Sylvia Zanetti – Managing Director of Stratitude

Sylvia Zanetti is the Managing Director and Lead Strategist for Stratitude, a strategic integrated marketing agency headquartered in South Africa that is part of the PLP Group. Sylvia leads her award-winning team in campaigns that focus on enabling their clients to build rewarding relationships with their target audiences.

Sylvia leads her award-winning team with an infectious passion and enthusiasm, which is also clearly evident in her other role as a member of the EMEA board for AMIN, and an international network of independent agencies that supports partnerships and collaboration.

Previously, Sylvia has had the role of Head of Commercial for PLP Group, and as Client Services Director for Magna Carter, a South African reputation management consultancy. 

In this episode:

We discuss the value of agency professionals spending time client side and how this can help develop a greater understanding of the corporate side of the relationship.

Sylvia chats about the challenges and opportunities of working in Africa. We talk about some of the unique characteristics of successful marketing in the region. Sylvia cites the example of the importance of informal networks and community groups in South African marketing strategy.

We talk through the constant balancing act of channel identification, messaging, and localization that all international marketers manage on a daily basis and the importance of quality research in maintaining a successful balance.

We also discuss how marketing is becoming increasingly borderless. Sylvia uses her own example of her agency in South Africa working for a Danish client on a campaign in Nigeria.

Finally, we discuss the advantages of fully integrated agencies for clients, including how not having multiple specialist agencies competing for budget and client resources can maximize value and return on investment.