Matt Mauriello is a Management Supervisor at SaatchiNY.

WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST JOB?
I started out as a camp counselor where my favorite pastimes included Kids vs. Counselors dodge ball and silent ball.

WHAT LED YOU ON THE PATH YOU’RE ON TODAY?
A willingness to continue to try new things and get out of my comfort zone. No two assignments are ever the same in this industry, so you have to learn what you can from each experience and use that to continue to grow.

WHAT ARE YOUR LOVEMARKS?
Nike, Target, ESPN and Magic Hat beer

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE AD (ALL TIME OR CURRENTLY)?
I’ve never seen an advertising campaign transform a brand like the ‘This is Sports Center’ campaign for ESPN. In particular, the ‘Y2K’ spot with Charlie Steiner, the ‘Manning Family Tour’ and even the most recent John Clayton spot rank up there as some of my faves.

IF YOU NEVER HAD TO WORK AGAIN, WHAT WOULD YOU WANT TO DO?
Can I assume because I’m not working I have a lot of money? Because then it would be traveling the world with my family, playing golf and gorging myself on the local delicacies. I’d also learn how to nap. I’ve never been able to sit still and I think I’d finally have the time.

FAVORITE PLACE YOU’VE BEEN TO?
We spent our Honeymoon in South Africa. What an amazing country. Cape Town, Stellenbosch, Great White Shark Diving in Hermanus and Safari in the Eastern Cape. Zoos just aren’t the same anymore…

WHAT’S YOUR MOST PRIZED POSSESSION?
That would definitely be our English Bulldog, Georgia (pictured above). She’s not even a possession- she’s a family member. And a family member that has total control over our household.

DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE YOUTUBE VIDEO?
‘Between Two Ferns with Zach Galifianakis.  I celebrate the entire catalogue.

WHAT’S SOMETHING YOU MAKE REALLY WELL?
I make a mean stuffed pork tenderloin. Anytime you tell someone you stuffed something inside of meat, it always elicits a groan. Then you tell them you stuffed bacon and cheese inside of it, and you have them hook, line and sinker.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE COLD-WEATHER NYC ACTIVITY?
There’s a basketball court near our apartment that’s fenced in. When it snows, we bring Georgia over there with her favorite ball. Watching her sprint for the ball and then stop to eat snow get us every time. Plus it tires her out, so when we get home she’s good for sleeping straight through to the next day.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE LUNCHTIME SPOT NEAR THE OFFICE?
I don’t know if everyone realizes the caliber of sandwich shops around our office. Better Being Underground has the St Luke, Alidoro has fantastic Italian sandwiches. But, nothing compares to M&O Deli on Fresh Turkey day. The Turkey BLT is the best sandwich I’ve ever eaten.

WHAT’S YOUR GO TO KARAOKE SONG? (COME ON, WE KNOW YOU HAVE ONE).
I’m a product of the 80s and I still firmly believe that decade produced the best karaoke music. If I had to pick one it’s ‘Glory Days’ by Bruce Springsteen.

WHAT’S THE BEST MEAL YOU’VE EVER HAD?
This is a tie, yet both restaurants are on the complete opposite ends of the spectrum. I had a fancy pants dinner at Per Se that was food like I’ve never tasted it before. But, I also had the best BBQ of my life at the Salt Lick outside of Austin, Texas. It’s a BYO so we rolled up with a cooler of beers and bottle of bourbon and ate until we said ‘uncle’.

IF YOU COULD BE THE WORLD RECORD HOLDER OF ANYTHING, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
I’d love to be the guy that flips the largest omelet ever made.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE CREATIVE PURSUIT?
It has to be cooking. What started out as tailgating before Giants games has evolved into hosting family holidays. I like trying new things, but also perfecting dishes I’ve been making for years.

WHAT BLOGS/MAGAZINES/BOOKS/PAPERS/WEBSITES CAN YOU NOT LIVE WITHOUT?
As you can see by some of my postings above, sports is a huge part of my life. So, sites like ESPN.com, Grantland.com and Deadspin.com rank up there pretty high for me. My other passion is food, so foodnetwork.com is a constant source of new recipes. I also never leave the house without my Kindle. I prefer books to magazines, websites, etc.

WHAT’S THE LAST GREAT EVENT YOU WENT TO?
Black Keys at Madison Square Garden

WHAT’S THE BEST PIECE OF ADVICE YOU’VE EVER RECEIVED?
It’s advertising, not heart surgery. Nobody ever died because you made a mistake. Learn from it and move on.

WHAT’S YOUR GREATEST NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE STORY?
Shooting straight through the night for two nights in the California desert with the sounds of rattlesnakes and spiders the size of business cards (see actual proof below).

On the last night getting back to my hotel at 6:30am, only to have an  8:30 wake-up call  to catch an 11AM flight to Austin to walk right into my next pre-pro and then shoot for two more days in the 110 degree heat.

Tags: English Bulldog, King St. Q&A, Matt Mauriello, Saatchi & Saatchi, Saatchi New York, Saatchi NY