Sarah O’Toole.
In this series, AdNews spotlights young talent in the Australian media, marketing and advertising sector. This time it's Enigma's senior media executive Sarah O’Toole.
Time in current role:
Just over 3 years.
How long have you been in the industry?
4 years.
How did you get here? Was this always the plan?
Honestly, it wasn't a straight line. I started a nursing degree, then followed a pull toward creativity into a business diploma at the Fashion Institute, picked up an internship in Sydney and got a taste of that world. But I kept finding ways to bring design thinking into everything I did, even my strategic assignments had a visual angle. Then I pivoted completely and spent two years as a florist in the wedding industry, which sounds random, but that niche combination of floristry and marketing led me to doing small projects for local businesses and discovering a real love for marketing with a creative edge. Media found me more than I found it, but I've made it my own by bringing that outside-the-box, visually-led thinking into everything I do.
Who is your right-hand person?
I couldn't pick just one and that's the best thing about Enigma. We're such a collaborative agency, with so many talented people, If I have a question, there's always someone who has the answer across all offices and departments.
What is the best thing about the industry you work in?
The creative freedom, but also the diversity of it. One day you're deep in channel strategy, the next you're exploring a new publisher or working with technology that didn't exist two years ago. There's no single right way to approach the work, which means there's always room to experiment and bring something unexpected. And the industry archives bring as much inspiration as what’s being made right now - there’s always something to learn from.
And the biggest challenge?
Proving that creative thinking has a place in a channel that's so often measured purely on performance. The numbers matter, but the best work happens when you're given room to think beyond them. Making that case is an ongoing conversation.
Whose job have you set your sights on in the future?
Honestly, less about a specific title and more about a way of working - leading with intention, giving teams room to think differently, and staying close to the craft. Whatever that looks like in five years, I want the work to feel considered and the people around me to feel supported and inspired.
Where do you turn for inspiration?
Try to stay curious and keep an appetite for new experiences. Travel, books, getting into different places and situations - I think the best ideas come when you're a bit outside your comfort zone. I've also been loving Substack lately; there's something about slowing down and sitting with long-form content that sparks ideas in a way that the endless scroll just doesn't. I'm always drawn to founders and brands doing unexpected things.
My favourite advert is:
Right now I'm obsessed with Dairy Boy. The Low Country Camp and Farm Friends campaigns make each drop feel like a short film more than an ad. It's a masterclass in video strategy; you connect to the feeling of the brand before you even register what they're selling, and then you want everything. There's a J.Crew-esque editorial quality to it - that sense of being invited into a world, not just shown a product. That feeling is the kind of work that makes me excited about what advertising can be.
Tell us one thing people at work don’t know about you?
I'm a bit of an open book at work, but I'd say some people don't know I grew up competing in waterskiing. Very niche sport, but it brought some amazing travel opportunities and is always a handy skill for a day out on the water with friends.
In five years’, time I will be:
Doing work that's even more rooted in creative thinking and design. I don't know exactly what that looks like yet, but I’m following what excites me right now and will see where that takes me.
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