Women In Marketing 2021 Edition ft. Nosipho Maseko from Clockwork Media

From the Eastrand, we are pleased to chat with Nosipho Maseko who is a Conceptual Copywriter at Clockwork Media. As a natural born creative, Nosipho always knew that you she would land on her feet in so far as her career is concerned. Oh and did we mention that she is a rapper? Learn more about her on this segment of Women In Marketing.

LET’S GET PERSONAL

THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO PARTICIPATE IN OUR WOMEN IN MARKETING SERIES, NOSIPHO. WHERE WERE YOU BORN? WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR MEMORIES GROWING UP?

I was born in the Eastrand, Boksburg. 

My earliest memories of growing up were of me ripping up old clothes to make new ones with the sewing and knitting techniques my mom showed me, creating works of art under her kitchen table and writing songs worthy of Grammy award nominations.

WHAT WERE YOU LIKE IN YOUR HIGH SCHOOL/COLLEGE YEARS? 

TBH, I was more interested in extracurricular activities rather than academics. Sport, drama club and my friends were my favourite part of school.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE MEAL? THAT ONE MEAL YOU WOULD FEEL NO SHAME FOR NOT SHARING!

Pork ribs! Hands off!

IMAGINE WAKING UP $10 MILLION RICHER TOMORROW, WHAT WOULD YOU DO WITH YOUR FORTUNE? 

Spoil my mom and brother then invest the rest.

WHAT IS THE ONE INTERESTING THING ABOUT YOU THAT WE WOULDN’T FIND ON YOUR LINKEDIN PROFILE? ANY HIDDEN TALENTS PERHAPS? PREVIOUS WOMEN IN MARKETING CANDIDATE, ANASTASIA HAMEL SAYS THAT SHE CAN BREATHE FIRE!

Well…I’m a rapper and singer in my spare time. I guess I’m still chasing the Grammy dream 4-year-old me was gunning for.

CAREER AND WORKPLACE

WHAT ENCOURAGED YOU TO PURSUE A CAREER IN MARKETING? AFTER ALL, MOST OF US GREW UP WANTING TO BE DOCTORS, RIGHT?

Seeing people I know and love study and fall into careers based on circumstance rather than what they studied pushed me into marketing. I always knew I’d be a working creative, but I just didn’t know how that looked for a long time. Digital Marketing has given me another way to express the different sides of my creative mind.

GIVE US A SNEAK PEEK OF HOW YOU TYPICALLY START YOUR DAY. ARE YOU #TEAMCOFFEE OR #TEAMTEA? OR BOTH? YOU BEAUTIFUL REBEL!

#TeamCoffee all day, every day. 

THE PANDEMIC DISRUPTED OUR ROUTINES AND DAILY COMFORTS. HOW BEST DO YOU MAINTAIN A WORK-LIFE BALANCE?

I don’t want to admit it, but hiking started it all. I realised I spend most of my time with friends at ‘groove’. The pandemic forced us to find new ways to hang out. Apart from that, I learnt not to cancel things. Time is precious; I started respecting the time people set aside for me.

YOU HAVE A BFA IN FINE ARTS AND MULTIMEDIA FROM THE VAAL UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY. TERTIARY EDUCATION, AS WE KNOW IT, TOOK A DRAMATIC TURN DUE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. HOW DO YOU FORESEE THE FUTURE OF EDUCATION CONSIDERING THE INCREASING POPULARITY OF ONLINE EDUCATIONAL SITES SUCH AS COURSERA AND GOOGLE SKILLSHOP THAT HAVE DISRUPTED THE TRADITIONAL MODEL OF LEARNING?

It’s a much-needed disruption if you ask me. We all know the importance of education, but free education has been a talking point because in our country – it’s expensive. Although online educational sites give people access, it brings up another barrier in our country – connectivity.

WORKING FROM HOME/HYBRID MODEL OF WORKING MAY SOON BECOME A REALITY FOR MOST ORGANISATIONS GLOBALLY. WHAT’S YOUR TAKE ON REMOTE WORK AND WHAT HAVE BEEN SOME OF YOUR CHALLENGES AS WELL AS WAYS YOU’VE MITIGATED THESE?

Getting out is so important. I’ve always been a home-body. The pandemic has unfortunately turned my apartment into my office, my place of rest and my gym. So, I’ve been trying to work from my favourite coffee shops and find new ways to work out outside the home. 

ACCORDING TO A REPORT COMPILED BY MCKINSEY, THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC HAS HAD A NEGATIVE EFFECT ON WOMEN IN THE WORKPLACE. THE REPORT FURTHER ILLUSTRATES THAT WOMEN HAVE INCREASINGLY BECOME MORE EXHAUSTED AND SUFFER FROM BURNOUT AS COMPARED TO THEIR MALE COUNTERPARTS. IN YOUR OPINION, HOW CAN ORGANISATIONS PROVIDE THE NECESSARY SUPPORT FOR WOMEN AS WELL AS MOTHERS?

There isn’t an easy answer for this. Each woman’s situation has changed in complex and different ways. It all boils down to the workplace culture. People need to feel empowered to speak up when they’re not coping or need a break, knowing that they will receive support with no judgement or comparison.

2021 AND BEYOND

ALL THINGS CONSIDERED, HOW HAVE YOU BEEN SINCE THE START OF THE PANDEMIC? ANY PIVOTAL MOMENTS IN YOUR PERSONAL OR PROFESSIONAL LIFE YOU CAN SHARE WITH US?

I’ve been looking for a change and I think I found it at Clockwork. I’m excited to get my head around new brands and new people. 

KNOWING WHAT YOU KNOW TODAY AND IF YOU COULD GO BACK IN TIME, WHAT WOULD YOU TELL YOUR YOUNGER SELF?

Do what you want. Disappointment from a decision you made is better than disappointment from a decision made for you.

ANY BUCKET LIST ITEMS?

Professional: A Cannes Lion for Radio.

Personal: To see most of Africa before I’m 50.

WHO ARE SOME OF YOUR SHEROES?

Mpume Ngobese – MD at Joe Public. She showed me what a black female looks like in my industry. I don’t think I’ve ever really known what that looked like until I met her. Representation truly does matter.

Khanyi Mbau – Media Personality. People always side-eye me with this one, but she is the epitome of resilience. We’ve watched her go through the most in her personal life and we all got to commentate. Whatever she does, there’s more negative being said about her than positive. But she still manages to win! I respect her for being true to herself and not caring about what others think. She speaks to the part of me that feels like I need to be liked to be successful. 

Chimamande Ngozi – Writer /Author. My ultimate girl crush. The way she tells African stories and the way she is mindful of putting into words the female African experience is something I admire.

WHAT ARE YOU CURRENTLY READING?

Currently reading: Ayanda Mangubane Borotho’s ‘Unbecoming to become’.

I’m old-school, I love the feel and smell of paper, plus book shopping is therapy. Usually, I gravitate to fiction but lately, it’s been biographies and autobiographies. 

WHAT IS ON YOUR NETFLIX WATCHLIST?

Sexy Beasts (DON’T JUDGE ME!)

Ru Paul’s All-Star Drag Race (As an LGBTQ+ member, this is like watching the news – it’s a must.)

Jiva! (Love me some SA content)

WHAT WOULD YOU COME BACK AS IN THE NEXT LIFETIME CAREER-WISE? DO YOU THINK YOU MISSED A CALLING?

A talk-show host. Getting paid to talk? That would be amazing!!!!

WE ABSOLUTELY LOVE HOW FORBES CURATES THEIR MARKETING-CENTRIC CONTENT. HAVE YOU HAD A CHANCE TO READ THROUGH THEIR CMO NEXT 2021 FEATURE? WHILST ON THE TOPIC OF GREAT MARKETEERS, WHEN YOU RETIRE ONE DAY, HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE REMEMBERED AS A PROFESSIONAL? 

I would like to be remembered for being honest in my creativity. Awards are nice, but doing what brands and people need from you is even better.

WHO HAVEN’T YOU SEEN OR TALKED TO IN A LONG TIME AND HOPE THEY ARE DOING OKAY?

My friends from high school

WE ARE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR AMAZING WOMEN IN MARKETING TO PROFILE. WHO WOULD YOU LIKE US TO GET IN TOUCH WITH? 

Mantwa Thoka

Nosipho Nxele

Carmen Janse Van Rensburg

(All amazing Art directors I’ve had the honour of working with

A UNIQUE MESSAGE FOR ALL YOUNG PROFESSIONALS IN THE MARKETING INDUSTRY

You’re necessary, you’re enough!

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME NOSIPHO. WE HOPE THIS INTERVIEW WILL INSPIRE FUTURE LEADERS AND OTHER WOMEN IN MARKETING. HOW CAN PEOPLE FOLLOW YOU AND YOUR COMPANY ON SOCIAL MEDIA? 

Follow me on Insta here >@_china_za, and stalk the hardest-working bunch of humans here > @clockworkmediasa

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