This week’s Meeting of the Minds sees Alex Hougton and Chloe Geggus from creative agency 72andSunny reveal their leadership heroes, current streaming binge, and career goals.
The Mediaweek series showcases diverse perspectives, thoughts and opinions by bringing together two different points of view from an industry rookie and an experienced expert.
Alex Houghton, strategy lead – 72andSunny
Favourite podcast/read – Digital Native by Rex Woodbury. Staying on top of everything happening in the digital landscape is impossible, but he does an amazing job of summarising the latest trends you must know about.
Current streaming binge – A great show that deserves a bigger audience: Snabba Cash on Netflix. It means ‘easy money’ in Swedish, and follows the fortunes of an entrepreneur whose business is funded by shady friends. She discovers the money does not come easily.
Guilty pleasure content – Endless YouTube videos about which Solana memecoin to invest in next.
What do you have on repeat – R’n’B singer Cassie’s classic mixtape RockaByeBaby. No thanks to Diddy, her career never soared, which is a shame. Check it out, it reveals just how talented she is.
Best career advice – Michael Bay – director of Transformers – isn’t for everyone. But his mantra of ‘shoot for the edit’ – don’t waste your time on stuff that will end up on the cutting room floor – becomes increasingly relevant as we get busier each year.
Leadership hero – Prof. Scott Galloway. His thought-provoking takes on the worlds of business, marketing and finance have taught me a lot. His perspective is especially relevant for anyone in their 20s.
Best training course/session – Andrew Roberstson, CEO of BBDO Worldwide, presented his vision for this new thing called ‘creatively compelling content’ in the early 2000s, with no presentation slides, armed with only a Blackberry as a prop. His ability to hold a room for an hour was inspiring.
I wish someone had told me – To buy Bitcoin ten years ago.
Favourite place to network – Industry events are a great way to network.
Something that’s surprised you about the industry – The enduring relevance of film. There’s been many calls for its demise, but it’s still the most effective way to build a brand.
What is your hot take on the industry – It will be at least 5 years before AI truly makes an impact on what marketers do.
Career goal for 2024 – Inspire more young people to join the industry, as it’s been a great ride for me.
Chloe Geggus, brand director – 72andSunny
Favorite podcast/read – I regularly listen to ‘On Purpose with Jay Shetty’, which is a podcast in which he interviews a wide range of guests, including celebrities, entrepreneurs, and thought leaders, on topics related to personal development, mindfulness, and living with purpose.
Current streaming binge – I am binging Big Little Lies starring Nicole Kidman and Reese Witherspoon.
Guilty pleasure content – My guilty pleasure is watching talented artists, especially singers. I enjoy watching standout performances from reality shows like The X Factor and The Voice, as well as discovering early performances of now-famous singers before the made it big.
What do you have on repeat – Lately I’ve had Teddy Swims album on repeat. I love how soulful and powerful his voice is. It gives me such a positive vibe!
Best career advice – The best career advice I have had is not to fear failure – failure is part of growth so we should view failures as lessons and stepping stones to our success.
Leadership hero – My Dad who has worked for my Grandad’s business from the age of 16 to now being an owner of a successful business. He has taught me no matter what challenges come your way, you should face them head-on with determination, showing me that real leadership is about staying strong, pushing through, and never giving up on what you’re working toward.
Best training course/session – I recently took part in a Youtube summit which I found really educational and beneficial on how my advertising clients can make the most out of Youtube.
I wish someone had told me – That you don’t always have to have everything figured out – life is unpredictable. It’s more important to make progress, learn, and grow, rather than trying to figure everything out before you start.
Favourite place to network – Industry Conferences and Events as well as agency hosted events.
Something that surprised you about the industry – The advertising industry has surprised me with the variety of skill sets you can gain. As an account person, I’ve had the chance to wear many different hats, learning everything from client management, creative strategy and production and much more! It’s been an incredible opportunity for growth and versatility.
What is your hot take on the industry – The advertising industry constantly pushes you to learn and evolve.
Career goal for 2024 – My goal is to continue growing and learning and taking on any new challenge that comes my way positively.
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Past editions of Meeting of the Minds.
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Top image: Alex Houghton and Chloe Geggus