Q&A with Luke Littlefield
In a piece that first appeared in Encore, Luke Littlefield, CEO of Aegis Media Australia and New Zealand, delivers some unlikely career advice.
Who is the most powerful person in Australian media and why?
Malcolm Turnbull. The delivery of an efficient infrastructure superhighway will be a game-changer in our country and for many individuals and industries, including ours.
What one medium could you not live without?
The screen. Definitions will have to be re-written. What we have traditionally known as a “medium” needs to be redefined in the digital age.
Your one guilty media pleasure?
Multi-screening Le Tour in July always provides an escape and inspiration. When I find the couch, an episode of Big School makes me laugh, and on occasion I’ve found myself inexplicably engrossed in episodes of Made in Chelsea.
The next big industry trend is…
Interconnectivity and interdependence. We’re living in a world where brands need to understand the individual user experience, with devices and data as the enablers for all communications. There are 7.1bn of us who are driving convergence and commerce. The point of engagement and consumption will soon converge, and on a mass-market scale.
If you weren’t doing this for a living what would you be doing?
Many people reach a time in their life where they start thinking more about what they can do outside their usual ecosystem and flip the traditional working paradigm. I’d get more involved in the community – take the time to give something back.
Your best piece of career advice…
Marry your boss, it’s the best way to get straight to the top (my first job – tick). If that fails, work hard, get out of your comfort zone and constantly challenge yourself. Be passionate but not emotional and never panic. Bring others on your journey.
If you could poach any one person, who would it be?
Dan Wieden or David Kennedy, I’d pinch either one. I admire their ambition, calculated risk taking and spirit. They’ve been successful pioneers over so many years and are always prepared to be creative and challenge the norm. For smarts, culture and creativity, either of them would slot in beautifully to all that we’re doing at Aegis Media.
Would you recommend working in this industry to your kids?
Absolutely. What other job can you have with such variety where you can directly and positively have an impact on organisation’s brand and grow their business? Marketers get a first-hand insight as to an organisation’s strategic plan and help execute on the most exciting part of it – building brands and selling stuff. The industry sits at the coal face of the economy and has the ability to have such an impact on the environment, community and commerce. It’s the best of many industries wrapped into one.
What is your favourite Aussie ad?
It doesn’t get any more iconic and Australian than the Holden ad from the late ‘70s – “We Love Football Meat Pies Kangaroos and Holden Cars”. As a kid I absolutely loved it. Anyone old enough to have seen it will remember the jingle and the footage that captures Australia and the era perfectly.
This piece first appeared in Encore. Download it now on iPad, iPhone and Android tablet devices.
Thanks for the reminder of that iconic ad Luke – I remember it well too! You know they probably could do a modern take on that ad – just need to add an ‘Apple’ in there somewhere too!
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