Before she was running campaigns and making people scan QR codes for fun and ease, Joyce Ogbajiogu was buried in law books, trying to figure out what life really wanted from her. Now, she leads the team behind the buzz at FunZ—mixing vibes with value, and proving that marketing isn’t just ads, it’s psychology, hustle, and a little bit of madness.
We caught up with her to talk about the chaos, the creativity, and her life at FunZ.
Can you tell us a bit about your marketing journey and how you ended up at FunZ?
Honestly, I didn’t always know I was going to build a career in marketing. I’ve tried my hands at a lot of things. I got my law degree from Kampala International University in Uganda, came back to Nigeria, and worked briefly as a paralegal. Then I landed my first real job at Golborn Consulting in Abuja and also interned at the Rochas Group.
At some point, I started picking up new skills, graphics design, website design and management, CRM, project management, HSE, because I was just hungry to learn. I didn’t know exactly where it would lead, but I knew I wanted to be good at something that moved people.
That curiosity led me to get a diploma in digital marketing from DMSI, where I also interned. After that, I worked as a Digital Marketing Specialist at SME Consulting, a Canadian-based firm. Along the way, I’ve consulted for several startups across industries, helping them build structure, strategy, and actual marketing departments from scratch.
But here’s the thing, I’ve always been fascinated by people: what catches their attention, what makes them click, and what keeps them coming back. That’s what marketing is at its core. And when I landed at FunZ, it just made sense. It felt like finally connecting to the right WiFi signal after hours of buffering. Fintech meets entertainment? Sweet stuff.
What does a typical day in your role as Marketing Manager at FunZ look like?
Spoiler alert: there’s no “typical” day, and that’s the fun part.
One moment I’m in strategy sessions with the team, mapping out media campaigns and refining our messaging. The next, we’re managing event organizers across board, negotiating deliverables, or prepping for an on-site activation where we need to drive downloads and ticket sales… yesterday.
Between ticketing, events, and customer engagement, it’s a lot of spinning plates. I also spend a good chunk of time tracking performance, figuring out what’s working, tossing what’s not, and going right back to the drawing board with the team.
We’re constantly iterating, because in a startup, speed and learning go hand in hand. It’s controlled chaos, and I absolutely love it.
What’s the most exciting part of your job?
It’s that moment when a random “wait, hear me out…” idea becomes a real campaign that people actually engage with. Like seeing your media plan come to life and not just look good, but perform. Watching the numbers climb, seeing downloads roll in, or walking into an event where people know FunZ, not because we begged them, but because they genuinely resonate with it? That’s gold.
But the real thrill? It’s hearing someone say, “FunZ is actually cool.” When someone interacts with the brand and leaves with a memory that lives rent-free in their head, now that’s the kind of nostalgia money can’t buy. It’s how I know what we’re doing is working. And it only makes me want to double down.
What’s one thing people don’t know about marketing in a fintech/startup space? And what is FunZ’s core marketing strategy right now?
That it’s 80% convincing people they need you, and 20% trying not to lose your mind while doing it. Fintech marketing isn’t just about pushing features, it’s about building trust. For FunZ, our core strategy is simple: Meet people where they are, from campuses to market stalls, and make payments and ticketing fun, fast, and frictionless.
How do you balance promoting the payment features with the ticketing and event side of FunZ?
I like to call it the “vibe meets value” equation. The ticketing side brings the crowd in, vibes, energy, experiences. The payments side keeps them engaged and empowered, effortless, fast, secure.
The magic is in speaking one brand language that connects with both the partygoer and the everyday hustler.
That’s exactly what we’re trying to build with FunZ, an app that gives you financial freedom and fun at your fingertips. You can buy tickets to the hottest concerts and still track your spending with one click. That’s not just convenience, that’s the holy grail. And we’re building that.
How do you find the balance between creative ideas and data-driven decisions?
Creativity drives attention, but data drives direction. For every campaign idea we explore, we always circle back to the numbers. We assess its potential impact, audience reach, conversions, brand resonance, before we invest resources.
The goal is to make bold ideas measurable and meaningful. If it doesn’t align with our objectives or show potential for real results, we refine it or let it go. But when creative intuition and data align? That’s when campaigns really take off.
What’s been one of the biggest challenges in marketing FunZ so far—and how did you tackle it?
One of the biggest challenges has been convincing Nigerians to download yet another app, especially when they feel like they already have five that do the same thing (allegedly). But here’s the truth: we’re not competing to be the next best thing after sliced bread. We’re here to offer something different, a smoother, more convenient financial experience that blends payments, ticketing, and lifestyle in one platform.
To cut through the noise, we went grassroots: real people, real use cases, and real-time rewards. We focused on on-ground activations, relatable messaging, and building trust in communities. And yes, sometimes a little humor and a “scan the QR and win something” moment goes a long way.
It’s not just about selling an app, it’s about showing people that there’s a better way to pay, plan, and party.
How does the marketing team collaborate with other departments, like tech and design?
It’s a full team sport. At FunZ, collaboration isn’t just a checkbox, it’s part of the workflow. Tech builds the backbone, design makes it visual, and marketing shapes the message and drives the story forward. We each bring something unique to the table, but we all work toward one goal: making the FunZ experience unforgettable.
What I really appreciate is how we bounce ideas off each other in strategy sessions. Whether it’s a last-minute campaign or a product update, there’s room for everyone to contribute. That kind of openness makes cross-functional work not just effective, but actually exciting.
What’s something you love about the FunZ team culture?
It’s fast-paced, collaborative, and refreshingly hands-on. There’s no “that’s not my job” mentality, everyone steps in where needed, from brainstorming wild campaign ideas to solving last-minute challenges. It feels less like ticking boxes and more like building something meaningful together.
What makes it even better? My boss is genuinely cool, supportive, open-minded, and never afraid to get involved. That’s the icing on the cake for me.
Where do you see FunZ’s marketing heading in the next 6 months?
Bigger campuses, louder events, smarter payment adoption, and more people saying, “Wait, this is FunZ?” From QR codes in markets to students scanning tickets at concerts, we’re blending fintech with lifestyle. And trust me, we’re just getting warmed up.