Rust-Oleum South Africa 

Digital Designer

2024 - 2026

Rust-Oleum South Africa/Rust-Oleum Africa Middle East — Digital Designer & Content Developer

Responsibilities & Skills 

As the Multimedia & Digital Designer for Rust-Oleum South Africa, I was responsible for the end-to-end development of creative assets across multiple international brands, including Rust-Oleum, Spraymate, Zinsser, Wipe New, Krud Kutter, Watco, and additional speciality product ranges. Working within RPM International's global brand guidelines, I designed and produced high-quality digital and print marketing collateral, advertising campaigns, catalogues, brochures, point-of-sale material, retailer promotions, packaging concepts, technical documentation, trade show graphics, presentation material, and sales support resources. My role required balancing creativity with commercial objectives while ensuring every asset maintained brand integrity, visual consistency, and marketing effectiveness across multiple channels.

Beyond creative design, I played a significant role in the company's digital marketing and online presence by managing website content, UI/UX improvements, product pages, landing pages, promotional banners, downloadable resources, and search optimisation across the corporate website. I developed and executed social media campaigns from concept through delivery, producing engaging static graphics, motion content, photography, videography, copywriting, and product launch campaigns that strengthened brand awareness and customer engagement. Working closely with the marketing, sales, product management, and executive teams, I translated complex technical product information into visually compelling marketing material while supporting new product launches, retail promotions, internal communications, distributor marketing, and national sales initiatives across Southern Africa.

In addition to my creative and marketing responsibilities, I became a trusted multidisciplinary resource within the organisation, contributing to product photography, image retouching, SKU image standardisation, catalogue production, exhibition and event branding, internal newsletters, community outreach initiatives, corporate presentations, and strategic marketing planning. I collaborated with cross-functional teams to improve creative workflows, maintain extensive digital asset libraries, coordinate projects from initial briefing through final production, and deliver high-impact marketing solutions under demanding deadlines. This role strengthened my expertise in multimedia design, brand strategy, digital marketing, UI/UX design, content creation, project management, photography, website management, and integrated marketing communications while working within an international corporate environment that required precision, adaptability, and continuous innovation.

Noteworthy Projects:

• Spearheaded the complete redesign and modernisation of the Rust-Oleum South Africa Product Catalogue, restructuring layouts, improving product organisation, standardising technical information, and creating a cohesive visual identity across multiple international brands.

• Led the ongoing redevelopment of the Rust-Oleum South Africa website on Sitecore, driving improvements to site architecture, UI/UX design, navigation, product pages, digital resources, and overall user experience while managing extensive product integration and content optimisation.

• Designed and maintained a comprehensive suite of technical sell sheets, product brochures, specification documents, and promotional collateral featuring technical data, application guides, colour swatches, and lifestyle imagery to support the national sales force and distributor network.

• Coordinated and managed retail marketing campaigns, overseeing branded point-of-sale material, merchandising assets, promotional displays, and in-store marketing rollouts across leading South African retailers to strengthen brand visibility and customer engagement.

• Directed the creative strategy and execution of Rust-Oleum South Africa's social media presence, planning monthly content calendars, developing campaign concepts, producing photography, videography, motion graphics, and written content that aligned with international brand standards while increasing audience engagement.

• Conceptualised and developed the Rust-Oleum Masterfile alongside the Product Manager, creating a centralised digital asset management platform containing product imagery, SDS and TDS documentation, videos, lifestyle photography, colour swatches, retailer resources, and dynamically linked Excel databases to improve accessibility and operational efficiency across departments.

• Designed, wrote, and managed the Inside the Can corporate newsletter, transforming internal communication through professionally designed editorial layouts, employee features, company updates, product announcements, and business news that strengthened engagement across the organisation.

• Successfully planned and delivered integrated marketing campaigns supporting major product ranges including Zinsser, Wipe New, Painter's Touch, Stops Rust Brush Enamels, Low Odour, Krud Kutter, Spraymate, Stone Creations, Rust Reformer, Cabinet Transformations, Industrial Hard Hat, and numerous speciality coatings. These campaigns encompassed social media marketing, catalogue design, retailer promotions, product launches, website content, advertising, email marketing, point-of-sale materials, product photography, and sales enablement collateral.

• Produced a wide range of creative assets including catalogues, brochures, packaging concepts, labels, retailer promotions, exhibition graphics, presentations, digital advertising, social media campaigns, website banners, technical documentation, product photography, image retouching, and branded marketing collateral, ensuring consistency across multiple international brands operating under the RPM International portfolio.

•  Created social media and influencer campaign assets that delivered Instagram growth of 1 327 new followers and over 12 000 engagements in a single reporting period.

• Produced creative assets for high-reach campaigns, including WIPE NEW content that surpassed 45 000 TikTok views and influencer activations that generated 14 000–16 500+ views.

• Designed visual assets for product launch campaigns (Moldex and Krud Kutter) that contributed significantly to Takealot traffic and reached over 128 000 unique potential customers during launch.

• Created assets for community and seasonal campaigns (Mother’s Day Moments of Colour and Youth Month Mini-Masterpieces) that reached 200 000–312 000+ impressions and grew subscriber bases.

• Produced professional product photography and worked directly with marketing, sales and product teams on high-impact launches.

• Designed paid and organic content that delivered 470 000+ impressions, reached 142 000 unique individuals, and achieved strong click-through performance on Meta and YouTube.

•  Managed the company website and kept all product listings and digital assets fully updated.

• Collaborated with the Rust-Oleum India team on the development of the new website planned for 2027/2028.

Creative & Multimedia Design

• Graphic Design: Designing compelling visual assets for both digital and print media that communicate ideas effectively while maintaining brand consistency.

• Multimedia Design: Developing integrated creative solutions that combine graphics, photography, video, motion, and digital content into cohesive brand experiences.

• Print Design: Creating catalogues, brochures, flyers, posters, point-of-sale material, signage, packaging, labels, and large-format print ready for commercial production.

• Digital Design: Producing engaging digital assets for websites, social media, email marketing, digital advertising, and online campaigns.

• Editorial Design: Designing magazines, newsletters, reports, presentations, and corporate publications with a strong emphasis on readability and visual hierarchy.

• Packaging & Label Design: Developing packaging concepts and production-ready label artwork that align with international brand standards and regulatory requirements.

• Presentation Design: Creating impactful corporate presentations that simplify complex information into engaging visual narratives.

• Template Development: Designing reusable templates for presentations, marketing collateral, social media, and internal communications to improve workflow efficiency.

Branding & Marketing

• Brand Identity Development: Building cohesive visual identities that communicate a brand's personality, values, and market positioning across all customer touchpoints.

• Brand Management: Maintaining consistency across multiple brands while ensuring all creative work adheres to established brand guidelines.

• Marketing Campaign Development: Planning and executing integrated campaigns across print, digital, retail, and social media platforms.

• Content Strategy: Developing strategic content that educates, inspires, and engages audiences while supporting broader marketing objectives.

• Social Media Marketing: Designing platform-specific content and campaigns that increase engagement, brand awareness, and audience growth.

• Copywriting: Writing compelling marketing copy, website content, blogs, product descriptions, social media captions, and promotional material.

• Product Launches: Supporting new product introductions through coordinated marketing campaigns, promotional assets, retailer communication, and digital advertising.

• Retail Marketing: Designing promotional material, POS displays, merchandising assets, and in-store branding that enhances the customer experience.

Digital & Web Design

• Website Design: Designing intuitive, visually engaging websites that balance aesthetics with usability.

• Website Management: Maintaining website content, updating product information, banners, landing pages, downloadable resources, and marketing campaigns.

• UI/UX Design: Improving user journeys through thoughtful interface design, accessibility, and user-centred experiences.

• Landing Page Development: Creating high-converting landing pages that support marketing campaigns and product promotions.

• Digital Asset Management: Organising, maintaining, and updating extensive libraries of creative assets to improve workflow and brand consistency.

• SEO Awareness: Applying SEO best practices to website content and structure to improve online visibility and search performance.

• Content Management Systems: Managing website content through CMS platforms while ensuring content remains accurate, relevant, and user-friendly.

Content Creation

• Photography: Producing professional imagery for products, corporate communications, marketing campaigns, and promotional content.

• Product Photography: Capturing and editing commercial product imagery suitable for eCommerce, catalogues, websites, and social media.

• Image Retouching: Enhancing photography through professional editing, colour correction, compositing, and image optimisation.

• Videography: Producing engaging video content for marketing campaigns, social media, and promotional initiatives.

• Video Editing: Editing and colour correcting video content to create polished, engaging visual stories.

• Motion Graphics: Creating basic animated graphics and visual effects that enhance digital marketing campaigns.

• Creative Writing: Developing engaging written content that complements visual communication and strengthens storytelling.

• Visual Storytelling: Combining design, imagery, typography, and messaging to create meaningful audience experiences.

Project & Creative Management

• Project Management: Coordinating creative projects from concept through production while balancing multiple deadlines and stakeholders.

• Creative Direction: Guiding visual execution to ensure creative solutions align with business objectives and brand standards.

• Stakeholder Collaboration: Working closely with marketing, sales, product, management, and clients to translate objectives into effective creative outcomes.

• Campaign Coordination: Managing multiple creative deliverables across various platforms within fast-paced marketing environments.

• Quality Assurance: Reviewing and refining creative work to ensure technical accuracy, consistency, and high production standards.

• Problem Solving: Identifying creative and technical solutions that improve efficiency while delivering exceptional results.

• Time Management: Prioritising competing projects while maintaining attention to detail and meeting critical deadlines.

Technical Proficiency

• Adobe Creative Cloud: Advanced proficiency in Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Premiere Pro, Acrobat, and supporting creative applications.

• Microsoft Office & Google Workspace: Creating professional documentation, presentations, reporting, and collaborative workflows.

• Photography Equipment: Confident using DSLR cameras, studio equipment, lighting setups, and post-production workflows.

• Print Production: Preparing artwork for commercial printing, colour management, proofing, and production specifications.

• Digital Marketing Platforms: Experience creating and managing content across multiple digital marketing and social media platforms.

Professional Strengths

• Strategic Thinking: Balancing creativity with commercial objectives to deliver meaningful marketing solutions.

• Brand Consistency: Ensuring every project reflects a cohesive visual identity across all customer touchpoints.

• Creative Problem Solving: Developing innovative solutions to complex design and communication challenges.

• Attention to Detail: Maintaining exceptionally high standards across every stage of the creative process.

• Adaptability: Confident working across diverse industries, brands, audiences, and creative disciplines.

• Communication: Collaborating effectively with clients, stakeholders, and multidisciplinary teams while translating ideas into impactful visual communication.

• Continuous Learning: Passionate about expanding technical expertise, exploring emerging technologies, and refining creative processes to remain at the forefront of the design industry.

Art Consulting:

• Art History & Cultural Knowledge: Possess a comprehensive understanding of historical and contemporary art movements, styles, mediums, and influential artists, enabling informed recommendations and meaningful artistic interpretation.

• Artist Research & Market Awareness: Continuously research established, emerging, and contemporary artists while staying informed on industry trends, exhibitions, auctions, and market developments to provide relevant insights.

• Collection Development: Assist collectors and clients in curating cohesive art collections that align with their personal taste, interior spaces, aesthetic vision, and long-term investment objectives.

• Artwork Evaluation: Analyse artworks based on artistic merit, provenance, craftsmanship, historical significance, condition, and current market relevance to support informed acquisition decisions.

• Art Investment Guidance: Provide strategic advice on acquiring artworks with consideration for market performance, collectability, long-term appreciation, and portfolio diversification.

• Exhibition & Gallery Planning: Coordinate and curate exhibitions by planning artwork layouts, display concepts, lighting considerations, and visitor experiences that maximise visual impact and storytelling.

• Visual Curation: Apply principles of composition, colour theory, spatial planning, and design to create engaging presentations for galleries, exhibitions, residential interiors, and commercial environments.

• Client Consultation: Build strong relationships with clients by understanding their artistic preferences, lifestyle, budget, and project requirements to deliver personalised recommendations and tailored creative solutions.

• Artwork Procurement & Acquisition: Assist with sourcing, negotiating, and acquiring artworks through galleries, artists, exhibitions, and private collections while ensuring professionalism throughout the purchasing process.

• Photography & Artwork Presentation: Produce high-quality photography and digital presentations that accurately represent artworks for exhibitions, catalogues, online galleries, and marketing materials.

• Creative Communication: Translate complex artistic concepts, historical context, and market information into clear, engaging, and accessible language for clients, collectors, and audiences.

• Research & Documentation: Compile artist biographies, exhibition catalogues, collection documentation, provenance records, and artwork descriptions with a strong attention to detail and historical accuracy.

• Digital Gallery Management: Utilise digital platforms, online galleries, content management systems, and social media to showcase collections, promote artists, and expand audience engagement.

• Interior Styling & Art Placement: Combine knowledge of interior styling, colour harmony, and spatial composition to recommend artwork placement that enhances both residential and commercial environments.

• Relationship Management: Foster lasting professional relationships with artists, galleries, collectors, auction houses, and industry professionals, creating opportunities for collaboration, exhibitions, and collection growth.

• • Russell Malcolm - Product Manager at Rust-Oleum: +27 82 920 5427

  • Johan Coetzee - Storage Manager at Rust-Oleum: +27 81 481 8786

  • Thorne Basson - Owner at Clearview Fencing and Bushplate Overland Steel Gear:  thorne@clear-viewfencing.co.za 

  • Michael Alvarez: +27 79 311 8655

  • Fauzia Halliday - Yakamoz Belly Dance Studio: +27 83 732 8712

  • Thiren Pather: thiren.pather100@gmail.com or +27 71 575 1003

  • Brad Schmidt - Creative Director at Ince : BradS@ince.co.za

  • Michelle Langenegger - Senior Designer at Ince: MichelleL@ince.co.za

  • Morne Labuschagne - Creative Director at Brandboom Marketing morne@brandboom.co.za

  • Marina Prinsloo - Managing Director at TICIA:marina@theimage.co.za

  • Amileen Herbst - Director at 100% School : amieleen@100percentschool.co.za

Please feel free to reach out to the provided references for further information.