Originally published on Ad News in March 2022.
The Ad News Young Guns takes a look at some of the young talent across the advertising, adtech, marketing and media sector in Australia. It aims to shed light on the varying roles, people and companies across the buzzing industry.
Today we speak to Aaron Jansen, Group Manager, Performance at Bench Media
Time in current role:
I have been with Bench Media for 2.5 years, I started in July 2019 as a Senior Performance Manager and by March 2021, I was promoted to my current role of Group Manager, Performance at Bench.
How long have you been in the industry?
9 years.
How did you get here? Was this always the plan?
I developed a strong interest in entrepreneurship and business from a young age which led to me pursuing a degree in Commerce with a major in Marketing. To me, marketing was a means by which I could contribute to the growth and success of businesses.
My career journey has been quite diverse, having started in a search-focused advertising agency, then working on the publisher side before moving onto the adtech side, and then finally joining Bench as a Senior Performance Manager before moving into a leadership focused Group Manager role in the team. My diverse career experience has exposed me to different facets of advertising, and I have had the opportunity to work with a wide variety of clients, helping achieve their goals across multiple platforms. As a result of my diverse career journey, I have been able to develop a holistic view of advertising and media.
Who is your right-hand person?
I don’t have a specific right-hand person, as the team I work with consists of a diverse team of talented professionals with very different backgrounds and experience levels. The whole team has a hand in ensuring our success and I’m extremely lucky to be leading this team of talented people. To me, teamwork makes the dream work!
What is the best thing about the industry you work in?
The best thing about this industry is that no two days are the same and there’s always something new to learn each day. I’ve also been very fortunate to be able to work with a great group of colleagues, tech partners and clients over the years, which has made work that much more enjoyable.
And the biggest challenge?
The speed at which the industry has and will continue to change is a challenge, but this presents new opportunities to pivot and adjust the way marketing strategies are developed. The move to remote working has also added to the challenges we’ve experienced thus far. However, we’re fortunate to have a highly adaptable team and as such, we’ve also become more productive than ever before.
Whose job have you set your sights on in the future?
I’ve always been a blue-sky thinker, so I’d like to create my own opportunities that don’t yet exist.
Where do you turn for inspiration?
I’m a big believer in setting and working towards ambitious goals to constantly challenge myself. In addition, I read extensively and listen to a large variety of podcasts and audiobooks across various genres which help broaden my knowledge and enable me to derive inspiration.
My favourite advert is:
I’m a huge fan of the Australian Lamb ads with Sam Kekovich. The creativity and Aussie humour always cracks me up.
Tell us one thing people at work don’t know about you?
When I was at school I found several small niches in which I could buy goods in bulk from overseas, and sell online for a profit. I created a small business at a young age out of it, which helped establish my foundational marketing skills.
In five years I will be:
Leading a high performing team and assisting others to achieve their goals. I’ve worked with some great leaders who I have learnt a lot from, and have helped shape the way I work. I’d like to be able to do the same for others starting out.
