In the rapidly evolving world of AV planning, each day brings something new for Sam our Senior AV Manager. From morning conversations with media owners to afternoons spent forecasting and supporting his team, this is a look into the routine that defines Sam’s day in the life at Medialab.
Pre-morning:
My mornings usually start off with a run or an at home workout, but after recently relocating from London I’ve embraced the 15-minute stroll to the station to stay active. Even if it makes my commute a bit longer!
Most mornings I commute to work with my girlfriend, so we always chat away during the journey, but for most of the train and tube, I’ll be reading a book. There’s a strong likelihood this will be a history book whether that’s Arnhem Black Tuesday, Berlin the Downfall or Lonesome Dove.
Morning:
The first thing I do when I get to the office is say hello to the team, settle in and making a much-needed coffee. I usually write my to do list the day before, so I already have a sense of what the day looks like and where I need to pick things up.
As someone who genuinely enjoys connecting with people, my mornings often include chatting with media owners and sales house reps, picking up new requests and negotiating where needed. It’s one of the parts of the role I enjoy most, as it’s all about building strong, collaborative relationships with the partners we work with.
Lunch:
I’m not very adventurous with my lunch choices, it’s usually something from home or a simple meal deal. However, I always take an afternoon walk, to help break up my day, usually with Ben our AV Account Director. I’m either wandering around Soho, looking in shops or take on the big walk up to Regents Park (if I’m feeling lively).
Afternoon:
My afternoons tend to be a mix of focused delivery and collaboration. Outside of meetings, this involves working through any outstanding AV admin or reviewing future campaign forecasting and programming.
It can also involve spending time on the sponsorship and partnership projects I’m involved in. This work can vary, which I enjoy, one moment I might be calculating the AV value of a new opportunity, and the next I’m creating a bespoke deck for a client or supporting Mattie, our Partnerships Director, and the team with follow-up questions or calls.
Late afternoon I check in on my team’s campaigns, making sure everything is delivering to the high standard we set. I will also take time to talk through any challenges or more complex client asks they might be navigating. It’s a good balance of getting things done while staying connected with the people and partners who make the work meaningful,
After Work:
After work, the day can go one of two ways. Often, there’s a good chance I’ll head out for a quick drink with my team or others across the agency. On the evenings when socialising isn’t on the cards, I’ll make my way home and ease into the evening with my girlfriend.
We’ll tag team dinner, chat about our days, then usually settle in by putting the fire on in our new house and sticking on a film. It’s the perfect way to switch off and reset before doing it all again tomorrow.
What advice would you give to someone looking to get into the industry?
Work hard, listen as much as possible and don’t be afraid to reach out. Working in a fast-paced Media Agency can be tricky at first, but I have found leaning on teammates and managers with more experience is invaluable, especially when starting your career.
If you really apply yourself to the work and watch how other colleagues operate, you will surprise yourself with how you can develop your skills.
If you weren’t at Medialab, what would you be doing?
My younger self would have said a professional footballer, if I didn’t have my knee injury… but if I wasn’t in the media industry I would see myself being a sports journalist. I love and follow lots of sports and always wanted to do something that would allow me to work and stay close to the games.
