Scott Purcell, co-founder of Man of Many, has told Mediaweek that being an independent publisher means the team can create “pure, honest content” with “no strings attached.”
Purcell won the Publishing Award at Mediaweek’s Next of the Best Awards on Thursday evening. This adds to a year that has seen the Man of Many team debut Sydney Whisky Month, launch its inaugural online edition housed on a dedicated platform within the title’s website, and win Mediaweek’s February Sales Team of the Year accolade.
Mediaweek caught up with Purcell to speak about his Next of the Best win and what the industry can expect from him next.
The awards have been judged by an all-star line-up, what does it mean to you to be recognised by this group?
It’s an absolute honour. Two of the judges approached me after the awards, and hearing about their extensive experience in the industry was incredibly inspiring. Their insights and validation really reinforced the hard work our team has put in.
To be recognised by such esteemed professionals means the world to us. It’s a testament to our commitment to excellence and innovation in the publishing industry. Plus, having a few new LinkedIn connections who are industry heavyweights is always a nice bonus!
What content is resonating with the Man of Many audience in 2024?
Self-improvement, the latest tech gear, and entertainment always tend to perform well. Our audience loves a good TV series. Two I’d strongly recommend to the Mediaweek readers are Presumed Innocent and Dark Matter. Seriously, they’re so gripping that you might need to schedule a few ‘sick’ days to binge-watch.
We’re also seeing a significant trend in video content, particularly episodic and series formats like our popular Monday Munchies. This focus has led to our YouTube channel growing to over 36,000 subscribers, which is a big focus for us this year. Our audience is increasingly engaging with dynamic video content that offers both entertainment and practical value, which drives our continuous efforts to produce high-quality series that resonate with their interests.
What is the benefit of being an independent publisher?
Being independent means we have the freedom to create unique, unbiased content that genuinely resonates with our audience. It ensures authenticity and builds trust, which is priceless. No strings attached, just pure, honest content. Plus, no awkward board meetings with investors who just don’t get why we reviewed 50 different whiskies in one month.
Our independence allows us to stay true to our vision and purpose, which we’ve worked hard to cement over recent years. This clarity in our mission ensures every piece of content we produce is aligned with our core values and directly addresses our audience’s interests and needs. This independence also gives us the flexibility to experiment and innovate, keeping our content fresh and relevant.
If you weren’t at Man of Many, what would you be doing instead?
I started my career as a credit analyst in finance, so probably still doing that. But honestly, I think I’d still be tinkering on the internet. Man of Many was born out of a passion for exploration and sharing cool finds, so I’d likely be doing that in some other way.
I mentioned this before, but our purpose as a business is to empower people to make positive investments in themselves and their communities. It’s this drive to explore and share valuable insights that would have me pursuing something similar, even if it weren’t in the exact same format.
Being Next of The Best – what can the industry expect next from you?
We’ve got tonnes of exciting things coming up this year. We just wrapped up Sydney Whisky Month with a bunch of sold-out tasting events. Next, we’ve got the second edition of our Digital Covers project coming out shortly, a new website design launching in August, and a new corporate advertising portal for our clients.
We’re also diving into some innovative work with AI, enhancing our operational efficiency and user experience. However, we’re maintaining a firm stance against using AI to publish content directly on our site, ensuring that our editorial integrity and the authenticity of our voice remain intact. Our audience can always expect genuine, high-quality content crafted by real people.
Stay tuned, it’s going to be a fun ride!
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Top image: Scott Purcell at Mediaweek’s Next of the Best Awards