Industry Profile: JCDecaux head of creative solutions Ashley Taylor

11 February 2020
 

Our Industry Profile takes a look at some of the professionals working across the advertising, ad tech, marketing and media sector in Australia. It aims to shed light on the varying roles and companies across the buzzing industry.

This week we speak to JCDecaux head of creative solutions Ashley Taylor.

Time at the company:
Three years.

How would you describe what the company does?
JCDecaux is the world’s largest outdoor advertising company. We specialise in the market leading delivery of advertising solutions across street furniture, transit, large format, airports and rail.

Define your job in one word:
Innovation.

I got into advertising because:
Advertising is arguably the most exciting industry in the world. I think a lot of people underestimate the creative opportunities and innovation that can be applied within the out-of-home industry specifically, so I absolutely love showcasing that imagination is the only constraint.

What’s the biggest challenge you face in your role?
My team prides itself on coming up with bespoke ideas for all of our clients, catered to the specific brand and brief. The issue is, we get so many briefs, often with very short turnarounds, so our brains are in constant overdrive! In this industry, there is never enough time.

What’s the biggest industry-wide challenge you’d like to see tackled?
I would love to see more time for everyone involved in the industry (agencies and publishers). The lack of adequate time and the fast pace causes unnecessary pressure, which naturally can compromise the wellbeing of staff. It’s such a fabulous industry, that we need to work hard to ensure people don’t burn out.

Previous industry related companies you have worked at:
This is my first role specifically in media.

Notable campaigns you have worked on:
There are so many incredible campaigns that I have been a part of. One of the most memorable was the AFL Finals Live Streaming campaign in which we surprised commuters by calling panels at random times with some of the biggest AFL stars and rewarded them for answering the call.

Who has been a great mentor to you and why?
The previous head of creative solutions, Alan Klein, was one of the most incredible mentors you could ever ask for. His passion for innovation is unprecedented and the bravery of his boundary pushing within the out-of-home formats inspired me to continually push myself and the team to think big.

Words of advice for someone wanting a job like yours?
It’s such an incredibly unique role, but I would recommend it to someone who naturally has an interest in technology and is creatively minded. I would research campaigns taking place globally to inspire you and start a career in the out-of-home industry, and start contributing to ideas of how to do something a little different.

If I wasn't doing this for a living, I'd be:
A motivational speaker.

My mantra is:
Anything is possible.

My favourite advert is:
This is a hard one – there is so much amazing work out there. But I will give it to the famous Pepsi Augmented Reality Bus Shelter. It took out-of-home as a stage for content creation (my passion) mainstream! 

Music and TV streaming habits. What do you subscribe to?
I subscribe to literally everything. I am a large consumer of media in all formats and love to see the difference of the platforms and stay across pop culture.

Tell us one thing people at work don’t know about you?
I’ve never seen a Harry Potter Movie or read the book.

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