied a Bachelor of Physiotherapy. During this time, I found myself more and more intrigued by the concept of ‘innovation’.
Fast track to today, and I can say that there is definitely a plan in place. Since then I have graduated from a Bachelor of Business (Marketing major) and a Bachelor of Creative Intelligence & Innovation. I have also worked across some really cool start-ups and more recently landed a role at a company that is really challenging the norm.
Who is your right-hand person?
I am very fortunate to work alongside a team of creative, funny, engaging and intellectual individuals. In saying so, Matt Papasavva, our digital lead, has been instrumental in my professional growth. Apart from the hourly office banter, he continues to balance my endless list of questions, the rest of the teams’ questions, and his own workload without breaking a sweat. Matt’s extensive industry experience and mentorship is truly inspiring.
What’s the best thing about the industry you work in?
Every day is different.
Whether it’s the clients, the projects, the interactions or the culture – it’s always an exciting day.
And the biggest challenge?
Again, every day is different – but in reverse.
The digital world is always evolving. Staying in front of the trends, platforms, behaviours and processes is more than a full-time job.
Whose job have you set your sights on in the future?
Jeff Bezos – I’m coming for you.
In all seriousness, I’d love to lead a team and drive the implementation and execution of a range of impactful digital campaigns.
Where do you turn for inspiration?
I’ve got two sources of inspiration.
The first is definitely Mum. I can always count on her to steer me in the right direction, particularly when the picture is blurry.
The second, is a well-balanced combination of music and food. Mix these two together and you will definitely achieve greatness… in some form or another.
My favourite advert is:
Definitely an old but cheeky ad – “The Windex Naughty Bird 2007 Commercial”. This was one of the earliest ads that I could remember, which really made me stop and appreciate the power of humour to capture one’s heart.
Tell us one thing people at work don’t know about you?
I am extremely addicted to…TikTok.
In five years’, time I'll be:
Recognised for transforming the digital industry, whilst mentoring some of the most exciting young talent.
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