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 locally, nationally and internationally.

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 qualified with a Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Commerce in Marketing Management and worked in marketing for a large corporate before joining Market South in 2009. With particular strengths in strategy and planning, Erin heads up the studio providing direction and ensuring all our work get results and knocks our clients' socks off! Erin is also involved in the local business community and acts as an industry advisor for Southern Institute of Technology’s business faculty.

Carla Forbes

Creative Director

Armed with a Bachelor of Arts, Carla specialises in brand management and marketing consultancy. Her creative flair and strong communication skill set has seen her head successful campaigns and branding exercises nationwide. Carla also holds many leadership, board and trustee positions in the local business community and is the President of Southland Chamber of Commerce. Get ready to think big - when Carla is heading a campaign, anything is possible!

Andrei Robertson

Marketing Consultant

Bringing a Bachelor of Journalism and Post-Graduate Diploma in Business Enterprise, Andrei has several years’ experience in public sector communications and marketing roles and a passion for regional promotion. A diverse arsenal of skills including branding and marketing strategy, social media management, copywriting, and communications and PR means Andrei has the know-how to see your brand flourish.

Briar Babington

Communications Consultant

Having completed a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in media and communication and a Postgraduate Diploma in Journalism, Briar has all things sorted when it comes to the written word. Briar has a keen interest in getting to the heart of a story and sharing great content with the world and her previous work as journalist has created a solid base for the ins and outs of getting a message across. With a passion for everything art and culture, creativity is a key component of Briar’s working process.

Alex Crackett

Graphic Designer

After studying a Certificate in Creative Studies and Diploma of Digital Photography, Alex worked as a graphic designer and pre-press operator in Southland’s largest print-house before joining Market South in 2014. She regularly conceptualizes UX/UI designs and has specialised skills in application design, digital illustration, magazine editorial design and brand development. Whether the final medium is print or web, combine Alex's vision with her creative side and the possibilities are endless!

Vicky Smit

Graphic Designer

Not only does she have a Bachelor of Applied Media Arts and a Diploma in Painting, Vicky has a passion for all things visually beautiful. Her skills in drawing, illustration, photography and graphic design can bring any concept to life and her experience in the design industry means she can see the final product in her mind before you can say “go”. Whether it be a mural or a logo, Vicky’s creative flair is the answer to any design project.

Doug Thwaites

Senior Web Developer

Doug’s expertise lies in the language of the web. With five years’ experience running his own company in the fast-paced web industry, Doug has worked on projects for national and international businesses. When it comes to programming, coding, digital campaigns and all other web gobbledygook, he's the man for the job. Having long been our preferred supplier of web and digital services, Doug joined the Market South team to bring these skills in-house in 2014.

Laura Whitaker

Marketing & Administration Assistant

With experience in customer service, administration and computing, Laura is an all-round superstar who can turn her hand to any task. Laura is Market South’s go-to girl, running a tight ship with all things admin related – while also helping with general marketing tasks along the way. From project implementation, distribution and office duties Laura has it all sorted.


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