Alumni and Supporters

Bachelor of Marketing, Advertising and Public Relations (2017)

With dedication and a knack for turning creative visions into reality, Natalie Woloszyn has had a meteoric rise in the advertising industry.

Joining one of Perth’s leading agencies less than four years ago, Natalie has climbed the corporate ladder at The Brand Agency, starting out in the junior position of Account Executive. Three promotions later, Natalie has just been appointed Account Director, attributing her success to hard work and continuous growth and learning.

“I think that my experience in previous years and the way that I tackled my work enabled me to jump levels a little bit quicker than you normally would,” Natalie says. “I’m always looking for ways to grow and improve - the greatest humility is to admit you're still on the journey.

“It's really important that when you reach periods of time when you feel quite comfortable, you realise that you need to be uncomfortable to feel challenged and to actually grow.”

First trying her hand at Health Science, Natalie applied to move across into the Bachelor of Business - before she ultimately landed in the Bachelor of Marketing, Advertising and Public Relations.

“I was initially keen on studying marketing, but decided that the triple threat degree in marketing advertising and public relations was right up my alley,” Natalie explains. “I saw that it wasn't necessarily offered at other universities, so that really appealed to me because you could dip your toe into three different areas in the creative industries.

“And from a job perspective, I knew that could open a lot of doors for me.”

Those doors began to open for Natalie during her time at ECU, securing a coveted internship with the International College Program at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida.

After seeing an ad on an ECU news forum and a whirlwind interview process, it wasn’t long before Natalie jetted off to Florida, learning from the largest entertainment company in the world through classes as well as on the job at a theme park during her six-month placement.

“I always say Mickey Mouse was my boss,” Natalie laughs. “That was probably my key highlight from university days – I wouldn’t have been able to take advantage of that opportunity if it wasn’t for ECU.”

Returning home to Perth and graduating in 2017, Natalie’s first job out of university was with Western Force, followed by not-for-profit organisation YMCA where she worked for two and a half years as Marketing and Communications Coordinator.

“And then I fell into a job in advertising, which is my current career path and I absolutely love it.”

“I’m always looking for ways to grow and improve - the greatest humility is to admit you're still on the journey."

Since joining The Brand Agency in November 2020, Natalie has worked on successful campaigns with the likes of The Perth Mint, MSWA and Woodside.

“The Brand Agency is the most diversified and accomplished marketing, advertising and communications business in WA,” Natalie explains.

“My job is in client service. I'm the middleman so I represent the agency to a client and the client to the agency.

“It’s my job to understand my clients’ business and how our agency services can help them achieve marketing and business goals. To me, the heart of this is brand building and creative effectiveness.”

Renowned for its fast-pace, high-pressure environment, the advertising industry may appear competitive from the outside, but there is plenty of good to come from it too. One of Natalie’s favourite campaigns that she led was for Foodbank, encouraging donations to provide meals for those doing it tough as part of the Purple Plates for Christmas initiative.

“Overall, the campaign raised 1.1 million meals, so the result itself was so worthwhile and fulfilling knowing our work had that impact alongside the collective efforts of Foodbank’s community,” she said.

“The people that surround me are extremely talented and they're experts in the field, so they really do encourage me to think outside the box and push my boundaries.

“A lot of people are very motivated and we do bounce off each other, which enables such a vibrant atmosphere.”

Natalie says her time at ECU prepared her well for the industry, with lecturers and tutors able to give real world experience and advice.

“Getting into the marketing and advertising industry was pretty tough - I guess it's pretty challenging to get your foot into the door,” she says. “I really had to adjust my expectations and be open to any opportunity that came my way.”

As for advice for any current students wanting a career in advertising, Natalie says getting outside your comfort zone is a good place to start.

“Be hungry. Get motivated. Make yourself uncomfortable. It's really interesting that I say that because I was the one who was trying to go to social networking events and sitting out in the car for half an hour to pump myself up,” she says.

“Confidence doesn't come easy and nor should it. But everyone is open to talking to people who are new to the industry, so it's just taking that first step forward.”