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.
Tania Teurquetil - junior strategist at Havas Media Network
Time in current role:
I have been working in the strategy team at Havas Media for a year and a half.
How long have you been in the industry?
I started my career in the midst of the pandemic, in 2020. From starting in lockdown and fast forward to today, I have been in the industry for a little over three years.
How did you get here? Was this always the plan?
I’ve always had a love for media & the arts, but the advertising industry was never the obvious route for me. Despite watching Gruen on loop, music was always my go-to!
After studying at the Australian Institute of Music, and completing my Bachelor’s in Business at UQ, I landed in Performance Media… how fitting! During my second year, I attended an NGEN Strategy workshop and quickly realised that this was the craft that I wanted to pursue. My two years in Performance gave me a great baseline in data-fuelled thinking, which helped me transition into the world of comms planning.
Who is your right-hand person?
I’ve been fortunate to have some incredible women support me throughout my media journey to date. However, a very big and very special shout-out has to go to my manager, mentor, and friend, Luisa Dalli. From helping me navigate the streets of Sydney, finding power in my diversity, and teaching me the art of comms planning - I would be lost (both figuratively & literally) without her! I am a product of many things, but Luisa helped me transform into someone I am incredibly proud of.
What is the best thing about the industry you work in?
Being French-Australian, I am constantly experiencing a clash in culture at every turn in my life. Torn between my upbringing and trying to perfectly slot myself into the world around me, it’s a tale so many first and second-generation Australians experience. What I love about this industry, is the ability to be at the forefront of social culture and the impact we can make. So many people underestimate what it feels like to never see yourself represented in mainstream media, and although there has been progress, there will always be a role for advertising to play when it comes to shaping modern Australia.
And the biggest challenge?
The biggest challenge is ensuring that we’re making meaningful media.
The person I admire most is my mother. Raised in Reunion Island with limited resources, she bypassed formal education, traveling the world for a different life. To this day, she remains one of the most interesting & intelligent people I know.
We need to look broader, to hire more diverse thinkers in this industry. Having a piece of paper doesn’t prove you’re a better thinker. It merely signifies access to specific resources. Given the opportunities & resources I was given, I’m certain my mother would have made a brilliant strategist.
Whose job have you set your sights on in the future?
With the fast-paced change in technology, I’m inclined to believe that my future dream job doesn’t exist as of yet within the industry. In the short-term future, however, I have my sights firmly set on growing within the Strategic field. The job title I’m looking for in the future is still up for debate…head of prompt strategy?
Where do you turn for inspiration?
Given my love for the arts, and my inability to leave a stone unturned, I love consuming deep dives, interviews & thought pieces in different formats for inspiration. There’s always something to gain when it comes to understanding the process of other creatives.
Pop-culture thirst quenchers:
Roundtables by The Hollywood Reporter
Apple Music artist interviews
Scandal! episodes from Shameless
Substack in general, but particularly Why Is This Interesting
Last but not least… TikTok
However, when it comes to comms planning specifically, I always reach for anything by Julian Cole or Mark Pollard.
My favourite advert is:
I have forever been in love with the Royal Crush series by AwesomenessTV and Royal Caribbean. For the last 9 years, this branded piece of content has lived rent-free in my head… I’m a sucker for a teenage romcom!
However, one of my recent favourites is the McDonald’s As Featured In creative. Having spent the majority of my childhood rummaging through the aisles of the DVD store, this one really hit the spot!
Tell us one thing people at work don’t know about you:
People know everything there is to know about me, we can thank open-plan workspaces & my loud voice for that! As per my love for music (see above), I used to be obsessed with getting selected to go on the X Factor. Is now a good time to admit that I am a die-hard fan of all things Little Mix?
In five years time, I'll be:
I’ll be wielding the strategic craft like a pro. As well as spearheading an X Factor reboot with Jade Thirlwall as my coach (a girl can dream).
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