The Advertising Media Forum (AMF) has announced the winners of its inaugural Mystery Masters’ sponsored scholarship. The winners – Lee Schmidt (from Mediology), Motshedise Ntsie (from MediaCom) and Jean Rimmer (from Notabene) – will now have the opportunity to be further trained in the media agency sphere.
The three, after a rigorous selection process, proved to judges Gordon Muller, Santie Botha and Sandra Gordon, that they exhibited the personal and career attributes to make a significant contribution to the media agency industry.
“Our aim in awarding this scholarship was to equip candidates with skills they would not likely acquire in the normal course of their functions. All of them will have the benefit of gaining knowledge of contemporary and future trends in our sector,” said AMF chairman Paul Middleton.
“The candidates are committed to the future of the media agency sector and will no doubt add to the buoyancy and sustainability of this rapidly developing and innovative industry,” said Sandra Gordon, CEO of Wag the Dog Publishers.
Schmidt will enrol for a Masters degree in Strategic Communication at the University of Johannesburg and Rimmer will enroll at the University of Stellenbosch Business School’s Executive Development Programme in Developing Web Marketing Strategies. Ntsie plans to do digital marketing at Stellenbosch University.
“I believe my studies will further my skills and encourage new ways of thinking in a dynamic and innovative media agency environment. I believe my new knowledge will be an asset to the projects I take,” said Ms Schmidt.
Rimmer said: “I am so excited to begin my course that will teach me everything I need to know about the upcoming field of online advertising and how it fits in a brand’s overall communication strategy.” Ms Ntsie said: “I have many short, medium and long-term goals set out and my degree will only enhance and perhaps hasten the process of my leadership development in the media agency sphere.”
The scholarship money was raised at the AMF Mystery Masters Golf Day in March. Organised by Wag the Dog Publishers, the golf day proceeds totalled R248 000 and were directed toward boosting media agency education in South Africa.
