Spreading The Word

Teboho Rasoaisi on growing digital marketing in SA – and how it can affect your bottom line

- Nkosiyati Khumalo

At 29, digital marketing specialist Teboho Rasoaisi has worked with many of SA’s most popular brands and influencers – and racked up his fair share of awards while doing so. Here he shares his insight into how the digital marketing space should transform, why it’s full of great career potential – and the brands getting it right.

GQ: Tell us about your journey into advertising. What drew you into the field? Was it something you always wanted to do?

Teboho Rasoaisi: My journey into advertising started in university while completing my marketing degree. I’ve always been a tech-savvy guy and fascinated with the Internet and all its capabilities. Initially, what drew me to study marketing was my insatiable interest in digital media and brand communication – I found it all so fascinating at an early age, so naturally, I moved towards it.

After studying, I got hired as a content marketer at a small start-up owned by a lovely woman named Victoria Williams. I guess she saw potential in me at the time and took a gamble on me, but I knew very little about advertising at the time.

Right after that stint, I studied further and specialized in digital marketing through UCT, and got Google and Facebook certified. I then moved on to a lead generation and affiliate marketing agency, where I sharpened my paid media and account management skills.

Years later, here I am as a digital marketing specialist in a digital media strategist/campaign manager role at Mortimer Harvey (MH) agency, preparing for a digital analytics course with MIT. It’s all been a rollercoaster ride filled with lots of lessons, failures, wins, awards and long nights, but I’m grateful for it all.

GQ: What have been some of your most memorable/favorite projects to work on?