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Ad agency Black has undergone a strategic rebrand and repositioning as Black Africa Group — a creative business partner focused upon creating brand value and exponential growth. The agency is entering its 11th year as an independent agency, employees 35 people and has offices in Johannesburg, Port Louis (Mauritius), Nairobi (Kenya) and Kampala (Uganda). It enjoys Level 1 BEE status, revenue sits between R30–R40m and clients include Absa, Barclays Africa, Life HealthCare, Bonitas, the JSE, MultiChoice, Kenya Airways and a host of other brands. Executive director, Veejay Archary, launched Black, Brand Strategy & Design out of the design component of Herdbuoys McCann-Erickson, of which...

15 October, 2018 /

Agencies need practice in order to optimise their sales pitch to potential clients and this opportunity was offered to eight black-owned agencies last month. Agencies were deliberately selected for their BEE structures (preferably 100 % black-owned), along with their variety of services. Attendees On the day, the following agencies were in attendance: BWD Advertising: full-service advertising Purple Room: PR The Plum Factory: social and digital eNitiate: social and digital Glasshouse Communication Management: PR and corporate governance [note: Glasshouse is a subsidiary of Mazole Holdings] Avatar PR: PR and publicity Harambee: activations South Africa and Africa DAVID: full-service advertising From marketers and procurement, we...

15 October, 2018 /

By Jeremy Maggs The way most brands engage with black consumers is wrong, says a top PR man, who argues that agencies should invest more time in getting to understand their market and audience and less time in getting to know their clients Bonnke Shipalana. Picture: Thobeka Zazi Ndabula   A prominent public relations practitioner has hit out at the brand communications industry, claiming few agencies really understand black people. In a frank discussion with the FM, Bonnke Shipalana, CEO of The Communications Firm, says: "The majority of South Africans were born in an era where their voices were restrained by the apartheid system. Unfortunately, after...

04 September, 2018 /

  The marketing and advertising industries are transforming. So why are so many black professionals disgruntled with the rate of progress? And is the quality of most of the work specifically directed at a black audiences still sub-par? We emailed a panel of key industry executives for their take. Next up is Ahmed Tilly of FCB Africa. Ahmed Tilly Ahmed Tilly (@AhmedTilly) has been in the business of ideas for just over 20 years. Recently appointed joint CCO at FCB Africa, he was runner-up Most Admired Creative Leader in South Africa and joint Most Admired Creative Leader in Jozi in 2016, according to our MarkLives Agency Leaders’ Most Admired poll. Tilly, who left the...

04 September, 2018 /

By Herman Manson   M&C Saatchi Group and Avatar South Africa have officially “parted ways”, a joint statement by the two groups has confirmed. “Zibusiso Mkhwanazi (Founder M&N Brands, the holding company for Avatar) and Jerry Mpufane, Chairman of M&C SAATCHI Group (Johannesburg) have confirmed that the two companies will amicably part and go their separate ways,” the statement reads. “M&N Brands has embarked on a path to build a Pan-African network, thus realizing a long-held dream.  M&C SAATCHI Group already operates a very successful African network of its own, servicing clients in more than 20 markets on the continent. “Both companies emphasise that they...

03 September, 2018 /

By James De Villiers A scene from the advertisement Wimpy allegedly copied from McDonald's (Screenshot, YouTube) After McDonald's accused Wimpy South Africa of plagiarism, Wimpy fired its advertising agency The Odd Number.  Three people who previously worked on the McDonald's advertising account, joined The Odd Number earlier this year. They are accused of reproducing a McDonald's advert for Wimpy. The advert, The National Breakfast, aired across South Africa in July. McDonald's withdrew its version of the advert before it aired.    Wimpy South Africa is “terminating its relationship” with advertising agency The Odd Number over allegations of plagiarism, advertising publication Marklives reported on Friday. This after McDonald’s South...

03 September, 2018 /

Issued By Primedia Outdoor In continuous efforts to expand innovative product offerings in sub-Saharan Africa, Primedia Outdoor has announced Radio-to-Road initiative in Zambia, an integrated multi-channel solution that enables audio and visual channel synchronicity allowing clients to create high-impact campaigns. To build memorable content that is appealing and engaging, Primedia Outdoor has partnered with the local Zambian commercial radio station, Hot FM, to bring ad campaigns to life. The number-one news and entertainment broadcaster has an average listenership of three million people who tune in every day covering mainly the centre of commerce, Lusaka and the Copperbelt province. Coupled with Primedia Outdoor’s digital...

21 August, 2018 /

By Leigh Andrews The Cannes Film Festival is usually filled with chatter about the winning work and those impressive evening gowns the celebs wear. Comments following the 2018 version are proving more substantial than usual, as diversity was front and foremost at the 71st Cannes Film Festival. Having taken place from 8 to 19 May 2018, there have been accolades aplenty for Africa at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, with the following five SA films selected to take part in this year’s Festival: The following five South African films will be included in the official programme: Rafiki; The Harvesters/Die Stropers; Miles from Nowhere; The Colour of...

21 August, 2018 /

Issued by Ads24 Ads24 is pleased to announce the winners of its #Ads24Diski18 online tournament, which was live on its website from July to 3 August. Nikki Lewin (Alphabet Soup), Wilise Laurent (Dentsu Aegis), Marizanne Scholtz (HAVAS), Keeva Arnold (TBWA Hunt Lascaris), Ilse Hayes (CARAT), Ricardo Lopes (OMD) each walk away with a PS4 console and official 2018 FIFA game. The Ads24Diski18! campaign aims to create awareness among national media agencies around the enormous reach and potential of Ads24’s mass market titles: Soccer Laduma, Kick Off, Daily Sun and Die Son. “This year the Diski activation coincided with the FIFA World Cup, so...

21 August, 2018 /

BY: JUANITA PIENAAR Sum of 21 Academy is a creative agency that offers a 12-month training platform to young, previously disadvantaged creatives and communicators who already have a tertiary qualification and want to enter the creative industry. Due to a significant increase in the uptake of young creatives, a steady client growth and an expanding footprint, the agency has been positioned as a creative force to be reckoned with. “The fact that Sum of 21 functions as a fully-fledged creative entity and agency sets it apart from other internship and learnership programmes. It generates real-life marketing projects for young creatives and young communicators to...

21 August, 2018 /