Faces of Val: Senior Account Manager, Maddie Rodgers.

Meet Maddie Rodgers, our stellar Senior Account Manager from Sydney.

In just 12 months, Maddie has proven herself to be a truly Val-uable asset, bringing a creative approach to every challenge and a genuine commitment to her clients and team.

Introducing Maddie, one of the many faces of Val…

Alright, spill the tea: How did you find yourself in the advertising industry, and what’s been the best part of your journey at Val Morgan Cinema so far?

I haven't always been in media, I actually started my career in the performing arts industry working for the Australian Girls Choir. I was there for just over 7 years working in music and production and as a music tutor to a class of 90 (which I still do every Thursday night). When COVID happened, my entire job changed and I kind of had a bit of an epiphany where I realised I hadn't worked in another industry or company. I knew I wanted to try something different, but I still wanted to work for a predominantly female organisation. I saw a job at Mamamia and I applied for a video production role that I was severely under-qualified for, I'm surprised they didn't laugh me out of the interview! But they ended up offering me another role in campaign implementation, which kick started my career in media. 

I moved from an implementation role into a sales role at Mamamia and absolutely loved it. I then moved to Urban List in a sales role and now I've landed at Val Morgan Cinema and I've just hit a year here! 

The best part about my Val Morgan journey is the people, both internally and externally. I love coming to work every day surrounded by a passionate, supportive and high-performing team who always go above and beyond for their clients and are always willing to lend a helping hand. I've also thoroughly enjoyed working closely with the various teams at WPP, they make my job fun, exciting and challenging (in the best way). 


Your ideal work lunch: cooking up a five-course meal in the office microwave or embarking on a quest to find the best sanga in town?

It's definitely not cooking up a five-course microwave meal, anyone who knows me can vouch for the fact I'm a terrible cook. I'm a sucker for Fishbowl (like everyone) or a pub lunch on a Friday with the team. 

If your career were a movie, which three movie titles would best capture its essence, and why did you choose them?

Pitch Perfect - (seriously if anyone knows any Sydney based a capella groups please let me know), aside from being one of my favourite movies (including the sequel) I feel like this sums up both my time in performing arts and in sales, moving from one pitch-based job to another. 

The Emperor's New Groove - I feel like going from performing arts to media was a bit of a whirlwind. One moment I'm teaching a class on Zoom, the next I'm applying for a video production role. My career didn't turn out the way I expected but turns out it was for the best! 

Top Gun: Maverick - purely because I joined Val Morgan Cinema too late and missed the still talked about Top Gun Maverick party. 

What’s your go-to “I need to lock in” song? What about it gets you in the zone?

I feel like this changes weekly, but right now it's a mix of Yukon by Justin Bieber, Someone To Call My Lover by Janet Jackson and Vodka Cranberry by Conan Gray.

What is a recent campaign that you loved working on and why?

We recently wrapped up a campaign with HBO Max for House of the Dragon. It was one of my favourite campaigns because their creative physically triggered the cinema lights dimming which was a really impactful way to bring their ad into the cinema experience. This ran across Supergirl and The Odyssey - HBO Max as Nolan intended, I say. 

What does a perfect day off look like to you?

The perfect day off would definitely start with a sleep in (I've tried so hard to become a morning person and it just isn't for me). This is followed by a long lunch featuring dirty gin martinis, Italian food, ending with a Shiraz nightcap at a cool bar.