Johanna Pottinger

Course of Study: Advertising, Marketing and PR
Company Name: Channel 4
Date recruited: 4 January 2010
Industry: Media
Location: London

What is your role in the business?

I currently work as a Sales Development Account Executive at Channel 4. My department is responsible for dealing with and attracting new-to-TV advertisers and small media agencies. We also look after all the international brands/clients that advertise on Channel 4 and are responsible for working along side our international reps to bring in new international business.

What has been your impact on the business?

All the revenue generated my department is incremental, so it's capital that has not been forecasted and is additional unexpected revenue that is outside of the share deals with we have the bigger agencies. Generating this incremental revenue, helps us hit targets. The money generated by the Channel 4 Airtime Sales is pumped back in to the channel towards the creation of the great programming which we are famous for, so the more revenue made the more we can input into programming. So the role is critical and instrumental to business function and survival.

I feel on a day-to-day basis I help my department stay upbeat and positive, something that Is vital to a role that involves negotiation and persuasion.

I am also first to put my ideas in during a brainstorming session and have the vision to think outside the box. In such a creative environment, this is essential as we are always looking for new ways to add to the viewer experience and help brands achieve the cut through needed in today’s mass media and digital setting.

TV buying and planning can be a complex process, quite different to other types of media and working with and inciting new clients you have to be very patient and articulate to be able to explain this process and be the first point of contact.

What skills did you learn while studying at Birmingham City University that helped you find your job?

Having studied Marketing, Advertising and PR at Birmingham City University has equipped me with the background knowledge needed to enter this industry. This also enabled to me to talk comfortably and fluently at interviews and be familiar with media terminology, something I found really impressed potential employers.

Most of my lecturers were either still working in the industry or were once quite senior, which meant they were able to give a very practical and realistic account. This also meant that coursework and lectures had a good balance of theory and tasks that were very transferable.

I feel my studies were invaluable to gaining the position that I am in now, and I feel it gives me the edge over other graduates in the industry who have more general degrees.