About our rock star rock star | kick ass | creative | awesome team

The Market South studio is home to a pretty creative bunch – our team of marketing consultants, creatives, writers, designers and web developers are all experts in their fields.

We're passionate about providing market-led solutions to our clients. Our job starts with getting up close and personal with our clients' business; we want to know all about how they operate, the products and services they offer, their target customers, their competitive market and their business objectives. Armed with this knowledge, we can then apply our full suite of marketing, communications, design and digital services to deliver on those objectives.

We have been doing our thing since 2003, helping clients grow business, increase sales and make more money. Our track record for success has seen our client base grow nationally. And our commitment to outstanding client service has been recognised with the Professional Services Sector award at the 2019 Westpac Southland Business Excellence Awards.

We're proud to be a Southland-based business. We firmly believe we live in the very best part of New Zealand – and this passion for our local region is what has driven us to develop a suite of publications and products to promote it. Under our brand The Locals we produce magazines, visitor guides, maps, t-shirts and other merchandise to show off what a great place Invercargill and the wider Southland region is to work, play and stay.

The brains behind your campaigns:

Erin McCall

General Manager

Erin heads up the Market South team and ensures all projects are completed to the highest standard to get results for our clients. Strategic marketing planning, market research, website architecture and project management skills are among her superpowers. Prior to joining Market South in 2009, Erin worked for a global confectionery company, which provided insight into the manufacturing and FMCG industries. She is also an industry advisor for the Southern Institute of Technology’s business programmes.

Carla Forbes

Creative Director

Thinking big and making the impossible happen are Carla’s specialties. Brand management, creative direction, marketing consultancy and client management are her areas of expertise, and she has headed successful marketing campaigns for clients across New Zealand. Carla is a key figure in the Southland business community, is the former President of the Southland Chamber of Commerce and continues to serve as a board member. She sits on several trust and community boards, providing business and strategy advice to organisations across New Zealand.

Hana

Head of Human Resources

Everyone needs a hero and Hana is ours! As head of our HR department, Hana is our wellness expert, keeps culture up and the MS crew happy. Surprisingly, most paperwork we send her way seems to go missing or looks like it’s been chomped on…

Andrei Robertson

Production Manager

Andrei manages the production studio, bringing the right resources together to deliver projects on time and on budget. He has diverse arsenal of skills including marketing management, communications, photography and video production. His previous experience included public sector communications and marketing roles. Outside of work Andrei continues to hone his photography skills as a freelance wedding and family portrait photographer.

Lucy Coutts

Marketing Consultant

Lucy is an expert in campaign planning, media scheduling, strategic marketing and project management. Her previous experience working for a national media company provides valuable insights into how to get the best bang for your advertising buck. She continues to expand her business skills and is studying toward an MBA.

Briar Babington

Communications Consultant

Briar excels in creative and strategic copywriting, communications and PR. Her previous experience as a journalist means she knows how get a business into the news (or out of it), and her artistry of the written word grabs the right attention. Briar works closely with marketing and design, bringing together cohesive brand messaging for clients. She is also the editor of Market South’s annual culture and lifestyle magazine, The Life.

Ranali Ratnayaka

Marketing Specialist

Ranali provides marketing services to our clients. She has a wealth of experience spanning more than 10 years, having worked in marketing and sales roles in Sri Lanka before moving to New Zealand to complete her Master of Applied Management. Ranali continues her involvement with the Southern Institute of Technology as an online tutor and research supervisor for their applied management programmes.

Justine Paul

Senior Graphic Designer

Justine combines creative flair and technical capability to deliver marketing material that is not only visually captivating but also highly effective in communicating the brand message. Since 2012 she’s been a key member in our design team, working across a vast range of brands and projects.

Vicky Smit

Graphic Designer

Vicky is a strong visualiser, skilled in drawing and illustration as well as graphic design. She also provides photography and video editing to deliver visual impact across a range of media. Her previous experience includes working in the graphic design team for a tertiary institution.

Lauren Andrews

Graphic Designer

Lauren’s graphic design skillset spans an affinity for typography – both hand-drawn and digital. Her design and marketing career in the UK before returning to New Zealand exposed her to global design trends which continue to influence her work.

Gowtham Saravanan

Web Developer

Gowtham is a full stack developer, expertly versed in all things web and app development, including e-commerce websites, complex integrations, SEO and digital marketing. His role involves crafting custom websites that showcase our clients’ brands, optimise the user experience, help them get found and automate repetitive tasks. Prior to joining Market South in 2020, he worked in web and mobile app development, as well as IT support for companies across New Zealand and India.

Sete Maka

Administrator/Marketing Support

Sete is the glue that holds us together and keeps the ship running. She is an integral part of Market South’s project management, helping out with the day-to-day running of our studio. With a vast background in retail and hospitality roles, Sete knows the art of making people feel at ease well. She is the friendly face you see when you walk into the Market South studio and can always be counted upon to lend a helping hand.


Why an Agency?

Outsourcing a company’s marketing services to an agency provides a number of advantages over employing a staff member. These typically include:


Efficiency – you are only paying for productive hours, not for un-productive time
Cross-functional skills – access to the range of expertise provided by our full team including strategic marketing, project management, creative direction, communications, graphic design and web development
A team of brains providing creative input for generation of concepts and strategies
Continuous availability of resource – no downtimes due to staff leave or absences
Freedom from HR issues, staff turnover and training requirements
Cost savings vs. employing an in-house Marketing Manager
Flexible resource – additional resource is available when required for projects