#BehindtheIMC | Volkswagen SA's Harpur on navigating the attention economy
Bizcommunity, together with the Nedbank IMC Conference, will present exclusive profiles of the speakers running up to the event.
Harpur has over 15 years of experience within the VW SA company across brand, sales and strategy roles and has worked across advertising, media and marketing integration, with a focus on building campaigns that connect brand strategy to consumer experience.
Her ability to blend creativity and execution in both traditional and digital settings has been crucial in forming Volkswagen's local presence.
How would you describe yourself in one word?
Energetic.
What excites you the most about your industry?
I love how fun, complicated and yet simple marketing is. At the same time, I love how it has the ability to shape how people think, feel and behave. People often call marketing “the fluffy stuff” but the truth is, there isn’t anything fluffy about building a strong, valuable brand.
What upcoming trend is important for the industry and why?
The attention economy is my favourite topic right now. I think we need to start weaning ourselves off the obsession with the click and focus more on impact and attention. There is so much out there to distract the customer, we have to be special, stand out and engage with meaning rather than focus on clicks.
What gives you the most satisfaction in your work?
Advertising at its best should reflect culture, spark emotion and facilitate conversations – both fun and hard ones. After working in FMCG, gaming, banking and retail, I can say the motor industry is especially complex, which keeps me fuelled, engaged and excited. Building brands is important work, and that gives me huge satisfaction.
What excites you about the upcoming IMC and being a speaker at the event?
My slot will be super exciting since none of us can prepare for the result, so it’s the kind of fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants thing that I thrive on!
What is the most important lesson you have learned in your career?
I’ve had a rather long career and there have been many equally long and hard lessons, but the themes that I keep circling back on are hard work and passion. If those two things are in place, you will slay all day.
Given the above, what advice do you have for a young person looking to enter the industry?
Use all the data, AI, tools and tricks you need to gather insights, but never forget how important authentic human stories are. Make yourself
part of that process, whatever discipline you choose, that will make you a better advertiser and marketer. Advertising is hard; you need to be tough, but you will be rewarded in leaps and bounds when the stars align.
About the IMC 2025
Early bird tickets to the Nedbank IMC 2025 on 18 September have sold out. In-person tickets are priced at R4000 (excl. VAT). Virtual tickets are also available.
For more information and to book your tickets, visit IMC
The annual Nedbank IMC Conference is Africa’s foremost integrated marketing conference. Launched in 2019, it has become Africa’s biggest marketing conference. This conference has more CMOs, senior marketers and agency leaders attending than any other in Africa and is relevant to anyone in the business of communication.
One day of 15-minute presentations (with some exceptions), the conference is known for its hard-hitting global agenda with no sales pitches.
The Nedbank IMC is presented in association with MASA, in collaboration with the ACA and is endorsed by the IAB. The 2025 theme is Marketing is Business.
![By PMO - Ethiopia - [1], Public Domain,](https://biz-file.com/c/2509/787241-300x156.jpg?5)
