Marisa Louw is a marketing consultant in South Africa. Her journey in communications began in 1996, fresh from earning a National Diploma in Executive Secretarial Studies. What started as a receptionist’s role at a national media house quickly evolved into fifteen years of executive support for CEOs, CFOs and HR directors across industries—from advertising and media sales to engineering and financial services. Along the way, she discovered a natural flair for marketing communications, honed under the mentorship of senior executives, and a talent for translating complex ideas into clear, compelling messages.

Freelance Marketing Consultant in South Africa

In March 2011, Marisa took the bold step into full-time freelancing. Since then, she has woven a tapestry of projects spanning corporate, non-profit, arts and professional associations. As Marketing Manager and Head of Communications for the South African Mathematics Foundation (SAMF), she has shaped PR and publicity campaigns for nationally and internationally recognised competitions—among them the Old Mutual South African Mathematics Olympiad, the Pan-African and International Mathematical Olympiads, the South African Mathematics Challenge, and specialised teacher-training courses. From coordinating media coverage for world-class events to developing digital-marketing strategies that broaden participation in STEM, Marisa has elevated SAMF’s profile and advocated for mathematics careers across the continent.

Her longstanding partnership with internationally acclaimed tenor Stéfan Louw—acting as his agent, brand marketer and reputation manager since 1998—demonstrates her versatility. Marisa has orchestrated European concert-tour publicity, liaised with media in South Africa, Namibia, Mozambique, the United States and Europe, and devised integrated campaigns that bridge artistry and audience engagement. Her ability to capture the emotional resonance of performance and translate it into strategic marketing has been instrumental in sustaining Stéfan’s global presence.

Marisa’s expertise extends into the corporate and agency spheres as well. She has consulted for blue-chip and specialist firms including Telesure Investment Holdings, GIBB Engineering and Architecture, MMI Holdings and Ogilvy PR, delivering content for internal-communications projects, crisis-management strategies, and high-profile events such as MMI’s annual Directors’ Summit. At OLIVER Agency, she served as Senior Content Writer, contributing SEO-optimised copy to multi-campaign strategies; and at Irvine Partners, she managed accounts and produced business-writing deliverables that advanced client objectives.

In the non-profit and association space, Marisa has combined her love of teaching with her communications acumen. As a part-time CPD facilitator for the Public Relations Institute of Southern Africa (PRISA), she has led workshops nationwide on advanced PR writing, storytelling, digital strategy, editorial design and event management—empowering practitioners to bridge theory and hands-on practice. She has also written features for PMR Africa magazine, ghost-written thought-leadership articles for boutique creative agencies, and crafted press releases for health-sector clients such as the Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA).

Digital and social media form another core pillar of Marisa’s work. Between 2012 and 2018, she steered online strategy for transformational brands—from HR consultants Phelekeza and training provider Triple E Training to audio-visual specialists Black Motion and post-production studio Produce Sound. She has designed Google AdWords campaigns, curated content to drive lead generation, and managed social channels for clients as diverse as Casa Baia Limited (Mauritius), First Holdings Group (financial services), Poochie Cut Mobile Dog Grooming and The Raj Indian Restaurant, Africa’s largest family-owned eatery group. Each assignment reflects her analytical rigor, creative agility and commitment to measurable outcomes.

Marisa’s contributions to the performing-arts community extend beyond opera: she was a founding partner and Executive Director of Operations at Big Wig Opera, a non-profit that presented chamber operas to underserved audiences. There, she negotiated contracts, managed rehearsal and production schedules, coordinated creative teams and oversaw budgets—proving that her strategic vision and project-management skills thrive even under the bright lights of live performance.

Throughout her career, Marisa has remained a trusted freelance partner for agencies and in-house teams alike. She has provided PR and digital-marketing support to companies such as Aces Up, Avatar Agency and Chapters Interiors, helping them establish brand presence through press briefings, media relations, ghost-written articles and social-media campaigns. Her thorough understanding of SEO, combined with business writing and presentation skills, ensures that every story she tells reaches its intended audience with clarity and impact.

Life’s Pivot

Now semi-retired from full-time positions, Marisa continues to handpick projects that ignite her passion and leverage her multidisciplinary expertise. Whether drafting z-folder brochures for educational foundations, shaping influencer campaigns for restaurant groups, facilitating marketing workshops for community organisations, or capturing brand moments through her lens as a photographer, she brings the same positive, business-like approach and narrative flair to every brief.

With more than twenty years of sustained excellence across executive support, marketing strategy, public relations, digital communications and event production, Marisa Louw stands out as a versatile creative leader. She thrives on collaboration, adapts swiftly to new challenges and relentlessly pursues the power of story to connect organisations with their audiences. Whatever your communication needs—strategic planning, content creation, workshop facilitation or project management—Marisa is equipped to translate your vision into a narrative that resonates.