Page 32 - Adnews Magazine November-December 2021

Meet the Team
IAN WHEELER•GLOBAL CONTENT PARTNERSHIPS
What attracted you to Twitter?
I started with Twitter in 2014.
I remember at that time thinking it was such a rare opportunity to join a global innovative tech company as part of a local Australia-based team.
I stepped in with some uncertainty as to what it would be like to be part of a company such as Twitter that has such incredible global brand awareness, but it turned out to have this really amazing startup feel.
How has the content partnerships space at Twitter evolved during the years?
We have seen video viewing habits shift dramatically. Not only are we seeing more people coming to Twitter for big live cultural moments such as Toyko 2020 Olympics, but they’re also spending more time
on the platform around these live moments. Now it’s about being in for the build up, being in the middle of the conversation as the action
happens, and then joining in the chatter that extends beyond.
What’s your favourite part about your role?
I love that my role combines
all of my favourite elements of advertising — TV, social, digital and technology — and that the growth around building success for our business and partners
is driven by the strength of true relationships. I’ve had some amazing opportunities that remind me why I love my job
so much. I had the incredible privilege to work with Channel 7 on the coverage of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Paralympics from start to finish.
LEE OWENS•HEAD OF TWITTER NEXT, AUNZ
How is working at Twitter Australia different from the US?
I work with some of the biggest brands in the world. In the US these tend to have vast resources and as a result are more mature in their strategy. They have effectively reduced the red tape, allowing them to be more agile on the platform and learn faster. This creates an environment where they are able to take on more calculated risks, opening the doors for more creative and memorable campaigns. One of the best parts of my job here
in Australia is helping brands create that framework with the resources they have, working smarter versus harder on the platform. In fact, I’ve found that
pulling off big campaigns that get results with half the resources is twice as gratifying!
What’s the most challenging part of your role?
Agencies are time-poor these days so my biggest challenge is helping those teams execute campaigns with little time between brief and launch. Given enough runway, we can develop integrated ideas that design participation among an audience in elegant and bespoke user journeys.
What’s something you wish people better understood about working at Twitter?
Twitter’s collaborative approach to work enables people to learn on the job, and extend their skills and
career prospects in interesting and unexpected ways. Teams embrace questions and search for answers, creating opportunities to work on interesting projects that might sit outside of your day-to-day role.