Adnews Young Guns: Justin George

Justin George: Digital Manager at Ryvalmedia.

Time in current role/time at the company:
9 months

How long have you been in the industry?
3 years

How did you get here? Was this always the plan?
This was not always the plan, but it aligned perfectly with my interests and skills. I first dipped my toes in the media and marketing world around 2017 when I was looking for a job in Mumbai as a fresh graduate. I sought to upskill myself in digital marketing through online courses and landing my first gig at a digital agency. I then pursued my passion for learning about consumer behaviour and completed my master’s degree in Business (Marketing) from QUT, before landing my first gig in the Australian media industry in 2020.

Who is your right-hand person/who guides you day to day?
Milan Narayan, the Digital Director at Ryvalmedia has been my go-to since day 1, but it’s hard to name any one person. At Ryvalmedia, we are a close-knit team of driven individuals with strong agency-wide relationships that create learning and development opportunities.

What’s the best thing about the industry you work in?
Knowing that the impact of your work is very real – that the campaigns we run directly impact the growth of our client’s businesses. And of course, the people (cliché I know!) – but the Brisbane media industry, in particular, is such a tight-knit group of amazing folks who strive to deliver the best.

And the biggest challenge?
There is a dearth of good talent which has been extenuated by covid. As an industry, we need to bridge this gap between industry and educational institutions if we are to build a future-ready workforce. Digital media is a fast-paced and ever-evolving world – always focus on learning and upskilling to stay ahead of the curve.

Whose job have you set your sights on in the future?
I want to forge my path in the world. In the future, I am curious to live as a digital nomad – combining my passion for work and travel. I can also then visit my family in India for extended periods.

Where do you turn for inspiration?
I draw inspiration from people all around me – both my colleagues and my friends. Most importantly, however, I always strive to reach out to people whom I find inspiring and officially ask for their mentorship. One such relationship from my Uni days stands out for me. In the Asian culture, there is a strong focus on being the best by identifying your flaws to try and improve upon, but my mentor showed me the true value of nurturing our strengths. After all, a sharpened axe cuts down more trees.

My favourite advert is: The best job in the world campaign by Tourism Queensland – it’s simple and elegant while also attention-grabbing, generating a lot of PR and WOM leading to strong positive outcomes for the brand. I also really like the new Tourism Australia campaign – using humour and visuals to set a tone that aligns with both the brand and Australia as a destination, it is a tough nut to crack.

Tell us one thing people at work don’t know about you?
I am ultra-competitive in most things I do.

In five years' time I'll be:
Learning and growing, but most importantly grateful for everything achieved in the 5 years

Published by Adnews, 22nd November 2022