Watson and Ferguson. Or is that Ferguson and Watson…

1. Where do you live, work and play?

Ferguson: Where the wind is born… Vredehoek, Cape Town.
Watson: I live in The Republic of Hout Bay and our office is situated in OFyt’s building in Gardens.
Ferguson: As for play, anywhere that doesn’t include swinging golf sticks or camping.

2. What’s your claim to fame?

Watson: We are both former Eastern Province Roller Hockey players. I wish I were joking.

3. Describe your career so far?

Ferguson: We’ve each spent 10 years working at Ogilvy and 140BBDO helping big brands achieve marketing success.
Watson: There we fell in love with the industry, the people, the ideas and the creativity. Both agencies taught us so much and molded us into the marketers we are today.

4. Tell us a few of your favourite things.

Watson: As a startup, we really appreciate people who naturally offer wise advice, enthusiasm and positive vibes. We are sponges and keeping motivated and positive is quintessential.
Ferguson: Great strategic/brand/creative work that works hard for our clients and Diaz Tavern’s trinchado.

5. What do you love about your industry?

Watson: The amazing people we get to work with on a daily basis.
Ferguson: Thank you.
Watson: Chop.

6. What are a few pain points your industry can improve on?

Ferguson: The word “urgent”, and we can all do with fewer meetings.
Watson: The need to always be plugged-in and responding to emails and messages within seconds. We’ve become a group of email “watchers” reacting to tasks as they land. This in comparison to properly planning each day and identifying the few key tasks we need to achieve that day.

7. Describe your average workday, if such a thing exists.

Ferguson: 8:00am: Phone Andrew.
Watson: 8:05am: Reassure Dylan that we are doing the right thing.
Ferguson: The rest of the day is split between deeply thinking about our clients’ business challenges, writing and implementing marketing strategy, briefing our talented creative partners and meeting with new and existing clients. This will all change tomorrow.
Watson: Phone Dylan at 7pm.
Ferguson: 7:05pm: Confirm with Andrew that we are doing the right thing.

8. What are the tools of your trade?

Ferguson: The good old fashioned and underrated “to-do list” in our Moleskine diaries.
Watson: A blank whiteboard, a dash of common sense, an inquiring mind and a dof question.

9. Who is getting it right in your industry?

Watson: We’ve found that too many small- and medium-size clients are either getting ignored or fleeced by the ad agencies, which are simply incorrectly geared to deliver on their SME marketing needs. Our ambition is to offer them an alternative.
Ferguson: But if we are truly honest with ourselves, there is still so much to learn before anyone can claim to be getting it right. Onwards and upwards.

10. What are you working on right now?

Ferguson: We are working with a number of different clients in different industries at different life stages, from startups to established brands.
Watson: So currently we're helping some clients launch into the market, others reposition themselves strategically, others need help “going digital” and others simply to connect their brands better with their consumers. Each day is a unique day.

11. Tell us some of the buzzwords floating around in your industry at the moment, and some of the catchphrases you utter yourself.

Watson: “Sample of one” is one I’m desperately trying to kick.
Ferguson: In my opinion there’s far too much jargon in the marketing world at the moment, but you will catch us reminding our clients that “if you grow, we grow.”

12. Where and when do you have your best ideas?

Ferguson: Right before I go to bed… often some of my worst ideas, too.
Watson: When I’m on a roll in a productive day and the momentum is strong, that’s where the big ideas emerge.

13. What’s your secret talent/party trick?

Ferguson: Invite me to a potjiekos competition and I’ll show you.
Watson: I missed that class. I can only wink one eye, for crying in a bucket.

14. What would we find if we scrolled through your phone?

Ferguson: A variety of podcasts, at least 20 apps I never use and a recipe for my mom’s brown onion soup, which I am yet to perfect.

15. What advice would you give to newbies hoping to crack into the industry?

Watson: Marketing and advertising is an incredible place to learn what you are made of, meet the most interesting people on the planet and be inspired every day. It’s a collection of misfits not cut out for an accountant’s ledger. People who know they want more.
Ferguson: Pay attention to those around you, learn from them and meet as many new people as possible. Also, try exercising at lunchtime – the second half of your day will be much more productive as a result.

Simple as that. Watson Ferguson is founded on the belief that big brand thinking should not be limited to only big brands and that the power of effective and creative marketing will help good SMMEs become great. Visit the Watson Ferguson website or follow Watson Ferguson on Twitter for more, or send Watson and Ferguson an email.

*Interviewed by Leigh Andrews.