#Newsmaker: Ruchelle Mouton talks new head of group marketing & services role at Tractor Outdoor

Ruchelle Mouton is the new head of group marketing and services at Tractor Outdoor. Source: Supplied.

What are you excited about in your new position?

Being part of a visionary team passionate about leading the industry towards a digital-first future excites me greatly. As Tractor continues to evolve into a digital and tech-led Out of Home (OOH) company, there are some amazing opportunities ahead. I am looking forward to consolidating and building out our audience measurement strategies, as well as advancing and optimising our data capabilities. I am also excited to work closely with our sales team to provide effective and targeted solutions that meet our clients’ needs alongside growing our data partnerships and further accelerating our innovation initiatives.

With your years of experience, what do you think you will be bringing to the position?

As the OOH industry continues to shift towards digital solutions and embrace new technologies, there is a continued need for data-driven approaches. Building on the unique set of data capabilities that the team has already developed successfully, my leadership and expertise in audience measurement and data implementation will help Tractor achieve its new strategic initiatives. I am excited to leverage these capabilities by aggregating data points and developing new metrics for audience insights that deliver more relevant and engaging content and campaigns for both audiences and advertisers.

What have been the highlights of your career?

Throughout my career, I have had the opportunity to explore diverse roles in market research, media intelligence and eventually transitioning to marketing. I consider myself lucky to have had such a varied professional experience. Over the years, I’ve come across some incredible opportunities - like rebranding and launching new media and services products, managing consumer studies and developing audience measurements. I have had the privilege of meeting and working with some of the most talented people locally and across the world.

This opportunity I have now is definitely one of the most rewarding experiences in my life. I owe an immense amount of gratitude to the incredible leaders, mentors, coaches, and people who’ve supported me throughout this journey.

What have been the biggest challenges in your career?

Becoming a mom has been one of the toughest (yet most fulfilling) things I have done in my career. Its been tough navigating it all while trying to balance parenting and work. It forced me to take a hard look at how I was managing my work-life balance, and I had to learn to draw healthy boundaries in the workplace and gain perspective on my priorities.

Being a working mom is not easy and oftentimes as moms, we feel guilty when we are working and guilty when we are not working. It helps when you can work for a company that prioritises work-life balance and supports the notion that having a career and a family isn’t mutually exclusive.

What do you think are the biggest problems facing the OOH industry right now?

There is still a lot of work that needs to be done from an audience measurement point of view. In the South African market, industry currency only exists for roadside billboards. This means that media owners are utilising their own measurements resulting in a lack of measurement transparency and limited standardisation on audience metrics. Further complexity due to the acceleration of programmatic buying will see the onus fall on industry to agree on a standardised impression multiplier formula and the responsible implementation thereof.

Loadshedding, amongst other factors, has also highlighted the need for transparent and accountable reporting that ensures integrity across all levels. This will increasingly pressure media owners to subscribe to third party verification. Another increasingly important aspect is sustainability across the OOH value chain, some efforts have been made on energy use and waste reduction but more needs to be done.

What inspires you everyday?

I get my energy from doing new and challenging things and I love to continuously learn. I am greatly passionate about helping others to learn and grow.

Any advice for young people who want to have a career like yours?

Always be curious and never stop learning. Embrace every opportunity that comes your way – there is no such thing as wasted experience! It all adds up and contributes to a unique set of skills you acquire – do not underestimate the value that each job contributes to your toolkit – every experience, good or bad, will at some point lead you to where you want to be. Also, don’t be afraid to think differently and speak up for what you believe in. And, most importantly, don’t forget to have fun on the way!