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.
Lucy Dowling, process and quality manager at Resolution Digital
Time in current role/time at the company:
I have been with Resolution Digital for five and a half years. I stepped into my current role as the national process and quality manager at the start of this year, having previously progressed through the ranks in search, paid social and programmatic advertising for five years.
How long have you been in the industry?
I kicked things off as a marketing intern, which transpired into a yearlong stint back in 2016, on the client side. I then dipped my toe in agency land and have never looked back!
How did you get here? Was this always the plan?
When I left high school, I had no clue what I wanted to do. So, like every other Australian, I took a year off to travel Europe. I love a cliché. To be honest, I had no idea advertising agencies even existed until I stepped into one on my first day! In my final year, I managed to land myself a role with one of Resolution Digital’s clients at the time.
My mentor in this role helped me so much by organising a catch up with the head of resolution QLD at the time, so I owe her a lot. At this meeting, we discussed what I wanted from a job and where I wanted to take my career. I must have said something right because I was offered the job as paid search assistant on the spot.
Who is your right-hand person/who guides you day to day?
I am incredibly lucky with the amount of people that spring to mind. Having started working in the Brisbane office, then relocating to the Melbourne office a few years later and now sitting in a national role, I’ve forged friendships that span quite literally across the eastern seaboard of Australia. I wrote in a recent award entry that I see myself as part of Reso’s furniture and I think where I’ve landed today really solidifies that for me.
Bringing it back to the question, my right hand person is my incredible boss, Georgina Wall. Since working with her I have been fortunate enough to soak up so much from her expertise and brilliance. Though she has just headed off on maternity leave which gives me the chance to learn from someone new as my right hand!
What’s the best thing about the industry you work in?
If you’d asked me eight months in, I’d of said the parties! To be fair, six years in, the parties are still great. Though the best thing for me right now is working with a bunch of incredibly intelligent people, who are all just as much of a nerd about advertising as I am. I love chatting with people about the results we drive for our clients and sharing the excitement when we see those conversions rolling in.
And the biggest challenge?
As anyone would say, pace! It feels easy to lose sight of reality; many people say ‘we aren’t saving lives’, however the pace we work at sometimes feels like we are. Juggling client needs, managing expectations, and workloads can sometimes feel very overwhelming – not knowing what to prioritise when everything feels like a priority is my biggest challenge at times.
However, while it’s true that we are ‘not saving lives’, we are continuously driving and influencing a positive culture for brands to change how people act; from seeing a logo, to spending their money. I enjoy working with some amazing brands doing great things and seeing the hard work pay off when the remarkable results present themselves.
Whose job have you set your sights on in the future?
Haha! This is great! Well to be fair, Des Odell, is that okay to say? I am here to break down the imposter syndrome and shoot for the top, so watch out Des! One thing I always notice about him, from when I was an entry level assistant to the national role I now sit in, he has always treated me the exact same way. I admire how much time he puts into his people and makes everyone feel like they have a sense of belonging at Resolution Digital.
Where do you turn for inspiration?
Oh, what a question! I think I am constantly inspired by learning. I love speaking to people with 10,15, 20 years’ experience and asking them what media life was for them back when they were where I am today. As we all do, I suffer from immense imposter syndrome, so I really try to utilise the resources of experience and knowledge of the wiser staff within my agency to help guide me as I forge my own path.
Outside work though, I am an outrageously huge fan of Hamish and Andy, while it sounds unrelated, I truly admire how they’ve forged their entire careers around having fun. With that I have learnt, I am most happy with work when I am having fun with what I am doing.
Tell us one thing people at work don’t know about you?
I am the most open book you could meet. Sometimes I feel like it would be nice to have some mystery about me but working in the same agency for close to six years, everyone is bound to know a thing or two.
The biggest thing I could think of is that my dream is to one day write my own novel. I am a passionate writer and obsessed with reading so it would be epic to one day see my name on the cover of a novel.
In five years' time I'll be…
Is it too bold to say it twice in the same article - CEO of Resolution Digital. Though I am aware it might take me a bit longer than five years haha!
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