30 from 30. The people who helped shape the industry and Campaign Brief: Matt Eastwood

For Campaign Brief WA’s 30th anniversary, over the thirty days of June we’re looking back on 30 people who helped shape the industry and us.

Matt Eastwood might be a surprising inclusion in this list, given he only actually worked in the local industry for about 4 years from 1988 to 1992, but his influence has been felt ever since as we have watched his career grow around the world.It has been a career that has proved staring in Perth is no handicap to success on a global stage.

He was one of ten ‘Young Turks’ we featured on a cover in July 1988, which Eastwood generously credited with getting him a start in the industry: “That cover led to a job offer for Malcolm MacLean at The Brand Agency. And thankfully, now with a slot to fill, a job offer for me from John Ilian, Creative Director at FCB Shorter.“

At FCB Shorter, Eastwood worked with two of our other young turks – Craig Buchanan and Dean Graham (pictured).  Two years later he moved to JMAO&M but became a victim of that agency’s change in fortunes and was retrenched.

Figuring it was as good a time as any to try his luck in Sydney, he landed a position with Foster Nunn Loveder – one of the country’s most creative shops. From there, senior writer at Saatchi & Saatchi Sydney, then CD of M&C Saatchi in Australia, London and New York, Y&R in New York, back to Sydney at DDB, back to New York with DDB, and now Worldwide Chief Creative Officer of JWT.

In the brief time he was here, Eastwood was an enthusiastic participant in and leader of the industry.  Like the breakfast club he was instrumental in establishing, where creatives met weekly to talk about ads. Twenty-plus years later, the PADC has rekindled the idea with its monthly Commune coffee mornings.

For all his great success, Eastwood has never forgotten his home town.

He wrote a marvelous foreword for our 20th anniversary edition when he was North American ECD at Y&R Brands, recalling with great fondness his time here: “Since then, I’ve worked all over the world and I can honestly say I’ve never had an industry experience quite like it.”

He’s judged our Campaign Brief Awards several times, as he has the PADC Awards.

He’s been a generous and source of advice for Perth ex-pats heading to New York. And most recently he has contributed his experience and learning to Ross Tinney’s new book, My P.O.V. Tinney closes the book with Eastwood’s simple advice, which perfectly sums up the ‘secret’ of his success: Work hard and be nice.

Matt Eastwood is an inspirational role model for what can be achieved by people in this industry.

(LtoR): Erica Covich, Dean Graham, Cathryn Charleston, Malcolm MacLean, Lisa MacFarlane, Neil Weeks, Matt Eastwood, Antoinette Frzop, Wayne Henderson, Craig Buchanan.