[NewsMaker] Melissa Attree

Managing director of O&M CT, Luca Gallarelli, said Attree's appointment was "another important pioneering step by O&M towards delivering the really integrated, flexible and multi-platform work that clients should expect".

Attree's role, Gallarelli said, would be to create and connect strategies to tangible outcomes in whatever form they can be best executed.

About Melissa Attree

Melissa Attree, new Ogilvy & Mather Cape Town Director of Content Strategy is a creative digital and marketing consultant who has worked on many major brands, including ABSA, Adidas, Big Blue, MasterCard, Nando's, Nedbank, SAA, SAB, Toyota, Vodacom and Woolworths. She was Creative Director at Cerebra most recently. Attree began her career as a copy writer, before managing the local strategic transformation of the Kérastase brand for L'Oreal and then providing the social media strategy for 5FM for four years.

Q: What is at the top of your to do list?
A: Buy blue, green and black fine liners and a new A3 pad. I'm a stationery nut and it feels like the first day of school.

Q: What is your first order of business?
A: Familiarising myself with all of the work that Ogilvy & Mather has produced to see where the opportunities are.

Q: What is your main business challenge in this SA market?
A: Some businesses perhaps don't value (or understand) the possibilities that long-term, integrated storytelling and effective content delivery can offer them.

Q: Why is content marketing such a priority for agencies now?
A: Agencies produce content every day. I'm conscious of the fact that we sometimes don't weave clearer storylines through the individual pieces of work we create. We have an opportunity for more complex, integrated long-term storytelling.

Q: Should PR firms be worried?
A: Not at all, PR firms have a specific role in the marketing mix, we all create 'content', how it is targeted, aggregated, published and delivered will be a key differentiator in the future.

Q: Most important attribute needed to do your job?
A: In my opinion, a good all round sense of how the different wheels in the communication machine 'turn and cog' together. A passion for brands and communication is essential and keen 'trust the gut' intuition certainly helps.

Q: The biggest trend to note in your industry?
A: Content curation and delivery: we need to help people make sense of the information that is out there. People cannot find what they need, help them to help themselves - inform, educate and empower.

Q: How will you make an impact?
A: I can add value in terms of looking at the work we produce from a holistic point of view, I'm hoping to help spot new opportunities for how we create, curate and deliver good content. I'm also very interested in creating better strategic models for the creation of content.

Q: What inspires you?
A: Good people, great work, music and smart 'stuff'.

Q: What are you currently reading for work?
A: My short attention span means I'm usually grabbing lots of bits of info from some of my favourite sites on the web. I'm also re-reading 'Steal like an Artist' by Austin Kleon.

Q: Your life philosophy?
A: Be Curious. Be Humble. Be Authentic.

Q: At the top of my 'bucket list' is...
A: To see Blue Whales from a boat or to go on a scientific expedition on an icebreaker.