WPP, Swinburne University of Technology, UQ Business School (University of Queensland) and RMIT University are proud to announce the return of the Advertising Industry Student Forum for its 3rd year running. The late afternoon/evening event provides an opportunity for students to engage with prominent figures in the Australian advertising industry, with key note speakers, guest panelists and an opportunity to mingle and network at no expense to attendees.
We are excited to announce that the keynote speakers for 2017 will be media and advertising guru Russel Howcroft, along with gender-intelligence authority and marketing expert Bec Brideson.
​​More announcements on speakers and panellists are to come.
The event will be held from 4pm - 8pm on Friday October 13, on level 2 of the state-of-the-art AMDC building at Swinburne's Hawthorn campus.
​This is an open event and we welcome any members of the Australian advertising industry who are interested in attending.
He's worked with many of Australia's iconic brands and is the champion of big and brave ideas that transform business and brands. He's well known for his outspoken opinion in the media and ABC1’s The Gruen Transfer and has published a book on the subject ‘When It's Right To Be Wrong’.
• Russel was most recently the Executive General Manager of Australian free-to-air television broadcaster Network TEN, responsible for TEN’s operations in Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide & Perth. In this capacity, he was also a founding board member of ThinkTV Australia.
• Before joining Network Ten, Russel had a stellar career in advertising, rising to become CEO of Young & Rubicam Brands Australia & New Zealand and a member of the Y&R Global Executive Committee. A recognised leader in the advertising industry, Russel has held a number of important advisory and leadership roles, including a successful tenure as Chairman of the Advertising Federation of Australia and inaugural Chairman of Think TV.
• His regular position on the panel of ABC1’s hugely successful show ‘The Gruen Transfer’ have made Russel the very public face and voice of brand marketing and advertising in Australia. A regular keynote speaker and commentator on radio and television, Russel can be found on twitter at @howcroft.
​Having spoken at numerous conferences throughout the world, Bec’s raison d’être is to improve the way modern business connects with the disruptive force of the female dollar. She believes in the mantra: “Happy women = bigger basket and a lifetime of loyalty”.
​With 25 years in the communications industry, Bec was one of only 3% of females globally to achieve the title of Creative Director. In her time, Bec has won international awards and gained notable recognition for her work across most categories and numerous major brands. On the back of this wealth of experience, she identified a yawning gap in agency attitude and process with the female market and joined the 0.1% of female founders to open her own agency Venus Comms in 2004.
Hear from the industries best and brightest.
Take the opportunity to have you questions answered.