Laura is one of Medialab’s Digital Directors, leading a team of paid search and social experts to deliver meaningful outcomes for our client partners through best-in-class digital strategy and activation. Here, Laura takes us through her Medialab day in the life, giving us an insight to how she navigates through her busy schedule to deliver brilliant outcomes for our client partners.
Pre Morning
To start my day, I like to dedicate time to some form of exercise. Recently that’s been either a swim, a bike ride or a run, all which will help towards my training for my first triathlon!
Once that’s woken me up, I usually head home, get ready for the day, and if it’s not raining (or if I have the energy) I’ll cycle to work. It’s a lovely cycle route taking me past Regents Park, where I’ll often see the giraffes and zebras in London Zoo!
Morning
Once I’m at my desk, I like to take a few minutes to map out the day ahead. I’ll catch up on emails, review my to-do list, which usually consists of planning with clients, talking through future ideas, helping to shape their strategy, and make notes of my key priorities. That way I have a clear sense of what needs my attention first. It helps me stay organised and makes sure I’m balancing both immediate tasks and longer-term project work.
The rest of the morning is usually made up of a mix of internal status meetings and client check-ins. These conversations are a chance to understand how projects are progressing, talk through any challenges and align on next steps. As I lead a team of Account Managers, I also use this time to make sure everyone is clear on priorities, as well as regularly aligning on their long-term career ambitions and objectives, so that we’re moving forward in the most effective way possible.
Lunch
By lunchtime, I always try to step away from my desk and get some fresh air. I’ll usually go for a walk around Oxford Circus to reset for the afternoon, often with a podcast or audiobook in my headphones. It’s a simple part of my routine, but one that really helps me clear my head and come back feeling more refreshed and focused.
After that, I’ll head back inside to eat. I’m a big fan of batch cooking, so my lunches are usually prepped in advance and tend to stay the same throughout the week. It might sound repetitive to some people, but I actually quite like having one less thing to think about during a busy day and it means I always have something ready to keep me going through the afternoon.
A recent lunchtime, however, was a little different, as our Balance and Roots Communities (Employee Resource Groups) came together to mark Mental Health Awareness Week with a drop-in session. Our communities put a lot of work into making Medialab an inclusive space and lunchtime was another example of that! It was a really nice way to break up the day, but more than that, it was great to chat to colleagues outside of my usual team and discuss how we’re all feeling and coping with everything in the news lately.
Afternoon
After lunch, I try to block out a couple of hours to focus on my own to-do list and make progress on the work that needs my full attention. This afternoon’s focus was a discussion with one of our clients on how best we can structure their Meta campaigns, moving away from a single campaign, toward a more full-funnel structure. We will look into how their creative is tailored to awareness, consideration and conversion, whilst recommending the best ad copy and call to actions to accompany this.
After Work
Once the day is over, and my laptop has closed, I’ll head home, cook up something and catch up on some TV. My current obsession is with Succession, which I’m working my way through. However, if I’m out, I’ll be catching up with friends or sampling new restaurants around London- the hub for foodies!
If you weren’t at Medialab, what would you be doing?
I studied Maths at University and found my modules on medical statistics super interesting, so perhaps I would have pursued a career in that field. I enjoyed the analytical aspect of the work, and knowing the output would influence real-world outcomes.
What advice would you give to someone looking to get into the industry?
The industry is extremely fast-paced – digital best practices are constantly evolving so it’s important to stay on top of new product updates to ensure the information and recommendations you’re sharing in response to interview questions is relevant!
