#EvolutionofWork: Covid-19 has driven digital work technology adoption forward by nearly 5 years

Cayleigh Zambonini

With the recent promotion of Cayleigh Zambonini to digital integration manager, Lisa Snyman to digital project manager and Liesl Silverman to digital copywriter, as well as the appointment of Brenda Ulay as community manager and content creator, Boomtown has enhanced its digital service offering to ensure a 'digital first' mindset across the business and for its clients.

The digital department also includes senior social media manager Marion Marais, digital product manager and user experience specialist Helna Brown, art director Tamarin Fraenkel, and digital strategist Lara-Anne Derbyshire.

Boomtown enhances its digital service offering

Boomtown  1 Oct 2020

Boomtown is a creative, fully integrated advertising agency that offers brand design, integrated brand communications and digital marketing. It’s headquartered in Port Elizabeth, with offices in Johannesburg. It started trading in 1994 when its founder famously sold his inheritance, yes, two cows, to buy the office’s first computer. Today, Boomtown has achieved Level 2 BBBEE status and 51% Black ownership, of which 30% is by a Black women-owned entity. How times have changed!

Here, we chat to digital integration manager Cayleigh Zambonini…

Congrats on your promotion! How do you feel about it?

It's a great opportunity to drive digital integration strategies and solutions into our service offering as well as optimise Boomtown’s internal systems and processes.

When did you start at Boomtown and tell us about your career trajectory to date, within the organisation and in general?

I started at Boomtown early in 2017 in the Port Elizabeth head office within client service, and made my way to the Johannesburg office for two years assisting on our two biggest international accounts. When I first began at Boomtown I expressed my interest in developing our digital offerings, and am happy to say that with hard work, personal skills development and planning, I am now in the position I had envisioned from day one.

What do you love most about the advertising/digital industry, your career and/or specialisation?

I enjoy the ever-evolving aspect of the industry as well as seeing a project solution go from concept to reality in a creative space. What excites me even more is identifying opportunities for our clients for digital transformation of their marketing and advertising requirements built on the foundation of an agile and integrated Boomtown team.

Tell us a bit about your experience and how you feel this has equipped you for your new position.

I have quite a diverse background and education. My MBA qualification allows me to fully understand our client’s business across departments and functions, which in turn forms the basis of a holistic approach to providing business solutions. My tech background and drive for agility and streamlining process stems from managing and assisting in the development of reporting dashboards for renewables in Southern Africa.

Where are you based, at the HQ in Port Elizabeth or at the Johannesburg office?

I have embraced the remote working environment and love the fact that some days I wake up to the skyline of Johannesburg, the sandy bay of Port Elizabeth and even sometimes the beautiful view of Table Mountain.

What does your new role entail?

I support the strategy and operation department in the management and oversight of Boomtown’s digital outputs, both internally and externally.

What are you most looking forward to (at Boomtown and in your new role) or what are you working towards at the moment?

I'm excited to be working on Brand Planning 2021 for our client partners. Amongst everything, 2020 has shown us that we need to work smarter and looking for digital solutions will impact the work we do for our clients with measurable returns.

What does the future of work look like to you?

The Covid-19 pandemic has driven digital work technology adoption forward by nearly five years. We're already seeing businesses downsizing on office spaces and investing in remote working solutions. Cloud technology, remote collaboration and the digital enablers of such are where we're heading.

Any advice or words of encouragement to the fellow industry folk in navigating the normal or rising above the aftermath of Covid-19?

You have to do your best every day and stay ahead in terms of what digital services and roles are projected to be in demand globally, and be sure to align your skill set development plan accordingly.

For more, visit Boomtown’s press office on Bizcommunity and our #EvolutionofWork special section.