As originally published in AdNews Australia.
Industry Profile takes a look at some of the professionals working across the advertising, adtech, marketing and media sector in Australia. It aims to shed light on the varying roles and companies across the buzzing industry.
Jenna D’Auvergne: National Product Sales Director – Large Format at oOh!media
Time in current role/time at the company:
6 months with oOh! and more than 15 years in the Out of Home industry.
How would you describe what the company does?
oOh! makes brands famous by leveraging its unmatched power and scale to influence consumer decisions through comprehensive OOH solutions across every stage of the consumer journey.
What do you do day-to-day?
I lead oOh!’s large format proposition, which means I have the privilege of being a large format brand ambassador if you like, championing our overall strategic positioning internally and externally so that brands can maximise their use of the format and execute effectively.
Define your job in one word:
A privilege.
I got into marketing/advertising/media/tech because:
I needed a quick exit from the real estate industry when the GFC hit in 2008. OOH advertising made immediate sense, I could continue to sell location and aesthetics and tap into big budgets.
What’s the biggest challenge you face in your role?
Agencies are increasingly prioritising reach efficiencies over weighted campaigns to deliver on their objectives. My primary challenge lies in demonstrating the true effectiveness and value of billboards. Specifically, how a well-crafted, considered approach to a campaign can leverage billboards’ greatest strength – meaningful brand impact and elevated brand stature. Ultimately such an approach contributes to greater brand performance, but proving this in a data-driven, ROI focused environment is difficult. One I’m determined to continue spruiking.
What’s the biggest industry-wide challenge you’d like to see tackled?
Turnover within the industry. We need to figure out how to keep people in their seats from both a sales and agency perspective.
Notable campaigns you have worked on:
Do you remember the Calvin Klein billboards?
Who has been a great mentor to you and why?
Mark Fairhurst (oOh! chief revenue officer), easily the most impactful leader I have worked with in my career. He has a clear, considered and humble approach; he somehow finds time for everyone and has no challenge in saying exactly how it is without ever putting anyone offside.
Words of advice for someone wanting a job like yours?
Strive to be the best at your craft, passion will take you all the way, every time.
If I wasn’t doing this for a living, I’d be:
Back in the real estate game, either selling or interior design.
My mantra is:
50% chance it will, 50% chance it won’t.
My favourite advert is:
British Airways in Picadilly Circus, with the little boy pointing out passing flights which were pulled from a data feed.
Music and TV streaming habits. What do you subscribe to?
Spotify only, and I subscribe to everything.
Tell us one thing people at work don’t know about you?
I’m an OCD clean freak.
In five years time I’ll be:
Highly likely still in this role or one that is very similar, I represent the world’s oldest advertising format, and my role continues to excite and challenge me.
