Scott Purcell, co-founder of Man of Many, says winning at Mediaweek’s Next of the Best awards in 2024 was more than just a professional nod, it was a rare opportunity to take stock.
“I’ve now been involved in publishing for over 11 years. So it’s really nice to get that recognition,” he told Mediaweek in our podcast series in which we revisit last year’s winners. “It was really fun. We had a few radio DJs on our table who were cracking jokes. It was really good fun,” he said.
Scott Purcell, Man of Many
From housemates to media founders
Before Man of Many became one of Australia’s fastest-growing men’s lifestyle platforms, it started as a side project between housemates.
“So Frank Arthur, my current business partner, and I were housemates at the time. We started Man of Many as a bit of a hobby,” Purcell said. “The word side-hustle didn’t even exist at the time. I knew the time had come to quit my job when I’d get to work and all I’d want to do is get back home to work on Man of Many.”
In the early days, consistency was everything. “There were a lot of late nights staying up late to try and make sure we were consistent, so every time someone came to the site, there was something new to look at.”
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Broadening the brief
Over the years, Man of Many has shifted from a product-focused blog to a full-spectrum digital lifestyle publication.
“So it’s kind of evolved from being very product focused to now more lifestyle focused,” Purcell said. “A lot of celebrity interviews, health and wellness advice. And we’ve been really focused on driving forward our quarterly digital covers, which is a big project for us, so yeah, it’s been really exciting.”
This evolution has been matched with a strategic shift in brand partnerships, balancing editorial integrity with effective amplification.
“We know we have the stats that people see brands more favourably when they see them featured on Man of Many. And we’ve always known anecdotally that we’ve been able to drive a huge amount of traffic and sales for brands featured on our site.”
Man of Many co-founders Scott Purcell and Frank Arthur
Finding a voice in video
As publishers embrace multimedia, Man of Many has been ramping up its video output with a sharp focus on relatability and authenticity.
“I think that we’re finding our tone of voice in video, it’s something that we’re pushing quite heavily into,” Purcell said. “We’ve got our Monday Munchies series on YouTube, as well as Rev Up and Sweet Spot, where we go around to various locations.”
“But I think with all of it, we want to make sure it’s really relatable, explaining why people should care about the things that we’re covering. Remaining authentic to who we are is really important.”
Adapting to search, AI and reader relationships
Looking ahead, Man of Many is preparing for a future less reliant on traditional search, and more focused on direct relationships.
“Search is one of the biggest drivers of traffic to a lot of online publishers,” Purcell said. “But with AI, it’ll look completely different as a platform in the next two to three years.”
In response, the brand is preparing to launch a membership model. “We’re about to launch our user sign-in and membership platform so we can offer more personalisation and greater access to our readership, with unique offerings, discounts, access to certain products or events.”
Why awards like Next of the Best matter
For Purcell, entering Mediaweek’’ Next of the Best wasn’t just about recognition, it was about reflection.
“I think this is a pretty rare occasion where you can put yourself forward for something like this. Everyone should really take those opportunities when they can,” he said.