by MarkLives (@marklives) Avatar has been awarded the Caltex above-the-line account. The business will be shared between its Johannesburg and Cape Town agencies. This is the second major account win announced by the agency this year, following hot on the heels of the the integrated agency business win for global fashion retailer, H&M, in South Africa. “Our journey with Caltex started two years ago, when we were appointed as their digital agency, to now being appointed as the brand’s full-service agency,” says Mthunzi Plaatjie, Cape Town managing director. “It was a tough three-way pitch but our team’s experience, creative excellence and integrated approach won it for us.” “We are...

It's a touchy subject for some, but completely necessary to explore: Here's how Fort Review is amplifying the need to truly hear the black voices in advertising and stop being creative Jekyll and Hydes. [caption id="attachment_1015" align="alignnone" width="625"] Makongoza behind the decks at the Fort Review second edition VIP launch event, at Rockets' rooftop in Bryanston on 16 February.[/caption]   It’s no secret that the SA ad industry is in drastic need of transformation. It’s not necessarily that there aren’t enough black voices in the industry, more that those voices are not being heard, and those truths are not being well told. That’s...

Dear FMCG brand managers, if your product is appealing to the township (black) market, why are you using Sandton-based agencies? Will it not serve you better to be working with agencies that are actually township-based and live the culture, with a full understanding of the market you're trying to appeal to? I remember sitting down with one FMCG CEO a few years ago, asking for advice in expanding my business into Africa, and one of the lessons he shared was that, in order to expand into a country like Nigeria, one needs to partner with a local. This is because the...

As the advertising industry faces an April implementation of new transformation targets, the independent House of Brave agency has sold a 25.1% stake to FastGro Investment Holdings, a 100% black-owned investment firm active in various sectors, including hospitality, franchising and construction. A 45% black industry ownership target has been stipulated in the marketing, advertising and communications BBBEE charter from the end of March. Many agencies are unlikely to hit this mark, and many are accelerating a ramp-up strategy. House of Brave will within weeks announce a share realignment that will further increase its black shareholding. Among House of Brave’s clients are Bidvest Bank,...