I think at some point everyone starting out in this industry is plagued with the same question: is media for me? From demanding clients to demanding mangers, deadlines, material issues, proformas, post, budget rec... Where does it end? Surely it’s not all bad? Endless supply of magazines, tickets to the footy, concerts, movies? The parties; media Thursday, magazine and TV show launches...
I started in this industry at the beginning of the year, my first ‘real’ job out of uni. In the beginning everything was new and exciting. Wearing business attire was still a novelty; the hour bus ride didn’t bother me in the slightest because this was all a part of my new life. However, as time has dragged on and I’ve realised what it feels like to sit in front of a computer for nine hours straight, the novelty began to wear off... I once had a conversation with a colleague about the balance between work and life in the media industry, her response made me take a step back for a second; she said to me, “You will only survive in this industry if you truly love it.” Hmm. Do I truly love; leaving for work in the dark, and leaving from work in the dark?
Yes, I do. I could easily go work as a receptionist at any local business, starting at 9 and finishing at 4.30 on the dot, but as I get more involved and begin to uncover all the different avenues there are in media, the more I begin to appreciate what it is that we do and what we are a part of.
In the short time I’ve been in this industry, I’ve already had the opportunity to be exposed to some amazing and diverse people. I have been lucky enough to have the opportunity to be a part of an initiative that Nicole Milward has developed for ZO employees that are new into the industry - ‘Incubator’. The point of Incubator is to open our minds and develop new ways of thinking.
The session that has resonated with me in particular, is the first session we had where we were presented to by Craig Davis, Co-Chairman and Chief Creative Officer for Publicis Mojo Australia and New Zealand.
Craig was extremely inspiring when discussing the power of creativity. He used the Jay-Z book launch of Decode and their partnership with Bing to illustrate his point that when you combined ballsy ideas and great creative executions with excellent media planning the results are limitless. Going through uni, I had the intention of being a creative and definitely saw myself heading down that avenue. So when I ended up on the media side, I struggled to find where my creativity can fit into my role. Craig’s presentation opened my mind to think creatively about media - to not look at things based on the obvious.
Every session that we have gives me a new appreciation to the endless possibilities this industry holds. I love that in media we’re always learning, whether it’s new insights about our consumers, the ever changing world of digital or why campaigns succeeded or failed there’s always the opportunity to soak in as much information as you can handle.
It really would have been a shame if I settled for 9 to 5.
Angie Seeto
ZenithOptimedia Sydney
The AdNews NGen blog: Open your mind to creative media
10 October 2011