Andie Potter, group digital director at PHD, was celebrated as the winner of the ad tech category at Mediaweek’s Next of The Best awards last month.
She told Mediaweek: “Receiving this recognition is like a pat on the back and makes everything worthwhile.”
Mediaweek caught up with Potter to get her thoughts on fostering a collaborative team effort and the current state of the ad tech space.
The awards have been judged by an all-star line-up, what does it mean to you to be recognised by this group?
It feels amazing. It means a lot to be recognised by such an accomplished group of people – big thanks to them.
Our journey is often challenging, involving a lot of hard work and perseverance to move from problem to solution. I work with businesses that have extreme amounts of pressure and we have to deliver and prove that the work we’re doing has tangible benefits to their business. Getting from A to B for me involves (quite literally) some sweat and tears!
Receiving this recognition is like a pat on the back and makes everything worthwhile.
What’s been your proudest achievement as group digital director at PHD?
This is a hard one, because to be completely honest, I don’t often look back and reflect on the achievements. Like many people, I quickly move on to the next thing.
Receiving recognition like ‘Next of the Best’ genuinely means a lot to me. I really appreciate industry bodies like Mediaweek for creating the space to celebrate the work we do as individuals.
My proudest moments at PHD have always been when delivering amazing work with a team. The moments following a pitch, when we finally get to relax and celebrate the hard work, are incredibly fulfilling. It’s remarkable to see the colossal amount of work we accomplish under intense pressure. Whether we win or not, there’s a deep sense of pride in the collaborative spirit we foster during these high-stakes projects.
I am also particularly proud of the innovative work we do alongside our clients. In recent years I’ve worked closely with Virgin Australia, where we are constantly pushing boundaries and thinking ahead, often venturing into uncharted territories to deliver groundbreaking solutions. This requires a great deal of creativity, resilience, and collaboration. The process is extremely complex, but when we finally see the results, it’s incredibly rewarding.
What excites you about the current state of the ad tech space?
The sheer magnitude of transformative forces at play. From the deprecation of 3rd party cookies, stringent privacy regulations, the rapid acceleration of AI and the explosive growth of tech and data platforms.
These forces are compelling businesses to re-evaluate their priorities and shift their focus towards technology, privacy, ethical practices, and sustainability. This obviously means a big shift in how we’ve been operating. Feels a bit like trying to change the tyres on a moving car.
What I find exciting is the challenge and opportunity this presents. The need to integrate cutting-edge technologies and adhere to new standards forces us to think creatively and strategically.
The controversies that have rocked the advertising industry in recent years need to be a wake-up call for us all. We’re now at a pivotal moment in our industry’s history, and we must approach any new developments (such as the deployment of AI) with a deep sense of responsibility grounded in values such as transparency, accountability, and privacy.
If you weren’t in ad tech, what would you be doing instead?
I have lots of hobbies outside of work, so I have fantasised about doing many different things… Interior design, pottery, photography, starting an animal sanctuary… you name it! My dream is to start my own business one day (maybe by saying it here, I’m manifesting it!)
However, without having to completely change industries, I’d still be drawn to areas of marketing innovation and transformation, specifically around AI and sustainability. Future-proofing businesses and embracing these emerging areas feels like an adventure in its own right. It’s all about staying ahead of the curve and finding new ways to overcome business challenges.
Being Next of The Best – what can the industry expect next from you?
Marketing has become increasingly complex, with each brand’s needs varying based on scale, maturity, ambition, and internal expertise. This year, at PHD we’re really focused on rolling out our AaaP (Agency as a Platform) offering our clients a more flexible service with technology and tools centralized through our OMG operating system, Omni. With our new approach we want to ensure clients have easy access to top-notch talent and cutting-edge capabilities, to better serve and anticipate their needs.
We’re also diving headfirst into the world of AI, integrating it into all our systems to boost strategic and creative thinking. This will not only supercharge our strategic and planning approach but also enhance our AdTech prowess, enabling data-centric media activation and cookieless personalization and measurement.
A major focus area for me personally is measurement. As I previously mentioned, all aspects of marketing and media are being reshaped by significant transformational forces, and measurement is no exception.
Most marketers are not conducting holistic measurement and struggle to keep pace with best practice.
Alongside Annalect and our PHD Measurmeent arm, we are rolling out cookieless and reliable solutions tailored to our clients’ specific needs, such as regression-based attribution, agile MMM and campaign passive tracking. These solutions will be key for PHD and our clients to truly understand the impact of our media investments and optimize our marketing mix.
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Top image: Andie Potter