For Aaron Nahas, all it took was one high school elective to learn that the secret of good marketing and advertising is all about connecting with people—and he was hooked.
“From the very beginning, I was fascinated by how marketing can influence people to fall into their identities, so I decided to study advertising in college,” says Nahas, who established his career in digital marketing and advertising before joining ad tech company Kinesso.
In his role as the Director of Addressable Media, Nahas uses data to make advertising more efficient for brands—and to make ads more worthwhile for the people seeing them, too. “We’ve all had a moment when we saw an ad that annoyed us, or seen too much of the same ad until it drove us crazy,” he says. “Addressable media provides us with the tools to keep that from happening ever again, and I’m proud to be a part of that.”
Here, Nahas talks about what he likes most about working in the ad tech industry, why communication has been so important throughout his career, and the roles his team is currently hiring for.
What led you to your job at Kinesso/Matterkind?
After joining the programmatic side of media in a previous role, I fell in love with the ad tech industry. I knew that programmatic would be the future of this field, especially given our technology-driven world. I liked it so much that I really wanted to grow my knowledge of ad tech in a community of industry experts, the kind of place that prioritizes education and stays on top of emerging trends in ad tech. Matterkind was the obvious choice.
What is the Addressable Strategy team responsible for at Matterkind?
The Addressable Strategy team is tasked with exactly what the name implies—strategy! We look at the big picture for our clients and make campaign plans to satisfy their goals. First, you have to turn client business goals into media goals. For example, if a client wants to sell more products from their website, then we would work towards a media goal of site visits, or “conversions on site.” From there, we have to work backwards and figure out what kinds of data and publisher partners will help us reach the audience that is most likely to buy the product/service the client is offering.
How does the work you’re doing at Kinesso/Matterkind excite and inspire you?
I always like to think of us as being on the “front lines” of connecting consumers with products and services they’re legitimately interested in. We have the data to figure out what people actually want and need and we work to make sure that’s the only thing they have to see when they go about their day.
What do you love most about working in the ad tech industry?
You can learn a lot about tech in general outside of just advertising. It’s a lot of fun to know what’s coming down the pipeline in categories like wearable tech, new phones/tablets, and smart speakers, especially if you’re a techie like me. It’s hard not to love it considering there are innovations all the time!
What about the role has been challenging, and what have you learned from it?
This role has a host of different types of challenges, from dealing with client brand restrictions, to limitations of certain technology, or consumer mindsets and opinions—the list goes on. The solution to these challenges can come from several different places, but the way to getting that solution is almost always through communication. I’m working with some of the best people in this business and whenever I hit a challenge that needs to be overcome, I connect with all of the different teams to talk through solutions and try to get as many perspectives as possible. The solution is usually a combination of all of them.
What has been the secret to your career success?
The same secret to overcoming any challenge: Communication. You should always get thoughts, advice, and feedback from those you’re working with. No single person has all of the answers, and I am blessed to work with a lot of smart people that helped mold me into the person I am today. I also have a general passion for the business, which keeps me reading trades and interesting articles about what’s new to help me stay informed when talking with various partners.
In what ways does Kinesso/Matterkind foster an inclusive work environment?
Kinesso/Matterkind doesn’t really shy away from the issue. Where they see a need they address it, and they are quick to engage with their own employees for ideas and feedback about how to do so.
We understand that your team is hiring. What types of roles is the Addressable Strategy team hiring for, and how can candidates stand out in interviews?
We’re hiring for addressable activation managers and senior associates. Skills in project management, teamwork, and a willingness to learn and face new challenges are always important to these roles!
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
“Accountability is key.” Always set up your tasks/projects in a way so that everyone involved is accountable for their part. When you make it clear to someone that they’re accountable for something it gives them an opportunity to make it their own and do their best.