Industry profile: Jason Levin

Posted on 28. Jan, 2010 by admin in Personality Profiles

 
Managing Director, HDI Youth Marketeers

 
Following a B.Com Hons in Marketing and a false start in the financial services sector, Jason followed his heart into advertising as a strategist at the Financial Mail’s 1998 Emerging Agency of the Year, tool®. Later that year, he took on the MD’ship and assisted in re-defining the offering in the purely digital (internet and multimedia) space. He re-aligned the company to TBWA\Hunt\Lascaris, and re-launched it as Digerati, in 2000. After six exciting years working with large South African and international brands; numerous awards and the launch of the first major digital art exhibition, he returned to his first love: strategic marketing as a brand consultant with TBWA\’s consulting company: The Disruption Consultancy. In April 2008, Jason was lured over to HDI Youth Marketeers as their new MD where he now spends his time understanding what makes young South Africans tick.

• What’s a typical workday for you?

9am-9pm with lots of action. Working with a tight-knit team in Joburg and a satellite team in Nigeria, over 20 cool clients and loads of kids, teens and young adults who are our market. Pace. Fun!

• What do you enjoy most about your portfolio?

The creative thought and idea generation involved, and the dynamism of 3-23 year olds as a market.

• How do you handle work stresses?

Pulling good people into a collaborative environment to help solve things, there’s always a way…and chatting to kids – they are great at grounding us, adding perspective and generating a smile.

• What has been your biggest professional challenge?

Creating shared belief, work ethic and passion in people. There have been some blow-by-blow skull-cracking incidents over the years, but if you have a dedicated, gung-ho team and good relationships, everything’s manageable.

• What is your No 1 industry peeve?

One that is fast-changing, but the notion that execution should be paid for, but insight-fueled invention should be free (or at least cheap).

• What are the favorite brands that you cannot live without?

Guess, CAR, Issey Miyaki, Levi’s, Lindt…(and a car-watch-shoe brand cluster too big to roll out here).

Movies, skiing, travel, rap jumping, gymnastics and lots of tea (oddly).

• What’s your chosen way to communicate with family and friends, (mobile, social networking pages like Facebook, Skype, emails, fixed lined telephone)?

I’m pretty old school actually: e-mail and SMS, and only small doses of phone and SNS…almost never Faceballs if I can help it.

• What’s a favorite local holiday destination?

The KZN North Coast – good weather, great beaches, an ocean that you can stay in for more than 23 seconds…

• What’s your idea of a relaxing Sunday morning?

Weekend papers, car wash, sunshine, good brunch, sunshine, drop-top, sunshine, movies.

• Which are your favorite must-have printed media titles?

CAR Magazine, The Times, Sunday Times (most of the business and trade media I read online).

• Do you have a favorite online site?

Top 8 okay? Google (everyone’s?), TimesLive, IOL, BizCommunity, Wikipedia, AutoTrader for car drool and IMDB and M&G for movie trivia and entertainment reviews.

• What’s your best dining out venue?

Sugo in Partktown North (Joburg) is my ‘local’, Cnr. Café as the perfect brunch spot, and Roots at Forum Homini for special occasions. There are a lot more great places in Durbs and Cape Town though.