Life at Aditude: Ashley Ferguson

Ashley Ferguson, Aditude’s Marketing Coordinator describes a typical day in their life working remotely from Ottawa, ON.

Life at Aditude is a series about the individuals working behind the scenes at Aditude.

Meet the Aditude Team: Can you introduce yourself and describe your role at Aditude? 

Hi! I'm Ashley and I’m the Marketing Coordinator at Aditude. In my role, I primarily manage our social media channels and website, create engaging content across various platforms, and collaborate with our Director of Marketing on strategy planning.

Day in the Life: What does a typical day look like for you at Aditude? Walk us through your daily responsibilities. 

A typical day in my role starts with checking for new emails and taking a look at any new notifications we received on social overnight. After that, I’ll use my handy dandy planner to structure my day with time blocking. Some of my repeating tasks involve copywriting and designing for our content calendars, writing blogs, executing new ideas for campaigns, designing swag for upcoming events, and managing our email strategy. Each day brings something new, which keeps the role dynamic and exciting!

Your Journey to Aditude: How did you end up working at Aditude? What inspired you to join the team? 

My journey to Aditude happened by chance. I was searching for a new role in an industry that would challenge me more. I knew I wanted to make the transition into tech, though I wasn't sure exactly where I’d end up at that point. When I came across Aditude’s job opening one day, I started learning more about programmatic advertising and ad tech. The more I explored, the more I realized it was the perfect opportunity to learn something new and push myself. When I first interviewed for the position at Aditude, I could just tell that the team would be supportive and help me take my career to the next level. Fast forward nearly a year, I’m constantly pushing myself to grow and embrace new challenges every day, while also working with the best colleagues I’ve ever had!

Favorite Projects: What has been your most exciting or rewarding project at Aditude so far? 

Since joining the team, I've had the opportunity to work on many rewarding projects, but one that stands out the most is the acquisition rollout plan following Aditude’s acquisition of Hashtag Labs in September 2024. I collaborated closely with the executive team and the Director of Marketing to develop a comprehensive strategy for announcing the acquisition. I was involved in planning the social media release, contributing to PR initiatives, writing press releases, and supporting the overall strategy. This experience was a fantastic opportunity to dive into something new and, for the first time in my career, see firsthand how marketing plays a role in an acquisition.

Challenges & Solutions: What are some common challenges you face in your role, and how do you overcome them? 

I think the biggest challenge I faced coming into this role was being new to the ad tech industry. I had done research and knew the basics, but it took some time working in it to understand it better. I also took advantage of as many resources as I could find so I could accelerate that learning and overcome those barriers. I don’t find it as much of a challenge now as when I first started, but I’m still constantly learning new things about the industry from my own research as well as the people I work with. Another challenge is that the industry evolves so quickly, it’s important to keep up with all the new developments!

Team Collaboration: How does collaboration with other team members affect your work? 

Working in the marketing department, I often collaborate with team members on various types of content. This positively impacts my work because engaging with subject matter experts allows me to learn as I go, ensuring that the content aligns with our brand and remains relevant to our audience. This teamwork not only improves the quality of my work, but also helps me continuously grow and deepen my understanding of the industry.

Career Advice: What advice would you give someone looking to pursue a similar career?

Advice I would give other marketing professionals looking to break into tech would be to do the research, show your interest, and be open to new experiences and ideas. The tech industry, especially ad tech, moves really quickly and you have to be adaptable to be successful.

Tech & Trends: What emerging technologies or trends are you most excited about in the programmatic advertising space? 

One concept I find fascinating in ad tech is the debate between open vs. walled gardens. As the industry evolves, there's a clear shift towards SaaS ecosystems that prioritize flexibility, transparency, and greater control for publishers. It’s empowering to see how this shift opens up opportunities for publishers to access a wider range of demand sources and build more meaningful partnerships.

Memorable Moments: Share a memorable or funny moment you've had while working at Aditude. 

A memorable moment while working at Aditude would have to be our September 2024 retreat to Orlando, FL. It was the first time I had ever been to Disney World, and also the first time I got to meet my coworkers in person. I was only at the company for a few months at that point and I couldn’t believe how welcoming everyone was! I’m super grateful to work with such an amazing and supportive team.

Future Goals: Where do you see yourself and Aditude heading in the next few years? Any exciting plans or visions for the future?

In the next few years, I see myself growing alongside Aditude, taking on more responsibilities, and continuing to expand my knowledge of the ad tech industry. I’m excited about the direction Aditude is heading and the opportunities to innovate and enhance the publisher experience.