28 November 2008
	NEW BROOM: UP-AND-COMING STAR - FESTUS MAROLO MASEKWAMENG Big fish in the SA talent pool By Matebello Motloung Who says advertising talent is drying up? One person begs to differ

Does the SA advertising industry have the depth to replace departing skills and retain its reputation for excellence? When it comes to international awards and creativity, SA has consistently punched above its weight. The same goes for expertise: Neil van der Weele, the former Draftfcb SA group CE, who will play a key role in the international group's Asia-Pacific region from January, is the latest in a long line of South Africans poached by global parents. Others have left the country of their own accord. Advertising is no more immune to the national skills shortage than any other industry. Not surprisingly, questions are asked about its ability to maintain standards. Rob McLennan, executive creative director at Net#work BBDO and chairman of the Creative Circle, says skills turnover is healthy. "A lot of the talent leaving the country has been top-heavy. It allows us to flush the system. There's plenty of talent left and enough in the pipeline for the industry to face the future with confidence." Graham Warsop, group chairman of The Jupiter Drawing Room, says it's natural to question the future. "Worldwide, the industry is asking questions about itself." Though he admits SA advertising needs to catch up in some skills, "we have shown over and over again that, despite its size, the SA industry is among the best in the world. Provided we want it badly enough, that will continue". Which brings us to Festus Marolo Masekwameng. If anyone proves advertising talent is still alive and well in SA, it is the creative director at McCann-Erickson and chairman of the Loeries advertising awards. Masekwameng is the 2008 winner of the AdFocus New Broom award for up-and-coming talent in the industry. Now it might be argued that, given his status, he is not up-and-coming but already arrived. At the age of 30, however, his career is still in its early stages and it's clear he still has much to offer the industry. Running through the list of nominees for the award, AdFocus judges were adamant that a recipient must be someone who commands respect among his peers, whose talent and leadership skills are evident and who is destined for greater heights. Masekwameng met all the criteria. To say his star has shot up in the recent past would be putting it mildly. He has risen from copywriter at TBWA\Hunt\Lascaris to creative director within one of the oldest agencies in the world. Being invited to chair the industry's most prestigious awards event shows the respect in which he's held. It was his work - notably the edgy SABC1 Yamampela TV commercial in which the roles of black and white South Africans were reversed - which made the industry stand up and take notice. He was also the brains behind the Sasol soccer sponsorship advert featuring young soccer icons playing in a field. "The one thing most people don't know about Festus is that he's a closet academic," says industry colleague Qingqile "WingWing" Mdlulwa, creative director at Net#work BBDO. "He is a deep thinker. You can see it in his work. Whenever Festus comes up with something, it's unexpected and different." The first thing that strikes you about Masekwameng is that "he's one hell of a nice guy", says Mdlulwa, himself a New Broom award recipient in 2005. He is humble and down-to-earth, with a sense of humour that often takes listeners by surprise. He's also sharp, assertive and articulate. His unimposing nature is sometimes hard to reconcile with his reputation, until he starts talking. It's clear that whatever he says or does has been carefully thought through. "He has great insight and a wonderful way of being able to present his opinions and thoughts very logically," says Nici Stathacopoulos, outgoing CEO of marketing services agency Proximity#ttp, who serves with Masekwameng on the Loeries committee. "When we sit with him in our board meetings, I find he's able to be both a businessman and a creative." Masekwameng is a graduate in marketing, advertising and copywriting from the AAA School of Advertising and his rise since entering the industry in 2001 has been meteoric. Advertising work by the "Professor", as he is often referred to by colleagues, has won at many of the major awards events around the world. Campaigns to which he contributed have scooped numerous Loeries awards for radio and print. They include Alcoholics Anonymous, Arrive Alive and the SABC. They have won acclaim at the Clios, One Show, Cannes and D&AD. "Fest is a one-of-a-kind creative; he gets it," says McCann Worldgroup SA CE Martin Hummel. "He's measured, he's multitalented and he's an industry rock star... with humility. Everyone loves him and because they do, he draws out the best from his teams to deliver great work." He has also served as an executive member of the Creative Circle. Yet he was almost lost to the advertising industry. Masekwameng, who grew up in Polokwane, was a civil engineering student at Wits University before being introduced to the world of smoke and mirrors. His interest was sparked while working as a DJ at the AAA's year-end party. "I did some research and realised this was what I'd wanted all along. I've always wanted a platform that would enable me to reconcile all my creative interests. Advertising provided me with a middle ground to write creatively while thinking logically to meet a business objective," says Masekwaneng. "Advertising is not art for art's sake, it's not about expressing yourself, it's about expressing a business view. Advertising is about brands." During his free time, Masekwameng continues to indulge his other passion: music. He's a popular DJ, a hobby that provided him with pocket money during his student days. He's also a football fan, particularly of Mamelodi Sundowns. "He's not a bad player himself," says Mdlulwa. At McCann, Masekwameng continues to handle blue-chip brands such as General Motors, Tiger Brands and Nestlé. Among those he admires most are industry legends such as Net#work BBDO cofounder Mike Schalit, TBWA\Hunt\Lascaris cofounder John Hunt, and Draftfcb executive chairman Nkwenkwe Nkomo. "I've watched Festus's career grow from being a youngster to one mindful of transformation for the right reasons," says Stathacopoulos. "He wants to promote youngsters." Given his progress so far, and the support he's receiving from the industry, there's no reason why this broom won't be sweeping the industry for years to come.