Anna Bollinger.
There was a time when advertising had that intoxicating mix of glamour, creativity, and sheer chaos. Mad Men mythos, Superbowl showmanship, Cannes excess and all that. The industry wasn’t just about making ads, it was a place to aspire to.
Then somewhere along the way, the magic got diluted. Maybe it’s the relentless focus on efficiency, procurement-driven cost-cutting, or the rise of short-term, data-obsessed thinking. Maybe it’s the talent drain to tech, where creativity is rewarded with stock options instead of late-night pitch decks. Or maybe it’s the existential dread of “Advertising is dead” being whispered on loop while agencies churn out more content than ever.
I worry that for many today, a role in Advertising feels less about chasing a dream job and more about tolerating a job I don’t hate. The love isn’t completely gone, but the industry doesn’t romance talent the way it used to.
So, what now? Do what you love? Or learn to love what you do?
For centuries, great minds have told us to do what we love. Confucius promised we’d “never work a day in our lives” if we did. Maya Angelou pushed us to “pursue what we love so well that people can’t look away.”
But with nearly half of Australians unhappy at work, maybe it’s time to flip the script. What if you simply found ways to love the job you have? And here’s the trick: you don’t need to love all of it.
The key to loving advertising again isn’t in forcing enthusiasm for status update meetings, pretending budget cuts are strategic, or trying to out-hack the latest algorithm. It’s in focusing on the slice of work that excites you.
As contemporary author and ex-media man Tim Duggan puts it: “Sometimes a job is just a job” he writes “And that’s okay”. Research shows that finding meaning in just 20% of work keeps people engaged and supports well-being, with a study of doctors revealing that those who dedicated at least one-fifth of their time to meaningful tasks were significantly less likely to burn-out. Any more than that, and there was no added benefit.
What’s your 20%?
The best work - the kind that wins awards, shifts behavior, actually matters - doesn’t come from obsessing over daily tasks. It comes from understanding the impact your work has on someone else. The campaign that connects, the teammate you help grow, the project that pushes your skills. That’s where the spark is.
Throughout my career, my 20% has evolved. Sometimes, it’s the rush of cracking a brief wide open and finding the angle no one else saw. Other times, it’s the energy of collaborating with sharp, creative problem solvers. Lately, it’s the time I invest in mentoring and supporting emerging talent, helping them navigate both their craft and their wellbeing, that makes it all feel meaningful.
At BMF, I also see it in the work we do. Helping ALDI support Australians through a cost-of-living crisis, turning financial literacy into something people can actually relate to, and creating campaigns that don’t just sell but start conversations - about elder abuse, domestic violence or road safety. These aren’t just ads; they’re opportunities to make a real difference.
So, if you don’t hate your job but still feel a little stuck, try this: go see your work being received. Watch how it affects someone else. Because fulfillment isn’t just about what you do. It’s about what your work does for others.
Forget the dream job. Find your 20%. That’s where the Advertising industry magic is.
Anna Bollinger, Executive Planning Director, BMF.