A passion for broadcasting and presentation enabled Ian Turner to hone his skills in copywriting and promotions. Ian tells us about his proudest achievements during his time at Farmlands and how he has grown professionally. 

What did you want to do when you left school?

I'd planned to go to the New Zealand Broadcasting School to become a "something" in radio. I had presentation and musical ability and was able to write, so that lent itself to the voice and copywriting streams. I was a late starter, as a career in music theatre beckoned. I was fortunate to spend 1.5 years touring New Zealand and Australia with Jesus Christ Superstar, then spent the next few years performing in covers bands and other productions before going "back to school". This sidetrack gave me plenty of life experience early on.

Tell us about your career to date.   

From the NZBS I started an internship with The Radio Network (NZME) in Christchurch as a copywriter and voiceover artist, with a bit of commercial production thrown in. Then I became a Marketing and Promotions Manager for Radio Nelson, moving to the UK in 2005 to work for one of the country's biggest Christian Media Channels as a Promotions Producer. I then moved on to Head of Promotions, overseeing quarterly fundraising appeals for both the company and third party charities, raising over £10 million during that time.

What led you to Farmlands? 

When I returned to New Zealand I freelanced for a while, mainly in copywriting and commercial production, with a bit of Quiz Hosting on the side. I was offered a temporary role in Communications at Farmlands, which was extended and then quickly led to a full-time Copywriter position. Over the course of 3 years my content creation abilities have been utilised across various Farmlands assets and channels - including Farmlander magazine - making it a no-brainer to move into the Content Specialist role.

How have you grown in your time with us at Farmlands? 

I think I was a little "corporate-green" coming to Farmlands. There are particular ways to deal with situations that I may have been a little hot-headed about – I’ll put that down to passion. I got some very good advice at work a while ago - "What are you bringing to the situation?" - it's helped me be aware of what I'm contributing to any scenario. I've also learned a heck of a lot about print media. Coming from a radio background with quick turnarounds to a magazine with 6–9 month lead times, it takes a lot of planning to get it right.

What are you most proud of and what do you most enjoy at Farmlands? 

Farmlander magazine has been and still is my greatest achievement - bar the amazing and fun headlines I get to create most days for in-store posters, eDMs and flyers. I also love that we're big enough to be able to put a decent budget behind brand and campaigns - and small enough that the CEO can take a close interest in what we're doing. There are a bunch of great people at Farmlands, working hard for the sector and for all of New Zealand.

What would your advice be for someone who's interested in a career in your area at Farmlands? 

Know your stuff! Watch where our campaigns are popping up and the imagery and language being used. Get to know rural New Zealand demographics and personality types. Read "rural" newspapers and magazines. Think like a real person thinks. Be realistic. Work Hard. Have a life outside of work. You will never truly appreciate the value of saying hello to a new person at work. While you're making coffee or grabbing your lunch, just say "Hi”. It's a great habit to get into.

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