It’s time to celebrate the achievements of CommsCouncil course graduates. In this new series, we’ll be profiling recent completers to share their learnings, career goals and overall inspiration. Meet Sandra De Witt, account manager at The Brand Agency in Perth, who not only achieved a Pass with Credit on the IPA Eff Test, but runs a not-for-profit in her spare time.
TCC: How long have you been in the industry and in your current role?
SDW: Just over six years. I spent four and a half years on the client-side and I’ve been in my current role for almost two years.
TCC: What degree did you complete?
SDW: I completed a Bachelor of Marketing & Public Relations/Bachelor of Communications and I’m in the process of completing my Master of Business Administration at UWA.
TCC: What is the best thing about your job and being in the industry?
SDW: I really enjoy the fast-paced nature of the industry. We’re in an industry that encourages innovation and where there’s no time for complacency.
TCC: What made you want to get into the industry?
SDW: I wanted to get into the industry because of the task diversity it offers. With new briefs coming in, you face different challenges for which you need to find new ways to solve every day. It’s exciting and keeps you on your toes. Routine puts my brain on idle and that’s a horrible state to be in.
TCC: What are your wider career goals?
SDW: My career goals are ever-evolving – I like to set myself short-term and long-term goals, but they need to be adaptable to change. Overall, I’m intrigued by the power creativity has to solve business problems and the role agencies, and the individuals within them, play in achieving business objectives.
TCC: Who do you look up to in the industry?
SDW: I’m lucky enough to be surrounded by an incredible group of leaders at The Brand Agency. They’re all so giving with their time and never miss a chance to share their learnings with you. One key source of inspiration for me has been Paul Yole. When Paul announced his retirement, I couldn’t miss the chance to pick his brain before he left. Paul has such vast experience, having worked with a wide range of clients in many different countries throughout his career, and he was always willing to sit down and share his stories. Storytelling is a lost art. But it’s the single most powerful way to pass teachings onto the next generation.
TCC: What are your main sources of career inspiration?
SDW: During my studies, I came across an issue of Campaign Brief WA and quickly fell in love. That issue was glued to my side for months and I promised myself that I would work hard enough that my work would one day adorn their pages. Campaign Brief WA continues to be a great source of timely inspiration, along with the Harvard Business Review. For some tried and tested inspiration, I turn to books by the greats such as Jon Steel, Les Binet, Peter Field, Byron Sharp, Daniel Kahneman and Simon Sinek.
TCC: What motivates you on both a daily basis and to keep striving towards your goals?
SDW: My parents are my main source of motivation. Everything I do, I do to make them proud. They’ve worked so hard to help me achieve my goals and I’m grateful to have such loving and encouraging parents who are my cheerleaders every step of the way.
TCC: What made you want to do the IPA Eff Test?
SDW: I had co-written and written a series of efficiency award entries in 2016 and found that, although I had learnt a lot through the writing process, there was an opportunity for me to learn more and further my understanding of planning, measuring and reporting on effective campaigns. I realised that its value didn’t just lie in award-entry writing, but in every project I work on.
TCC: How would you describe it in a nutshell?
SDW: A comprehensive course that gives you the skills you need to identify how to plan, monitor and report on effective campaigns.
TCC: What was the best thing about it?
SDW: The best thing about the course was the online learning platform. It cuts down the entire course into bite-sized pieces, which makes it easy for you to manage your time to complete the course.
TCC: What was the number one thing you were able to apply in your day to day work?
SDW: The greatest thing I learnt through The Eff Test was that you need to think about the end, at the start. It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of a new campaign, but you can’t lose sight of clear measurable objectives and putting process in place to track that continually.
TCC: What is your favourite project/campaign you’ve worked on to date?
SDW: I love the work we’ve completed for our government clients because the business outcomes are for the betterment of society – which adds a grand purpose to my day-to-day.
TCC: What’s your passion outside of work?
SDW: Outside of work I run a not-for-profit organisation, Street Smugglers, that raises awareness about homelessness in Western Australia. We work closely with the local community to encourage them to engage with their local homeless community by giving them tips on easy ways that they could make a life better today. We also run a series of events throughout the year to either raise funds or resources, which we then directly distribute to the community, along with a great group of volunteers.