By Darren Gilbert
Not only was he named as one of the
Mail & Guardian’s Top 200 Young People in 2014 but he is also a Grolsch Maverick ambassador. Add to that the honour of speaking at
I Create, We Create in 2013 and at the Investec Alumni event in 2014 and you’ll note he has made a name for himself. However, for all his accolades, he wouldn’t have achieved any of them without first taking a risk in late 2007.
Back then, having recently quit his job and looking to make a meaningful impact, Mautloa, along with a friend, decided to open a visual design agency and name it Green Robot Design. Of course, in the beginning it was all about creating flyers and getting their name out. However, even then, Mautloa had a keen idea of what they wanted to accomplish. “For me, it was about trying to provide good-looking work but at a better price.”
For Mautloa, though, this venture was about more than just a business idea. The son of two well-established artists, Mautloa had something to prove, both to himself and his parents. “For me personally, with my parents being who they are, I felt that I needed to live up to what they had started,” says Mautloa. “But I also wanted to do something so that when people met me, they didn’t automatically think of my parents.” In short, it was about creating his own legacy.
Fortunately for Mautloa, he has done just that. Today, when he walks into a room, his work at Green Robot Design is the first thing that people think about; he is no longer just ‘Pat and Bongi’s son’. This is down to the good reputation that the agency has managed to garner. In fact, such was their standing that a lot of their early work was through referrals. The agency, which had purely graphic design roots, has since developed into a turnkey solution for visual branding. It’s a comforting thought for Mautloa when looking back.
“I’m definitely surprised. Obviously when you start out, you don’t know what you’re going to achieve. And when you think about working from your mom’s bedroom through to having your own office, it’s a really good experience. You know that waking up, you will be going to your own office. You have a couple of employees and some great clients too.”
Some of these clients include well-known names on the local music scene. Think Khuli Chana, Mo Flava, DJ Dimplez and DJ Vigilante to name a few. And they are coming back for more. It’s not hard to understand why they do. Mautloa has a distinct approach to design that he has incorporated into Green Robot Design’s very DNA. Today it acts as their motto: Think. Plan. Create. “You don’t just design to make something look pretty. It needs to serve a purpose,” explains Mautloa.
“Anyone can jump onto a computer and put something together,” adds Mautloa, “but it takes a real creative to actually scamp it out, see if it makes sense – even from a colour perspective. And then, obviously, create it.” And this is where the design ethos plays its part. It’s a carefully crafted three-step process that has been created specifically to cater for the clients’ requirements. However, that doesn’t mean that there isn’t any room for improvement.
There is always room for improvement, believes Mautloa. “While I think we have really put down a marker in the entertainment business, I’d like Green Robot Design to go into a more corporate environment.” And then, of course, with increased success comes the ambition of growing the brand. One way of doing that is to look beyond South Africa’s borders. “I have my eye on opening an agency in Namibia. Yes, it’s a small step, but it will still grow the brands footprint.” After that, well, the possibilities are endless.
After all, in the digital age, nothing prevents an agency such as Green Robot Design from doing business in countries like Congo, Zambia or even Angola. With Mautloa and his ambition to constantly push the envelope in everything he does, the expansion of Green Robot Design isn’t just a possibility. It’s a given.
For more information on Green Robot Design, visit www.greenrobot.co.za.