“Joburg has an incredible, easy to feel, not so easy to describe, kind of energy, that’s totally different to anywhere else in South Africa”
This week we meet with William Price, leading digital marketing strategist and co-founder of the recently launched Man&Machine consultancy.
Voices of the City is a weekly feature that spotlights the everyday lives of our citizens, living and working in the city. By asking the same five questions to all our interviewees, we discover not only how our experiences of the city differ, but also what we share. It is a daunting task to try and capture the diverse experiences of our city’s inhabitants, but we feel that it is a worthy, and necessary, endeavor, in order to better understand the present and future of our city.
This week we meet with William Price, leading digital marketing strategist and co-founder of the recently launched Man&Machine consultancy. Man&Machine is a strategic digital consulting agency that works with brands, organisations and agencies to deliver real digital bottom line driven performance marketing.
What about Johannesburg inspires you the most?
It’s her people. Joburg has an incredible, easy to feel, not so easy to describe kind of energy that’s totally different to anywhere else in South Africa. It’s a different pace, different view and most importantly in totally different from a Cape Town, Durban or anywhere else kind of vibe that you can experience throughout the week in the rhythms of the city and it’s places and people that fill it. Weekends, the city really comes to life. It’s totally different to the week, people smile, come out to play and enjoy the perfect outdoors that Joburg has to offer. It’s in the people that you recognize the real Jozi. It’s fresh, progressive and it’s deeply connected to making this place somewhere we can all be proud of. It’s our people that makes this place so special and it’s the people that make the place meaningful more than anything else.
Do you have a secret space or place that you enjoy in the city?
It still feels like a secret although it really isn’t anymore. 44 Stanley has been a hidden treasure for so long, but the really great spots all around the city fast become the new hip and happening, and then you’re forced to share it with so many others, but then again that also makes it evolve a little more to become something truly special. 44 Stanley has a very unique feel and look to it. It’s massively cool and it gives so much to the senses. It’s been a secret for a while but the recent popularity has meant that there have been a few new changes to the experiences it has on offer – great for the day and night adventurers looking for an awesome space to grab awesome food, service and drinks in a well hidden part of Joburg near the Millpark Hospital.
What was the last exciting event you attended in the city?
The coolest events in the city usually take place in the new zones that are being rebuilt and revitalised. Maboneng, New Town and Braamfontein. Most recently, I attended the Travel Massive event in the Financial District at the Reef Hotel which offered spectacular views of the night in the city from their 16th floor bar. It was truly magical and you got the distinct feeling that the City of Gold never sleeps, and it was absolutely gorgeous to see the city by night and also see a thunderstorm roar and roll through the city. Simply spectacular and not the thing you would typically find in other cities during a hot summers night.
What frustrates you about the city?
It’s the bad wrap Joburg has for being a crime capital. The city, like any other around the world has parts where you simply need to be careful and cautious in more than other areas, and this is often completely misunderstood and over dramatised. As with any location in the world, the more familiar you are with it the more comfortable you get, the more you are open to enjoying what it offers – sadly, for the most part, people don’t even give Joburg the chance to get to know it better.
You can have dinner with one person living or dead. Who is it and why?
I love the idea of being able to host a dinner at Randlords with Budha, Jesus and Muhammad to get their views on the world we are living in right now, and to hear from them just how much we need to know how much we need each other now than ever before. I know I’m supposed to only choose one person here, but for me, the single person here wouldn’t be the best way to get a real chance to make a wish like this make any sense. I’m so glad you didn’t ask what we would be on the menu…
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