Mike Sharman

OWNER – RETROVIRAL DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS

If you say his surname in a Jamaican accent it sounds like shaman. This is not a coincidence.

Mike Sha(r)man is the founder of Retroviral, a digital agency that creates online word of mouth spread for brands about their products and services using bespoke strategy, social media, and web tactics. That’s all fancy talk for he consults the gods of the Internet and uses digital sorcery to get people talking about brands. And it works.

He is currently the go-to guy when discussing ‘the state of digital’ in South Africa. With more than six years agency experience, he has successfully implemented traditional and new media campaigns for established brands as well as startups, from conception and design to campaigns that have been classified as ‘truly viral’. Remember the Last Dictator Standing from Nando’s? This guy. You’ve heard of, or attended, a 5Gum Experience, right? Yep, this guy.

On his home planet, somewhere in the digital realm, pink drinks are the norm, content is king and he is called The Sharmanator. He was a stand-up comedian in his previous life, he invented the word ‘amazeness’ and rumour has it he is currently working on a potion to make banner ads disappear.