Celebrating 10 years helping SA’s online businesses grow!
On 24 September 2011 we pressed the ‘go-live’ button and AdMarula was born. It was a terrifying and thrilling moment. We had no idea how the market would respond and we sat watching as one publisher after the next signed up to our network. Now, one decade, 3 office moves, and several new product offerings later, we thank each client, publisher, staff member and friend who has been a part of our journey so far. We could not have done it without you. We dedicate this milestone to you! #AdMarulaTurns10 #AdMNews #PerformanceMarketingSouthAfrica #DigitalMarketingSouthAfrica
The power of positivity, patience and persistence
I’m generally quite a positive guy. My wife will tell you I’m the ‘it will be fine’ type who believes that things will generally just always be okay. But let’s be honest, looking around us it’s hard to feel positive right now. Between the pandemic, lockdowns, load shedding, lootings and poor economic forecasts the world seems doomed. But while the media is having a field day with all the negative news, there are positive stories and events happening around us all the time. And choosing to see the positive is in itself a catalyst for being happier. For starters, forcing yourself to smile has a direct positive impact on your health. Science has shown that the mere act of smiling can lift your mood, lower stress, boost your immune system and possibly even prolong your life. It’s a pretty backwards idea, isn’t it? Happiness is what makes us smile; how can the reverse also be true? The fact is a smile spurs a chemical reaction in the brain, releasing certain hormones including dopamine and serotonin. In other words, smiling can trick your brain into believing you’re happy which can then spur actual feelings of happiness. But it doesn’t end there. The physical act of smiling can also make a difference in building your immunity. When you smile, the brain sees the muscle activity and assumes that humour is happening. So even if you may not feel positive at the moment, the general advice is to fake it till you make it! As for running a business in these times, I remember a friend and mentor said something to me ten years ago when we just started the AdMarula journey. His words were: “Building a business is like riding a bicycle, yes you need some capital and people and some luck, but at the end of the day what it comes down to is getting up every morning, getting on that bicycle come rain or shine, and keep cycling. And if you do that consistently and for long enough, you will succeed.” I think that’s pretty sound advice, and something we should all bear in mind right now as we navigate our businesses through unchartered waters. Let’s aim to stay committed to the good, help others where we can, and keep cycling… Onwards and upwards! Daniel Gross – CEO
Interview with Ryan Vermaak, new Digital Account Manager
Meet Ryan Vermaak, newest team member at AdMarula. Ryan joins us in the role of Digital Account Manager and will be working on new media accounts, as well as with existing clients and their marketing teams to optimize their campaigns and ensure the best execution of their digital strategies. Ryan is a Marketing Graduate from the AAA school of Advertising and recently relocated from Johannesburg to the Western Cape. Describe yourself in 3 words. Driven, honest & passionate. Tell us a bit about what you’ve been doing since you graduated? After graduating from university, I co-founded a small business in Johannesburg (operating within the motor industry) which was specifically field-service driven and mainly serving the industrial sector. I mainly focused on the day-to-day running of the business and took charge of all marketing responsibilities. After countless visits to the Western Cape, my heart had been stolen and so I sold my share in the company and decided to relocate down the beautiful coast. I then joined a leather manufacturing company in Stellenbosch as the Marketing and Sales Manager for a short stint, before being fortunate enough to join the AdMarula team. What do you love most about working in Digital? I love the ever-changing environment which digital presents and the challenges which come along with it, it keeps me on my toes and feeds my desire to continuously keep learning. I feel as though we are only at the tip of the iceberg and there is so much more to come within the digital space. What will your key responsibilities be in your new role? I will be building strong relationships with AdMarula’s media clients to continue growing their paid media accounts across a host of different channels. I will take the time to understand each client’s specific needs and find the best solutions to deliver the best possible results through paid media. With AdMarula’s tried and tested technology I will be able to provide and suggest new ways of achieving success for each client. The most important lesson you’ve learnt in your career so far? Be teachable! Each and every business/industry is different and so I find it important to keep an open mind when listening to what it is a client is aiming to achieve. This will also open you up to learning something new on a daily basis and keep you on a constant learning curve. Where do you believe the Digital industry is heading in South Africa? Being a developing market, I believe that South Africa will soon see an influx of users in the digital space and so the room for growth and development is endless. With a growing middle class and the availability of smartphones becoming easily accessible I also see a boost of new users consuming digital media in the near future. Any advice for aspiring digital marketers? Position yourself within an agency that has a proven track record for success. Here you will learn a lot and hone in on your skills to become a master of the trade. When I’m not working, I’m… Spending time on the beach, walking my two doggies, and the odd picnic with my girlfriend. I enjoy playing around with recipes and having friends over to enjoy a weekend braai while watching the sport of the day.
