Naledi Sibisi / 26 / Editor-in-Chief at The Throne Agency
Content, what does this mean to you?
Quality, value, tact and reception. Beyond how you carry and pass on information, I think content (creation and marketing) has more to do with how much you captivate and keep your target audience. The people behind the content have to be in the know; research, be on top of trends, understand what is happening in their industries and address or influence their audience through that knowledge. I think that really great content has more to do with the audience than the creator or marketer in the end. Your audience is ultimately who keeps determining what content is and how it translates.
It took you how many years to get to this point?
In theory, eight years. In practice, I would say about three years.
The Throne & The Mobb are dope, give a synopsis…
They feed each other but they also stand alone. Both The Throne and The Mobb explore entertainment, fashion, art and culture in a South African context. The agencies study cultural insights and influencer relations in order to serve as a voice for the contemporary urban and creative landscape. Most importantly, they are 100% Black female owned – aiming to reshape and rethink the creative industry and dynamic for the generation coming on board in the future.
What’s an Influencer to you?
Someone who has the ability to affect how you think and feel about products or services and can ultimately control your purchase power as a result. It goes beyond the surface level and pretty pictures on social media. An influencer is someone who has built up a following based on who they are, what they know and has identified their niche. As a result, brands can use this knowledge and audience loyalty to collaborate with them for marketing purposes to achieve their specific objectives. Influencers are assets.
Writing, it’s either you have it or you don’t. Agree?
Yes and no. I think as with any creative field it’s part ‘gift’, part passion and equal parts practice. You have to constantly study and practice your craft as much as you are passionate about it. You can have a natural flair for writing but if you are not pushing yourself, studying other writers and researching, you don’t have it.
South African social media platforms that praise and promote females, do we have enough?
More than enough. We need to keep promoting and praising them more. Above that, we need to keep putting more women in influential positions and positions of power. The gatekeepers of said platforms are still predominantly male. Life is about balance, it needs to apply in quite simple and complex contexts.
They say the hustle never stops, do you ever stop working and just chill?
I think that when you love what you do, you become a workaholic by default. It’s always important to take time out. I make it a point to not check work related things after a certain point. If it’s urgent, it can find me at 5AM lol.
How would you want to change another person’s life through the work you do?
To keep being a source of inspiration or reference on a large scale. In the near future when I feel I have established myself, I’d definitely like to take a group under my wing; I suppose like a mentorship. I think that knowledge is best when it is shared. I want young people specifically to be able to enjoy the fruits of my labour and pass that on.
Where can everyone find your movement, handles?
Instagram: @thethronesa / @themobb_sa
Twitter: @TheThroneSA / @TheMobbSA
Website: www.thethrone.co.za / https://www.thethrone.co.za/the-mobb/
–Bridgette Makhela
bkoolmedia 