In Women’s Month we feature a woman in technology that is
working in the marketing industry. Meet Avashnee Moodley, Head of Marketing for
OPPO South Africa.
Technology South Africa sat down with her to hear what she
gets up to in the marketing world.
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| Avashnee Moodley, Head of Marketing, OPPO South Africa |
Tell us about the
OPPO brand, what makes it different from other mobile devices?
Coming into South Africa, we had to have
a unique understanding of the climate around technology, business and
lifestyle. We initially launched (in September) with our mid-tier devices which
are more affordable options but still offer unmatched user experience. As South
Africans began to interact with the brand we started to see huge shifts towards
our devices given the excellent craftsmanship and state of the art technology
available at price points that worked for the everyday citizen. In March of
this year, we launched our first premium device locally; the Reno5 5G and this
helped grow not only our product catalogue but our audience as well.
Our difference is our innovation and
price point as we continue to provide affordable access to world-class
technology without any compromise on function. The growth has been fast and
holds steady, as we are in the top 4 of smartphone brands sold in two of the
market’s largest operators.
We currently have over 5 models
available with more coming very soon. This includes the A52, A72, A15, A74 5G
and the Reno5 5G.
We are establishing the Oppo brand in
this market as we realise it is a potential growth market, our approach to
investing in the country is through empowering local teams, and creating
opportunities for employment across all our operations.
What is it like being
a woman in the technology sector?
It comes with its own set of challenges
and opportunities and as a female, you have to be ready to tackle this with
optimism supported by knowledge. I’ve been fortunate at OPPO to be working with
a diverse team that empowers and encourages critical engagement from everyone
because they have an understanding that a brand isn’t built by corporate but by
community.
Within South Africa, an issue that isn’t
solely isolated to technology but quite prevalent is the gender pay gap. To
have earned your place as a woman in technology and then to be earning your
worth is something that we still need to resolve.
What advice do you
have for women wanting to make a success of their lives in the technology
business?
You don’t take no for an answer the
first time and you go after what you want. Many will doubt your skills simply
because they overlook your expertise but show up and show off because sometimes
your results will speak louder than words.
Always remain humble, using your
platform to create opportunity and access for other females within your industry.
What does a marketing
manager do?
It is a multifaceted role that requires
an always-on approach. We manage the brand from bottom up, ensuring that all
communication, both internal and external is in sync and provides an authentic
representation of the brand.
In launching a new brand my role has
been to create presence for the brand locally, as well as growing the
reputation and credibility of the brand as a new entrant, in a heavily
saturated market.
Social media and activations are also a
part of the daily job description and it's our role to create content that our
audience enjoys and can relate to. It isn’t just glitz and glam, attending
shoots and virtual events but creating brand resilience that will carry through
when one here’s the name OPPO.
Do you think women
should look at careers in coding and robotics?
Definitely! There is a strong need for
more women to get into the STEM industry. However this starts in school where
there is a need for more young women to study STEM subjects, and be given an
opportunity to present their findings and research.
What does a day in
your life look like?
My typical day kicks off with me
scrolling through my feed for the latest updates on all things tech and news.
Thereafter, it's a quick tea session with my colleagues where we catch up on
what's happened overnight and what we need to do for the day, followed by
checking my emails.
Depending on the day planned, it usually
entails meetings with our partners as well as our agencies. I go through my
to-do list as the day progresses, and depending on the day - I either have
lunch at my desk or with my colleagues in our canteen area. When I get home
it's usually making supper for my family and unwinding and resting before I go
to bed.
What do you do to
relax?
I love sports! It’s the thrill of the
competition and rooting for all my favourite teams that relax my mind. I enjoy
netball and F1.
How have you
developed the OPPO brand amidst the Covid-19 pandemic?
It has been a challenging period however
through the support from partners OPPO have found ways to work together to
ensure business success and brand longevity.
We have focused on alternative ways of
thinking and activating through all our channels. With no promoters in store we
had to take all communication online via our training and our teams as well as
focus on our online marketing activities.
What does Women’s
Month mean to you?
It's a month not to celebrate women,
because that needs to be done every day, but a time to remind men and other
women just how powerful females are. It's an opportunity to highlight the
successes of my fellow females and build on the continued resilience that is
women empowerment.
