RIRHANDZU MHLARHI
Johannesburg
Summary
Results-driven marketing professional with a strong foundation in brand strategy and campaign management. Demonstrates exceptional stakeholder engagement and performance optimisation skills, driving impactful marketing initiatives. Committed to fostering innovation and enhancing brand awareness across diverse channels.
Overview
18
18
years of professional experience
Work History
Brand Manager
Famous Brands
09.2024 - Current
- Led the end-to-end planning and execution of national menu launches across April, July, and October cycles.
- Led comprehensive briefing processes including NPD (New Product Development), POS(Point of Sale), franchisee, and third-party POS briefs.
- Facilitated executive and franchisee menu approvals, ensuring alignment with brand strategy and operational feasibility.
- Led the planning and execution of Delivery Campaign to address declining performance in Own Delivery, I led the Debo Yesss campaign, a multi-touchpoint initiative designed to drive engagement, boost app adoption, and energize brand delivery visibility.
- Activating campaigns across media channels based on the F26 brand objectives.
- Monitoring KPIs such as brand awareness, engagement, and conversion rates.
- Optimizing performance by adjusting tactics based on real-time feedback.
- Cross-functional alignment with sales, product, and customer service teams to ensure consistent brand delivery.
- Developed and managed detailed timelines to ensure seamless coordination across internal teams and external agencies.
- Led a comprehensive redesign of the Debonairs Pizza app interface, introducing a vibrant, bold, and modern aesthetic.
- Streamlined navigation for improved user experience, ensuring intuitive access to key features and menu items.
- Standardized app imagery by cleaning up visuals and applying consistent backgrounds across all assets.
- Aligned digital design with in-store menu branding for a cohesive customer journey across platforms.
- Budget tracking to ensure efficient use of allocated resources.
Senior Brand Manager
Wilmar SA
11.2022 - 08.2024
- Executed multi-channel brand equity campaign, leading 'Meals Made Excellent' across OOH, digital, social, influencer, POS, PR & radio, achieving notable brand uplift.
- Boosted Market Share: Grew Excella Oil from 14.6% to 17.4% and Excella Rice from 1.1% to 3.3% over 12MM through integrated brand campaigns.
- Achieved Category Leadership: Reached record market share highs for Excella Rice and Mayonnaise, reinforcing brand strength.
- Delivered Strategic Brand Plans: Executed 2023 brand strategy and led development of 2024 plans aligned with business objectives.
- Led Insight-Driven Innovation: Translated market research into actionable consumer insights to guide brand activation and NPD.
- Optimized Brand Investment: Managed ATL & BTL budgets and agency partnerships to maximize ROI.
- Expanded Product Portfolio: Launched Excella 200g Rice value pack to enhance brand penetration and meet consumer demand for affordable formats.
- Drove Regional Growth: Successfully introduced Excella in KwaZulu-Natal through targeted OOH, Brand Ambassador activations, and POS presence.
- Accelerated volume growth through high-impact digital, USSD, and in-store activations, enhancing sales velocity.
- Enhanced Brand Trial: Rolled out a rice sampling campaign to deepen consumer engagement and drive trial in key markets.
- Managed Cross-Functional Projects: Collaborated across teams to deliver successful new product development initiatives.
- Strengthened competitive positioning by conducting pricing analysis, identifying market gaps, and tracking competitors to inform strategic decisions.
- Presented Business Reviews: Delivered compelling brand performance presentations to senior stakeholders.
- Excella Rice, Oil and Mayonnaise
Brand Manager
Beiersdorf
07.2020 - 10.2022
- Championed Eucerin Body and Sun portfolios, establishing strategic direction and enhancing market performance.
- Led and managed multiple New Product Developments (NPDs) across the Eucerin portfolio, driving innovation and category growth.
- Successfully launched Actinic Control, Eucerin’s first Medical Device product, expanding the brand’s clinical credibility.
- Delivered a 190 basis point market share gain for Eucerin Sun in FY 2021.
- Achieved a 140 basis point market share gain for Eucerin Body in FY 2021.
- Developed and executed Urea Winter Campaigns in 2021 and 2022, achieving record market share highs both years.
- Consistently exceeded brand targets in FY 2020 and FY 2021, contributing to overall business success.
- Built and implemented annual brand strategies and tactical plans, ensuring alignment with global objectives.
- Directed the creation of Eucerin Urea’s first TV commercial, enhancing brand awareness and consumer engagement.
- Developed and deployed local innovation pipeline, facilitating successful product launches and relaunches.
- Shaped brand communication strategy and led the development of compelling media briefs.
- Delivered accurate NPD forecasting and tracked monthly performance to optimize portfolio management.
- Managed creative and media agencies, ensuring collaboration and effective campaign delivery.
- Project Management: Managed end-to-end NPD, launch, and relaunch processes.
- Budget Oversight: Managed budgets, optimized ROI, and advised on investment strategy.
- Global Collaboration: Worked closely with Global Marketing to ensure strategic alignment.
- S&OP Ownership: Led Sales & Operations Planning, ensuring forecast accuracy and demand planning.
- Eucerin Body, Sun & Face
Brand Manager
Tiger Brands
03.2019 - 06.2020
- Successfully launched Tinkies Half & Half in F19, driving an impressive 8.6% increase in market share through strategic brand positioning and execution.
- Led the award-winning Mega Mash Up campaign for Tinkies Half & Half, securing 6 industry awards for creative excellence and consumer resonance.
- Conceptualized and executed the 'What’s Your Flavour' digital campaign, earning multiple accolades and significantly boosting brand visibility and engagement.
- Pioneered the first-ever Snapchat filter on packaging for the Tinkies brand, setting a new benchmark for digital engagement in FMCG.
- Developed and implemented comprehensive brand marketing plans that ensured timely execution and adherence to budget across all initiatives, enhancing overall campaign effectiveness.
- Delivered strong ROI performance, consistently meeting and exceeding brand profitability targets.
- Identified and executed innovation and renovation opportunities, enhancing product relevance and consumer appeal.
- Managed successful product launches, collaborating cross-functionally to ensure seamless development and market entry.
- Optimised brand expenditure to maintain fiscal discipline while maximising marketing impact across campaigns, contributing to improved brand resource allocation.
- Directed packaging development, aligning design with brand strategy and consumer trends.
- Led agency briefings for ATL and BTL campaigns, ensuring creative alignment and regulatory compliance.
- Managed brand activations, driving consumer engagement through well-executed experiential marketing.
- Conducted market and competitor research to translate insights into actionable strategies, informing brand positioning and enhancing competitive advantage.
- Performed in-store audits, monitoring competitor activity and informing tactical adjustments.
- Tinkies, Buns & Rolls and Innovation
Assistant Brand Manager
Tiger Brands
05.2017 - 02.2019
- Surpassed sales targets for limited edition launches, achieving sell-out in three months.
- Successfully launched three winter 2018 limited-edition Beacon Chocolate lines, which sold out in just three months—one month ahead of the planned four-month trade period.
- Strategic Product Extension Success.
- Led the development and launch of the mmmMallows Whippy Vanilla Bar, extending the popularity of the Beacon Easter Egg into an everyday format and expanding brand relevance beyond seasonal peaks.
- High-Impact Consumer Engagement Campaigns.
- Designed and executed multiple sampling campaigns to support new product launches, driving brand engagement and reinforcing top-of-mind awareness among target consumers.
- Retail-Specific Campaign Driving Market Share Growth.
- Delivered a tailored in-store campaign for Jungle Energy Bars aligned with the 'Energy on the Go' proposition, resulting in a 14.2% increase in volume share during the campaign period.
- Co-led brand initiatives enhancing market presence and improving consumer perception, contributing to overall brand growth.
- Co-led execution of the 2018 brand plan, achieving a market volume share increase from 14% in 2017 to 18% in 2018, alongside a Brand Health score improvement from 26 to 27.
- Award-Winning Marketing Leadership.
- Selected for the Tiger Brands School of Marketing (Class of 2018); syndicate group won 3 out of 4 top awards: Best Packaging Concept, Best Campaign, and Most Likely to Succeed.
- Coordinated cross-departmental efforts for product launches, ensuring alignment with brand objectives and timely execution.
- Managed new product launches from concept to shelf, ensuring timely execution and alignment with brand strategy.
- Maintained accurate brand budget tracking and monthly reconciliations, contributing to efficient financial management.
- Provided strategic input into S&OP forecasting and collaborated with internal teams including Sales, Customer Marketing, Supply Chain, and NPD to ensure seamless execution.
- Delivered monthly reporting on P&L, brand health, and market share performance to inform strategic decisions.
- Beacon Chocolate Slabs and Bars
Marketing Assistant
Tiger Brands
07.2015 - 04.2017
- Managed operations at Albany location
Sales Administrator
Tiger Brands
02.2011 - 06.2015
- Grains Division
Sales Support Coordinator
Smollan Group SA (Pty) Ltd
06.2008 - 01.2011
- Pioneer Foods In-Store
Education
BCOM - MARKETING
UNISA
BUSINESS INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY -
ROSEBANK COLLEGE
Skills
- Brand strategy
- Product development
- Campaign execution
- Digital marketing
- Market analysis
- KPI monitoring
- Consumer insights
- Performance optimisation
- Cross-functional collaboration
- Stakeholder engagement
- Team leadership
- Creative briefs
- Brand awareness
- Brand strategy
Custom
- Ms Nthabiseng Leso, Head of Marketing, Wilmar SA, 0760703226
- Ms Pondo Belot, Marketing Manager, Tiger Brands, 0786784098
Timeline
Brand Manager
Famous Brands
09.2024 - Current
Senior Brand Manager
Wilmar SA
11.2022 - 08.2024
Brand Manager
Beiersdorf
07.2020 - 10.2022
Brand Manager
Tiger Brands
03.2019 - 06.2020
Assistant Brand Manager
Tiger Brands
05.2017 - 02.2019
Marketing Assistant
Tiger Brands
07.2015 - 04.2017
Sales Administrator
Tiger Brands
02.2011 - 06.2015
Sales Support Coordinator
Smollan Group SA (Pty) Ltd
06.2008 - 01.2011
BCOM - MARKETING
UNISA
BUSINESS INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY -
ROSEBANK COLLEGE