We sat down with Finley, Account Manager at AA9, to hear more about his first six months with the team, what it’s like supporting healthcare, pharma and PR agency clients, and the role strong communication plays in keeping creative projects moving behind the scenes.
From managing fast-paced briefs and multi-market assets to working closely with AA9’s creative, video and performance teams, Finley shares what he’s learned so far, what makes a great agency partnership, and why quality, creativity and efficiency matter so much in such a highly regulated space.
Hello, Finley, to get us started, can you tell us a little bit about your role at AA9 and what your day-to-day looks like?
Hey! I'm an Account Manager here at AA9. Day-to-day, I handle client communications, manage new and ongoing projects, and brief the creative teams.
You’ve been with AA9 for over six months now. What has stood out to you most about working with healthcare, pharma and PR agency clients?
The pace, and the variety! Agility is really important within the industry when it comes to creative work. The rules and regulations mean assets may need to change fairly swiftly, and we have to be able to accommodate this while ensuring quality.
What part of the role have you enjoyed most so far?
The team at AA9 and wider STM Group. They're the most 'creative first' team I've ever worked in, and a lovely bunch too! We have a wide range of resource from creative and video to performance marketing. Working with a variety of departments has been the highlight so far.
What do you think makes a strong agency partnership work well behind the scenes?
Open communication and a good working relationship. It can often feel like you are an extension of the agency's internal team so working together well really helps. As I mentioned earlier, being able to operate at a fast-pace also really helps.
How does your role help keep projects moving smoothly between clients, creatives, strategists and delivery teams?
It works well as a conduit between the client and the creative or performance team. Some client's may need things communicated in a certain way, and there's where the Account Manager role comes in. Allowing us to handle communication, administration and meetings allows the creative resource the time to focus on producing great work.
What do you think clients value most when working with a partner like AA9?
Quality, creativity and efficiency. The industry is one with a lot of regulations, and the team is so experienced that we can advise the clients on best practise. Balancing creativity with industry experience is invaluable to the clients. Many pharmaceutical events require multiple assets - so the fact our team can advise on what will or won’t be approved is very useful.
What’s been your proudest moment at AA9 so far?
Managing projects that launched successfully internationally! Working with creative assets that require multiple translation can always be challenging, but seeing photos of the work in action was great to see. We created some work for 67Health that required a few different translations on similar assets, so making sure the designs remained within brand guidelines but also fit the different text in was important. Seeing the final printed works in use was even better.
And finally, what is your favourite thing about working at AA9?
The people and working within a creative team! It’s fun getting involved and working alongside people you get on with. From day one you are made to feel confident enough to get stuck in.
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