The launch of Matty J's Bachelor series airs tonight on Ten, and Australian viewers are readying themselves to fall in love with him all over again.
While we became quite well versed in Matty's hobbies last year – horse riding, trapezing and falling in love with Georgia Love – what many might not know is the soon-to-be Bachelor is an adman and currently working at brand consultancy agency The Projects.
Ahead of tonight's premiere, AdNews sat down with the heartthrob to find out more about his background, being an influencer and how he got into the industry.
AdNews: How did you get into marketing?
Matty J (MJ) : While I was studying event management I started doing work experience at music festivals as I was really interested in the production side of things. However, after working alongside a sponsorship manager at one festival I found myself being more and more interested in partnerships/marketing strategy more than anything else. This then led me to get my first job with a brand entertainment agency in Sydney once I finished my course.
AdNews: Will you be going back to your job?
MJ: I'm happy to say I'm already back at my job now working as an account director at brand consultancy agency The Projects.
AdNews: What did your colleagues and boss think of your decision to go on the show?
MJ: My boss was really excited about me being the Bachelor. He knew it was a once in a lifetime opportunity and it was something I really wanted to do, so he embraced it. I think my other colleagues thought it was exciting, maybe just the novelty factor of having someone you know on TV.
AdNews: Has your media career hindered your love life? We're all very aware of the long hours and constant events.
MJ: I think it has. In the past my career has definitely been a focus rather than my social/love life, especially in London when I landed my dream job. I just immersed myself in work and it was pretty normal to work 12 hour days, week in, week out. Although it didn't bother me initially because I really loved the agency, after four years I could feel myself starting to burn out and needing to readjust my priorities.
AdNews: Do you value influencers now that, essentially, you are one?
MJ: Haha – it's a little strange to think of myself as an influencer, however, I do value what they can offer brands from a marketing perspective. Word of mouth and peer recommendation is arguably the most effective form of advertising so it makes sense to have those who are already well-known to a brand's audience promoting their product, all the while still staying true to the influencer's unique voice and story.
AdNews: What has been your favourite brand to work with in media?
MJ: When I was handed the Spotify account, while working in London, it was definitely a highlight moment. I considered Spotify to be an industry leader in the music/tech space and their marketing team were extremely talented.
AdNews: How was it moving from the brand to client side, from Peugeot to The Projects?
MJ: I was really excited about moving client-side after working for agencies for so many years. The opportunity to be involved in marketing strategies from initial inception was something that I was really looking forward to, although I did miss the diversity of working with multiple clients as well as the culture that comes with a young agency.
AdNews: How do the media worlds of London and Sydney differ?
To be honest they're pretty similar. I found the transition to working in London and then back again to Sydney pretty easy. The big difference is the size of campaigns you work on in the UK as the budgets are so much bigger. But that's honestly about it.
Check out who's sponsoring this season of The Bachelor here.
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