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.
Maddy Phillips: Senior business manager at Howatson+Company.
Time in current role/time at the company:
I've been at Howatson+Company for 8 months now.
How long have you been in the industry?
H+Co is my first experience working at a full-service advertising agency. Before this, I floated between social media and experiential marketing agencies for the past few years.
How did you get here? Was this always the plan?
I studied a double degree of Commerce and Chinese at uni and my first job was in experiential marketing (which still has a very special place in my heart). From there I went into social media marketing, which was fun, but I found it hard to make a difference with the brands we worked with as everything was at such a small scale.
When I joined H+Co I realised what it was like to be a part of an agency that can work across an entire marketing strategy end-to-end. I’ve always worked agency-side which I love, as it’s so fast paced and wildly creative.
Who is your right-hand person/who guides you day to day?
Ange, my senior account director. She’s the best. So hard working and does everything she can to set me up for success. Everyone needs an Ange.
What’s the best thing about the industry you work in?
The creativity. It’s a bit of a cliché answer but I honestly am blown away everyday by the opportunities and the ads we get to make for different brands. It’s pretty incredible that this is considered a job! I especially love that in my role within Accounts Service, I’m able to mix creativity with organisational and interpersonal skills. It's the perfect recipe for me!
And the biggest challenge?
Probably the balance between some incredible creative ideas and understanding what’s best for your client’s business. Sometimes you have to let go of an awesome idea if the client doesn’t think it’s suited to their long-term objectives, but that’s all part of the fun.
Whose job have you set your sights on in the future?
I’m open to anything! As long as it’s a role that continues to work both sides of my brain. I see myself as a strong leader so would love to continue to develop into more senior management positions.
Where do you turn for inspiration?
Books, events, social media (especially TikTok), my colleagues... and my mum!
Tell us one thing people at work don’t know about you?
I’m a competitive show jumper. I’ve competed at multiple Nationals and was about to travel interstate to ride before Covid hit. In my gap year I went and rode over at an Olympic stable in Belgium and that was when I decided that riding professionally was not a career that I wanted to pursue. I still ride regularly - my horses are kept at my parent's farm in the Macedon Ranges.
In five years' time I'll be...
Hopefully in a leadership position, creating awesome ads with even better clients. Working with people is my favourite thing about the job. Oh, and maybe in London!
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