Moments with marketers: Robelen Bajar
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Marketingmag.com.au had a chat with Robelen Bajar – group marketing manager, Melbourne IT Ltd. If
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marketer profiled, please email your suggestion to Sean Greaney on [email protected].
What do you do?
I’m currently group marketing manager – business and consumer, at Melbourne IT Ltd. I also run a blog on chick wisdom and witticism, and write for a number of publications on a range of topics.
What was your first job?
I left an entry-level role at a university to work in a more commercial environment. So my first ‘real’ foray into sales and marketing was a short stint promoting telecommunications products. I wanted to learn how to sell and loved it.
What did you study?
I studied a Bachelor of Business majoring in International Business and Japanese. Midway through the course I thought I’d also do Law. I was heavily involved with student organisations in my final year and discovered I really enjoyed organising events, writing media releases and generating publicity so I went on to do a Masters of Business – Communication. I was going to be a PR girl.
Basically, I had no idea what I wanted to do.
Two years later, I started hearing about direct and digital marketing while working for a media communications agency, and begged my boss to send me to ADMA. It was love at first DM.
Describe a typical day?
My day starts with a half hour run at 7.00am, breakfast on the go and a quick coffee meeting with the marketing team before I head off to other meetings. I’m full of ideas in the morning so I do any creative and conceptual work during this time. In between meetings, emails, getting through my workload and managing others, I go on Twitter or Facebook for my daily dose of news, inspiration and a bit of industry gossip. I try to leave work at 6pm and head to my dance studio where I train with my coach or dance partner in ballroom latin/dancesport. I train anywhere between 2 to 4 hours a day depending on when competitions are on. I usually get home at 10.30pm, check my work emails, update my blog while chatting to family or friends on Skype, or read a book until my body is ready for sleep.
What is on the agenda for the next year?
Lots more experimentation with social media. I’m launching two blogs and hoping to do well at next year’s Australian Dancesport Championships. And possibly a trip to Europe in between all that. One should be so lucky.
What brand do you love the most? Dislike the most? Why?
I am not really brand-loyal. I go for value and good service. But I do admire brands that are truly innovative like Apple, brands that constantly push boundaries like Virgin and those that punch above their weight like RedBalloon.
What do you believe has been the most significant moment in the history of marketing?
When the internet ‘happened’. Many traditional marketers were forced to tackle the internet by customers who ran to Google in droves to find stuff quickly, blogged about their dissatisfaction, spread rumours (good or bad) on Facebook, and complained on Twitter and online forums.
Marketers who didn’t embrace online earlier on – and there were plenty – are still playing catch-up.
Where can people find you?
