Mabandla Phakula

Events, Marketing, Brand Activations, and Client Experience professional with extensive experience coordinating experiential marketing campaigns, consumer activations, partnerships, content production, and brand marketing. I am skilled in campaign planning, stakeholder management, event coordination, and delivering engaging customer experiences while maintaining high brand standards. Experienced in building commercial relationships, coordinating teams, and delivering campaigns for leading consumer brands.

Strong understanding of content strategy, campaign planning, paid media, audience engagement, and customer-focused marketing. Combining marketing expertise with creative direction, branding, visual storytelling, and content production, I bring both strategic and creative thinking to every project. Passionate about building culturally relevant brands, developing impactful campaigns, and creating meaningful connections between brands and their audiences.

Influencer/Talent Manager & Creator Partnerships at CLICKS TALENT (2026-01 – Present)

• Source and onboard creators for partnership opportunities across multiple content categories.
• Build and maintain relationships with creators, supporting long-term partnership development.
• Negotiate campaign requirements, deliverables, timelines, and partnership terms between brands and creators.
• Support commercial partnership opportunities through creator-brand matchmaking and relationship management.

Activation Manager at SNAPPED CONCEPTS (2021-01 – 2024-12)

• Managed experiential marketing activations for leading consumer brands including Johnnie Walker, Smirnoff, Tanqueray, Vuse, and Heineken Silver.
• Coordinated activation teams and campaign delivery across major events, hospitality venues, and private client activations.
• Supported the execution of large-scale brand campaigns across Johannesburg, ensuring operational excellence and brand consistency.
• Managed stakeholder relationships between clients, promoters, venue partners, and activation teams.
• Conducted performance reviews and supported the activation team's performance and development.
• Drove consumer engagement and sales objectives by encouraging product purchases while delivering high-quality customer experiences.
• Executed activations at major events including Rocking the Daisies and Tshwanefontein, as well as premium venues such as La Parada Rosebank and The Playground Braamfontein.

Founder & Brand Marketing Lead at REP YOUR KASI (2024-01 – Present)

• Develop and execute brand marketing strategies aligned with audience growth and business objectives.
• Lead creative direction, campaign planning, and content development across digital platforms.
• Manage paid media campaigns through Meta Ads Manager and evaluate performance to support marketing decisions.
• Coordinate product launches, photoshoots, content production, and brand communications.
• Oversee brand identity development, visual storytelling, and customer engagement initiatives.

Photographer, Editor & Studio Setup Assistant at YELLOW SUB-TRADING (2025-03 – 2025-10)

• Assisted with the setup and visual layout of a photography studio, sourcing furniture, lighting equipment, backdrops, and interior elements.
• Produced photography and visual content for digital platforms and brand promotion.
• Edited photographic content for social media and website use.
• Conducted model scouting and shoot preparation, supporting the production for visual campaigns.

Flexi Sales Assistant at OLD SCHOOL (2025-06 – 2025-09)

• Ranked as the top 2 Sales performers for July and August through strong product knowledge and customer engagement.
• Contributed to store revenue growth, helping achieve R2 million in July sales and R2.5 million in August.
• Assisted with visual merchandising displays to highlight new arrivals and improve product presentation.

Bachelor of Arts in Fashion Media – STADIO Higher Education (2020-01 – 2023-12)

Higher Certificate in Fashion Media – STADIO Higher Education (2019-01 – 2019-12)

High School Diploma – Birkerød Gymnasium, Copenhagen (2017-01 – 2017-12)