#BehindtheSelfie with... Renate Albrecht
1. Where do you live, work and play?
I live, work and play in Bryanston. In fact, I live on the same road as the agency so it takes me 1 hip-hop track to get to work in the mornings. My work feels like play, so I play (and work) at work.
If I am playing outside of work, then I'm likely at the gym, blowing off some steam.
2. What’s your claim to fame?
Because I work in media and PR, my job is to make my clients and their brands famous – they are my claim to fame. Right now, I’m particularly proud of the work we are doing with celebrity chef and TV personality, Lorna Maseko.
3. Describe your career so far.
I can compare my career to that of a rollercoaster ride: every day has its ups and its downs, there are moments of euphoria, panic and instances where I want to projectile vomit all over my shoes, but at the end of this exhilarating ride, I feel alive and excited and want to do it all over again!
4. Tell us a few of your favourite things.
My little black pug, media monitoring software and cold espresso coffee.
5. What do you love about your industry?
I love that no two days are the same and that the industry changes monthly – it keeps me on my toes.
6. Describe your average workday, if such a thing exists.
I start my day with cold coffee and gym. After gym, I make my way to the office where my team and I spend the day hustling features and making magic happen in the world of media.
7. What are the tools of your trade?
A baseball bat (kidding - sort of).
8. Who is getting it right in your industry?
Joe Public – they have been cleaning up at the Loeries. High-5!
9. List a few pain points the industry can improve on.
When working on campaigns where multiple agencies need to work together in achieving a shared campaign goal, I often find that these agencies resent working together.
We are all on the same side – our job is to collectively make the campaign a success, so instead of resenting one-another, let's hold hands and sing "Kumbaya".Our industry is turbulent and fickle at times, so let's not make it harder by making like-minded individuals our enemies.
10. What are you working on right now?
We are working on a very exciting digital mini-series with the fabulous Lorna Maseko.
11. Tell us some of the buzzwords floating around in your industry at the moment, and some of the catchphrases you utter yourself.
Influencer marketing, engagement, ROI.
Some of my catchphrases: "Whatever obstacles you encounter today, find a resolve by throwing love and passion at it", "What are we doing today, to ensure that the paw-paw steers clear of the fan and remains at Fruit&Veg City?"
12. Where and when do you have your best ideas?
At the gym and while engaging in long, romantic walks to the bathroom.
13. What’s your secret talent/party trick?
I can eat ice-cream with a fork.
14. Are you a technophobe or a technophile?
I'm half-German, so of course, technology is in my blood. Technophile, for shizzle.
15. What would we find if we scrolled through your phone?
An impressive list of media connections and celebrity telephone numbers, 36 unread WhatsApp messages, a 3 kilometre-long to-do-list on Wunderlist, photos of my pug and 10 missed calls.
16. What advice would you give to newbies hoping to crack into the industry?
Be patient. It takes time to build a solid media list and a lasting and respected reputation in the industry. Once you have built a solid foundation for yourself, that's when the magic happens and it's worth waiting for.
Simple as that. Follow Albrecht on Twitter, and Instagram; and visit the Brand Cartel website, Instagram feed and LinkedIn profile for the latest updates.
*Interviewed by Leigh Andrews.
About Leigh Andrews
Leigh Andrews AKA the #MilkshakeQueen, is former Editor-in-Chief: Marketing & Media at Bizcommunity.com, with a passion for issues of diversity, inclusion and equality, and of course, gourmet food and drinks! She can be reached on Twitter at @Leigh_Andrews.
