Young Gun profiles takes a look at the young talent across the Australian advertising, adtech, marketing and media sector. Aiming to shed light on the varying roles, people and companies across the buzzing industry.
Gino Hadiutomo: media & growth lead at Sparro
Time in current role/time at company:
I have been in my current role for about a year and a half now, but I’ve been with Sparro for almost seven years! Tom Holland wasn't even Spiderman yet back then.
How long have you in the industry?
A little more than eight years. I had a brief stint working client-side before I moved to Sparro.
How did you get here? Was this always the plan?
Not at all! I was an aerospace engineer before I was a marketer. It’s pretty neat calling yourself a rocket scientist, but the only problem is that building or fixing planes and rockets can be so boring. I decided I needed a career change and thought I’d probably be pretty good at getting people to buy more stuff. It would be a perfect blend of science/numbers — which I love — and creativity — which I didn't get enough of in my past life. I learned about digital marketing while studying for my Master's, saw a job opening at Sparro on a uni job site, applied for it (part-time to start), and the rest is history.
Who is your right-hand person? Who guides you day to day?
Michael Troumbas, our strategy director. He's a top-tier leader, mentor, and friend who always pushes me to grow and think differently. He doesn’t just see people as employees but cares about them as individual people. I've learned so much from him and will continue to do so!
What’s the best thing about the industry you work in?
I’ve always found the psychology of marketing to be very interesting. Digging into people's psyche, working out how they think, and steering their decision-making to drive the results that we want. Cool, but yeah, look, definitely a bit creepy when put that way.
And what is the biggest challenge?
Getting too comfortable by relying on tools and tech. At the end of the day, tools are just tools. With more automation and greater accessibility to data, what sets great marketers apart from good ones is great ideas, smart thinking, using information in innovative ways, and a willingness to try new things.
Whose job have you set your sights on for the future?
Nobody’s! I don’t want to mould myself into an existing role. I'd rather create a unique role that plays to my strengths, keeps me on my toes and helps me add value in my own way.
Where do you turn for inspiration?
The gym. It’s less of a place to get inspired, and more of somewhere I can just put some music on and clear my head. It’s valuable time that puts me in the right headspace to be creative.
Tell us one thing people at work don’t know about you:
I may have been born in Indonesia, but I can't handle spicy food if my life depends on it.
In five years' time, I'll be…
Headlining at Sydney Olympic Stadium on the first leg of my solo world tour.
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.