Passionate about food, sports, animals and agriculture, Jessica Schnell studied marketing knowing she could go anywhere she liked. Now the Marketing Assistant at Whittakers, Schnell tells NZ Marketing what it takes to be a young marketer in 2024.
Where were you when you found out you were nominated – how did you feel?
When my manager Liv Glazebrook let me know in our weekly meeting that the team had nominated me for the Future Marketer award, I was absolutely thrilled. It’s a special feeling to know that your team thinks highly enough of you to be nominated for such a competitive category. To now be a finalist, I feel very honoured to be a part of great group of young marketers.
What sparked your interest in marketing, and how did you get started?
I have a really wide range of interests, from food to sports, animals and agriculture, and by studying Marketing I knew I could go off in any direction after my degree. I am a people person, and I felt that Marketing was a natural fit for me.
Briefly, give details of your marketing career to this point.
I studied a Bachelor of Business, majoring in Marketing at Massey University in Palmerston North. During my studies, I did an internship at the Manawatu Rugby Union, working with the provincial rugby teams. This continued into part time work in my final year, managing their social media channels across the rugby season. As I came to the end of my degree, I started to send my CV to organisations that I loved & admired the work of, Whittaker’s being one of them. They weren’t publicly hiring at the time, but they did have a vacancy. I came in for an interview, got the job and started at Whittaker’s in January 2023. On the side, I do volunteer social media work for Retired Working Dogs, a charity organisation rehoming Retired Farm Dogs.
What’s your favourite thing about marketing? Is there a specific area you particularly enjoy, or specialise in, and why?
I love the digital side of Marketing. I co-lead the Whittaker’s TikTok strategy & creation, and I love building relationships through TikTok with our younger generation of Whittaker’s Chocolate Lovers. Keeping up with TikTok trends, making sure Whittaker’s is at the forefront of digital innovation, and ensuring that TikTok is front of mind throughout campaigns, is what I enjoy. I also have a special interest in consumer behaviour, and really enjoy understanding what our Chocolate Lovers value so I can carry this through into all aspects of my role.
What do you think it takes to be an award-winning marketer?
To be an award-winning marketer, I think you need to be adaptable. The environment is constantly changing so having the ability to adapt quickly to change is crucial. Having a clear passion for your brand/organisation is also a must. I think the biggest thing however, is having great work ethic, be willing to go the extra mile, and showing initiative to deliver the best results possible.
Tell us about a specific project you’ve worked on that stands out for you.
I am so lucky to have worked on quite a few projects in my short time at Whittaker’s. A highlight for me was leading the Macadamia Campaign. We were so thrilled to bring one of our most requested blocks back for a limited time. This included working with our agencies to execute beautiful creative, an effective media approach, and PR execution that delivered on our objectives. We knew our Chocolate Lovers had been asking for this block has for almost 10 years, so we made sure to hero them in this campaign, sending personalised letters and blocks to 50+ Chocolate Lovers, that included a screenshot of the email/message/comment they had left on our page requesting it. This was a special way to thank these Chocolate Lovers who played a part in bringing this block back for a limited time.
I have also led the Most Trusted Brand campaigns, Miraka Kirimi, and Choc Cross Bun’s launch into Australia – all of which are stand outs for various reasons!
What has been your most significant achievement in your career so far?
Throughout High School & University, I was thrilled to be Head Girl, and was named on the Dean’s List for 2 out of 3 University years for my academic performance. However, being a finalist for the Future Marketer of the Year is most certainly my biggest achievement in my career so far!
What are the biggest challenges you have faced starting out in this industry?
Starting out in the Marketing industry has had its challenges. To be able to have the confidence to speak up & share your thoughts on a situation, requires you to really back yourself, your project, and your knowledge, which is hard!
What advice do you wish you’d received as a young marketer?
I encourage those coming out of university to reach out to those organisations that you’re passionate about. It shows those organisations that you are genuinely interested in working for them, and this interest is a great first impression. I also want to emphasise the importance of building relationships. No matter whether they are in a different industry, New Zealand is a small place, and everyone always knows someone, so being able to have a mutual connection is always valuable.
Where do you think your career will go in the next five to 10 years?
The team at Whittaker’s has been nothing but supportive in my development, and there’s lots of scope to grow so I think I’ll be here for a while yet!
