Mediaweek held its inaugural Power Lunch in October, celebrating the successes of the media industry and the people who make it.
In the 34th spot on the Agency 50 list is Simon Rush – CEO of JOY. Rush spoke with Mediaweek about being part of the Mediaweek 100 event, the industry issues on his mind and celebrating 20 years in the business.
Mediaweek: Congratulations on making the #34 spot on our Mediaweek Agency 50 list. What was your reaction to your placement?
SR: It was an unexpected acknowledgement. I very much enjoyed your function and seeing so many familiar faces there. It was a great reminder of what a positive industry this can be.
MW: How does your position on the list reflect the achievements made by JOY?
SR: It’s a nice bit of recognition for JOY, a company that very deliberately tends to fly under the radar. We are a bit of an insider’s brand. Clients largely come to us via referral.
MW: What are three industry issues on your mind, and in your opinion, how can they be solved or achieved?
SR: I’m less concerned with the industry issues than the ones specific to our company. The industry ties itself is in knots about whatever the fad is of the moment (witness the decarbonisation stoush currently making news).
The issues that tend to concern my partners and I are the perennial and enduring ones:
– How do we maintain a high-performance culture at JOY.
– Investing in the skills, IP and people to create growth for our clients.
– Ensuring our management and staff are well supported in every way and have the resources they need to thrive.
We are fortunate that being independent enables us to allocate our resources in the way that best enables these things.
MW: What is your outlook for Joy in the year ahead?
SR: This year marks our 20th year in business, and we’ll be doing a lot to celebrate the people who’ve worked with us, the achievements and great work we’ve done. As you’d imagine, with a name like ours we like to celebrate exuberantly!
MW: What are your hopes for the industry in 2023?
SR: I’d like to see the great work being done by the IMAA result in greater representation and recognition of Australian Independents. And, we’re welcoming back talent from around the world.
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Top image: Simon Rush