What first attracted you to working in the automotive industry?
I didn’t set out with a plan to work in automotive. During my marketing degree placement year at an IT Services company, I learned two things: 1) marketing & events was definitely for me; 2) IT services was not!
I learned I wanted to work on a brand I was passionate about, a brand with a story, and a user experience to which I could relate. After graduating that’s what I set out to find. It was only by chance it happened to be the start of a now 20-year career in automotive.
What was your first job in the automotive industry?
I was living near Gaydon and I came across an Events and Product Placement role at Jaguar Land Rover. Cars were of some interest to me, but it was the brand that really attracted me – the heritage, the story, and the transformation JLR were going through at the time with the launch of the new XK. I threw myself into the role, enjoying the buzz of working on live events in Barcelona, Nice, and on home ground with my first experiences of Goodwood Festival of Speed and Revival. In between I was arranging the same spec cars to be at both Pinewood Studios and Lake Como for the filming of Casino Royale; then handing over Tim Henman’s long-term loan at Queens. I was hooked!
What do you most enjoy about your current job and working in the automotive industry?
Buying a car is likely the second largest purchase decision most people will make. There is a lot of ‘head’ that goes into the decision, but also a lot of ‘heart’, whether you are into cars or not. And that brings me back to brands and the brand story – it’s not just the ‘what’ but the ‘why’.
I enjoy that the automotive industry has given me different opportunities to tell and develop such stories. Jaguar, Harley-Davidson (a brand marketer’s dream!) and Volvo Cars, while completely different brands, shared a commonality. They all had an established core customer base & brand perception; and were all evolving to challenge perception and reach out to new audiences. Then as the new entrants arrived, shaking up the industry, I took the opportunity to join Genesis where we were not just communicating a brand story, but developing it and telling it for the first time.
What has been most useful to you in helping you progress your career?
- Initiative. There is always more to do than there are people to do it. In the early days what helped me progress was seeing something that needed to be done, aligning with the business, then getting stuck in.
- Customer centricity. This has served me well in every role. It is key in all questioning and decision-making and helps connect the dots between departments. Put simply “Does this add value to the customer?”, or “What would the customer think and feel when they see / hear that?” It seems so basic but can be easily forgotten when focusing on internal pressures.
- Empathy. Whether you are a supplier, OEM or retailer, or just different – probably siloed – departments in the same organisation, each one has its challenges. Having an understanding and appreciation of others’ challenges helps pave the way for more effective working relationships.
- Networking. It is a big and a small industry and once you are in it seems quite hard to get out! So are highly likely to change roles / companies within the industry. Build and nurture relationships. It is important to get to know the sort of leadership style in which you thrive and deliver your best work. Sometimes you will find this out the quickest working with a style you don’t like so much! For the last 15 years, through good relationships, I have followed great leaders from one role, department or brand to another. I am thankful to those people for the potential they saw in me, and the opportunities offered me, to do more than I ever knew I could.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to pursue a marketing career in the automotive industry?
I have talked a lot about brands. However, I believe building a career you enjoy is also dependent on the culture of the company and the people you work with.
I have been fortunate to work in some brilliant cultures and have enjoyed building outstanding teams in those environments. But there are also some pretty toxic cultures out there.
It is a highly competitive industry, and with that comes a fair amount of pressure, especially at certain times of the year. In the right culture, this can bring out the best; in the wrong culture, this can bring out the absolute worst.
So, my advice would be to remember the industry is large – do your research, speak to people who work there, and consider carefully the right fit for you. If you don’t find the right fit straight away, don’t give up – with around 40 brands operating in the UK and new entrants arriving, there are plenty of options.
Remember the industry is large – do your research, speak to people who work there, and consider carefully the right fit for you
Jess Colledge, Marketing Director, Vinfast