Our Young Guns profile takes a weekly look at some of the young talent aged 30 or under across the advertising, ad tech, marketing and media sector in Australia. It aims to shed light on the varying roles, people and companies across the buzzing industry. Last week we spoke to PacMags director of digital product, Ben Tweedie.
This week, we head to Sydney to speak to Fairfax senior native brand specialist, Kathryn Wills.
How long have you been in the industry?
Four years in advertising, and eighteen months in media.
Duration in current role/time at the company:
A year and a half since I walked through the doors of the Fairfax Media, Sydney office.
What were you doing before this job and how did you get this gig?
Prior to life at Fairfax I was with a boutique through-the-line creative agency. This opened up my eyes to the world of publishing and digital media. I got the gig through demonstrating my passion and interest to learn all things digital.
Define your job in one word:
Dynamic.
What were your real and cliché expectations of working in the industry?
I thought it would be work hard, play hard and that being young, it would take me a while to earn my stripes.
How does the reality match up?
We work hard but hard work does not go un-noticed or unrewarded. Age is not a barrier for roles and responsibilities. If you are a proven team member then opportunities will be vast.
How would you describe what the company does and what does your role involve?
Fairfax is about creating culture through storytelling. My role involves creating those stories for brands and constantly evolving and innovating the medium in which we tell those stories.
Best thing about the industry you work in:
I am never sure what to expect. I thrive on that.
Any major hard learnings in the job so far?
You think you know it all but you will never know everything and never stop learning.
If you had to switch over to another department, which would it be and why?
I would love to sit with the back-end site developers as coding is the language of the future.
What's exciting you about the industry right now?
Everything is exciting about the industry right now. Digital is impacting every single aspect of our lives.
What concerns you about the industry and its future?
People can suffer from advertising fatigue so we need to find new ways to engage and excite them.
Who's your right hand person/who guides you day to day?
I am fortunate to have a brilliant relationship with my manager, Skye Herbert. Together we are at the forefront of driving some incredible opportunities across Fairfax.
And your almighty mentor that you hope to dethrone?
I thoroughly admire Chris Janz, the Australian CEO of Huffington Post. Due to Fairfax’s partnership with The Huffington Post I have been fortunate enough to spend time with the team and Chris. I think his balance between commercial and editorial is second to none.
Career-wise, where do you see yourself in 2020 and how do you plan on getting there?
I hope that the job I have in 2020 doesn’t even exist yet. I plan on continuing to push the impossible and keep curious eyes.
What is the elephant in the room? The thing that no one is talking about – but they should be.
‘The Filter Bubble’ - through the personalised news aggregators we install, are we beginning to automate our own opinions by only being shown what aligns with our viewpoint. Are we narrowing our own knowledge?
Where do you turn for inspiration?
My Kindle. When reading a good book, the mind is so suspended in disbelief that you open yourself up to new thoughts and ideas.
Tell us one thing people at work don’t know about you?
I am a closet Rammstein fan.
Favourite advert is:
One long shot of magic.
Johnnie Walker - The Man Who Walked Around The World
What’s your personal motto?
Life is better when you’re laughing.
I got into advertising/ad tech/marketing etc because:
I enjoy the problem solving that advertising and marketing bring. It ties together my creative passion, philosophical background and interest in psychology.
If I wasn't doing this for a living, I'd be:
On a boat somewhere exotic.
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
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