In this series, AdNews spotlights young talent in the Australian media, marketing and advertising sector. This time it's QMS programmatic campaign manager Mitchell Howden.
Time in current role:
Three months.
How long have you been in the industry?
Four years.
How did you get here? Was this always the plan?
I always wanted to get into advertising but wasn’t sure which avenue to explore. At Uni I worked part time at Pacific Magazines, which is where my interest in media started, and then I eventually got my first full time job at OMD. After a few years of agency life, I felt the buzz surrounding programmatic DOOH and so I jumped at the opportunity when QMS was expanding its team.
Who is your right-hand person?
I've got a great team I rely on every day. We're so connected at QMS that we all help each other out regularly. But I’ve learnt a lot from Laura Wall and I’m extremely excited to be working with an esteemed industry expert in Michael Whiteside.
What is the best thing about the industry you work in?
The great people I work with and the constantly changing tech. It’s fascinating to see how quickly programmatic DOOH advertising is advancing. Media’s fast-paced, energetic environment keeps everyone on their toes and the social events add a lot of fun to the mix.
And the biggest challenge?
Programmatic DOOH is still so new and trying to understand a medium that is constantly changing and evolving is quite challenging but equally as exciting.
Whose job have you set your sights on in the future?
I don’t have a specific role in mind because the industry evolves so quickly, and new opportunities keep emerging. When I first started in media, I hadn’t even heard of programmatic advertising, so it’s hard to predict what the future will bring. I’m excited to see where things go and to adapt as new roles and tech emerges.
Where do you turn for inspiration?
As I’m still quite fresh at QMS, I turn to anyone and everyone for inspiration as I want to absorb as much as possible.
My favourite advert is:
AAMI’s “Kiss Me Ketut” or the Carlton Mid “Coincidence” campaigns. I also really enjoy those adverts with a catchy jingle as they are the most memorable – I’ll always remember the Reading Writing Hotline one! (13-00-6-555-06).
Tell us one thing people at work don’t know about you?
I’m the youngest of five brothers with a 22-year age gap between us. You wouldn’t be able to tell though, as our sense of humour is just as immature across the board.
In five years’ time I will be:
Hopefully continuing to follow a career that I find interesting and challenging while working with people I like.
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