What So Interactive does

So Interactive is a strategy-led digital experience agency headquartered in Sandton, South Africa, founded in 2008. The firm offers an integrated service portfolio spanning Digital Experience Design, Digital-First Branding, Digital Campaigns, UX/UI Design, Website Design and Development, Digital Products and Platforms, Content Creation, Social Media Marketing, and Brand Strategy. Delivery combines brand ecosystems, user experience research and design, digital product engineering, and content production into connected digital experiences intended to drive measurable client outcomes, with documented campaign metrics including 19.6M social impressions for Pernod Ricard, 19% sales lift for Ocean Basket, and 1.6M engagement for LiveWell. Technical execution relies on standard third-party platforms including Webflow, WordPress, headless CMS architectures, and Salesforce CRM integration, with no disclosed proprietary technology, APIs, or SDKs.

The agency's client base comprises enterprise customers across diverse sectors including financial services (Zurich Insurance, Quick Consols, Unifi Africa), hospitality (Ocean Basket), beverage/alcohol (Pernod Ricard), education (Richfield, Alt_Ed), real estate (Paragon Properties in the UAE), wellness (LiveWell), golf management (Fore Group), architecture (Fabian & Make), and nonprofit conservation (Vulpro). So Interactive is privately held and founder-controlled, with Darren Mansour as Founder and Digital Director and Melissa Kelly joining as Operations Director in 2024; no external funding, parent company, or institutional ownership has been disclosed.

Revenue is generated on a professional services model through project-based and retainer engagements acquired via direct sales, website inquiries, client referrals, and industry presence. Go-to-market is sales-led, supported by an active content marketing footprint (case studies, blog/news, SEO content), a social presence across Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and LinkedIn, and regional award credibility through the IAB Bookmark Awards, Loeries, Mark Awards, and Clutch. Geographic reach is concentrated in South Africa (Sandton and, since July 2024, Cape Town) with documented cross-border engagements in the UAE, UK/USA, Switzerland, and select Sub-Saharan African markets; no revenue, headcount, or pricing figures are publicly disclosed.

Name

So Interactive

Legal name

So Interactive

Website

https://sointeractive.co.za

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

So Interactive is a privately held South African digital experience agency offering strategy, UX/UI design, branding, web development, and digital campaign services to enterprise clients across financial services, hospitality, education, real estate, and consumer brands. Founded in 2008, it operates from Sandton and Cape Town.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Digital Marketing Services

NAICS

Graphic Design Services (54143), Graphic Design Services (541430)

SIC

Services-Advertising Agencies (7311), Services-Mailing, Reproduction, Commercial Art & Photography (7330)

akta.pro primary industry

Digital Creative & Experience Design Agencies (Web/App/UX) (MPAAAAAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Interactive & Immersive Content Production (AR/VR/3D) (BPAFAIAL)

Keywords

• Digital experience design
• Brand strategy services
• Website design development
• Digital marketing campaigns
• Social media marketing

Headquarters

HQ city

Gauteng

HQ country

South Africa

HQ region

Africa

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Digital Agency Services: Professional services revenue generated through providing digital experience design, branding, digital campaigns, and website development services to clients on a project and retainer basis.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

So Interactive is a strategy-led digital experience agency that designs and delivers brand ecosystems, UX/UI design, websites, digital products, and content for enterprise clients. They combine brand strategy, experience design, website development, and digital campaign execution to transform customer experiences into measurable business growth across sectors including real estate, finance, education, hospitality, and wellness.

Product overview

So Interactive is a strategy-led digital experience agency offering a comprehensive suite of services including Digital Experience Design, Digital First Branding, Digital Campaigns, UX/UI Design, Website Design and Development, Digital Products & Platforms, Content Creation, Social Media Marketing, and Brand Strategy & Visual Language. The agency combines brand ecosystems, user experience, digital products, websites, and content to create connected digital experiences. Their services are delivered through case studies across various sectors including real estate, finance, education, health and wellness, and hospitality.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Digital Experience Design Strategy-led design of websites, eCommerce platforms, and applications that turn technology into immersive digital experiences through excellence in design and development, aimed at enterprise clients seeking digital transformation.
• Digital First Branding Brand strategy, visual identity development, and award-winning campaigns that create a voice for brands and an experience for consumers, from concept to connect.
• Digital Campaigns Hyper-focused full-funnel digital campaigns and media plans designed to secure sales and amplify brand messages to the right target audiences.
• UX Design User experience design including UX research, information architecture, wireframing, journey design, customer experience mapping, and user testing.
• UI Design Visual interface design services creating intuitive and aesthetically compelling digital touchpoints across websites and applications.
• Website Design and Development Design and development of visually compelling, user-friendly, and high-performing websites applying design thinking, intuitive UX, and digital accessibility.
• Digital Products and Platforms Creation of scalable digital products, websites, portals, and applications that support business growth for enterprise clients.
• Content Creation Content strategy, design, copywriting, motion, photography, video, and campaign content aligned to media planning to reach target audiences.
• Social Media Marketing Social media strategy, content planning and development, community management, performance tracking, and influencer collaborations.
• Brand Strategy and Visual Language Strategic brand narratives that align digital touchpoints, engage audiences, and establish trust through discovery, positioning, and visual design.
• Digital Experience Strategy Discovery workshops, customer journey mapping, user research, experience audits, digital strategy, conversion opportunity analysis, and experience roadmapping.

Quantifiable outcome

• 19% increase in sales for Ocean Basket campaign
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Net#work BBDO: Johannesburg-based creative and digital agency within the BBDO network, competing for SA enterprise brand, campaign, and digital experience work in the same client set.
• DEPT®: Global digital experience agency delivering strategy, UX/UI, web development, and digital campaigns for enterprise brands — directly comparable service mix to So Interactive with international scale references.
• Joe Public United: Large independent South African creative and digital agency group producing award-winning brand campaigns and digital work — competes head-to-head with So Interactive for SA enterprise brand and digital mandates.
• King James Group: Award-winning Cape Town-headquartered creative agency with strong digital and brand capabilities; a direct South African peer given the Cape Town presence and comparable creative-led positioning.
• M&C Saatchi Abel: South African creative and brand agency with digital capabilities; targets the same mid-to-large enterprise clients as So Interactive for brand strategy and integrated digital campaigns.

Broad incumbents

• DDB South Africa: Omnicom-affiliated creative and digital agency in Johannesburg competing for SA enterprise advertising, branding, and digital experience budgets with a comparable full-service offering.
• Publicis Groupe Africa: Global network with a significant Johannesburg footprint providing advertising, digital experience, and content services; competes for the same enterprise digital transformation and campaign budgets.
• Ogilvy South Africa: Long-established SA-based creative, advertising, and digital marketing agency competing for the same enterprise brand and campaign mandates as So Interactive across branding, content, and digital experiences.
• VMLY&R South Africa (now VML): Global brand and digital experience agency with a major Johannesburg presence offering brand strategy, CX, UX, content, and digital campaigns — directly comparable to So Interactive's full-service digital experience offering but operating at significantly larger scale with WPP backing.

Emerging players

• Jellyfish: Global digital marketing agency specializing in digital campaigns, media, and brand experience for enterprise clients; competes with So Interactive's Digital Campaigns and Social Media Marketing services for international brand mandates.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/so_interactive
• Facebookfacebook.com/sointeractiveagency

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about So Interactive