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.
Kristine Marinkovic, Digital Marketing Specialist, Sparro
Time in current role/time at the company
I’ve recently celebrated my two year anniversary.
How long have you been in the industry?
This is my fifth year working in marketing.
How did you get here? Was this always the plan?
It was always part of the plan to some degree, but the way it’s ended up is quite different to what I expected. I majored in sports management at university, with the intention of working in sports marketing. Towards the end of my degree, a mentor suggested starting my career at an agency, because of the steep learning curve and opportunity to gain experience across so many industries.
So, I got an internship at an agency, where I was lucky enough to work on sporting clients and, after a year and a half, I had the industry experience to move across to the Sydney Swans Football Club. Unfortunately, this role was cut short by the pandemic, and with so much uncertainty in the sport industry, I decided to return to digital marketing to give myself the best opportunity to continue my career development.
Who is your right-hand person/who guides you day to day?
I’m so grateful to have such open relationships with a lot of the senior staff at Sparro, who I look to for guidance and who I know have my back. But, I can’t go past my team leader and Sparro’s Key Lead for Retail & Growth, Sarah Arvela, who’s been my biggest supporter and advocate from day one at Sparro.
What’s the best thing about the industry you work in?
The best thing is that I’m surrounded every day by some of the smartest people I’ve ever met. I also love that agencies drive innovation for digital marketing across all industries. Not a day goes by without having a conversation with someone that opens my mind to new ideas, approaches, innovations and strategies, and it’s always so exciting to see these come to life.
And the biggest challenge?
I think most people in this industry would agree that because we care so much about what we do, our clients, the relationships we build and the outcomes we’re seeking, it can be difficult to switch off. But I think it’s important to find time to rest, pursue your other passions and be fully present in your personal life — and I’m so grateful that Sparro is a big advocate for this too, it makes it a lot easier!
Whose job have you set your sights on in the future?
This job doesn’t exist yet, but I have my sights set on a Head of Marketing role for the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games.
Where do you turn for inspiration?
The dance floor! Dancing helps to clear my mind and tap (see what I did there) into my creative side. Whether it’s a salsa class or improvising in my lounge room, a good dance session always leaves me feeling refreshed and inspired.
Tell us one thing people at work don’t know about you?
I am a notorious over-sharer so they know most things about me already, but maybe that I’ve never watched Seinfeld?
In five years' time I'll be…
Managing international brand marketing for a Premier League football club.
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