Interview: Seth Rotherham from 2oceansvibe

2oceansvibe is a ridiculously popular blog (35 000 unique readers a month) authored by a ridiculously funny man called Seth Rotherham. He's built up his blog’s culture around a simple phrase - "work is a sideline, live the holiday". This is exactly what he seems to be doing - while taking his friends (often featured on the blog) and favourite brands along for the ride. We tracked him down via email to answer some questions in the way only he can. Enjoy.

Image credit: Andrew VC - verstercohen.com

Blogs are arguably not the normal home for the suave and almost-naked-woman surrounded - how did u get into it?

I started 7 years ago before blogging was really happening and/or popular. I just made the site to showcase pictures of friends and beautiful angels taken at parties the previous weekend. Mainly just for my close mates. I used to write the odd funny comment next to the pics and strangers started telling me how they found it funny. That felt weird. And nice. Like when you take a leak in a wetsuit. I continued and here we are today (sans wetsuit).
   
Work is a Sideline, Live the Holiday – is 2oceansvibe your day job?

Absolutely. Fortunately I’ve developed a system whereby I don’t really have to work. This allows me to focus on 2oceansvibe and, as a result, I can produce this online reality show type vibe and write about what I’m doing which happens to be chilling out doing nice things with nice people. It appeals to the reader as it’s stuff that we all want to do.
   
Was there a moment of shining light when you thought 'I'm a lifestyle blogger!' and if so when did it happen?
 
Jeez. Probably the day when a 2oceansvibe cocktail appeared on the Caprice Cocktail menu. But seriously, nothing has changed. I started before blogging was a word – I’m just writing about what everyone is talking about.
   
We like the way you manage to keep advertising entertaining on your blog. Do you find it a tough balance to strike?
   
Not in the slightest. I only advertise brands I like or want to try. If they let me down, or repeatedly let down/offend my readers (my most adored treasure), they won’t be there any longer. Part of the reason people come to 2oceansvibe is to get recommendations on stuff. I’ve always written about products and brands; what I eat, wear, have and do anyway, whether they’re paid for or not – it’s all real.

Image credit: Andrew VC - verstercohen.com

 
You’ve evolved a whole culture around your writing, with characters and 'angels' (the number of times you mention the word
'vibe' is quite something) – how much conscious planning goes into it?
 
Not much at all. That is exactly how we/I talk. Nothing on the site is contrived. My friends have always referred to each other as the characters shown on the 2oceansvibe characters list. The Chief, for example, would call me and say, “Have you heard the latest spice about our boy?” I’d go, “Which one.” He’d go, “The Insurance Broker.” “Oooh, no I did not… tell me more!!” and so it goes on.
   
“The Safe House” has always been called that (2oceansvibe or not) and it’s because it is high up in Camps Bay and lets me look down over everything – feeling safe. We always call chicks angels and I think it’s good that we do – because they are!
  
Vibe is just the most versatile word. “What’s the vibe” – “Check that guy’s vibe!” – “Howz your vibe?” – “A boring vibe” – “Quite a vibe” – “That angel is giving me a vibe” – it goes one. Which vibe are you referring to, exactly?

Can we expect character off-shoots? And have you had any ego fuelled co-star issues?
 
Ja, there is another whole dimension with that character vibe. If I open it up it’ll go mental, so I’m saving it for when 2oceansvibe Media is a bit bigger. Then I want to give all the characters various skills. They’ll be genuine skills that each particular character has. They could be turned into a game, I don’t know. If it does, then The TBG will obviously have the most power. But seriously, I think they’ll just start to feature slowly but surely in various 2oceansvibe TV sketches, until we own the world. Just kidding.

Did I tell you we’re working on 2oceansvibe, The Movie? Seriously..  Maybe a book as well. It’s all pretty radical to think about if you try this.. [passes you the joint].
   
Do you promote your blog, or did you when you started? (I can’t imagine you reading posts like 10 tips for growing your readership or Problogger).

Nah, there was never any promotion – purely word of mouth. There are little scandals along the way which allowed the site to gain new readers and continue forward. The most recent was the high profile public spat I had with the Idols Judges. Which resulted in me responding to Randy Abrahams with a video which has been watched over 80,000 times now.
   
I just grab the bull by the horns when the moment presents itself. I think the secret behind 2oceansvibe is a variation of dare-I-say-it “The Secret” (which is a variation of the same thing covered in every good business book of all time). I look after brands and people I trust. I talk about it. The readers trust me, and they follow my lead. In return the vibe grows. Because it’s a good vibe built on trust. We don’t interact with dicks. Ever.
   
Do you KNOW how awesome it is to finally find a trustworthy, efficient panel beater in Cape Town? His top service and the way he impressed me will be rewarded 10 fold, because I recommended him to my readers who will go in blindly and trust him. In return, he will NOT let them down. That’s just an example, but that is without a doubt the single most important factor driving/promoting 2oceansvibe – good people (search in Google for cape town panel beater, by the way. You’ll find him there. It was ranking at number 1 the last time I looked). Do you think goldfish did so well because they’re dicks? No, they’re the nicest, cleanest, warmest couple of dudes I have ever met – and look what’s coming to them.

It’s basics. People who run around pointing fingers and blaming others (why me, why me!!!) need to stop and have a good think about what is really going on. Who REALLY is to blame?
   
On your blog (as I’m writing these questions) is a picture of a shark, an albino dolphin, Britney Spears “looking ok in a bikini” and a review of a Stephen Fry DVD. How do you decide what makes the cut?
   
Ja, I get sent a stack of stuff from readers and I could probably just run it purely with that content and you probably couldn’t tell. I use some of the stuff that really gets me going, otherwise I just email back saying thanks. My reporting on the fire was 100% from readers and Twitter. I didn’t even know there was a fire but woke up and found the full story and pictures in my inbox when I woke up!   

That’s one of the very cool things about the site and why I am so protective and loyal to my readers, because they understand what vibe I’m going for. I thank each reader that sends me stuff that I use (you’ll notice little [thanks xyz]’s at the bottom of some stories).

Image credit: Andrew VC - verstercohen.com

It fluctuates (the content of the site), but I often scroll through the front page before I publish a story (or series of stories in a particular order), just to see if the mix is good. There is no strict recipe, but if I see that I haven’t mentioned a beautiful model for a while, it may well be time to do so! I go through spurts of writing and, depending on the weed and whisky levels on a Sunday night, I can churn out up to 20 articles and save them all. Then I can time them to come out at certain times over the next couple of days and spend that time on the beach.

I also go on an annual “Strengthening Ties Tour” overseas to spend time with the various characters overseas. In June I’m away for a month. I’ll use local Cape Town content from the readers and then write about my trip. Might do some 2oceansvibe TV clips with my mother in the kitchen in Provence, showing us how to cook French meals after three bottles of Veuve Clicquot (It’s a CONSTANT champagne-fest with my mother when we get together).

You’ve launched 2oceansvibe TV – what has the viewership been like in comparison with your written posts?
  
It’s been pretty radical. Any video I make now gets a minimum of 20,000 views. I had to set up 2oceansvibe.tv to showcase and handle all of it. The recent interview with Billy Zane has had over 30,000 views in a week and, as mentioned before, the Randy Abrahams video got over 80,000 views so far.
   
I’m definitely focussing my attention in that direction. That’s where it’s all going. I’ll have a regular show soon, just sorting out some other stuff first! I think a Thursday weekly video of a model in lingerie doing the weekend weather for Cape Town (pointing out different weather-dependent spots to go to on an aerial shot – like we did with the Cowley sisters in the Billy Zane interview) is a good start.
   
The readership of the actual blog is about 120,000 visits a month, 200,000 page views – all from 35,000 absolute unique readers (if you visit the site 30 times in that month, you are still just 1 unique reader). BTW, just out of interest, the readership is roughly 50/50 male/female and 70% from South Africa. The ex-pats in London come second place at 12% and then the rest of the World.
   
Do you have any other plans for expanding the 2oceansvibe empire?

Definitely. Under wraps for now, but there will be various offshoots using the 2oceansvibe brand over various platforms. All linked to the vibe, ensuring that same level of trust. Cape Town holidays, job opportunities, loyalty cards etc. Online radio shows. Online TV shows etc. etc. It’ll get there.
   
Is blogging a means to an end? Build the blog and the business will follow?

Nah, I’m just cruising along going through the motions. There is no guide for this stuff. It’s new for everyone. It’s not like the old days where you could chat to someone about opening up the best Roofing Company. This is an ever changing/advancing technological media playground – you just charge ahead and learn as you go along. .

Really, it was never my intention. As I said, I was just putting up photos for my friends. It grew from there and only started making real money about two years ago. Until then it was a hobby. But the groundswell keeps you going. You don’t know why, but you continue regardless. The feedback I get from the general public also pushes me. When they tell me how something made them piss themselves, it feels good. I’m very into finding out exactly WHAT phrase or sentence got people rolling – I like to fine tune it. Very often it’s something quite obscure! The Kitesurfer, for example, carries on about the one time I referred to Nicole Ritchie (in her fatty boom boom days when she was hanging with Paris Hilton) as a “Pork Sword.” Amazing! He still laughs about it.

Where do you get your online inspiration from?

It’s just me, really. That’s how I live. That’s what I do. That’s what I want to talk about. Like I said, there weren’t really any blogs around at the start. I just write about what I do, what I like/don’t like, what amuses me, what makes me angry as well as the usual sex, money, fast cars, champagne and suntans! Stuff real people talk about at dinners and braais. They don’t talk about the other stuff that fills the front pages. They’re over that. We ALL are! They want to talk about pink dolphins, shark attacks, Stephen Fry’s DVD, Britney’s nipple slip, Dirty Skirts concerts, fires on the mountain, the best panel beater in cape town, the latest Woolworths quick-meal, beautiful people, beautiful things and how awesome the sunset is. Seriously, you don’t need inspiration, this shit comes naturally to all of us. I genuinely take a pic of the sunset from The Safe House nearly every night. Why, I don’t know – I just feel driven to do it! Cape Town also happens to be one of the only places in the world where the locals CONSTANTLY take pictures of their own home town. Have you noticed that? Try find that anywhere else in the world.

[cue music]

What’s that over THERE?!!!! (everyone looks to where I’m pointing)

[Seth drops a classic “ninja bomb” and runs away before they turn back]

Kisses.

Seth
xxx