The moment Rorisang Setlogelo emptied her entire provident fund in 2011 to start Roth Media, most called it reckless. She called it necessary. “I knew I wasn’t just starting a company—I was answering a calling,” she said, “I wasn’t afraid of losing. I was afraid of not trying.”
Fourteen years later, Roth Media is a full-service agency with over 100 clients and a growing reputation for telling African stories with grit, grace, and global appeal. But to understand Setlogelo’s ascent, one must begin where her story was first shaped: Bloemfontein.
Raised in the Free State’s quiet capital, Rorisang credits her childhood—and particularly her years at Eunice Girls’ High School—for instilling the leadership mindset that would define her journey. “We were taught that excellence was non-negotiable. That women could lead, and do so with both compassion and strength,” she reflects.
Despite her eventual marketing stardom, Setlogelo’s first love wasn’t advertising. “I stumbled into marketing, but in hindsight, it was perfect. I’ve always been drawn to influence—to shaping how people see themselves and the world.” This fascination led her to study marketing at the University of the Witwatersrand, where she cultivated both the strategic and creative foundations for her future enterprise.
Her early career reads like a masterclass in brand-building. At Coca-Cola and later South African Breweries (SAB), she learned the language of scale, systems, and storytelling. “Those years were my crucible,” she says. “I got to witness the science of great marketing—and the impact of clear brand purpose.”
Yet, even while navigating billion-rand portfolios and global campaigns, Setlogelo felt the limitations of traditional structures. “I wanted to build something more agile, more African, more true.” And so, in 2011—armed with courage and a provident fund—Roth Media was born.
What started as a lean boutique firm has blossomed into a powerhouse agency with clients spanning finance, FMCG, tech, and development sectors. But Roth’s edge isn’t scale—it’s soul. “We believe in radical authenticity,” says Setlogelo. “We don’t just help brands communicate; we help them connect—to purpose, to people, to the pulse of the continent.”
From nuanced campaigns that challenge stereotypes to digital strategies rooted in real community insight, Roth Media has become a haven for bold ideas and values-driven storytelling. The agency’s work consistently breaks out of industry noise—not because it’s loud, but because it’s real.
Ask anyone on her team, and they’ll tell you: Rorisang leads from the front—but never from above. Her leadership style blends proximity with perspective. “I stay close to the work and the people doing it,” she says. “I believe in empathy, but also in high standards. People rise when they feel seen and challenged.”
It’s a model that has not only sustained Roth Media in a competitive market but also positioned it as a driver of industry change.
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From championing local languages in campaigns to rejecting tokenism in casting, Setlogelo and her team are reshaping how Africa markets itself—to itself and the world.
She’s also a sought-after speaker and mentor, using her voice to empower a new generation of women-led agencies across the continent.
When asked what’s next, Rorisang doesn’t hesitate. “Global scale. Creative sovereignty. And building a pipeline for young African storytellers to rise.” She envisions Roth Media expanding into other African markets, launching an in-house training lab, and eventually evolving into a pan-African creative collective.
To African women in business, her message is both empowering and practical: “Don’t wait for permission. Start where you are, with what you have. But stay anchored—know your why, build your systems, and never stop learning.”
And her guiding mantra? À cœur vaillant, rien d’impossible.
“It’s not just a motto—it’s a reminder,” she says, smiling. “That with courage, every impossible becomes inevitable.
Image Credit: Linklden
