Thandeka: The sexiness and effortlessness of an idea. The sexiness is an energy, a feeling that injects a different kind of enthusiasm into everyone involved. And the effortlessness is in the packaging, ensuring the work is captivating in a simple way. I’m also big on demonstrating ideas versus long write-ups to explain the thing – too many “and then we will…” forces your audience to carry the heavier load of “imagining”. And of course, grammar!

Thandeka: In all honesty, not close enough. Times have shifted. Now, creatives only engage client service at the initial briefing stage and/or two more reviews in the last lap to completion. If time wasn’t a barrier I would love for all parties involved to have more ownership of the entire process – I think it will require us all to be sharper as it reveals everyone’s true contribution whilst teaching us to value everybody’s roles.  

Thandeka: The most traditional signal is their body of work – their reels. However, not all directors share all of their work onto their official reels and that robs us as agencies of seeing edgier pieces with much more character and depth. Word of mouth also plays a big role, along with technical ability and the ability to walk clients through a full production without losing them.  

Thandeka: I’m am willing and available to collaborate to whatever extent the director and production house need me to be. I think it’s important to give a director the space to bring their magic and point of view to the table without scrutiny because the desired outcome is for them to use their expertise to elevate our thinking and inject fresh energy into how we envisioned bringing it to life. Maybe the word isn’t collaboration but reciprocation. 

Thandeka: Oh yeah, I’ve been privileged to experience that quite a few times throughout my career. In these particular pieces of work it’s been directors who involve the agency creative team every step of the way and maintain enthusiasm for the project even when clients share feedback that threatens the creative vision. Basically, when we’re truly in it together pulling in the same direction without any us and them. 

Thandeka: It’s a recent ‘slow burner’ piece of work that’s taking longer than expected to reach the finish line. 3 years later, it’s still in the works and I’m learning so much; from patience, to trusting the process and consistency because it’s very easy to give up when things don’t go your way, especially when you‘re used to projects materializing over a 1-3 day shoot with 2-3 weeks of post-production. I’m really enjoying experiencing the power of believing in something regardless of the odds, more so doing that as a team. 

Thandeka: Judging internationally has made me more proud of where I come from. It’s made me more aware of the richness and potential we hold. It’s opened up my worldview and freed me from my own limitations. It’s reframed the quality of work I want to deliver on and it has given me a clearer view of a wider standard of work from case study packaging and campaign touch points that are not used in expected ways but rather with the delight of unexpected solutions.

Thandeka: I would stress the need to leave local industry politics at OR Tambo International Airport and walk into judging rooms as South African allies and advocate for all work Mzansi. We need to box together as one on the global stage not against each other. I don’t even know why all selected South African judges don’t have one joint meeting with all local entrants to discuss the work so that Saffas as you put it are all well equipped to defend and support the work in their respective jury rooms.

Thandeka: It’s been hands on and practical mentorship that’s made the difference; where I was afforded the opportunities to DO and be more as opposed to endless lip service from all parties involved. It’s been lessons from the many industry leaders I’ve had the privilege of working with on how to recover, regroup and get back on the horse after a letdown, losing a pitch and a lull in team morale. I wish I had mastered recovering and taking a beat before giving into being reactive sooner – thank goodness we live and learn.

Thandeka: Lol…AI is a tool and it’s time we looked at it as such and used it for it’s strengths the same way we’ve come to make good use of many other innovations to date. There’s most definitely room for AI to make the work better and set it apart – as it’s users we just need to apply ourselves, trust ourselves and embrace the world of AI as an extension of creating our best work. What we need to be aware of is the bias AI still has to favouring westernized sources and references of imagery, audio and language so that we don’t use it blindly but intentionally, closing the gap to make AI intelligent enough to still reflect our South African reality.

Thandeka: There’s too many to count. I’d say Vaseline Verified by Ogilvy Singapore, for Unilever. Sight Walks, an ambient OOH campaign by Circus Grey for Cemento Sol and Caption with Intention by FCB Chicago for Chicago Hearing Society to name a few. These campaigns have elements of universally true insights that delivered high resonance. Fun was had. They all exercised the freedom of stepping out of delivering on traditional solutions and a lens of fearlessness.

Thandeka: Staying in and lounging at home – recharging, watching reruns, going non-verbal for hours on end – and resting, resting, and then resting some more. Allowing myself the privilege of simply being no one to anyone, with zero obligations to anything, for a while.