In this series, AdNews spotlights young talent in the Australian media, marketing and advertising sector. This time it's iProspect Sydney's programmatic associate Adam Sandahl.
Time in current role/time at company:
9 months as a Programmatic Associate at iPro.
How long have you been in the industry?
9 months.
How did you get here? Was this always the plan?
I always knew I wanted a creative career, but marketing, let alone programmatic, was never really on my radar. While I was studying at university and working at JB Hi-Fi, I was doing everything I could to break into the agency world. Then COVID hit, and unfortunately that door closed before it even opened. I lost a bit of momentum and passion during that time, but last year the fire reignited. I landed an interview at iPro, took the opportunity and haven’t looked back since.
Who is your right-hand who guides you day to day?
My Manager, Ludimila ‘Ludi’ Vieira De Freitas, and Programmatic Executive, Stuti, have both played a huge role in helping me grow and understand the ins and outs of programmatic. But I also must give a big shout out to the wider programmatic team. They’re a group of smart, driven people who aren’t afraid to experiment, share knowledge and support each other. Being part of a team that's so collaborative and driven genuinely motivates me.
What’s the best thing about the industry you work in?
No client or brief is ever the same. Each one comes with its own unique goals, which means every day is different and brings a new challenge. That’s what I’ve loved so far about my role. It’s pushed me to grow, adapt and constantly learn, while giving me the opportunity to work closely and build relationships with clients and publishers to help deliver real, meaningful solutions.
And the biggest challenge?
The landscape is incredibly diverse and constantly evolving. Being new to media, I’ve had to not only catch up but also keep up, which has at times been challenging.
Whose job have you set your sight on in the future?
Baby steps for now, but I want to keep progressing and pushing myself further. Programmatic Executive is the next goal (sorry Stuti!).
Where do you turn for inspiration?
As I mentioned earlier, my team. Every WIP or brief catch up leaves me learning something new or gaining clarity on something I was unsure about. Their drive, knowledge and willingness to share genuinely inspires and motivates me.
Tell us one thing people at work don’t know about you:
In 2014, I received a scholarship that gave me the chance to study in Sweden over the summer. While I was there, I met people from all over the world with Swedish heritage. That experience gave me a travel bug, and I’ve started to visit all the countries they came from ever since.
In five years’, time I’ll be:
To be honest, I didn’t expect to enjoy programmatic as much as I do. There’s something really rewarding about being able to build a story out of data in a spreadsheet. So, if things keep going the way they are, I can see myself still working with something related to programmatic five years from now.
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