Young Gun profiles takes a look at the young talent across the Australian advertising, adtech, marketing and media sector. Aiming to shed light on the varying roles, people and companies across the buzzing industry.
Anna Blackie, account manager at The Idea Shed
Time in current role/time at the company:
I’ve been at The Idea Shed for a year and a half (almost!)
How long have you been in the industry?
A year and a half.
How did you get here? Was this always the plan?
Short: This was definitely not the plan! I spent the first 8 years of my career in publishing, working in production and editorial, and writing a book of my own. But after COVID hit, I realised I was in dire need of a change of pace and was lucky enough to find the perfect role at The Idea Shed.
Who is your right-hand person/who guides you day to day?
Picking a singular person is an impossible task. I am incredibly fortunate to work with a team of people with extensive and varied knowledge, who are kind enough to humour my many, many questions. If my time in the industry has shown me anything, it’s that everyone has something to teach you, you just have to know the right questions to ask.
What’s the best thing about the industry you work in?
The collaboration. One of the things that drew me to this industry was the promise of getting to dive headfirst into brands with my team. I love the experience of getting into the nitty gritty of a brand to really understand their needs. What I have found is that the learning process builds such a solid foundation for robust, creative discussions that lead to something extraordinary.
And the biggest challenge?
It’s both a blessing and a curse that our industry is one that is constantly innovating and evolving. Staying up to date with all of the changes and information available is both exciting, and a challenge!
Whose job have you set your sights on in the future?
One of the exciting things about being relatively new to the industry is discovering all the many paths my career could take me. At this point, my goal is to learn as much as I can and find the path that best suits me. Stay tuned!
Where do you turn for inspiration?
My mum. In her day, she was a powerhouse of the PR industry and an absolute force to be reckoned with. When I’m struggling to find direction, I always wonder how she would handle the situation, and try and take a bit of her grace and wisdom with me through whatever challenge I’m facing.
My favourite advert is (and why):
Carlton Draught - 'Big Ad'.
It’s an oldie but a goodie. This ad has stuck in my mind since I first saw it in 2005. I think even then I was blown away by the enormous effort that had to have gone into creating something like this. It’s fun, it’s different, and (despite hating beer) it’s kept Carlton front of mind for me for almost a decade.
Tell us one thing people at work don’t know about you?
Probably revealing too much about myself with this one, but my favourite TV show of all time is Buffy the Vampire Slayer. She is the feminist icon of my dreams and does it all in the freshest outfits imaginable.
In five years' time I'll be:
Hopefully deep into working with new and innovative brands that have a strong focus on doing good for the world and showcasing voices we don’t hear enough from to help craft a more inclusive and diverse industry.
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