Artistic soul with both feet placed firmly on ground

Mari Delport, Mall of the North’s new Marketing Manager has her feet firmly on the ground, an iron will and a mind full of creative ideas.
This intrepid young woman is ready to tackle any challenges that may come her way and looks forward to the opportunity to make a positive difference in the community that her new role affords.
Delport has been a Polokwane resident since birth and matriculated from Hoërskool Noorderland in 2003. She then obtained a diploma in graphic design from the Tshwane University of Technology.
Several graphic design positions at well-known and reputable firms followed where she started wading into the marketing field and found that she had a natural talent and affinity for this type of work.
Delport started as Marketing Manager of Mall of the North last Tuesday and says, while the first week was tough, she is now finding her feet and feeling confident that she can make a valuable contribution to the mall’s brand.
Artistic by nature, Delport says she misses working on art projects, but that time does not allow for her to spend enough time on this passion of hers. Instead she appreciates art and is looking forward to the Mall of the North Art Gallery, an annual schools’ art show that is scheduled for August.
She also loves music, music festivals and concerts and makes an effort to see stage plays, musicals, ballet, and even ice skating shows when possible. She also loves to travel, but her heart belongs to animals.
“I love animals and would do anything to help a sick, injured or neglected animal. This is why I am involved with Catsnip Polokwane, a charity that spays and neuters feral cats before releasing them again,” she says, explaining that she plans to help Catsnip to help the cats living at Mall of the North soon.
“We need the cats for environmentally friendly pest control, but we also have a responsibility not to let the population get out of control.”
Her first order of business, however, is to meet and build a relationship with the mall’s tenants and customers. “I want people to feel free to contact me should they need help with anything concerning the mall. If I can’t help them, I will make sure that the problem is referred to the right person,” she says.
Delport explains that she doesn’t plan on reinventing the marketing wheel, but rather to put new ‘tyres’ on a concept that works. With exciting plans like a movie drive-in night in the parking lot of the mall, she is definitely a breath of fresh air that will take the Mall of the North brand from strength to strength.

Photo: Marki Franken – Mari Delport is Mall of the North’s new Marketing Manager.

MARKI FRANKEN
>>marki.observer@gmail.com