Passion, that is how Sophie Jordan, Marketing Specialist at Merdian Energy was able to not only get her role, but also be named a finalist for Future Marketer of the Year at the 2024 YouTube NZ Marketing Awards.
Where were you when you found out you were nominated – how did you feel?
I was driving when my manager called to tell me the exciting news. I was completely taken by surprise and overwhelmed with so many emotions! To be recognised for my work and ability by people outside of Meridian really meant the world to me.
What sparked your interest in marketing, and how did you get started?
I’ve always been a people person with big dreams and, a mind of my own, so I knew that I wanted to go into an industry that enabled me to be creative, analytical, and strategic, where no two days were the same. I chose to study at Ara as I’ve always been a hands-on learner. There I met the most amazing Lecturer, Linda McKitterick who inspired me to give marketing a go and I’ve never looked back.
Briefly, give details of your marketing career to this point.
I started working for Meridian Energy in 2022 just after the Covid pandemic. It wasn’t easy to find a role at that time, so I had to think out of box to get my career started. I researched who the CMOs were at companies that I was interested in working for and physically wrote and hand delivered over 20 letters detailing why I wanted to work there and what I had to offer. One of them happened to be addressed to Michael Healy, the CMO at Meridian at the time who decided to take a chance on me.
Since then, I’ve been on a constant learning curve. Being in a big marketing team means that I’ve had the opportunity to learn off so many different talented marketers and gain exposure and experience to so many different aspects of marketing doing everything from B2B, B2C, content creation, strategy development, launching campaigns, managing partnerships and owning projects.
Currently my focus is on acquisition which includes ownership of Meridian’s EV Plan, Business Charging product and public charging network, Zero.
What’s your favourite thing about marketing? Is there a specific area you particularly enjoy, or specialise in, and why?
I love that it’s constantly evolving as technology, culture and human behaviour changes. I’m a people person so being able to craft campaigns around human behaviour is so fascinating to me! Working for an organisation that genuinely wants to make a difference to the future of New Zealand makes me excited to get out of bed every day.
What do you think it takes to be an award-winning marketer?
In one word – passion. Passion cannot be taught, it’s a feeling that you have.
Anyone can do marketing, but it takes a passion not only for the craft but to stay up to date with an ever-changing landscape where you need to be ahead of trends and constantly upskill.
To be an award-winning marketer, it’s also crucial to understand that you are not the customer. This means putting aside your personal preferences and biases to truly understand the needs, desires, and pain points of your target audience. Additionally, having a strong, well-thought-out strategy is essential as it provides direction. This strategy should be data-driven, adaptable, and aligned with your overall business goals. By combining deep customer insight with a strategic approach, you can create compelling campaigns that resonate with your audience and drive exceptional results.
Tell us about a specific project you’ve worked on that stands out for you.
Over the past year, my focus has been on enhancing our electric vehicle (EV) services, which includes our specialised EV power plan for drivers and our public charging network, Zero. This project has allowed me to fully leverage my accumulated industry knowledge and take significant ownership of our offerings.
I invested a lot of time in understanding the needs and preferences of our EV customers, allowing me to enhance our marketing and services to better align with this audience. This also meant collaborating with a broad and diverse group of stakeholders which has been immensely rewarding and has elevated my profile as an expert in the EV field.
What has been your most significant achievement in your career so far?
The thing I’m most proud of is that I’m only in my second year of my career but I’m being trusted to deliver on some of our biggest KPIs within our business.
Outside of work I recently hosted a charity golf tournament and lunch to fundraise for the Breast Cancer Foundation. The event was a huge success, allowing me to double my initial fundraising goal and donate over $45,000 to the foundation. The tournament ended up being advertised across multiple radio stations and news outlets and I already have sponsors keen to do it all over again in 2025 which is so surreal.
What are the biggest challenges you have faced starting out in this industry?
Marketing is an exciting and fun industry to work in however, a key learning for me has been finding a balance between bold, creative ideas with viable commercial outcomes.
What advice do you wish you’d received as a young marketer?
Prioritise building your data analytics skills. Data is at the heart of decision-making in marketing. Develop your analytical skills to interpret data correctly and make informed decisions that drive successful outcomes.
Where do you think your career will go in the next five to 10 years?
I have always had big dreams so the next five to ten years make me excited. I’ve been incredibly lucky to gain experience working across a broad range of marketing tasks, which has helped me develop a good set of generalist skills. For now, I want to focus on building more in-depth experience before making my mark overseas.
Looking ahead to the next ten years, a dream of mine would be to work for L’Oréal in their luxury division and find myself in a leadership role where I too can inspire, mentor, and guide the next generation of marketers.
