Branding Interview South Africa

[NewsMaker] Deshendri Smit

"The conversation has moved from building brand equity, to really understanding how a campaign has delivered against the investment."
Deshendri Smit has been promoted to Executive: Sales & Marketing of Primedia Unlimited's Mall Division: Primall Media and MallWorx. Smit takes over from Lee Curtis who has been with the group a decade. Smit has worked the Mall Division for six years: as an Account Manager, and then as Sales Manager over the past two years. She is now in charge of developing and implementing a national sales and marketing strategy. The Mall Division includes Unlimited's mall activation brands; Primall Media, Mallworx, Mall Active, Prime Courts, Primedia Lifestyle Group, SourceCRM and Captiv8.

Q: What is at the top of your to do list?
A:
Work on integration across our various mall offerings to provide better retail solutions to clients, and to use our environment to generate shopper and retail analytics.

Q: What is your core strategy?
A:
To help clients build their brands in retail whilst serving the shopper, retailer, mall and property owner.

Q: Most important attribute needed to do your job?
A:
Visionary leadership that's clear and defined.

Q: The biggest trend to note in your industry?
A:
The uplift and importance of ROMI: the conversation has moved from just building brand equity to really understanding how a campaign has delivered against the investment.

Q: How will you make an impact?
A:
By closing the gap from ATL (above-the-line) to path -to-purchase, by driving the understanding of shoppers and what influences their buying decisions.

Q: What inspires you?
A:
People that invest in their growth with integrity, that always strive to be better both personally and professionally.

Q: What legacy do you hope to leave in the industry?
A:
Entrench the value of partnership between media agency, media owner, brands and creative agencies.

Q: Your life philosophy?
A:
My mission is to add value to every relationship and in every interaction.

Q: Tell us something about yourself not generally known?
A:
I have less clothes in my cupboard than most men I know.

Q: At the top of my 'bucket list' is...
A:
Travelling to Norway to see the Aurora Borealis.

About Louise Marsland

Louise Burgers (previously Marsland) is Founder/Content Director: SOURCE Content Marketing Agency. Louise is a Writer, Publisher, Editor, Content Strategist, Content/Media Trainer. She has written about consumer trends, brands, branding, media, marketing and the advertising communications industry in SA and across Africa, for over 20 years, notably, as previous Africa Editor: Bizcommunity.com; Editor: Bizcommunity Media/Marketing SA; Editor-in-Chief: AdVantage magazine; Editor: Marketing Mix magazine; Editor: Progressive Retailing magazine; Editor: BusinessBrief magazine; Editor: FMCG Files newsletter. Web: www.sourceagency.co.za.
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