Marelise Culbert

Various Advertising & Marketing Agencies

Marketing managers

Conceptual & Creative Copywriter

I have been in the advertising field for almost 21 years and have been involved in virtually every aspect of the business. In 1994 I completed my BA Business Communications Degree at the University of the Free State and went on to specialise in Copywriting at AAA in 1995. I kicked off with an international Student Clio for my work on Wriggley's Gum. All the inspiration one needs to get ahead in this business. My career started immediately thereafter, as I joined Blueprint at the end of the same year. My main responsibilities included conceptualising and writing below-the-line campaigns for Caltex, Sanlam, Santam, Langeberg Foods and premium alcoholic brands, such as Richelieu and Oude Meester. During my time at Blueprint, it evolved into Publicis and I covered a variety of disciplines and creative media from 1995 – 1998. I was also placed in charge of conceptual and copy requirements for their New Business Division. I mainly worked on loyalty and rewards campaigns for Johnnie Walker, Western Stormers, Langeberg foods, etc. After a year of achieving immense success, especially with the loyalty programs, I moved to mainly above-the-line work for Nussey & Townsend. My clients included Airports Company South Africa, Nature Conservation, major toy brands and some of the Coca-Cola Company brands. I joined Procam in 1999 and was in charge of all copywriting and conceptualising functions. I developed and scripted a motivational kids television program for Tiger Brands, with Urban Brew Studios in Johannesburg. We featured our top International sports stars at the time and explored new avenues of experiential marketing. I wrote women's programmes for radio stations, developed through-the-line campaigns for everyone from Spur to Volkswagen, to Old Mutual, to Shell, I&J to Willards. Procam merged with The Bryan Slingers Partnership and we proceeded to do amazing experiential work and advertising for Trade & Investment South Africa, SAB, Volkswagen, Nedbank Golf Challenge, I&J, Department of Trade & Industry, and the list goes on. We conceptualized, developed and executed programs for Export opportunities for TISA, Student Driving programs for Volkswagen, identifying and developing musical potential in our country with the National Jazz Festival – whatever the opportunity, we exceeded every expectation. Changing clients' understanding of advertising and added value, one day at a time. I joined Zoom Advertising & Marketing in 2001 to add yet more variety to my mix. Initially I mostly worked on major retail clients, such as boardmans, Ackermans, Dunns, Sportsmans Warehouse etc. for which we developed everything from point-of-sale to annual conferences. I moved on to more new business clients and wrote for a diverse array of companies, from Cape Law Society to Glenfiddich. I enjoyed the great variety immensely and only left to get married and relocate. Since 2003, I continued doing freelance copywriting and conceptualising work for a number of Cape Town clients. I also proceeded to do more content and website writing over time. My interesting variety of clients include Spur, Stuttafords, Durbell Pharmacies, Time Watch Specialists, Innovation Prize for Africa, Alta Du Toit Nasorg, and the list goes on. I was also commissioned by the Industrial Development Corporation, to create a 5-year marketing and branding strategy for one of their food producers in the Free State. In addition, I was invited to Guest Lecture at the Cape Town Technikon for a few years. I contributed to their copywriting and marketing modules and helped the students develop and launch their marketing and advertising ideas. Three of my students were featured in VISI magazine during that time. I have recently returned from a 10-month rendezvous in America, where I experienced the vast divide between First World and Third World, in every imaginable sense. Their approach to marketing and service delivery is light years ahead of anything I've experienced here and I found their way of thinking to be rather refreshing. No system is flawless and the human element always presents its challenges, but there are better ways of doing almost anything. I am determined to find it in all I do, going forward. So, with fresh inspiration and extended life knowledge, I'm back and ready to broaden my horizons.

Degree

University of the Free State

Diploma

AAA School of Advertising, Cape Town

Steve Massey

MD

Hogarth & Ogilvy

steve.massey@hogarth-ogilvy.com