[Behind the Selfie] with... Kabelo Moshapalo

This selfie displays Moshapalo’s wizardly tech skills…

1. Where do you live, work and play?

Moshapalo: I live in Glen Austin, work in Sandton and play in Waterfall. That means working out at Waterfall Virgin Active and heavy spirit-lifting at Waterfall Corner.

2. What's your claim to fame?

Moshapalo: I am a specialist in the ideas powered by the technology space.

3. Describe your career so far.

Moshapalo: I am a self-taught illustrator who traded his acrylic paints and paint brushes for the digital canvas, because I wanted to bring my illustrations to life through animation programs I discovered while doing my Graphic Design studies.

Fast forward to today: I have worked in the digital industry for over 15 years. My career began in 2000 at FCB Electric Ocean as a Junior Digital Designer and was later appointed Group Head Digital Interactive In February 2005 and Creative Director Digital Interactive in August 2007. I quickly moved up the ranks through various agencies, notably Mesh and Hello Computer as a Creative Director. Prior to being made Executive Creative Director at TBWA\Digital Arts Network in AFRICA, I was ECD at TBWA\Tequila.

My role in the development of creative digital solutions was recognised in 2003 when the Loeries made the emerging discipline a new awards category and I was named one of the judges - an honour repeated in 2004, and from 2007 to 2014. This year I judged two different panels for the Loerie Awards, namely: Non-English Radio and Communication Design, exposing me to other specialist marketing communications disciplines' creative excellence. I was also a 2015 APEX awards judge, tasked with appraising both creativity and effectiveness, measuring actual results.

In 2013 I was appointed to the judging panel of the inaugural advertising and communications awards launched by Botswana's Association of Communication Agencies (ACA), as well as invited to be a guest speaker at the Ideas Expo event in Gaborone. The same year I also participated in jury panels for the Bookmarks and the IAC (Internet Advertising Competition.) 2015 marks another career milestone with my appointment to the board of Johannesburg-based TBWA\ Digital Arts Network in Africa.

4. Tell us a few of your favourite things.

Moshapalo: Technology, gadgets, music, basketball.

5. What do you love about your industry?

Moshapalo: Ideas that matter! These are Ideas with the aim of making the world a better place. Powering these ideas is technology, which means the ideas evolve and expand at the same rate and pace of the tech developments behind them. The broadcast and persuasive nature of the marketing communications industry can really harness the power of these ideas as it is rooted in creating brand and consumer connections. So much so that to some extent, the role we fulfill influences product development if not inventing new channels, products and services.

6. What are a few pain points your industry can improve on?

Moshapalo: In many instances, digital marketing is an afterthought. To ensure overall marketing campaign success, the approach should be having a channel-agnostic idea with a consideration for defining all the roles for all the chosen channels informed by audience insights. This means strategically, digital is considered upfront.

Another point is the investment for the digital solution. Just because the video is going to be broadcast online does not mean the production cost and value should be marginal. You do not need an app for everything, just as much as not every brand needs to be on social media. Lastly, just because it's "digital" doesn't mean it has to be complex, your audience is people with varying attention spans.

7. Describe your average workday (if such a thing exists)

Moshapalo: Here are a couple of scenarios in varying degrees of lunacy:
Everyday starts with a planning meeting, managing daily deliverables and deadlines for the week. This is the most important meeting of the day. Anything goes after that.

I will spend some time with the team on some new briefs, in the concept phase and then review some of the ideas in different stages of development; i.e. concept rationale, concept mock-ups, packaged concept presentations, and so on... Most of my time is spent in this area making sure that no half-baked ideas leave the building.

Depending on the day, there might be the scenario of the client presentation, or better put, the selling of the ideas that I take part in with the team that developed the idea, which in some instances involves a number of specialists.

In between all this I will try catch-up on some email and some very necessary review of my current feeds. Thank you Flipboard for filtering, isolating and establishing all the important activities on my news and social feeds. This is one way that I keep current and ride this wave called 'the speed of culture.'

8. What are the tools of your trade?

Moshapalo: Sharp pencils, drawing up Ideas, enabled by technology that is derived from a strategic platforms built on tangible audience insights. These are not one-off ideas, they continue the brand narrative or add chapters to the brand story with awesome writing, beautiful designs brought to life by immaculate lines of code.

9. Who is getting it right in your industry?

Moshapalo: Brands with a consistent brand narrative that is true to the South African context, which means the solution is multifaceted, works on mobile (the lowest common denominator) and has resonance with regards to the messaging. Solutions that are simple and easily accessible.

10. What are you working on right now?

Moshapalo: TBWA\Digital Arts Network was recently launched - in May 2015 - and one of our key objectives is building digital competency across the continent. This is one of our key focuses, mapping and executing a collaborative model that I believe will ultimately result in getting us closer in the chase for the digital marketing Holy Grail for the continent, which is mobile.

11. Tell us some of the buzzwords floating around in your industry at the moment, and some of the catchphrases you utter yourself.

Moshapalo: I can't believe people are still dropping the V-bomb - "Viral" in 2015. Some credible buzzwords I am picking up: Wearables, Internet of Things, Big Data, Data Visualisation, Creative Tech, Infographics, Retargeting, Remarketing, Programmatic, Influencers, Taste Makers and many more.

My catchphrase is - "The Five fingers of Death, what's in it for me..." Loosely translated, what is the incentive to participate.

12. Where and when do you have your best ideas?

Moshapalo: While on a 14km run. When I'm in pitch mode, between 10PM and 2AM a day or two before the pitch dry-run. While watching Frozen with my daughter.

13. What's your secret talent/party trick?

Moshapalo: Auxiliary or RCA (Y) cable - plug in my iPod, get the party started.

14. Are you a technophobe or a technophile?

Moshapalo: Technophile.

15. What would we find if we scrolled through your phone?

Moshapalo: Lots of apps, neatly categorised though, including:

• Various productivity apps
• Photo editing apps
• 80% of pics are of my daughter that I post on Instagram #SundaySmiles
• Music discovery apps
• 90's music playlist

16. What advice would you give to newbies hoping to crack into the industry?

Moshapalo: Be prepared to go the distance. It's like running a marathon, you will need stamina, but more importantly you will need to build your stamina. That means practice, lots of it, because you just don't run, there is a technique, a method. Learn it. Perfect it. No matter what the distance is, give it your all, because every run counts. It's a lesson. It's only a matter of time that you get hooked, because you start seeing the progress, you yearn to learn more and improve your technique and conditioning, which improves your time and pace.
It's a long-term commitment and many don't make it to the finish line. It all starts with taking the first step.

17. Plug your contact details, punt yourself - list all the places people can find you/your work online.

Moshapalo:

Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Pinterest
SnapChat: KABZA9Nine
LastFM: TheRealKABZA
LinkedIn
Path: Kabelo Moshapalo
Ello: KABZA

You can read more about TBWA\Digital Arts Network by clicking here, and here for more on Moshapalo.

*Interviewed by Leigh Andrews.