Mindshare Unplugged spotlights and interview rising stars across Mindshare North America – people who exemplify our core values of Provocation, Speed, and Teamwork. Say hello to Koby Leung (Manager, Digital Investment Team, Mindshare North America) from our Toronto office and find out what makes him tick.
What inspired you go to into the media industry?
I interned at a media agency and was hooked by the opportunity to continuously learn new things as well as the culture of our tight-knit industry. Media is ever-changing and we have the privilege to learn new things to remain at the top of our game. To be able to expand my knowledge base and practically apply that to positively impact our clients’ business is very exciting! Having the opportunity to work with great minds in the industry and to have fun while producing great work is fulfilling.
What do you think is the most exciting thing happening in media right now?
In the past year, there has been large growth in adoption of smart assistant devices like the smart speakers from Amazon and Google. Through these devices, consumers are sharing information about their behaviors and interests. From a data perspective, that means can build out more targeted audiences. As more smart capabilities are introduced, more granular and qualitative data will become available, allowing brands to understand their customers better than ever, leading to an overall more enjoyable experience for their consumers.
What advice would you offer to people who are just starting out in this industry?
When you’re told something, look beyond just the face value of what is being said. Whether it’s your manager, your client or your representative, you should either be thinking or asking why that question, request, or statement is being made. A lot of the bigger picture is left out in the back-and-forth between parties and you may just be given basic instructions or snippets, but it’s important to have context to what you are doing so that you know what your work is laddering up to. Knowing what the actual objectives are helps you become more productive because you’re not just blindly doing and acting like a small cog in the machine. I find it helps to rationalize why someone is saying something as it gets you thinking what their motivations or needs are. This helps you form productive questions to ask and gain context as well as gain a better understanding of how all the different pieces connect.
If you had a blank plane ticket to anywhere, where would you go?
Amsterdam. As a major global city, it provides the busy metropolitan area with representation of different cultures, fashion, and retail. It provides a rich cultural experience with its different museums in their dedicated area of the city. The scenery is also magnificent, with the windmills and the many canals throughout the city that people can walk along or ride on. While Amsterdam is a large city of commerce, it offers a rich tapestry of culture and calm that complements the bustle of the large city.
