Nathan McRitchie.
In this series, AdNews spotlights young talent in the Australian media, marketing and advertising sector. This time it's Yango's media manager Nathan Mcritchie.
Time in current role/time at the company:
I've been at Yango for 2.5 years and stepped into a media manager position this month, July 2026.
How long have you been in the industry?
For 2.5 years - Yango is my first job in the industry, and it has been an incredible training ground.
How did you get here? Was this always the plan?
Coming out of university with a Bachelor of Marketing & Media (and a gap year spent travelling before stepping into the “real world”), I knew I didn't want to be boxed into one discipline. I wanted a role that would expose me to all that the industry has to offer and help me build a highly adaptable skill set.
Agency life, with its pace and variety, felt like the perfect place to do that, particularly at Yango.
Was it always the plan? Not exactly. I knew I loved marketing, but I never mapped out a five-year path. I thrive on uncertainty and the thrill of not knowing exactly what is coming next. In an industry moving as fast as ours, being comfortable with the unknown isn't just fun; it's essential.
Who is your right-hand person?
Mairead Ryan, Yango’s Senior Media Manager. She was my first manager when I started at Yango as a co-ordinator, and we’ve since evolved into the agency’s “dynamic duo.” Our strategic and operational skills perfectly complement each other. That synergy actually led us to become finalists together at this year's Cairns Hatchlings competition, which was a massive highlight.
What is the best thing about the industry you work in?
The relentless diversity of thought. You are constantly surrounded by people who challenge the default assumptions and bring wildly different solutions to the table. It’s an industry where curiosity is rewarded, and where combining different perspectives is what turns a good campaign into a great one.
And the biggest challenge?
Paula Bloodworth, the Co-founder of Alien Baby with Idris Elba, sums it up perfectly. She pointed out that it often "feels like we’re doing a lot about creating insurance, mitigating risk versus hoping for great success.” I’m all for data-backed thinking, but it’s too easy to use it as a crutch. The real challenge for our generation is finding the courage to balance the metrics with instinct, culture, and creativity, rather than over-indexing on caution.
Whose job have you set your sights on in the future?
It’s less about a specific job title and more about the qualities of the people I consider mentors. If I’m producing strong strategic creative work like Eb Yusuf, or possessing leadership skills like Yango’s founders, Luke Povee and Nick Murdoch, I’ll be pretty happy with where I’ve ended up.
Where do you turn for inspiration?
I'm constantly keeping an eye on industry publications for award-winning work, both locally and globally. But honestly, my best inspiration comes from stepping away from the screen: observing how everyday people interact with culture, emerging trends, entertainment, and just having conversations with the people around me.
My favourite advert is:
Specsavers' "Welcome to Melbourne" out-of-home campaign. It's a great reminder that the most impactful ideas aren't always the most complex.
Tell us one thing people at work don't know about you?
Growing up, I was a serial hobbyist. Guitar, rugby, karate, keyboard, the list goes on. I loved diving into something entirely new and figuring it out from scratch, which probably explains why I love the constantly shifting landscape of agency life today.
In five years’, time I will be:
In a role that keeps me learning, challenges me to think differently, and inspires me to do my best work.
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