How William Portlock got ahead
My first job in DM was good in terms of what I learned; they used to say that three years at Readers Digest was the equivalent of a degree in Direct Marketing. The only bad thing, was that, like most large organisations it stifled any entrepreneurial aspirations I may have had!
Name: William Portlock
Company: Marketing Metrix
Job title: Managing Director
What made you want to get into brands/advertising/media/marketing?
Like lots of people I just fell into it; also like many others, I’m now glad I did!
How did you get into the industry (including relevant qualifications and professional training)?
I was originally a statistician and applied for a job at Readers’ Digest, which just happened to be a marketing organisation.
What was good and bad about your first job?
My first job in DM was good in terms of what I learned; they used to say that three years at Reader’s Digest was the equivalent of a degree in Direct Marketing. The only bad thing, was that, like most large organisations it stifled any entrepreneurial aspirations I may have had!
List your jobs to date:
Film extra
Royal Navy
British Aerospace (Systems analyst)
Readers digest (Senior Statistician)
WWAV (Planning Direct)
Marketing Metrix (MD)
What were the best and worst, and why?
Best – Marketing Metrix, because I am really proud of the service we provide and the help we have given companies to better understand their audiences.
Worst – British Aerospace, because it was a dinosaur
Who has been your biggest inspiration?
My team at Marketing Metrix
Who in the industry do you most admire?
No comment; I don’t want to sound sycophantic!
What is your biggest achievement to date?
Setting up Marketing Metrix
On what do you base your success so far?
Tenacity and the self belief to succeed
What are your ambitions?
To own an Andy Warhol
Change one thing about your job:
Nothing
Change one thing about your industry:
We need to lose the ‘Junk Mail’ title through proper targeting.
Change one thing about the world:
The weather
What is your favourite brand?
Tesco
What is the next big brand in your view?
Whole Foods Market
List your ‘media diet’:
Saturday and Sunday times, LBC, Radio 3&4, Kiss FM, Many TV channels –I like to channel hop, US metropolitan Home