#BehindtheSelfie with... Simon Spreckley
1. Where do you live, work and play?
I live in Cape Town but I spend a lot of my time in Joburg these days.
Generally, I work anywhere and everywhere and try to play in all aspects of my life. I believe there needs to be an element of fun to stay inspired.
2. What’s your claim to fame?
Probably that I’m constantly searching for and working on a claim to fame!
3. Describe your career so far.
It’s been an adventure! I was an early adopter of digital marketing and loved building immersive experiences in whatever technology was available at the time, which let me have a lot of fun over the years.
4. Tell us a few of your favourite things.
My kids, the people I work with, sneakers, cars, games, and did I say sneakers?
5. What do you love about your industry?
It’s ever-changing and evolving. We get to keep inventing.
6. Describe your average workday, if such a thing exists.
There’s no such thing as an average day for me. No day is the same, no challenge is the same.
7. What are the tools of your trade?
Brilliant minds, brilliant makers and brilliant relationships.
8. Who is getting it right in your industry?
I tend to look abroad, as they tend to be a couple of years ahead of us. Agencies that are killing it for me would be RGA, Media Monks and Fantasy Interactive.
Those are agencies I’ve always admired. Locally, I think there are a lot of great agencies with great leadership and people.
9. List a few pain points the industry can improve on.
I think the traditional, hour-based pricing model is outdated. We need to look for new models to unlock revenue and deliver real value for our partners.
10. What are you working on right now?
Some really interesting things... For one, we have an e-commerce partnership with WWF and sell recycled adventure apparel. Then some really big digital transformation projects for our other partners.
Creative - Meet data
Irvine Partners 10 Sep 2019
11. Tell us some of the buzzwords floating around in your industry at the moment, and some of the catchphrases you utter yourself.
Data-led creative… It’s a phrase we commonly use but, unlike a lot of agencies out there, we actually put into practice at Hoorah.
12. Where and when do you have your best ideas?
Anywhere, there’s no formula. I personally believe ideas are there just waiting to be tapped into at any time.
I tend to have them come through at random moments. So I just park them and let them work themselves out over time.
13. What’s your secret talent/party trick?
I can do a mean moonwalk.
14. Are you a technophobe or a technophile?
I think I’m a technophile, but as I’m an Apple guy I found myself regressing with the UX of certain “Android” devices XD.
15. What would we find if we scrolled through your phone?
Games, sneakers, cars, bikes, design, travel pics, my fam.
16. What advice would you give to newbies hoping to crack into the industry?
Simple as that. Follow Spreckley on Twitter and Instagram; and Hoorah Digital on their LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube feeds, as well as the Irvine Partners press office, 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.
