Easy is

That’s a simple answer that never changes with me…it was Generations, the soapie on SABC. When I was a kid, Generations was about two competing ad agencies. It looked so sexy, they had big ideas, they were the people that made brands look polished. They’d work in these fancy offices, dressed in sneakers and pitching their concepts to clients. And then they really killed the game when they brought in product placements that were built into the storyline. That’s where I got my shit off…these advertising people are smart.

There’s a few things and I could touch on the oversaturated industry, being a small fish in the ocean but truthfully…it’s my race and a bit of my age. There’s this stigma attached to being Indian and being a creative…you have to be a doctor, lawyer, accountant or one of those professions that require traditional brain power. So there’s a trust issue on first impressions – once the person on the other side of the table see’s your abilities and what you’ve created…it all becomes inconsequential. But yes…first impressions would be my biggest challenge now that I’ve unpacked that issue statement.

I was 25, married for 3 months working at an agency of sorts, doing some killer things….when I got fired! Escourted out the building by security, told to leave everything including my lunch box! And you know, don’t ever come between a man and his scufftin. Anyway I hustled very hard, favours for favours. I remember getting my hands on a hard drive that had 500 000 inputs of personal details and instead of selling it off, I traded it with someone to get a meeting with a brand manager.

From there on I did work for other agencies under the radar. I once came up with concepts for 3 different agencies that got invited to the same pitch so I was essentially competing against myself. I did that hustle game for years until I had the balls to pitch for my own clients and actually build up an agency.

So because I know what it’s like to hustle and how hard it is out there, the agency ethos is built on that very same premise. We create epic shit and we get to choose the clients we want to work with now. We’re not everyone’s cup of tea and that’s totally ok…but it’s what makes us happy. Doing a kick ass campaign that will have all the keyboard warriors going nuts versus doing an annual report.

Today we’ll take on work that makes us say things like ‘fuck yeah’ even if we make less on the bottom line – because life isn’t only about the cash. Cash is dope…and people only say that when they have enough of it

If we don’t find that one thing that sets us apart, we’ll get swallowed whole. As entrepreneurs when we jump in, whether it’s a new product or an agency in the making…we always want to eat at the big kids table and that’s where dreams are crushed. From the onset, know who you are…what you product is…who it targets and set it in stone. Define your brand, it’s target market and our USP. A typical way to define this is using a go-to-market strategy….it works on both product and services.

If we don’t set ourselves apart…that table you want to sit at never has enough chairs and we want fucking padded leather chairs, not plastic chairs we have to bring from the outside for more space at the table

Echo who you are in everything that you do! I have this exercise with brands…if your brand was a movie, what movie would it be? I know my agency would easily be Inglorious Bastards. Your brand is representative of your personality…yes you can have many products that cater to different markets but the soul of that product is defined by your brand. I have a problem with authority and being controlled – hence my brand tries to break every rule possible. I am always asking WHY MUST IT BE THAT WAY to my own detriment but it’s the only way I choose to live.

I had to google that one – it’s just an unconventional method of advertising. Doing things different – adding layers to the traditional shit you see. Like how can we make a billboard smarter than that usual wallpaper you see…or how can we add augmented reality to your favourite bucket of Fried Chicken so that it entertains your eyes and your taste.

I am going to give myself a plug here. There’s two that stick out… About a year and a bit ago, I pitched my Easy Augmented Reality software called Foxtrot in San Francisco @ Tech Crunch. It was a hit…and it got us into advanced talks with Walmart. In 2019 we were in the US constantly, building out Foxtrot with Walmart…then Covid hit and everything came crumbling down. But since then we’ve taken the product apart and bettered it…we’re going to market again this year and I am very excited about the prospect that it brings.

The second one which is most recent is a platform called AmaMEME which we built and marketed for DStv. It allows users to use memes reactions created from their favourite shows on DStv which in it’s basic form is a content discovery platform for users…going through all the latest content that DStv has on offer while fulfilling their meme fantasies. I am proud of it because it started from nothing and is performing really well.

Everything starts with insights and knowledge! Know your market, define the problem, brainstorm solutions, test the solutions against the market and the problem…and launch!

When I first started off I didn’t pay attention to fundamentals but it is key. It’s the only thing that has helped me create success of products or services I’ve taken to market. The bones of any operation are insights and R&D, without it…we’re thumb sucking problems and creating fake solutions to problems that we assume, exist.

And now for tangible methodology – we use a framework called Agile and scrums to keep our projects moving!

Yes! Besides building your ethos and sticking to your guns….

In meetings, read the room and know who’s in the room before the meeting even starts! Social stalk them so you can chit-chat relatable content before the meeting starts…this way they like you before you even start, it also calms the nerves.

Hire a PR agency if thought leadership floats your boat, then you get invited to amazing platforms like this to do interviews.

For Guerilla, we’ve always flown under the radar and it works for us but it may not work for you – again that leads back to who we are as a brand.

Join entrepreneur groups, it will change your life. I am a member of Entrepreneurs Organisation and it helps to speak to people who have the same challenges as you…you’re not alone. It’s also a good way to network.

Look into teaming up with an ad agency – they’re really skilled in getting your brand out there…and trust them. If your product is a new shaver for manscaping – they can find the best messaging systems for you - stick to what you know.

I love that CX is now a thing and we’re building businesses based on better Customer Experiences – it’s been a long time coming and I think it’s finally here. The other thing that excites me is SaaS. Subscription based services and software is really a game changer and it’s robustness to deal with pandemics and decentralization is what’s up!

It’s a personification of you, your solution, ethos and thinking. It’s not a logo and saying things ‘I think green works because red means caution’

Brand identity

Start by writing your brand story – use the thinking of ‘if my brand was a movie, what would it be’ – then start thinking about that statement. What makes that movie become a representation of your brand identity.

Your brand story will develop the thinking for wordmarks, logos, colours and everything in-between. The tagline should come last guys…your positioning line is what’s key! It’s what makes you stand out

As creatives we’re problem solvers and If you combine that with market research and insights…you can use tech as your tool to solve these problems. Tech always takes the quantitative approach but the qualitative thinking in creativity brings a human element…something that is felt and heard.