Our Industry Profile takes a look at some of the professionals working across the advertising, adtech, marketing and media sector in Australia. It aims to shed light on the varying roles and companies across the buzzing industry.
Luke Adams: Director, enterprise solutions APAC at Vistar Media.
Time in current role:
Coming up to 2 years this December.
How would you describe what the company does?
Vistar has two parts to its business. The first is a programmatic marketplace and the second is an ad platform. I work on the latter, which helps media owners run campaigns smarter, faster and more profitably. Our toolkit includes CMS, ad server and our “header bidder for DOOH” called Mediation, which helps keep screens full, revenue high and operations stress-free.
What do you do day to day?
I work with publishers to modernise how they run their networks, adopt better tech and unlock more yield. A mix of strategy, problem-solving, relationship-building and turning complex tech into something everyone actually wants to use.
Define your job in one word:
Action-packed, which hopefully counts as one word.
I got into the industry because:
I was living in the US, where programmatic advertising was exploding. Some might say I was at the right place at the right time.
What’s the biggest challenge you face in your role?
I would say the change in management, both internally and externally, has been a bit of a challenge. Updating legacy processes takes patience, persuasion, and trust, but these changes have also offered a real chance for us to improve how we work as a team. On top of this, as I oversee the APAC region, I also need to pay attention to the different nuances each local market operates.
What’s the biggest industry-wide challenge you’d like to see tackled?
Replacing the traditional loop playlist with more dynamic, flexible ad serving.
Who has been a great mentor to you and why?
My childhood basketball coach, Brian Andrews, who encouraged me to start my first business in my first year at uni.
Words of advice for someone wanting a job like yours?
For anyone interested in a role like mine, be proactive and ready to take on multiple projects and tasks, even those outside your immediate remit. Stay inquisitive and always look for ways to add value wherever you can.
If I wasn’t doing this for a living, I'd be:
Finding ways to spend more time outside.
My philosophy is:
Contribute where possible.
My favourite advert is:
Michael Jordan in the commercial “Like Mike” for Gatorade.
Music and TV streaming habits:
Right now, listening to plenty of Oasis and Kendrick Lamar ahead of their concerts. For TV, it’s all about live sport and a Mad Men rewatch.
What do you subscribe to?
Spotify, Soundcloud, Netflix, Stan, Apple Prime, NBA League Pass, Max and Disney
Tell us one thing people at work don’t know about you?
My age. 40. Too old to qualify for the young guns section of this publication, unfortunately.
In five years time I'll be:
Looking to travel less for work and spend more time with my family and friends.
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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