Women In Media: It’s GroupM’s Venessa Hunt!
In today’s instalment of our Women in Media profiles, we talk balance, motorbikes and passion with the head of mobile at GroupM, Venessa Hunt.
I believe massively in balance. I have been known to take the odd morning call or late night call and I don’t really switch off, so there’s probably a lot of people that have a better work/life balance than I do.
But I really love my job and I really love the industry so to me it’s not like, ‘Oh god I’ve got to go to work’. I want to go to work because I want to change stuff, I want to invent stuff, and I want to create stuff, so for me it doesn’t really have the same connotations.
In my downtime, I ride a motorbike. It depends on how bad my day is, but if I need a bit of adrenalin or distract myself, I just jump on the bike and head out for a night-time ride or head down to the beaches and get a bit of air.
If I need some chill time, if the day’s been a little bit hectic, I poor myself a nice glass of red wine and I paint.
I get more achievement out of helping somebody else achieves something than if I achieve something. So if I can help somebody’s job become a little bit easier, I can make them an expert in something they weren’t before, or if my girlfriends need something fixed – those kinds of things for me, that idea of helping somebody or getting someone else to move ahead – is actually my motivation for the majority of things. It doesn’t matter if it’s for business or my mates.
I always talk about relevance, so imagine you’re sitting around on your 85th birthday and you’re looking around and everyone’s talking about you. What do you want them to say?
They’re never going to care what I did for a job, but they’re going to care about fundamentally who I was. And if that part of who I was reflected in my job, that’s great. If you’re good at what you do and you love what you do, then the career stuff and the money stuff just happens.
My advice for younger women would be to remain passionate. Passion will drive you to do anything, whether you want to run your own wine bar or if you want to be a CEO. If you remain passionate about something and don’t let others affect that passion it will drive you to be what you want to be.
And never give up. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been told I couldn’t do something, and it only drives me to do it more.
I studied mechanics when I was younger and they told me ‘girls aren’t mechanics’. But I topped the state because I had little hands and it made getting around inside the bonnet one hundred times easier. I think our industry is kind of the same.
If you stop paying attention to what you don’t have and pay attention to the amazing abilities that you do have, then you won’t be held back.
So if you can change your mindset around negativity at any point and actually use it to influence your passion, you can never go wrong. Trust me, if I look back on myself 11 years ago when I was convincing people that mobile was two per cent of website traffic and how important it was, and I look at it now. I stuck to my guns then, I was really passionate about it then, and it’s done me a world of good now.
I know I might have to work twice as long or twice as hard as a guy to do the same job, but I don’t care. I’m going to do it because I want the same outcome. I’m not a guy and if the same rules don’t apply to me, while that might frustrate me, I still want the same outcome.
Yeah, sometimes men do get more senior jobs and if I go for a CEO role that conversation will change but for right now, there are so many things that I bring to a job that a guy just can’t.
If you don’t allow yourself to be held back, you won’t be held back. If you want it bad enough you’ll make it work for you, and you’ll prove that if you stop paying attention for so long to what you don’t have and pay attention to the amazing abilities that you do have. Women have a great set of skills.
Latest News
Sydney Comedy Festival: Taking The City & Social Media By Storm
Sydney Comedy Festival 2024 is live and ready to rumble, showing the best of international and homegrown talent at a host of venues around town. As usual, it’s hot on the heels of its big sister, the giant that is the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, picking up some acts as they continue on their own […]
Global Marketers Descend For AANA’s RESET For Growth
The Australian Association of National Advertisers (AANA) has announced the final epic lineup of local and global marketing powerhouses for RESET for Growth 2024. Lead image: Josh Faulks, chief executive officer, AANA Back in 2000, a woman with no business experience opened her first juice bar in Adelaide. The idea was brilliantly simple: make healthy […]
Is Meta’s New AI Chatbot Too Left-Wing?
Meta's chatbot accused of being left-wing after being caught wearing a Che Guevara T-shirt & listening to Billy Bragg.
TV Ratings (23/04/2024): Why Did No One Tell Angela That Farmer Wants A Wife Is Set On A Farm?
As wonderful as this headline is, let's face it, we all know an 'Angela', don't we?
PubMatic Unveils New AI Partnership To Turn Social Posts Into Ads For Any Digital Channel
Here's some nifty tech for turning social posts into ads. Assuming said posts aren't one-star character assassinations.
Intuit Mailchimp Makes A Splash With Its First Australian Brand Campaign
Ever laugh along at a gag you didn't get so as not to appear dumb? Get ready for more feigning with this new work.
GumGum’s Rob Hall: Advertisers Can No Longer “Rely On Binary Descriptions” Of Consumers
If anyone's got their finger on adtech's pulse, it's Rob Hall. He also avoids using the good paper in the office printer
Mastercard Nabs Florencia Aimo From Marriott International
Marriott International's Florencia Aimo jumps from the hotel business to the exploitative credit card one.
Bastion Agency Appoints Cheuk Chiang As New ANZ CEO
Cheuk Chiang takes the reins over at Bastion Agency. But not the rains down in Africa.
Spotlight On Sponsors: Major Sponsorship Wins After A Disappointing Week In Sport
B&T continuing our deep dive into local sport sponsorships & that's despite not a single offer of a free ticket as yet.
Macca’s Marketing Director, Samantha McLeod On Big Mac Chant: “What Was Once Old Is Now Cool Again”
Macca's using the power of nostalgia in latest Big Mac campaign. Well, only for those who've ever eaten one sober.
World Premiere Of Midnight Oil: The Hardest Line To Open Sydney Film Festival 2024
Oil's biopic to open Sydney Film Festival. Here's hoping Molly Meldrum will take his pants down at the premiere.
Entries Are Now Open For The 2024 Brandies, IntelligenceBank’s Annual Brand Marketing Awards
The Brandies are, of course, a prestigious marketing gong and not the mystery tipple favoured by nannas everywhere.
The Fred Hollows Foundation Appoints Ardent For PR
Yes, we all like to have a joke at PR's expense. But sometimes it does important work, like this.
AI, eCommerce & Marketing Specialists Are In Increased Demand By Businesses, New Data From Fiverr Shows
Has your philosophy & anthropology degree left you with nothing but a huge HECS debt? Here's what you should've studied.
Perth’s First 3D Anamorphic Billboard Arrives Courtesy Of oOh!media
Do you love a buzzword? Now you can add anamorphic to the list as it relates to billboards, not a colleague's ears.
MasterChef Australia & Crown Resorts Launch Unique Dining Experience With ALUMNI
A pop-up restaurant staffed by MasterChef contestants! That's fine dining prices for first-year apprentice chef cuisine!
Amanda Laing Announces Resignation From Foxtel Group
Foxtel's chief commercial & content officer heads for the exits. Read nice things the bosses said about her right here.
The Lost Letters From Our Diggers: News Corp Unveils ANZAC Day Special
It's nice when brands respectfully acknowledge ANZAC Day.
Howatson+Company Acquires Akkomplice
Large indie acquires a slightly smaller indie. Much like a shark eating a tuna, just with less thrashing and blood.
Google Delays Third-Party Cookie Deprecation Again
In good news for the sale of picture library biscuit photos, Google continues to tease over the end of cookies.
Education A Low Priority For Aussies More Concerned With Cost Of Living Forethought Study Reveals
Study finds Aussies cutting back on education due to cost of living. Booze & Uber Eats sales remain largely unaffected.
“I’m Still The Same Person That I Was”: Rikki Stern Says “Fucc It” To Cancer Stereotypes
B&T always happy to promote the anti-cancer cause. Even brands that massively overdo it with the hot pink.
The Unapproved Climate Certification Allegedly Causing Mass Greenwashing
Are you left flummoxed in the canned tuna & free range eggs aisle? Just wait till this green certification gets up.
TV Ratings (22/04/2024): Fans Mock “Over The Top” Reaction To New MasterChef Judges
MasterChef returns for its 2024 season. B&T stands by putting peppercorns in Gravox & no one will be any the wiser.
Dentsu Restructure: Muddle, Harvey & Johnston Take Leadership Baton As Bass & Yurisich Exit
A large broom has swept through Dentsu's local ops this morning, taking with it some big names & the air con's cobwebs.
Industry Shares Trends Shaping The Industry This International Creators Day
B&T's asking adland creators to reveal their top trends. And it's not good news for your Jenny Kee cardigan collection.
Mable Extends HOYTS Sensory Screenings Partnership
Mable has extended its HOYTS sensory screening partnership. Vigorously defends its two-star Oppenheimer review.
Orphan Launches ‘They Need Our Help. We Need Yours’ For Children’s Cancer Institute
Anything to do with childhood cancers has B&T's 110% support. That said, we do ignore the red meat & alcohol warnings.
Smile Team Orthodontics & Keep Left Collaborate On Smile-Inducing Campaign
As parents would attest, given the cost of orthodontics you'd expect this campaign to be a lavish production indeed.
Opinion: How Video Calls Neglect Learning Diversity
Need an excuse to duck out of a video call this arvo? Show this to your boss.
DoubleVerify Achieves First-Of-Its-Kind Responsible AI Certification From TrustArc
DoubleVerify receives responsible AI certification. However, not its robotic vacuum that's been seen menacing the cat.
Smile For A Good Cause: The Social Media Campaign Giving Back To The Community
Are you known as the office Austin Powers? More for you teeth than shagability? Get snappy new fangs with this news.
Elon Musk Mocks Albo After ESafety Wins Court Injunction Against X
Albo's 2024 from hell continues - Rabbitohs in crisis, down in the polls and now feuding with world's richest man.
Real Estate Developer In Hot Water Over “Sexually Exploitative” OOH Campaign
Real estate agents again tops in the 'least trusted profession' polls, nudging used car salesmen & ad creatives.
Epsilon’s Shane Hanby: Post-Cookie Era Relies On “Teamwork” Between Brands, Marketers & Tech
This pro predicts more "teamwork" in a post-cookie era. Which spells bad news for the uncooperative or plain stubborn.