#Newsmaker: Marcus Moshapalo on how fear can inspire great work

Unsurprisingly, he stands as one of the most sought-after executive creative directors in the nation. In this interview, he shares insights into his exciting new position at Net#work BBDO as executive creative director.

Marcus Moshapalo talks new role at Net#work BBDO. Source: SUpplied.

Congrats on the new job, what made you move to Net#work BBDO?

Thank you. I have always revered Net#work BBDO as one of the most creative agencies out there, some of my favourite work comes from here. I now find myself here, finally having the opportunity to work for this agency I have always admired. It was a no-brainer for me.

What are you most excited about in your new role?

There is a lot of responsibility on my part. I am filling some very big shoes. This challenge frightens and excites me. That’s when I feel I do my best work.

What inspires you to put out the award-winning work you do?

Mostly envy and admiration. There’s always something that comes along that is so amazing and awe-inspiring that it sets a new benchmark to work towards.

Unsurprisingly, he stands as one of the most sought-after executive directors in the nation. In this interview, he shares insights into his exciting new position at Net#work BBDO.

Over your 20 years of experience, what do you think is the most challenging part of this industry? What has changed and what has remained the same?

Budgets are shrinking and deadlines are getting tighter with the advent of social media (amongst other things). The newer challenge has become delivering quality work timeously in a much more saturated environment. What hasn’t changed is the expertise we offer. I feel you can always tell when someone decided to do something themselves vs something that has the expert touch.

What have been the best moments of your career?

There have been so many, but if I absolutely had to pick I would say it has been the international exposure. The two highlights would be the three weeks I spent at Droga 5 Australia, and at the TBWA Nissan global pitch in Finland.

What excites you most about the industry right now?

Adapting to the new landscape that is mostly geared towards social media. We are in the age of a much more direct form of marketing. I’m excited about the possibilities.

Any advice for newbies in the industry who look up to you?

Trust your gut. I think on many occasions when I didn’t speak up on what ultimately was a bad decision. Things played out almost exactly how I had predicted them in my mind. You won’t always get it right, but at the very least you won’t have this nagging feeling that you could have avoided something totally unnecessary.