Blake Wright.
Our Industry Profile takes a look at some of the professionals working across the advertising, adtech, marketing and media sector in Australia. It aims to shed light on the varying roles and companies across the buzzing industry.
Blake Wright: Sales director for brand & media agencies in Australia at Shopfully.
Time in current role
6 Months, this time round. I worked with Shopfully for two years back in 2021/2.
How would you describe what the company does?
Shopfully helps brands and retailers own the pre-shop moment by influencing shoppers before they decide what to buy and where, then measurably driving them into store. We sit upstream of purchase, using data-led retail media to turn digital planning into real-world sales.
What do you do day to day?
I lead the brand and agency side of the business for Aus - I champion the internal and external strategy for how we work with our agency partners. Then, day to day, I work with teams from buyers, investment, planners and strategy to ensure brands unlock the potential of partnerships with Shopfully.
Define your job in one word:
Jazz Hands
I got into my industry because:
I’ve always been drawn to environments where thinking and competition collide. Advertising sits right at that intersection. Clients come to us with complex commercial problems; we bring strategy, creativity and media, and the challenge is to solve those problems better than anyone else. I’ve always liked that it rewards both intellect and execution.
What’s the biggest challenge you face in your role?
Retail media has exploded in Australia over the last five years, but the category is still evolving. The challenge is navigating that grey space of who is buying, who is planning and where the ultimate responsibility lies. Half the battle is platform positioning, nail that and the world is your oyster!
As a global platform, operating in 27 countries, we have the challenge of localisation. What works in Europe/ North America doesn't always translate in a smaller market; the work is modifying products into solutions that actually address Australian market dynamics, behaviours and retailers’ realities.
What’s the biggest industry wide challenge you’d like to see tackled?
True collaboration. The industry is ready for it, but it needs to be led. Agencies have the opportunity to bring partners together earlier, align thinking, and solve problems as one team, rather than defaulting to siloed, bolt-on executions. That’s where the best work comes from.
Who has been a great mentor to you and why?
Jamie Wood. I’ve known him since my early days in media in Brisbane. He’s always been someone I could turn to for perspective, not just answers. His advice is practical, grounded and generous, and his ability to distil what’s actually happening in the industry is rare. Follow him on Linkedin, the morning posts are something I look forward to!
Words of advice for someone wanting a job like yours?
Learn the whole market, not just your lane. Selling media in 2026 is about understanding how platforms work together, not competing in isolation. The best commercial leaders can position their product within a broader strategy and genuinely partner with agencies and clients.
And never underestimate delivery. Client services and implementation are critical. Sell things that can be executed brilliantly, because long-term success is built on trust and continuity, not one-off wins. It will also make your life in the office so much better when you don't need to hide from the Campaign Manager!
If I wasn’t doing this for a living, I'd be:
Something outdoors, and a little romanticised. I'd try to be a cowboy. Almost certainly not as glamorous as it looks on Yellowstone.
My philosophy is:
Be commercially sharp, strategically generous, and easy to work with. People remember how you make them feel long after they remember the deal.
My favourite advert is:
Lube Mobile from the ‘90’s - the jingle haunts me to this day, “call 13 20 32”
Music and TV streaming habits:
Music for training, thinking and travelling; a mix of country, indie pop and a throwback to Panic at the Disco! For some 3 pm Spice.
TV is either prestige drama (Taylor Sheridan shows) or something completely brainless at the end of a long day. I recommend Below Deck.
What do you subscribe to?
An unreasonable number of travel newsletters, leading to a few too many emails to Brendan, Shopfully’s Country Manager for Australia, about time off and many stories for the team from my adventures abroad.
Tell us one thing people at work don’t know about you?
Most of the time, the email you receive at 8 am was actually written at 4 am and scheduled to send for later, so you don't think I'm a psycho.
In five years time I'll be:
Leading a business. Building something meaningful. And still deeply invested in the future of the industry.
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