Tell me about Retroviral and your work as the CEO.
Retroviral is built to be a creative shop of entertainment. Our purpose is to make brands fun and social. As CEO, I’m expected to be the digital Willy Wonka — inspiring, zany and sometimes pragmatic.
What do you think makes you good at your job?
I never take myself too seriously and I’m self-aware of the egotistical stereotype of my industry. I’m also obsessed with content and creative work that’s being produced globally, on a daily basis. My superpower is connecting the dots of people and ideas.
How did you end up working in the advertising and branding industry?
I wanted to be an actor after school but my parents’ biggest fear was that I would never leave home and would become a burden to them. I found a marketing degree at UJ (then RAU) that offered a variety of right and left brain lessons and was the perfect grounding for the start of my career. I had a stint in Hollywood pursuing my onstage obsession, with some stand up comedy and acting for commercials.
This made me realise that I’m better behind the camera than in front. Fast forward to my first start-up, which was a one-man show that I produced, marketed and starred in. This led to short stint in public relations in Johannesburg, working with Tribeca on Virgin Money credit card launches, and other financial services and tech brand work.
I launched Retroviral in 2010 with a focus on amplification and “making brands go viral”. By 2015 we had established a challenger mindset approach that we continue to roll out across some of South Africa's most iconic brands.
What do you do at work each day?
We aren’t Doctors Without Borders, so if we aren’t entertaining and unlocking ways to have fun, we aren’t succeeding. From script writing to shooting and working with production companies, to researching new stories to tell in new ways, we “story-sell” for the brands we represent. We have the best job in the world — commercial art — and I am privileged to get paid to produce stories for a living.
What did you want to be when you were a child?
I loved languages, humanities and art at school. I had no idea I could build such a rewarding business out of selling and making ideas for a living. For me, advertising is the intersection of commerce and creativity and I’m so grateful I found my way to this Wonderland, Alice.
What do you look for when recruiting?
We put out retweets for positions we are looking to fill as per a “templated spec” but we make offers based on people and their associated enthusiasm. You can’t teach passion but you can help guide and build a person into a position
What advice do you have for younger people entering the industry?
Curiosity creates the creative. Entering the industry is about absorbing as much information as possible: old school note-taking, googling answers to questions you don't know, immersing yourself in the winning case studies of global and local competitions. Be the sponge and build your confidence to contribute to brainstorms. I recommend starting out at a small agency if you can, as you won't be a cog, but forced to become a unicorn.
