Curious about the marketing creatives behind the brand?
We’re 3 creative professionals with a combined 20 years of experience in our fields.
Our team consists of a professional digital marketer, copywriter and graphic designer who have extensive expertise in optimising each touch point of your brand, and digital marketing strategy.
Get to know more about us in 5 questions:
1. How did you land up here?
Monique:
I’ve been passionate about branding and marketing since entering the market in 2013. (Fun fact: My very first job was in e-commerce marketing, in high-school!) Before founding De Villiers Online Solutions, I worked in corporate marketing during my studies, thereafter establishing myself as a sole-trader and working remotely through my travels.
I’ve seen many beautiful places and met wonderful people who I had the privilege of learning from and being inspired by. My experience is across-industries, working with both B2B and B2C brands in Africa, Asia, Europe, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom. While I loved being a freelancer and travelling, I knew I wanted to lay foundations for the future with a business I could be proud of. That’s how DVS came about!
Sam:
Throughout my studies and after obtaining my BA Creative Writing degree, I played around with different styles of writing and found myself most captivated with copywriting. Learning about different industries, voices and styles lead to my understanding of the integral impact language can have on a businesses success. Having done it alone for a while, being part of a collaborative, supportive team where we can grab brunch whenever we’re in the same area code is lovely.
Julia:
I graduated from Design college in 2016, which led me to an entry in the print design industry. Throughout my work, I felt as though I could rather take control of my own future – so I decided to freelance. While making a name for myself as a freelancer in the design industry, I was referred to Monique by a mutual friend for a brand identity design project. We’ve been inseparable ever since!
2. What’s your specialty and why did you choose it?
Monique:
I’d have to say that my speciality lies in brand and digital marketing strategy. There is nothing I love more in business than being able to craft a step-by-step solution for brands who want to take things to the next level. Knowing I played a part in someone else achieving their biggest aspirations for their business is truly a special achievement for me, every time.
Through my travels and years of experience, I have been reminded to be human-first and treat people like humans, first too. I feel this perspective is the real value I bring to the table, as when crafting a brand strategy, I really am able to get inside the minds’ of target audiences and create strategies that resonate with them.
Sam:
I have always been a big fan of the written word so it just made sense to go from reader to writer. Project management is a skill I picked up secondary to writing and has helped me find balance when my creative side needs a break and I feel like I need to create order.
I was fortunate enough to be invited by Monique to collaborate on a few projects to start with and naturally became part of the team.
Julia:
Branding and Illustration are my specialties! I love bringing ideas to life through creativity and art. You can find bits of my soul in all the work that I do.
3. What are your favourite activities or hobbies to do during your downtime?
Monique:
Travel is my absolute favourite hobby! Whether local or abroad, it feeds my soul. If we’re talking more about the day-to-day, my favourite hobbies include spending time with my family, partner and best friend. I really enjoy learning new things, having cosy evenings with good food and entertainment, and also spend a lot of my downtime playing The Sims 4. These are the most stable and enjoyable activities in my life.
However, I do have ADHD, and tend to get very excited about the new things I learn on a day to day basis. One day I’ll be an aspiring artist, the next I want to enrol in a new course, then I want to try a new sport… And well, let’s just say I tend to be a fountain of random information as a result of all of this experimentation I do.
Sam:
Reading takes the top spot as my favourite past-time (with book buying as a close second though this is sometimes debatable depending on my mood). I love playing Xbox with friends when it’s time to unwind and give my brain a break before diving into the next narrative. Overwatch is my go-to with an occasional alternative thrown into the mix for variety (raise your hand if you need to shake things up so you don’t get bored and ghost your hobby for months at a time).
Julia:
I spend a lot of time with my children (I’m a dog mama) going to the beach or on nature trails with them. Me and my partner also love cooking and baking together, as well as gaming online together. Of course art is a constant in our lives, too!
4. If you had to give a 10-minute live presentation at the drop of a hat (with NO preparation), and it could be about ANYTHING, what would it be?
Monique:
My presentation would hands-down be about why having a cohesive brand strategy and visual direction plays an integral role in the making or breaking of your business’ success. I could go on about this for hours! On the personal side, I could also spend 10 minutes talking about Taylor Swift and why she is an amazing role model to me. #Swifty
Sam:
Professionally speaking, if all attendees had their cameras off and there was no blinking recording button at the top left of the screen, I would be able to rhapsodise about the importance of being consistent with your written voice as well as not skipping the proofreading stage.
Sometimes it’s easy to pop out an email to your audience and hit send when the mood strikes or to get AI to draft a caption for that Instagram post but without giving it that final check you run the risk of readers like me cringing or clicking away faster than you can say “Hi there!”.
On a personal note, I could talk book and fantasy world building in series like Percy Jackson & the Olympians for an embarrassing long time with a Q&A session at the end where I hold you hostage to my fan theories.
Julia:
First of all, public speaking scares me! But, if I was to talk about the importance of having a proper and solid brand – I would go over the 10 minute limit for sure!
Otherwise I could definitely nerd out about League of Legends builds for 10 minutes straight.
5. What are the top 3 items of your bucket list?
Monique:
- To take my mom with me on an amazing travel adventure (she likes the tropics, so this would be a fun one! By the way, my mom is my HERO.).
- To buy an investment property and become an AirBnB host.
- To spend a few months in Dubai!
Sam:
- Travel to one of my top 5 wishlist places in the world and have the time to spend at least a month experiencing local cuisine, hidden gems and making connections.
- Learn how to play an instrument. Maybe the piano…
- Go skydiving.
Julia:
- Travel to Europe or Asia eventually.
- Become a homeowner with the cutest garden in the suburb.
- Publishing my own illustrated book one day.
