About Me
EXPERIENCED, DEDICATED BRAND STRATEGIST
Industry experience:
- Automotive – Volkswagen Passenger & Commercial Vehicles
- Confectionery – Cadbury/Mondeléz: Dentyne, Stimorol, Clorets; MARS: Snickers
- Personal Care – Johnson & Johnson: Johnson’s African Nurture, Stayfree; Tiger Brands: Lemon Lite, Ingram’s
- Pet Care – Absolute Pets Retail; MARS: Pedigree, Whiskas
- Food & Beverage – MARS: Royco; Tiger Brands: Jungle, KOO; Coca Cola South Africa: Stoney, Appletiser
- Alcoholic Beverages – Distell: Sedgwick’s Old Brown, Burchell Premium Cider, Viceroy Brandy, Klipdrift Brandy, Mainstay Cane, Count Pushkin Vodka
- Financial Services – Metropolitan; GENFIN; Santam; A2A Kopano
- Non-profit – NICRO
- Retail – BUCO hardware
Education:
- BA Archaeology Honours w/ distinction; UNISA – 2016
- BA Strategic Brand Communication Honours; Vega – 2006
- BA Visual Art History & Archaeology; UCT – 2005
Other interests & professional pursuits:
- Founder and co-creator of Love Camping, a camping-related review website, blog and information portal
- Part-time blogger/content creator
- Travel accounts: Love Camping; Contributor for Getaway Blog; Meet my Vietnam; Mora Mora Madagascar; Kuishi: to Live
- Visual blogs/profiles: Jayne Sees; Jayne Plays
- Lifestyle: First Time Farm
- Passion points: archaeology; human behaviour; cooking; photography; colour
Work That’s Shaped Me
WORK EXPERIENCE
March 2016 – Present
- Senior strategic planner, Ogilvy Cape Town
- Accounts: Metropolitan, Volkswagen (passenger and commercial), Appletiser, Stoney
March 2013 – February 2016
- Brand strategy and development consultant, Self-employed
- Clients: FCB Johannesburg (Tiger Brands portfolio), Absolute Pets Retail (Brand repositioning, CI implementation, Stakeholder strategy), Jam Factory Advertising, A2A Kopano, Tin Fish Advertising, 140 BBDO Advertising (BUCO Hardware), FCB Advertising, uBuhle Bendoni Skincare.
August 2013 – April 2014
- Brand strategy consultant, Absolute Pets Retail
- Responsible for the development of a full brand repositioning and subsequent visual brand identity change.
- Development of an initial communication strategy and key stakeholder strategies for the brand going forward.
January 2013 – March 2013
- Travelled through Southern and Eastern Africa.
September 2011 – December 2012
- Senior strategic planner, 140 BBDO Cape Town
- Across a broad range of clients representing a variety of different industries, I was required to identify growth opportunities for brands and subsequently develop and help implement brand and communication strategies based on these and determined objectives.
- Main accounts: Mars Pet (Whiskas, Pedigree), Mars Food (Royco), and Mars Snack (Snickers); Distell (Sedgwick’s Old Brown Sherry, Viceroy Brandy, Three Ships Whisky); Johnson & Johnsons (Stayfree, Johnson’s Adult skincare)
- Appointed to the agency’s Executive Committee in March 2012
- I was required to work with other Exco members to identify and work to overcome challenges facing the agency; highlight opportunities for the agency and subsequently implement growth strategies based on those; assist with the optimal running of the agency.
September 2009- August 2011
- Strategic planner, Ogilvy Cape Town
- Required to work closely with clients, account- and creative teams to produce meaningful, relevant and influential communication that will facilitate and grow brands in the multiple environments in which they operate. Be part of facilitating the shift of the brands I work on into a digital sphere and to become more interactive in an increasingly demanding and evolving environment. And from a retail perspective, understand the role of communication at every stage of a consumer’s journey to purchasing a brand.
- Main accounts: Volkswagen; Mondeléz (previously Kraft/Cadbury) Gum and Candy
January 2007- August 2009
- Strategic planner, FCB Cape Town
- Required to research external brand environments, competitor activity and consumer behaviour. This is in order to gather pertinent insights to produce relevant and differentiated brand communication- and marketing strategies for a number of large and small brands.
- Main accounts: Santam; Burchell Premium Cider; Klipdrift Brandy; Count Pushkin Vodka.
Education:
- 2016 – Honours with distinction in Archaeology , University of South Africa
- 2006 – Honours in Strategic Brand Communication (formerly Brand Leadership), Vega School Cape Town
- 2005 – BA in Archaeology and Visual Art History, University of Cape Town
Achievements
ADVERTISING AWARDS
2012
APEX (Advertising Effectiveness) Award – 1 Gold and Grand Prix (Hunters Premium Cider)
2011
3 APEX Awards – 1 Silver (Volkswagen), 2 Bronze (Volkswagen, Cadbury)
2010
4 APEX Awards – 2 Silver (Volkswagen, Cadbury), 2 Bronze (Volkswagen, Cadbury)
2007
Meaningful Brand Communications Award, Vega School of Brand Leadership, Cape Town
Let’s Work Together
Tell me more about your business or brand challenge so we can determine the best way to address it. I’ll always start by assessing the strength and efficacy of your brand and communication, and then evaluate the best solution for your business based on your specific requirements.