Havas Global Culture: Same-same, but different
I was immediately fascinated with Milan. It radiated history the moment I left the airport (with heavy fog only adding to the mystery). The closer I got to the city centre the more its history, Gothic architecture and that famous Italian style blended together.
Dropping my bags at the hotel, I headed straight to the CBD and found myself in front of Milan’s most famous landmark.
Taking 6 centuries to complete, the Duomo is imposing in its impressiveness. With the Havas Village being one of the last agencies to remain in the Milano CBD, I have the joy of walking past this landmark on the daily.
Coming to the Havas Village I was immediately floored with its scope, Media being three times the size of what I’m used to back in Sydney. To boot, Havas Italy has seen some significant client wins this year and continues on exponential growth, evident by the tangible buzz around the office.
Despite the fact I had found myself in a foreign country and company, the office felt instantly familiar. I was happy to discover that the Havas culture persists across continents. Not only were my adoptive team friendly and inclusive, but the ethos of ‘speak easy’ and ‘better together’ were recognisable and felt homely. Plus my laptop automatically connected to the office network, win!
My first few days have been nothing short of action packed. Meetings with senior management and channel leaders have given me insight into the operations of the company, as well as key clients and industries. In particular, I’ve learnt about new teams and services which we don’t have back home (but would definitely benefit from) e.g. Market Research and CRM. I’ve also been shown some interesting case studies, including an upcoming campaign from Havas Sports & Entertainment. The campaign leverages the Vivendi relationship to create music playlists (from Universal artists) to feature on the social media channels of a famous local sports team.
On another note, the Milano office features an impressive skyline. The Madonnina sits atop the Duomo and overlooks the city as its primary focal point. I’ve since learnt how much this monument means to the city, and my new found colleagues take pride in being able to view it from the office.
There’s much to look forward to over the coming weeks, including hands-on experience with local clients, a trip to the Rome office and further introductions. I’ve been really enjoying my time here so far and excited to continue the adventure of exploring both my host country and office.
