Cape TownAbout
Hi, I’m Dean. I make Google Ads make sense.
I’m Dean Lurie, the Digital Marketing Dean: a Google Ads specialist and coach based in Cape Town, working with businesses, agencies and learners in South Africa, the UK and the US.
From sponsorship to search
I started my career in sports sponsorship. When Covid shut the world down, sponsorship went with it, so I did what a lot of people did and asked what next. My answer was an MSc in Digital Marketing from Rutgers University.
A conversation with someone at SearchKings led to my first paid search role, and I’ve worked in Google Ads ever since. I moved on to WPP, working within Mindshare and GroupM on accounts like Ford, BMW and MINI, then to eComplete. Along the way I’ve run campaigns for brands including TotalEnergies, De’Longhi, Levi’s and the HP Shop, and for events like Ultra Music Festival, Black Coffee, Ballito Big Week, Gregory Porter and the Ndlovu Youth Choir homecoming tour.
Worth sayingBrand names are experience from my agency years. They aren’t current clients or endorsements.
Why I went out on my own
Agency life taught me the craft, and it showed me what I wanted to do differently. I saw how often clients were kept in the dark about their own accounts, and how often the senior person who won the business wasn’t the person doing the work. I also wanted to run my own time, so I could give fewer clients more attention and make room for teaching.
So I built something different. Digital Marketing Dean is just me. The person you meet is the person in your account. And I’ll always explain what I’m doing and why, so you understand your own marketing and, if you want, can one day run it without me.
Teaching is the heart of it
If I’m honest, teaching is my favourite part of this job. It’s a big responsibility, and I take it seriously. I’ve coached people who had never opened Google Ads, and paid media managers at agencies. The goal is always the same: you leave more capable than you arrived.
My rule of thumb: if my mom can understand Google Ads, so can you.
Credentials
The short version
MSc Digital Marketing
Rutgers University
Google Ads certified
Search, Display, Video and Shopping
5+ years in paid media
SearchKings, WPP (Mindshare, GroupM), eComplete
Speaker
Marketing Indaba 2025, SA Digital Marketing Podcast
How I work with clients
Four promises
You meet the person who does the work
No juniors, no hand-offs, no AI pretending to be me.
You own everything
Your account, your data, your tracking. Always.
Plain English, always
What happened, why, and what’s next. No jargon without a translation.
You get more capable
I teach as I go, so you’re less dependent on me over time, not more.
“Dean demonstrates exceptional tenacity and determination in everything he does. His work ethic is unmatched, and he consistently went above and beyond to upskill himself as quickly as possible. Dean possesses a sound technical knowledge of Google Ads, which is instrumental in driving successful campaigns that he manages. He is always up to date with the latest industry trends and best practices. Aside from his technical skills, Dean also cares deeply about the success of our business.”
Brett PerlsteinCEO and Founder, SearchKings Africa
Dean’s manager at SearchKings
“His ability to analyse numbers is key to his success, with every decision backed up by the data he collects. He has an unbelievable ability to foster relationships with his clients and can place himself into the client’s business seamlessly. I would recommend his services to anyone looking for a specialist who is able to really explain every detail of his work and the numbers to you as a business owner.”
Adam SternPPC Campaign Manager, Powtoon
Worked alongside Dean
Let’s talk
Start with a free discovery call
Thirty minutes, no charge. We look at what is working, what is not, and whether Google Ads is right for you. If I can help, a proposal follows. If I can’t, I’ll tell you.
2 retainer slots open: 20 hours a month each
You’ll speak to me, not a sales rep. And I’m the one who works on your account.