Life at aip – where anything is possible

Rob Griffiths

Rob Griffiths, Media Automation Partner at Anything is Possible (aip) in Brighton describes why his job allows him to do things differently. If you have a passion for data, insights and research, aip are advertising for someone to join them. You can view the role here on the University of Brighton vacancy service

If I was to describe my role at Anything is Possible in one word, it would be dynamic. Working at a progressive startup agency is a job like no other. There’s a tempo and purpose that builds excitement and drives the agency forward. You really feel like you’re a part of something and not just a small part, but a vital cog in a wheel that’s accelerating.

The agency was created by two co-founders who grew tired of the existing agency model. They decided it was time for something different, something better, and aip was born. It’s a mantra they believe in so much that they made it their brand. A key component to a successful company is its values, and this one is embedded to the core. Any new idea is greeted with an encouraging smile making you feel as if anything really is possible.

As a media and automation partner, my duties involve everything from managing our client’s budgets and optimising their campaigns, to building new tools to automate processes and push the boundaries of what’s possible from a media campaign. No day is the same. I may spend my morning creating new ads for an exciting new inland surfing lagoon before updating a client on their recent performance, and then in the afternoon work on developing our in-house chatbot, aiPete, who is being built to handle mundane tasks that can take up too much valuable time.

This variety breeds enjoyment and creativity, whilst building all-round skills that are vital for a successful career.

The beauty of working in an industry such as this is that it’s mostly online, meaning you can work flexibly should you need to. This is a great benefit for anyone, from a parent with young children to someone who enjoys the flexibility of remote working and a change in environment. This option of working remotely whilst travelling was so, something I sampled during November last year, (read about it here: https://aip.media/flexible-working-whilst-roaming-the-world/), and will be doing again later this year but for a much longer period.

My route into this industry was not a traditional one. Leaving university with a degree in Maths with Computer Science I had gained a solid grounding in many valuable skills but had no real direction or idea of what I wanted to do. After a few years in the wilderness I accidentally found my way into the world of media, an industry I had very little idea about. It didn’t take long to realise I’d fallen on my feet.

The digital side of media, in particular, is a relatively young industry, and as such it’s still growing at a phenomenal rate meaning there is plenty of scope to make your mark.

My background, being very different to that of my colleagues who had mostly done media degrees, allowed me to find a niche within the industry fairly easily. Online marketing is heavily influenced by Google, and Google is very good at encouraging the development of new tools and technologies. As part of their suite of tools, they offer a rapid application development platform in the form of scripts, where with a little knowledge of javascript you can be creating new tools in minutes. This couldn’t be better for someone with a coding background as it gives you a platform to stand out in an industry that’s renowned for rewarding great work.

Anyone studying such a field is likely to be thinking of taking a typical developer role as that’s the most logical route. However consider the alternative, moving to a different industry with a different background means you bring a whole new skill set to the table. You will likely think like no-one else and have ideas others would never come up with. Being given a concept for a tool and having to build it is one thing, but coming up with your own innovations and developing them through to completion brings a satisfaction you won’t find elsewhere.

If I was to offer a piece of advice to someone looking to start out their career it would be to not simply follow the obvious path in front of you, but consider the road less travelled, it may just be the most inspiring.

 

 

Rebecca Duffy • 11/06/2019


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