Our Industry Profile takes a weekly look at some of the professionals working across the advertising, ad tech, marketing and media sector in Australia. It aims to shed light on the varying roles and companies across the buzzing industry.
Last week we spoke with Southern Cross Austereo's (SCA) head of content for Hit Network, Gemma Fordham. This week we chat to Carat Melbourne managing director, Joseph Pardillo.
Duration in current role/time at the company:
Current role 18 months; been at Carat for five years as group business director and general manager.
In one sentence, how would you describe what the company does?
We build genuine business partnerships with our clients, collectively creating customised ideas and solutions for their brands that drive tangible business results through media.
In one sentence, what does your role involve?
I see my role as orchestrating the way forward for the team via ensuring a fully fit Carat Melbourne office, and ensuring that the people are best equipped to lead and collaborate with our client partners.
Within the last six months/year, what stands out as the company’s major milestones?
Whilst having witnessed firsthand Carat’s sustained period of business success over the last five years, I think for me it’s actually the ‘behind the scenes’ work that stands out the most. This is best articulated by the mammoth task that was asked of the team when we moved offices in one of the busiest periods of 2016.
The teamwork, nimbleness and fluidity displayed by our 140+ strong crew, as they lifted and shifted themselves seamlessly to our new office address, was a simple reminder of what a great army of people I work with every day… And for me, a major milestone moment is often created through the simplest act of values displayed by our people. We now have a great new agency home to show for it as well.
Best thing about the industry you work in:
The fact that my friends and family don’t really know exactly what I do, yet they still think it’s one of the coolest jobs ever.
Previous industry related (ad land/ad tech) companies you have worked at:
Prior to joining Carat, I spent an adventurous two years launching a content, digital and media strategy agency called Hotglue with a very talented bunch of individuals, before gaining invaluable experience as Seven Group Sales Manager at Seven West Media.
Career-wise, where do you see yourself in three years’ time?
Successfully accomplishing our Carat 2020 business vision, and getting ready to go again to ensure that the business remains three steps ahead of industry pace. Personal titles and accolades will take care of themselves.
What is the elephant in the room? The thing that no one is talking about – but they should be.
As data becomes our currency, we need to work harder as an industry to create a universal method of measuring across screens and touchpoints. Everyone sleeps next to their mobile for example and therefore the device becomes integral within most advertising campaigns, yet there is no clear industry measurement that can tell you of its true impact across other platforms.
Tell us one thing people at work don’t know about you?
I knocked back Stevie Wonder. Okay the real story… After winning a competition to share the stage with the living legend himself and actually sing a duet with him, I had to declare to the concert tour organisers that it’d be a disaster if they let me sing. So instead I scored an alternative prize – A backstage pass to a private jam with Stevie, which in turn saved the concert crowd from bleeding ears.
Top networking tip:
Keep it real.
My favourite restaurant for a business lunch is:
Anywhere that serves a glass of Pinot Noir.
My favourite advert is:
Probably Carlton Draught: ‘Big Ad’ is right up there for me. I still remember that ad as clearly as Leo Barry’s ‘leap of belief’ in the dying seconds of the AFL Grand Final in that same year… In fact it was an AFL finals series fitting for a major broadcast launch, so it was a well-timed and orchestrated campaign all ‘round.
My must-have gadget is:
Is this a trick question? ‘Gotta be that Apple thing doesn’t it?
My favourite media is:
#instagram.
My favourite TV show is:
Ain’t nobody got time for that!... No that’s not a TV show, I seriously don’t have enough time in the day/week to lock in a favourite TV show. I’m more of a Netflix and PayTV surfer and never commit unless I’m watching one my favourite sports teams.
The last book I read:
Eleven Rings: The Soul of Success, by Phil Jackson. Dived into it to be inspired by how Phil Jackson won his NBA championships, but came out the other end motivated to become a ‘Zen master’.
My mantra / philosophy is:
The secret to success is making the right decisions; the only way to make the right decisions is via experience; the best way to gain experience is by not being afraid to make the wrong decisions.
I got into advertising/ad tech/marketing etc because:
I deferred my second year of Civil Engineering at RMIT University and was attracted to what the Business-Advertising course had to offer in the meantime, so I ended up applying for it in that gap year. I never went back to Civil Engineering but completed the Business-Advertising course instead, and the rest is history.
If I wasn't doing this for a living, I'd be:
Touring with Stevie Wonder or winning NBA championships as a ‘Zen master’.
In five years' time I'll be:
Overseeing my 15 and 17 year old kids purchase their ‘uber-cool’ gadgets through augmented reality environments, as I watch my eldest daughter attend O-Week (on our couch) with her highly fashionable and branded VR goggles on… Yes, good luck with that ‘Reach & Frequency’ model.
Define your job in one word:
Alive.
What's your poison:
Hand cut potato fries or anything within the same family tree, including their crisps relatives.
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