South African Digital Marketing Podcast

Are small agencies now the ones winning, and should in-house marketers be looking at them instead of the big names? Lucky Hustle just won Small Agency of the Year for the second year running, which Darren Morris believes nobody has done before. Darren is honest in both directions. AI has changed what a team of 25 can take on, and clients have noticed that ten people for ten days has become two peo...

Marketing budgets are moving back from digital to in-real-life. The trouble is that most brands still can't show what an event, a sponsorship or an activation actually did for them. Doug Bird has spent more than 20 years in South African experiential marketing, including five as head of sports marketing at Red Bull, and he's the founder of WILD AIR Agency. His argument: in-person marketing is ofte...

In this episode, I sat down with Musa Kalenga, group CEO of the Brave Group. Our conversation focused on how agencies and marketing teams should actually treat the people who do the work: the dangers of grind culture, avoiding burnout, and getting real buy-in from your team. This one is a great look at what marketing leaders should be aiming for when thinking about how to run their modern marketin...

This conversation really focused on an issue that is many marketers are concerned about: AEO. That’s right, you’ve finally got a handle on SEO, and now you have to figure out AEO. Don’t worry though because in this episode we talk about what AEO is and how to ensure your brand is actually being seen in AI search results. Connect with Luke on Linkedin Join me in the SA Marketers' Circle Hosted on A...

Ad fraud is the marketing problem nobody wants to talk about. I sat down with Marc Dhalluin from TruthsetsOnline.com for the first episode of Season 5, and I came away quietly panicking about every campaign I've ever run. Here's the line that got me: more online ads are bought and paid for every single day than there are humans on earth who could ever look at them. Sit with that for a second. We s...

What turns a once-off buyer into someone who keeps coming back? Charné Munien, Strategy Director at RogerWilco, has spent years around the world helping brands build customer experiences people genuinely want — and in this episode we put her in the hot seat to explain why CX deserves a slice of your limited time and budget. We get into what "customer experience" really means beyond the buzzword, w...

We all know that marketing departments are getting smaller, but how does a head marketing cope when they ARE the marketing department? Amy Hopkins had this experience as head of marketing for Africa Padel (she's has since moved to a new role), so I wanted to understand how she used AI tools strategically, while focusing on building deeper relationships inside and outside of the business. Our chat...

It’s not often you get a chance to get insight from a marketing professional at the end of her career, so this was a huge opportunity to tap into the deep experience that comes with the winding journey of marketing leadership. This episode is full of key takeaways that make it essential listening for current and future marketing leaders! Connect with Melanie here  Follow me on Linkedin here H...

Is marketing to marketers the toughest kind of marketing? (I think that sentence makes sense) In this episode of the South African Digital Marketing Podcast, I chatted to Michelle Geere, CEO of Adbot. The conversation focused on the benefits and challenges of creating and selling a marketing tool in South Africa. Connect with Michelle on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-geere/ Connec...

In this episode I chat to CEO and Founder of Lucky Hustle, Darren Morris. He recently wrote about what he sees is the 6 trends that South African marketers have to keep in mind as we think about what strategies and campaigns actually resonate with our audiences. Follow Darren Morris on Linkedin here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darren-morris-527598151 Follow Terence on Linkedin here: https://www.l...

If you had to use two words that sums up what marketing leadership is all about, what would you use? In this episode, I sit down with Tarryn Knight, the Head of Marketing at Ford South Africa and she would say her two words are "relationships" and "responsibility". She discusses the importance of building trust with other departments, like finance and legal, to ensure that marketing isn't just see...

In this episode, I sit down with Yudhvir Ranchod, the Brand Director of Peach Payments, a pan-African Fintech company. Yudhvir and I dive deep into the "thrill and the fear" of the startup world, where marketing leadership requires both high-level strategic foresight and the willingness to be the guy who "pulls up banners" at events. Follow Yudhvir on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yudhvir-...

In this episode, I chatted to Harsha Prag, who is the newish head of brand at Electrum. She has long career in leading and developing marketing teams, so we spoke about what makes a marketer perfect for her team, what a growth mindset looks like in a leader and how to take on the challenge of the first few months in a new role. Follow Harsha on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/harsha-prag-4a2...

This episode is a recording of the live session I hosted at the Digital Marketing Conference last week. Joining me on the stage were my guests: Lisa Aspeling is a marketing and content strategist, and serial entrepreneur who helps founders turn bold ideas into brands with soul. She’s built Anago Marketing, The Murder Mystery Guide, Flower Café and most recently Founders Café — and is known for mix...

"You've got to drive your own bus" In this episode, I chatted to Tracey-Lee Zürcher-Campbell who is Head of Marketing at Payflex. She also trains up and coming marketers while ALSO regularly speaking at conferences around the country. How does she manage to do all of that while leading an agile marketing team in a rapidly growing business? Well, that’s exactly what we get into in this episode! Fol...

I had the opportunity to interview 19 top marketers just after they spoke on stage at the Cape Town edition of Marketing Cafe 2025. The list includes CMOs, Heads of Marketing and other leaders of the industry, so I was interested to hear what they all had to say about the current state of marketing in South Africa. I asked each guest the same two questions: 1) What shift are we seeing in the way b...

In this episode, I chatted to Natalie Druion, the Executive Head of Conversations for the Momentum group. If you're wondering why you’ve never heard of that job title before, it’s because Natalie is the first person in the country to have it! So in this episode we get into exactly what a Executive Head of Conversations does, how she got the role and how to manage organisational change without bump...

"If you have the right attitude, it doesn't matter what qualification you have" In this episode of the SA Digital Marketing Podcast, I spoke to Bronwyn Pretorius, CMO of Ackermans. We discussed her career journey, working for brands with a purpose, managing an extensive and diverse team and the importance of a positive attitude. Follow Bronwyn on Linkedin here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bronwyn-...

In this episode, I chatted to Dylan Bosman - Director of Marketing of BluLever Education. We discussed his career growth from Marketing Manager to Director, managing internal perceptions of marketing and the importance of conscientiousness, humility, and a consistent work ethic for aspiring marketing leaders. Follow Dylan on Linkedin here For more conversations like this one, subscribe to SA Digit...

In this first episode of Season 3, I chatted to Miguel Netto, Head of Marketing at Bootlegger. We spoke about the realities of leading a marketing team in a fast-paced environment, the importance of a strong foundational strategy and how to stay agile while planning ahead. Follow Miguel on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/miguel-netto-00b1b086/ Follow me on Linkedin for more SA Digital Market...

In this final episode of season 2, I spoke to James MacDonald - the founder of Silience Digital. We chatted about why anyone in their right mind would want to start an agency, the difficulties of growth, and how to maintain "the unspoken act of everyday excellence". Follow James and find out more about Silience Digital here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesmacdonald123 https://siliencedigital.com...

This episode features Justine Nienaber, the co-founder of Punkystarfish Digital Agency. Justine and I discuss the people who can impact a digital marketing agency and how to foster positive working relationships. We also chat about Justine's five key trends that digital marketers should be aware of in 2025. Follow Justine on Linkedin here. Follow Punkystarfish Digital Agency here Want to make my d...

If you're about to start a campaign that involves nano (less than 10 000 followers) and micro (less than 100 000 followers) influencers, how do you make sure that everything is executed as successfully as possible for you, and as seamlessly as possible for the influencer? In this episode, I give insights from perspective of a nano-influencer who has survived many tough campaigns! Follow me on Link...

In this episode of the South African Digital Marketing Podcast, I chat to Chantel Riley, the owner of a PR agency Midnight Fox. The conversation explores the intersection of public relations and digital marketing, and how PR builds brand loyalty and public perception. Connect with Chantal on Linkedin here Want to make my day? Simply subscribe, rate or leave a review for this podcast wherever you g...

Whether you are heading to an industry-specific event, or something designed just for marketers, the same question always comes up: "Is this worth the time and money we're spending to be here?" Kyle Puller, MD of Pulling Power Media, had multiple trips to overseas events last year, so he had to ask himself a slightly different question: "How do I make SURE this is worth the time and money?" In thi...