Our Young Gun profile takes a look at some of the young talent across the advertising, adtech, marketing and media sector in Australia. It aims to shed light on the varying roles, people and companies across the buzzing industry.
Carragh Simpson: Client & performance manager at Wavemaker Brisbane.
Time in current role/time at the company:
Just under four years at the company, and eight months in my current role.
How long have you been in the industry?
Coming up to four years.
How did you get here? Was this always the plan?
Ending up in media was never the plan! To be honest, that was because I didn’t really have a solid plan post-university, like many. I had an idea of going into some kind of vague marketing role, but I count myself lucky that I was introduced to Wavemaker by a friend after I graduated, and I have been here ever since.
Who is your right-hand person/who guides you day to day?
Danielle Davis. She steers the ship day to day on our team and has been a huge catalyst in my growth from day one. I wouldn’t be where I am today without her, that’s for sure.
What’s the best thing about the industry you work in?
This is hard to narrow down! The people are hands down incredible and growing with my clients is a great feeling. It is amazing to be on a continuous journey with them and be there to share knowledge and know-how, and the highs and lows, as they grow and transform. This is especially true right now as we prepare for the post-cookie world and accelerate our clients’ digital transformation.
And the biggest challenge?
Keeping up with a fast-paced and ever-evolving industry, of course. Whether it be platform changes, publisher updates, market conditions, client needs… I could go on! It keeps me on my toes though and there is never a dull day, so I definitely can’t complain.
Whose job have you set your sights on in the future?
Ooh that’s a tough one. At the moment the goal is to be a Client Partner, managing my own team and clients, but in the long-term I could see myself going down a more specific area like Head of Digital for the agency. You’ll have to wait and see.
Where do you turn for inspiration?
Social media is an endless source of inspiration and advice, as it allows me to obtain content from people of all walks of life around the world. However, I try to be careful not to go too far down that rabbit hole. Family and friends are also a given. I’m lucky to be surrounded with hard-working, grounded people whose own life experiences, challenges and triumphs inspire me.
My favourite advert is:
When Kim Kardashian featured in the Uber Eats ad with Shaz from Kath & Kim. The clash of worlds was unexpected and hilarious.
Tell us one thing people at work don’t know about you?
Growing up all I wanted to be was a vet. I am a huge animal lover, having owned horses, a dog and a cat. One day, I would love to live on acreage and have a too many animals to count.
In five years’ time I'll be:
Hopefully leading my own team in a Client Partner role, but also a home owner, somewhere close to the beach.
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
Sign up to the AdNews newsletter, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter for breaking stories and campaigns throughout the day.