Leading Lights: Women Redefining the Digital Advertising Landscape

Next up in our Leading Lights series: Women Redefining the Digital Advertising Landscape, we’re hearing from Emma Wood, Sydney Head of Investment, PHD Australia. Emma takes us through the unexpected path that led her to a thriving career in media, the highs and lows of navigating the ever-evolving advertising landscape, and her passion for cultivating the next generation of leaders. 

Celebrating the Journey: From Unexpected Beginnings to Career Milestones

Like most of us, I never planned on working in a media agency. Towards the end of my Journalism degree, I was working in retail, dreaming of headlining major news stories on TV but struggling to find relevant work in my field. I had a customer walk in asking for help to find some outfits for an internship she had at Channel 10 (now Paramount). Passing her clothes in the fitting room, I struck up the courage to ask her how she managed to get the internship, especially in the context of the Global Financial Crisis at the time – it was tough out there!

A woman popped her head out of the fitting room next door and passed me her business card. She introduced herself to me as someone who worked at a media agency and said I could give her a call anytime, she’d be happy to offer me an internship. 

Taking her up on the offer was the best decision I ever made. My now 15+ year love affair with advertising and media investment grew from there and has afforded me the opportunity to work with some of the most amazing people, brands and clients in our industry. It seems fitting that on International Women’s Day I am reflecting on two women who by total chance, are the very reason I ended up in media. 

In that time there have been many highs but equally many lows. We love to over-complicate things for ourselves in agency land. 

The pitching, the audits, the deadlines, the pressure, combined with navigating the pressures of people management, all have their way of pushing you to your absolute limit. But it is that exact pressure which allows you to uncover your grit, tenacity, and passion. When you inevitably come out the other side, I guarantee you that you’re so much better for it in ways that extend well beyond your day job. 

I’ve had some incredible female leaders in my time who have all led me to where I am today. The most acute growth however, has come in the last few years at PHD where I have been humbled by the support I’ve received which has really helped to grow my confidence to deliver work for our clients and people in a way that aligns with my values. The biggest accolades haven’t been awards or winning pitches (although they are nice), the notable wins come from seeing the progression of our people as they learn and grow in their roles as we build the team of the future. 

Innovations on the Horizon

Being part of the media industry allows you to be at the forefront of technology and trends in a way that no other industry offers. The rise of AI, data and tech, eCommerce, Sustainability and platform based buying advancements have been at our fingertips for years, whilst the world around us is playing catch up. 

The expectation of industry professionals is to simplify the complex whilst staying ahead of emerging technology that is still in its infancy, to enable better results for our clients.  

A fundamental part of my role is focused on creating and extracting value year on year for our clients, often with flatlined or decreased marketing budgets in an inflationary channel.  Any media vendor or technology that helps to achieve our clients’ strategic objectives is critical to the success of our marketing goals. 

Embracing Change and Preparing for the Future 

Convergence is a huge focus – combining traditional buying with platform buying both in a technological sense but also operationally, is something that has been a priority for our agency over the past 24 months. Ensuring that we are utilising the latest technology and audience segments is something we are constantly monitoring, evolving and enhancing. 

In a similar vein, clients that are willing to be courageous, adapt and embrace change will stand out from their competitors and succeed. When the technology is readily available and we can utilise tools like AI and platform buying to enable precision targeting, make advertising not only more effective but more efficient. 

More about Emma

Emma is the Sydney Head of Investment at PHD. She joined PHD in October, 2021 and has over 15 years experience working in various media agencies across a number of categories including FMCG, QSR, Pharmaceutical, Luxury, Auto and Alcohol. In her role, she is responsible for Strategic Investment output, auditing and buying delivery across all channels.