Page 13 - AdNews magazine Jul-Aug 2021
P. 13

                  Profil
How Mitchell Long found his place in advertising
It wasn’t until Mitchell Long began his career in advertising that he felt he was in the right place. Long, PHD Sydney’s head of strategy and AdNews 2020 Emerging Leader, entered the industry after a lifetime of search- ing for what he calls his “Goldilocks zone”. From a failed concert violinist, to joke of the school formal, injecting room reject and
F-grade hand model, this is the story of how Long eventually found his niche
to become the youngest head of strategy in the history of PHD’s global network.
One of three children, Long grew up in a musical family. His parents had met while studying at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, where his grandmother and sister had also studied, so learning an instrument from an early age was a big part of growing up.
“Some of my earliest memories are sitting in the orchestra pit by my mum as a baby and feeling the vibration of Mahler’s Symphony No. 5 belting through the floor- boards,” says Long.
He picked up the violin at age five, became the lead violinist of the SBS Youth Chamber Orchestra at 14 and went on to earn his Associate in Music performance (AMusA) from the AMEB at 16, by
  Mitchell Long has spent his 10-year career
at PHD Sydney – an unusual achievement in an industry known for its high turnover rate. During this time he’s worked to boost diversity across agencies, formed strong relationships with big clients and driven PHD Sydney’s strategy product. AdNews sits down with the strategist to reflect on his career so far.
  WORDS BY
 MARIAM CHEIK-HUSSEIN
 Mitchell Long
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