Zandile Nkonyeni is the publicity manager for SABC2, as well as the spokesperson for the channel. In a nutshell, her job is to make certain that the channel has great exposure and grow the awareness of it’s brand. Her job may be filled with an amount of glitz and glamour, but Nkonyeni spends many long hours putting in hard work.
This dynamic woman started off at the most unlikely of positions when she had auditioned and obtained a position as a singer for Joyous Celebration Gospel Choir. She moved on after a year as she had a desire for bigger and better aspects for her life.
She admits to wanting to experience more of the corporate life. She’s worked at a number of South African media and entertainment enterprises including TRUE LOVE magazine and STER-KINEKOR.
I caught up with Nkonyeni to find out the real story behind her job and the people she has had to encounter…
1. How did you get into PR?
After High School I studied Public Relations. The idea of the Communications world seemed an interesting option. I started my career as an Events Coordinator at Golf Indaba (a Gold Specialists Events Co.) then moved to Liberty Life for a short while. After I landed my job at True Love [magazine], I knew this was the industry I wanted to make my mark on and so everything else sort of built up from there to where I am right now…
2. Was this always a career you had wanted to follow into or did you have your mind on something else?
To be honest, initially I wanted to sing but my mom advised otherwise. After school, a friend of mine who was working for Sony Music at the time told me that the Joyous Celebration Gospel Choir was looking for 5 voices to join them. I went for the auditions and surprisingly beat hundreds of other hopefuls to make the 5 they were looking for. I sang and toured with JC for a year (2003). A very exciting and unforgettable time it was. I did however feel that I still owed myself time to go back to the corporate world to put into practice what I had studied. In a way, I also had ambitions of working behind-the-scenes with the wonderful people I had met in the industry during my time at JC. I’m overjoyed to see that throughout my career that ambition did not go in vain.
3. How has your time as Publicity Manager for SABC2 been?
It has been both excitingly rewarding and somewhat a little challenging at times, at the same time worth every moment I’ve been here. SABC 2 is a very special channel to work for. We have the privileged task of communicating to different audiences from different spheres of life – the Afrikaans, Sotho’s / Tswana’s and Venda’s. In order for me to get to these audiences I have to ensure that we communicate the channel’s content and positioning i.e. “The Channel for the Nation” in the most effective and across all relevant communication platforms we have… My take? I couldn’t have chosen to work for a better TV channel right now.
4. What is a typical day like for you?
The primary purpose of my position is to create a strategy that promotes the image and brand of SABC2, as well as to create optimal awareness of the channel through publicity in-line with the overall SABC2 strategy and mandates. So my week would start with a status planning meeting with my team where we discuss /brainstorm upcoming PR activities… These include placements of our content features / personality profiling on different media platforms; discuss new photo shoots; set-up 1-on-1 meetings with media, as well as set-visits to the productions houses that produce our content. I also work as the channel’s Spokesperson so I am always “on call” and have to maintain a very close working relationship with the press.
5. What are some of the mis-conceptions of your job?
That it’s only parties and all “Celeb-Glam-Life-in-the-Fab-Lane” industry! People don’t know or realize the hard work that goes behind the scenes. We work in a very pressurized /deadline oriented industry and so nothing comes without hard work; sweat and sometimes almost tears. I think people need to realize that though it may seem like it’s a party, – that particular event has a primary objective, and i.e. to communicate a certain message about the brand and in the end your (my) job is always evaluated on the success or failure of that campaign.
6. What are the pros and cons of your job?
PROS – This is the industry that tests your potential, integrity and patience. It’s quite a specialized industry so in a way what you do sets you apart from the rest. With all its diversity you can work in any industry from government, to large corporates, to entertainment, to Consulting private firms. Through the networking you also get to meet interesting and in some cases quite influential people across many industries.
CONS– To be honest I hardly ever find any ‘cons’ in my job. But because I must respond to this one, I’d say — You can never quantify PR as a “9 to 5pm – Mon to Fri” kind-a-job. For example – you can get a call from the press at any time of the day /night, and any day of the week with questions for you to verify or comment on whatever channel’s related issues. So you’d see yourself running to your laptop in the middle of the night writing statements in response to these queries… I’ve always looked at this as an opportunity for one to “Think on their feet.” It’s one of the adrenaline rushes that totally fascinate me. (Weird I know, but it just does! Hee.Hee!!
7. Have you dealt with any difficult celebrities during your PR career – and how did handle it?
I think we find different characters and personalities in every industry so yes I’ve had my fair share of divas too. LOL!! I’ve just remembered one of the Jazz festivals I worked on a few years ago, we had an international star (female) who refused to do interviews post her performance simply because she felt that “she looked ugly and sweaty after her performance” and it didn’t help that she wasn’t traveling with her personal make-up artist either. I had to go and have a word with her over a meal after the performance (while complimenting every ounce of her beingJ) and explaining that I have a special make-up artist who’s the best in the industry for her. It seemed to have worked as we got the interview in the end! Pheeeww!!
8. Have you any advice to people wanting to enter into the world of PR, too?
If you think you have the following qualities:
a.) The ability to write and speak well, coupled with very good people skills while telling your story in a convincing fashion.
b.) Intraprenuerialism – (I made the word up –he.he!), but you need to operate in an entrepreneurial fashion in everything you do – PR is some kind of Salesmanship too.
And c.) Intellectual curiosity and Integrity– i.e. be able to ask the right questions and be able to have passion and energy that will allow you to go beyond your daily task. Also the integrity to be that reliable source of information for your brand… Then yes, this is the career for you. And yes, this is my “Welcome to the PR industry to you” in advance!
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