Matt O'Connor (activist)

Matt O’Connor (born February 1967) is a marketing consultant, political activist, and author. He is the founder and leader of the Fathers 4 Justice organisation.[1]

Matt O'Connor
BornFebruary 1967
Manchester, England
NationalityBritish
Occupation(s)Marketing Consultant, Author
Known forFounder of Fathers 4 Justice

Early life and business career

He was born in Manchester in February 1967,[2][3] and grew up in Kent. His father was a headmaster of a Catholic school from Kerry, Ireland; his mother was an English teacher.[4]

Fathers 4 Justice

Fathers 4 Justice was founded in 2001 in the UK by O'Connor.[4] In 2007 he published his first book Fathers4Justice: The Inside Story through the Orion Publishing Group and sold the film rights to his life story to Buena Vista pictures, part of the Walt Disney group.[5]

Ice cream

In 2009 O'Connor launched an ice cream brand 'The Icecreamists' at Selfridges' London store, then opened a shopfront in Covent Garden. He sold "extreme flavours" such as absinthe, crushed popcorn, and horseradish.[6] In 2011 his Baby Gaga breast milk ice cream was removed from sale by Westminster Council for testing, but later returned. Newspapers reported that singer Lady Gaga threatened legal action over the possible use of her name.[7][8]

His second book The Icecreamists was published 2012 by Octopus Publishing.

He was also the Creative Director for the Gelato brand Antonio Federici Gelato Italiano campaign[9] launched in 2009. Several of the advertisements were later banned by the Advertising Standards Authority.[10][11]

Mayoral candidacy

In 2008 he was a candidate in the London mayoral election for the English Democrats,[3] but he pulled out a week before polling date, citing a lack of both support from the Democrats, and publicity from the press.[12]

Publications
  • Fathers4Justice: The Inside Story (Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2007) ISBN 978-0297853060
  • The Icecreamists: Boutique ice creams and other guilty pleasures to make and enjoy at home (Mitchell Beazley, 2012) ISBN 978-1845337063

References
  1. Rustin, Susanna (20 June 2015). "Fathers4Justice founder Matt O'Connor: 'I thought I could change the world in three years'". The Guardian. Retrieved 9 June 2018.
  2. "FATHERS4JUSTICE FOUNDATION LIMITED – Officers (free information from Companies House)". Companies house. Retrieved 10 June 2018.
  3. Profile: Matt O'Connor (20 May 2008). "London – News – Profile: Matt O'Connor". BBC. Retrieved 17 September 2013.
  4. Deborah Ross "Matt O'Connor: The man behind Fathers4Justice", The Independent, 4 July 2006
  5. Higginson, John (20 January 2006). "Holy smoke! The Fathers 4 Justice film". Evening Standard. London. Retrieved 10 June 2018.
  6. "Matt O'Connor – father for justice and ice cream extremist". Evening Standard. London. 11 March 2011. Retrieved 10 June 2018.
  7. Bowcott, Owen (4 March 2011). "Lady Gaga takes on Baby Gaga in breast milk ice-cream battle". The Guardian. Retrieved 10 June 2018.
  8. Mandle, Chris (14 August 2015). "Lady Gaga 'planning to sue' ice-cream maker over breast milk ice cream". The Independent. Archived from the original on 12 May 2022. Retrieved 10 June 2018.
  9. Sweeney, Mark (18 June 2010). "Ice-cream ad featuring pregnant nun stokes controversy". The Guardian. Retrieved 10 June 2018.
  10. "Gelato Italiano ice-cream advert banned over seductive nun". The Daily Telegraph. London. 1 July 2009. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 9 June 2018.
  11. Fisher, Max (16 September 2010). "U.K. Bans 'Blasphemous' Ice Cream Ads". The Atlantic. Retrieved 9 June 2018.
  12. "O'Connor halts mayoral campaign". BBC London News. BBC. 20 May 2008. Retrieved 10 June 2018.
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