KORTX Ad Operations Specialists are our digital advertising strategy masterminds, using their profound knowledge and commitment to foster campaign success. These passionate and knowledgeable individuals ensure each initiative aligns with client visions and goals.
Matt Grevenstuk joined KORTX in February 2019 and has since been deeply involved in refining our advertising strategies and contributing significantly to our growing Paid Search and Social business.
Here, Matt opens up about how digital advertising wasn’t even a major yet when he attended college, his love for filmmaking and directing outside of work, and his role at KORTX, where he collaborates with internal teams and clients to achieve campaign success.
Explain your role here at KORTX. What team are you on?
I’m an Ad Operations Specialist for our Paid Search and Social programs at KORTX. My role encompasses ad campaign management and optimization across various search engines and social media platforms. This involves campaign setup, ad trafficking, campaign optimization, ad testing, tracking/reporting, and providing technical support while staying abreast of industry trends.
I collaborate with cross-functional teams, including Account Management, Marketing, Creative, Data Analysis, and Sales. I also maintain close partnerships with clients to understand their campaign goals and deliver the desired outcomes that define campaign success.
When did you join KORTX?
I joined KORTX in February of 2019…it’s hard to believe that my 5-year anniversary is just around the corner!
What do you love about KORTX?
I love the talent we work with and appreciate the freedom to forge our own career paths. Since starting, I’ve shifted from managing programmatic campaigns to concentrating on our expanding Search and Social business, overseeing it from end to end. It’s also been rewarding to watch co-workers expand their expertise and contribute to their development along the way.
Some of my friends and fellow KORTXers came to support the 1st official screening of my short film “Shadow.”
What got you interested in advertising?
In my first two years at Michigan State University, I explored various courses while undecided about my major. Advertising caught my attention and resonated with me, blending elements of psychology and creativity that I found intriguing. MSU also offered a great advertising program.
One fun fact about the classes I took in college is that I graduated just before the inclusion of digital ad courses in the curriculum, so my learning centered around ad strategies spanning radio, TV, print, and billboard. Over the years, digital advertising took off. Everything I’ve learned since has been through direct work experience, which keeps me interested in the ever-changing digital advertising world.
Tell us a little about your experience before joining KORTX.
In 2011, I landed my first advertising role at a company serving as a vendor for Google, receiving training and operating within Google’s facilities in Ann Arbor. By 2016, I oversaw a 16-member team tasked with resolving performance and technical issues within the Google Ads platforms.
Then, I worked for 2 ½ years in the automotive industry at CDK Global, where we would advise dealerships on their digital ad plans and provide reporting and optimizations with budget recommendations.
What’s your biggest challenge in your role?
Balancing client expectations and calling out when there are red flags. Being transparent about capabilities and performance, even if it’s different than what a client may initially request, is crucial, as tough as it may be.
You have a lot of video editing experience. What piqued your interest in video editing?
I enjoy video editing because there is so much that goes into it–from the audio to the sound mixing, color correction, and video cutting you do during that process. You can make or break a video simply through one clip, such as how the score works with the video or the beat you need for a joke to land.
So much goes into it; you can work forever and nitpick until you force yourself to stop. Then, that work serves as a benchmark for subsequent projects–taking what you learned to achieve something even better with the next.
What are your favorite things to do outside of work?
I’m a huge fan of the arts. Whether that is live concerts, going to the movie theater, or checking out a comedy show. I have also shot wedding videos and helped out on short films in the Detroit area over the past few years and built a network of passionate filmmakers and talent.
In the last year, I had the tremendous opportunity to tackle a short film of my own, “Shadow,” which I’m in the process of submitting to film festivals and just had the first screening. I believe you should do something creative every day as life is too short not to.
What was your favorite band ten years ago?
If we are going by the actual year 2013, a little band named CHVRCHES came out with the album “The Bones of What You Believe.” I’ve been a big fan of them ever since!
➡️ More from our Ad Operations Team:
- A Day in the Life at KORTX: Programmatic Operations: Read about the intricate world of programmatic media buying with Bryan Presti.
- Click-Through Rate Might Not Be Right for Your Campaign: Learn more about the journey of Click-Through Rate (CTR) from its inception to its limitations and the strategies shaping advertising’s future.
- Programmable Splits and Split Assist™: The Winning Combination for Effective Advertising: Discover how KORTX’s Split Assist™ technology and programmable splits in Xandr are revolutionizing campaign optimizations.
➡️ More from our Meet the Team series:
- Meet Our Team: Discover the Faces Behind KORTX’s Success: Explore our roundup post to meet other team members defining success at KORTX.
- Meet Jeff Israel: Director of Analytics at KORTX: Read more about our Director of Analytics, Jeff Israel, and his day-to-day duties.
- Meet Jess Ostrom, VP of Client Services: Learn more about Jess Ostrom, exploring her leadership approach and insights into her role.