Hi! My name is Dan Brocklebank. I’m a social media professional by day and a content creator by night, with a passion for sharing my perspective with the world.

My Journey

I’ve always considered myself creative. I’ve had an active imagination my entire life and love being artistic. For as long as I can remember, I wanted to be in the movie business and actually went on to study filmmaking, earning an Honours Bachelor of Arts Degree in Motion Picture Medium. After graduating, I was blessed to have worked on various productions including local and international films and TV shows.
 
At the same time, the popularity of social media grew significantly, as did my interest in this area. As a result, I made the transition to digital and social media marketing. I also landed my dream job at a social media agency, working for some of South Africa’s biggest brands, which I continue to do.
 
New YouTube Design 2017In August 2014, I launched my YouTube channel as a side project and creative outlet. Though I was a lot more active initially, being a YouTuber is hard work! 😅 Coming up with topics, filming your content in an engaging way, and then having to edit it on top of having a full-time career is a tall order. Additionally, while I had a lot to say, I felt that not all topics required a video but could be better communicated through writing. And so, my website was born.
 

Through my YouTube content, blog, and social media activity, I have been privileged to get various opportunities to attend events and review products. These have informed the topics of my digital content.

Why I Blog

I enjoy sharing my experiences with others and just so happen to love writing as well. I also found that many influencers and media sites are insincere and untrustworthy. This, I believe, is an injustice to a public who is looking for reliable opinions and facts about particular interests. I wanted to right this wrong by keeping people informed in an honest and relatable way.

The topics of my blog posts centre around my interests, primarily. These include lifestyle and entertainment in South Africa, as well as personal development. I would also love to get into travel in SA and am doing what I can to make that happen, so watch this space…

For more about why I blog, click here.

Where does ‘Fantomdan’ Come From?

Fantomdan has been my handle across social platforms for as long as I’ve been online. When it came time to create my website, it seemed fitting to keep the name as it is an extension of my online presence.

The name originated in quite a random way. I didn’t have an email address until reaching university (remember, I’m a millennial so having an email address really wasn’t common for teens). As I discovered, course material and communication about my degree would be communicated via email. So, in my first week of university, I had to create an email address. I was clueless about it all and turned to a friend for guidance. He suggested coming up with an email address that was unique and personal to my interests. And so I merged my name with my favourite stage production, i.e., The Phantom of the Opera. Of course, this email address no longer exists, but the name has stuck.

I used to think about moving away from using Fantomdan, but I’ve grown quite fond of it and consider it a part of my identity in a weird way. Some people even refer to me by this name.

So, the name might not have started from a particularly clever thought, but it’s meaningful to me and it’s here to stay 😊  

Fantomdan Brand Identity

What Inspired my Brand Identity?

The Fantomdan logo was a happy coincidence. When starting on YouTube, I needed an intro/outro to represent my channel. After reviewing dozens of template options, I found one that I really liked. It comprised of a jagged circle where text could be written in the centre. I edited the file to fit my name, customised the colours, and voilá! While it aesthetically pleased me at the time, there wasn’t much else to it. Over the years, though, I’ve analysed the logo as I’ve learned more and frequently considered rebranding. The answer has always been to keep it as is. Here’s why:

  1. Shape – The jagged circular edge is reminiscent of a sticker or seal. These are often used to express positive sentiment and a sense of authority. I like this association as everything I produce has my ‘seal of approval’. If it is published on this or any other website, you can trust that it comes with my personal approval and represents a completely honest opinion.
  2. Colour – In marketing, blue is perceived as being trustworthy. This reiterates the intention of Fantomdan. The decision to make it a more turquoise colour stemmed from (1) my love of green, and (2) wanting to stand out. While it might be odd to see this colour online, that’s kind of the point and I hope it has the psychological impact I’m looking for.
  3. Font – I love this font because it’s modern, bold and authoritative – just like I want my opinions to be.

Well, that’s Dan (AKA Fantomdan) in a nutshell. If you’d like to get to know me more personally, you can follow me on social media. I’m also always happy to engage with my readers so please don’t hesitate to reach out via email or social media.