Uganda’s advertising landscape is undergoing a quiet but meaningful shift—and one of the boldest signals of that transformation is TROI Media, a new-age agency that has quickly proven its ability to punch above its weight.
Led by industry insider turned entrepreneur Joshua Kamugabirwe, TROI Media may be relatively new on the scene, but it has already secured big-name clients like Equity Bank, Carrefour, Shell, and Chipper Cash. The agency’s success stems not only from its creative execution but also from a relentless focus on performance-driven marketing and what it calls “Total Return on Investment.”
While legacy firms and multinational networks continue to dominate the sector, TROI is showing that leaner, values-led agencies can win business by being agile, digitally native, and culturally attuned. For Kamugabirwe, who spent years behind the scenes of Uganda’s leading agencies, founding TROI was both a professional leap and a personal calling—an opportunity to lead with clarity, build a purpose-driven team, and challenge outdated industry norms.
In this wide-ranging conversation with CEO East Africa Magazine, he unpacks his journey from strategist to founder, reflects on the structural realities small agencies face, and shares what it takes to lead a youthful, Gen Z-powered creative team. From balancing culture and delivery, to defining his vision for the future of Ugandan advertising, Kamugabirwe offers a grounded but ambitious take on what the next chapter looks like—and why the underdog advantage might just be the industry’s most powerful weapon.
What led you to start TROI Media?
It was all about time and timing. I began my advertising career in 2008, and by 2016, I had gained the experience, market understanding, and confidence to take the leap. So I registered TROI but did not start operations until 2020, when circumstances were ripe; starting TROI was my natural step.
What was the turning point or moment you knew you were ready to build your own agency?
The turning point came at the end of 2020, when COVID-19 reshaped the business world. Contracts were cancelled, multinationals exited markets, and jobs were lost, including at my then-employer,Havas Media, where major accounts like Airtel and Emirates were coming to an end. I had already been privileged to establish Havas operations in Uganda and support teams in Rwanda and Tanzania, so I understood the dynamics of building and running an agency. When the Uganda office closed, I decided to reignite TROI. Admittedly, I was not certain whether clients would immediately trust us, but I was confident of one thing: anyone who chose us would get unmatched service and true value for money. The rest,as they say, is history.
What personal or professional experiences shaped your approach to creativity and leadership?
First and foremost, I have truly walked the journey. I have worked with more than eight agencies across local, regional and international markets, and I have lived and worked in most East African countries. Along the way, I have received extensive training from across the continent and globally, which sharpened both my professional and cultural understanding. I have grown from a trainee to heading operations, which has given me a deep grasp of the industry and its people. With both local and international insights, I can quickly tell what strategies and resources will deliver results and which ones won’t. That blend of experience, endurance and perspective is what grounds my leadership and sets me ready for the market.
How did you navigate the transition from being an employee to being an entrepreneur?
The truth is, the transition is still ongoing. There are days I feel like it’s not yet complete, days when I even think about going back to employment. Entrepreneurship is a very challenging journey; every day brings a new test, especially when things aren’t going well. But the difference is, instead of giving up, you find ways to survive, adapt, and push forward; that resilience is what keeps me going.
What have been the most surprising challenges or mindset shifts since founding TROI?
Advertising is a highly dynamic business; what worked yesterday may not work today. For example, back in 2010, digital was hardly a priority, yet now almost every campaign must include a strong digital component. These shifts have forced me to quickly snap out of old ways of thinking and embrace dynamism and flexibility. The biggest lesson has been to stay adaptable, always ready to evolve with the trends, rather than relying on past successes.
How did you build your first client relationships or project opportunities?
Even the most skilled professional needs an opportunity. For us, it began with people and institutions willing to trust and believe in what we could deliver. Early opportunities with brands like Equity Bank, Vivo Energy and Carrefour gave us the platform to prove ourselves. Once that trust was given, the real task was on us to work harder, exceed expectations and demonstrate value. That combination of trust and delivery laid the foundation for our early growth and continues to sustain the business today.
What’s the unique competitive advantage of a young, independent agency like TROI?
Our name says it all: TROI stands for Total Return on Investment. That commitment to delivering measurable value is at the heart of everything we do. Unlike large multinational agencies that can take days consulting international directors before making a decision, we are lean, flexible and fast. Our young team thrives on agility. We can move from concept to execution across multiple touch points, whether it’s radio, digital, outdoor, or activations. For example, we can turn around an approved radio script in an hour and have it on air within 30 minutes, while simultaneously activating a digital or outdoor campaign. For fast-paced clients who demand both speed and impact, we are the natural choice.
How do you win trust and business in a market still dominated by more established firms?
For us, the key is professionalism. Clients don’t need to have known you for decades or see billions in turnover before trusting you. Most large clients call for open pitches; all we need is that opportunity to demonstrate our capacity. Those 30 minutes in the boardroom are critical, they allow us to showcase our ideas, energy and capabilities. Even when we don’t win a pitch, it is rarely because we are a mid-sized or relatively young agency, but for other strategic reasons. I often compare it to choosing a good tailor or barber; you don’t focus on their size or age, you care about the skill and how well they deliver. That’s exactly how we win trust and business in this market.
What do clients value most when they choose to work with you?
At the core, every client wants value for money. No CEO or Head of marketing will engage an agency unless they are confident it will help their business grow. What clients value most with us is that assurance; we are focused on delivering tangible results that justify every shilling they invest.
What values define the culture you’re building at TROI?
I can summarise them into 3:Teamwork, Innovation and Accountability.
Teamwork because collaboration drives everything we do, Innovation because the industry demands fresh thinking every day and accountability because clients and colleagues alike must trust that we deliver on our promises. These three values are the backbone of the culture we are building at TROI.
How do you balance intensity and performance with sustainable creativity and wellness?
In agency life, we work hard and party harder. At TROI, we find every excuse to celebrate not just for the business, but for our people. We cut lots of birthday cakes, have end-of-month catch-ups over a drink and take quarterly trips to recharge and laugh together as a team. Of course, wellness matters too. We partner with a professional mental wellness provider for staff support, and we try as much as possible to protect weekends by planning smarter during the week. For us, creativity thrives when people feel happy, appreciated, and balanced.
What have you learned about managing Gen Z creatives—their expectations, energy, and digital-native perspectives?
Honestly, I thought being a millennial would make it easier for me to manage Gen Zs. We even designed TROI to eliminate the things we did not like about our former employers. But Gen Z has surprised us; they can be unpredictable, and sometimes you are not sure of what they really want. They have a description for almost every life challenge; if the leadership complains twice, they are labelled ‘toxic’. If a client rejects work, they become ‘difficult’.I have learned to challenge them to focus less on labelling problems and more on becoming part of the solution. Another twist is that even on the client side, many big roles are now held by Gen Zs. When disagreements happen between the two camps, the business can be at risk. From our training,we know the client is King, but our younger people don’t always understand this; they can get frustrated and walk away abruptly. But on the flipside, Gen Z also brings unmatched energy, bold creativity and digital fluency. Managing them may be challenging, but harnessing their strengths is what keeps agencies like ours fresh and future-ready.
PRAU Honors Uganda’s Top Innovators at 9th Excellence AwardsHow do you foster loyalty and growth in a generation known for fluidity and independence?
For us, it starts and ends with honesty. What we agree upon is what we deliver, no broken promises, no shifting goalposts. In our short existence, we have built loyalty by keeping our word with both colleagues and partners. That consistency creates trust, and trust is what keeps people choosing to grow with us.
What does “Total Return on Investment” mean to you—beyond the numbers?
It means truly understanding our clients’ business and the markets they operate in. It also means being flexible enough to adapt to change while never losing sight of what matters most, which is RESULTS. It is not only about campaigns and metrics, it is about relationships. At the end of the day,numbers matter, but so do people behind them.
How would you describe TROI’s creative identity?
I would describe our approach as GLOCAL, we think global and act local, we value numbers, trends, and brand guidelines, but we are not too rigid to stick to the rule book. Uganda is a young and fast-growing market,with many people still living subsistence lives,alongside a rising middle class. So in everything we do, we keep an ordinary Ugandan at heart, the young person hustling for opportunity and the hardworking middle class striving for progress. Our creative identity is about striking a balance, delivering work that meets global standards but resonates deeply with the local audience.
What values and practices define your team culture?
Beyond our stated values, our culture is anchored in one common mission, which is delivering value in everything we do. It is what unites the team. Whether it’s a pitch, a campaign or an internal project, everyone is aligned on the belief that what we put out must matter and make an impact. That shared mission creates accountability, collaboration and pride in our work.
What are some of the structural or market-based challenges smaller agencies face in Uganda?
The biggest challenge is the reward system; many clients assume smaller agencies incur fewer costs when servicing their brands, so retainers and project fees are set much lower than for bigger agencies. Yet in reality, a 360 offering agency, whether big or small, runs the same departments, and most times smaller agencies even have to pay more to attract top talent.
I have had a situation where a professional asked for a very high salary simply because they felt moving from a big agency to a smaller one was a downgrade. I have never fully understood that logic, but it reflects the reality we face as smaller agencies: carrying the same or higher costs, while being compensated less. Ironically, when it comes to delivery, clients expect much more under tight timelines. That said, these challenges also push us to innovate, prove our worth every day and deliver results that remind clients that size doesn’t define capability.
How do you navigate issues like client budgets, talent retention, or media access?
One of our biggest challenges is that clients often expect us to deliver three times more than what is actually budgeted. At the same time, talent needs constant upward reviews to stay motivated, or else they risk being poached by competitors. On top of that, media partners usually offer bigger discounts to agencies that deliver larger volumes of clients, which puts extra pressure on smaller players like us. But despite these challenges, we’ve managed to manoeuvre with expertise, experience, and strong relationships. A clear testament to this is that in 2022, the UMOA fraternity recognised us as the best paying agency—a signal that we can rise above challenges while still prioritising both our people and our clients. In modern markets, agencies are well compensated, yet back home, even winning business is often viewed as a heavy cost or burden. The big question remains: when shall we grow?
What support does the creative SME ecosystem need right now?
First and foremost, the government needs to better understand and appreciate the role of our industry. All top taxpayers in this country rely on advertising and marketing services, yet the system is structured in a way that makes it very hard for agencies, especially SMEs, to survive. Take cash flow, for example: most clients pay after 60–90 days, yet by the 15th of every month, agencies must pay VAT whether they have been paid or not. Another challenge is withholding tax and VAT exemptions. Without exception, agencies lose up to 12% of revenue each month while still being expected to pay out that 12% to suppliers, effectively retaining almost nothing. This pushes many agencies into unsustainable debt, and ultimately, closures, costing the economy jobs. We are also highly regulated. An outstanding issue with NSSF or URA can lock you out of bidding for new business, yet without new business, you cannot generate the revenue needed to settle such obligations. At the same time, clients constantly push for the lowest possible rates, which means much of what agencies earn is swallowed by operational costs, leaving little room for reinvestment or growth. What the creative SME ecosystem needs is a fairer system: policies that ease cashflow pressures, provide reasonable tax considerations, and allow agencies to operate sustainably. With that support, SMEs in our industry can create more jobs, build stronger brands, and contribute even more significantly to Uganda’s economy.
Which campaigns or projects best reflect what TROI Media stands for?
I like to say TROI is like an old man in a young man’s body, still young as an agency, but with the experience and depth of decades. We’ve delivered impact across industries like telcos, FMCGs, airlines, personal care, banking, manufacturing, and fintechs. Some of our standout moments include launching Chipper Cash in Uganda, powering Carrefour’s expansion from one store to seven, and leading the full rebrand of Equity Bank into its new identity. We’ve also been a long-term media partner to Shell Uganda, supported FINCA, and built strong partnerships with iconic Ugandan brands such as Housing Finance Bank, Nina Interiors, and the Uganda Development Bank. Each of these projects reflects what TROI stands for—creativity with impact, consistency with excellence, and results that speak louder than words.
Tell us about a moment you felt your team had “arrived”—or truly moved the needle for a client.
For us, it came very quickly. We transitioned from Havas to TROI with two big brands—Equity and Shell. That was massive for a young agency. Shortly after, Carrefour, Chipper, and UDB also came on board. What more could a young business ask for? To this day, we are still collaborating with 99% of those brands. This is where honesty and good service truly come into play. These brands had no reason to trust us except for our ability to deliver value and professionalism. And that’s an important lesson for the industry: clients are not blinded by cosmetics, they want results. They want agencies that will go the extra mile. Even when disruptions happen and relationships are tested, sooner or later, clients discover who really delivers value, and they come back. Another proud moment is when we beat four or five established agencies to win big accounts. It reminds us that we are not small; rather, our time to bill big is on the way. These moments reassure us that TROI has truly “arrived.”
How do you see the Ugandan (and regional) advertising industry evolving in the next 5–10 years?
The industry is changing fast. Clients want more for less, and specialist agencies are emerging—digital-only, PR-only, or media-only outfits. Many clients are also building in-house teams, while some agency professionals cross over to the client side and shift loyalties almost immediately. All this leaves traditional agencies in a tricky position. But I don’t believe all will be lost. Individually and as businesses, talent, hard work, honesty, and innovation will continue to lead the way. At the end of the day, if you are consistently good at what you do, business will come. The industry may evolve, but the fundamentals of value, trust, and creativity will always win.
What excites or concerns you about where we’re heading—especially with digital, AI, and data?
There’s both excitement and concern. On the concern side, discontentment has grown. A client can now run your ideas through AI and water down two weeks of effort in seconds. Clients also keep demanding data-driven recommendations, yet investment in proper research is still very limited, and the Ugandan, if not wider African, market remains poorly measured. This makes it difficult to provide the depth of insights clients expect. On the flip side, digital and AI also bring huge opportunities. If used correctly, AI can help us find quick solutions, save time, and make decision-making faster and smarter. For me, the future is about balance, embracing the efficiency of technology, while still protecting the depth, creativity, and human touch that only agencies can provide.
How do you think agencies will need to adapt to remain relevant and impactful?
For us at TROI, the fundamentals will always matter, long before technology and trends. The real question is: do our people know that doing the right thing comes first? Do they know that a good client service executive is essentially the second in command to a brand manager? Do they know that a strong media planner must also be a keen media consumer? Agencies must also keep updated with global trends and events, but without forgetting the basics: the client is king, and personal feelings must be put aside in order to deliver results. Technology will keep changing, but discipline, professionalism, and fundamentals will always be what keep agencies relevant and impactful.
What kind of leadership legacy are you hoping to leave at TROI and in the industry?
I always tell my colleagues that TROI is a platform, a stage where people can come, demonstrate their best abilities, and shine. If one day they feel ready to try something new, I want them to leave with skills, experiences, and values that make them highly useful wherever they go. We give young people opportunities and space to grow. Personally, I don’t believe in “bosses.” At TROI, all management team members roll up their sleeves. If a media planner leaves work unattended, the head of media will step in and serve the client directly. That culture of responsibility and humility is what keeps us strong. Most of our leaders started as juniors. We’ve had interns grow into heads of departments, and our current head of studio began as an intern. In our short time of existence, we already have ambassadors in different businesses, both on the client side and within competitor agencies, and they are doing amazing work. TROI was formed at a level of maturity as a professional—it is not about self-aggrandisement, but about mission. My hope is that it outlives me and continues to give more people opportunities to grow and shine. My constant message to the team is simple: THINK. Think about what you do, the value you’re adding, and the impact you’re leaving behind. If that becomes the culture we’re remembered for, then my leadership legacy will be complete.
What advice would you offer to a 23-year-old creative or strategist thinking of starting out today? First of all, understand that employment is a mutually beneficial relationship. You’re not doing your employer a favour by delivering at work, and they’re not doing you a favour by paying you. Both sides benefit—but most importantly, when you become excellent at what you do, the biggest beneficiary is you. Employers will go the extra mile to retain top talent, but they are also ruthless enough to let go when unprofessionalism creeps in. That’s why how you carry yourself professionally matters so much. This is a small industry, and at TROI, a big percentage of our clients are former colleagues and employers. Imagine if they knew we couldn’t deliver results—where would we be today? Always remember this: you cannot become a successful business owner if you were a bad employee, generall
