In this series, AdNews spotlights young talent in the Australian media, marketing and advertising sector. This time it's Amplify's junior designer Susan Alzaim.
Time in current role:
One year.
How long have you been in the industry?
Just under a year and a half. I had a short and sweet stint as a digital designer ahead of entering my current role as junior designer at Amplify.
How did you get here? Was this always the plan?
Not entirely. I wasn’t aware experiential was a dedicated area until my final year of university when our ECD approached me. Like a guiding north star, this spontaneous introduction inspired my pursuit. A few months later, “Amplify Australia is hiring for a junior designer” appeared in my inbox, and the rest is history.
Who is your right-hand person?
As a compact counterpart of our UK mothership, it’s rare when we’re not all collaborating on a project in one way or another. However, if someone were to take home the golden ticket, it’d have to be our creative director, Jackson Holst, who’s taught me some invaluable tips and tricks of the trade, encourages my creative independence, and who continually imparts much appreciated insights. Thanks for keeping the shoulder warm.
What is the best thing about the industry you work in?
I love the often wild or strange ideas that come to life. It’s so much fun to see how creatives are tapping into the ever-changing cultural zeitgeist to create works that respond to trends and cultural movements.
And the biggest challenge?
Always evolving our thinking to respond to the times. Sometimes it can be overwhelming to keep track of the round-the-clock content-machine, but when you tap into the right audience at the right time, inspiring things happen.
Whose job have you set your sights on in the future?
Unfortunately, I don’t have a master plan for world domination, I’m just going with the flow.
Where do you turn for inspiration?
People! Their lived experiences and perspectives can be a rich source for innovative human truths, which are ultimately central to what we do. The other 95% of my introverted brain would argue video games are enough to get the job done.
My favourite advert is:
As an energy-drink connoisseur, it’s gotta be Red Bull's iconic cartoon commercial spots. Fun, wacky and unserious, the brand has been loyal to this format since 1992, making them recognisable, and dare I say, a breath of fresh air, the second the ad runs.
Tell us one thing people at work don’t know about you?
I can’t just give away all my secrets, so let’s do it this way - two lies and a truth:
I’ve fractured my arm skateboarding in the past, promptly ending my Avril Lavigne sk8ter girl era.
I have a phobia of deep, dark bodies of water. From abandoned swimming pools, artificial diving pools and especially the ocean.
I’ve rewatched The Walking Dead S01-S06, a total of three times, in part to convince myself I could survive the zombie apocalypse, and partly as an excuse to talk like Rick Grimes.
In five years’, time I will be:
Making a splash in the name of social design. I believe there’s a necessity to leverage industry trends, tech and the cultural climate to shift the mindset of how brands and agencies are approaching briefs.
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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