#BehindtheSelfie: Matsidiso Kolobe, chief creative officer at Salt Hub
21 May 2024
Salt Hub is a South African advertising agency, based in Cape Town, that makes use of local languages in its work. According to its founder, Matsidiso Kolobe, this technique was the missing puzzle piece in the industry.
Matsidiso Kolobe, founder and chief creative officer at Salt Hub. Source: Supplied.
This week, we sit down with Kolobe to learn all about the mind behind this unique take on marketing.
What are three things you would like readers to know about you?
- I am a golfer and aspire to compete professionally. Being on the golf course has been one of my greatest training grounds. I have learned the power of focusing on your goals, as well as the power of silence and stillness.
- I love solitude every once in a while. As Maya Angelou beautifully put it “Not only is it acceptable to be alone, at times it is positively to be wished for.”
- My biggest fear is becoming a missed opportunity. It is the one thing that encourages me to continue staying on the path no matter the circumstance and to work towards continued improvement every single day.
As a Santam Women of the Future finalist, do you feel that women are fairly represented in the industry, both behind the scenes and in the spotlight?
Although there has been change, it is not enough to shed more light on the roles we continue to play, day in and day out, in creating jobs and safe spaces within our workplace — spaces that have helped others gain a sense of identity and feel part of something bigger than themselves.
Cape Town has not been forthcoming in incubating more Black female-owned entities within my industry, I feel.
More than 80% of our business is outside of the Western Cape. I think this picture sheds more light on my sentiments.
In five words, describe your experience building a business from the ground up
Won’t the Lord do it!
What/who inspires the entrepreneurial spirit in you?
I am my mother’s daughter.
She was a trailblazer in her prime as an entrepreneur and a key contributor to communities, a prayer warrior, a global award winner as an entrepreneur, and a mouthpiece for justice.
Amongst others, she owned properties in South Africa and parts of Lesotho, ran successful businesses, and was in the taxi industry, as well, at some point.
She raised a warrior like herself.
I’m forever grateful for the baton she passed on to me and many others.
What does success look like to you?
Success is not a destination. Success lies in the intentional steps towards continuous improvement every single day.
I have had quite a few successes along the way, but none can circumvent the daily 1% improvement I achieve by doing something a little bit better and a little bit unexpected.
What are the three keys to successful storytelling?
1. Agree with the client’s worldview
The best stories tap into what the audience already knows. Good storytelling agrees with what the audience already believes, making them feel seen/understood.
2. Build true stories
Build true and honest stories. Stories that keep your promise at all costs. This will always put you in a situation where you continue to be the clear and obvious choice.
3. Always show up for your audience
Regularly, consistently, and generously, for years and years and build confidence in the change you seek to make for those you seek to serve.
What is your goal when it comes to integrating local languages with marketing? Have you achieved this goal?
The goal has always been to champion the use of local languages, not only for brand building but also as a key contributor to the evolution of South African marketing.
It is time we pay homage to our amazing, proudly South African brands that deserve to have their stories told in an authentic way.
As a rainbow nation, language is a huge part of our culture and it is what connects us.
Nelson Mandela beautifully expressed this when he said, 'If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart.'
This sentiment encouraged us to make the use of our native languages one of our key business pillars. I would say we are steadily growing in this area.
What do you wish to achieve over your career?
To build a house that houses Africa’s greatest creative leaders who lead from a deep sense of “I am because you are”, who have a sense of identity, who are resilient and understand that they are part of something bigger than themselves.
