Bay ad industry whiz Zinzi May flies solo and wins

After working for well-established advertising agencies in Nelson Mandela Bay, Zinzi May took the ultimate career risk and resigned to start her own business – the Stable Studio.

Despite turbulent economic times, the arts entrepreneur and creative has established herself as the go-to person for uniquely designed advertising campaigns for brands including Kasi craft beverages.

Her designs led to the establishment of the Colours of You project which gives other creatives a platform to showcase their work.

May co-founded Colours of You in 2013, and since then the project has grown to become an annual event on the city’s arts calendar.

Her interests in graphic design came after she studied architecture at Nelson Mandela University, having been exposed to fine art in high school.

But the entrepreneurship bug bit May at a very young age as she grew up with parents who were themselves involved in business.

“I have always wanted to be an entrepreneur, because my parents are both into business and my grandfather was an entrepreneur.

“It’s always been the ultimate thing I have wanted,” she said. After a few years at a wellknown advertising agency in the Bay, and having grown a client base, May took the risk and started her own business.

“It was all about taking a risk and looking at how much I can do, as well as knowing I had been doing so much for other companies.

“I wanted to work for myself and not for someone else,” May said.

Being based in the Bay, where the market was smaller, was among her challenges.

“In the creative industry the market is smaller,” she said.

“Their budgets are smaller and the thinking in Nelson Mandela Bay is different to a Johannesburg-based client.

“But these are not challenges that would make me leave Port Elizabeth,” May said.

Her business survived on knowing its strength lay in being unique, she said.

“It is always about trying to convince people to take certain risks.

“Sometimes people come to me thinking that they know what they want, but we always go a bit further.

“I am self-motivated and I propose things that people don’t always think of.”

She was mostly inspired by her surroundings, she said.

“I am inspired a lot by things around me, the cultures around the city, African cultures from foreigners to South Africans.

“I am inspired a lot by my surroundings and my experiences.”

Some of the campaigns she has worked on include the Nelson Mandela Bay Kulture Kapital, as well as the Fruits of Democracy annual event, which is aimed at celebrating young people who excel in their fields of expertise.