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#AgencyLeaders2016: Most digitally integrated ad agency in Jozi

Johannesburg Nelson Mandela Bridge courtesy of Pixabay

by Herman Manson (@marklives) Today we reveal which ad agency Johannesburg’s ad execs consider the most digitally integrated in the city.

Every year since 2012, MarkLives has been polling South Africa’s top agency leaders to find out what they think of their competitors, whom they see as effective managers and great creative leaders, and where they believe their future competition is likely to come from. Last week we announced the 2016 results from Cape Town. This week is dedicated to finding out the choice of Jozi’s industry leaders. National results will be announced next week.

Monday: Most-admired ad agency bosses in Jozi
Tuesday: Most-admired creative leaders in Jozi
Wednesday: Most-admired ad agencies in Jozi
Thursday: One to watch in 2017 in Jozi!
Today: Most digitally integrated ad agencies in Jozi

The most digitally integrated ad agency in Jozi

Ogilvy & Mather Johannesburg

Ogilvy & Mather Johannesburg continues to pick the dividends of the integration between Gloo (which Ogilvy acquired in late 2014) and OgilvyOne (previously Ogilvy’s digital and CRM business), and Gloo founder, Pete Case, having become O&M SA’s co-chief creative officer. “We have a combined/completely integrated creative studio,” says managing director, Alistair Mokoena. “We have formed multidisciplinary concept teams that take on a brief and treat it in a channel-agnostic manner.”

Previously

In 2015 and 2014, it was Ogilvy & Mather Johannesburg. No agency was awarded the title in 2013 but Draftfcb (now FCB Africa) took the title in 2012, our inaugural poll.

The contenders (tied)

FCB Africa

AVATAR

“We intend to get a step ahead of the curve by tackling the challenge of achieving creativity, through programmatic media, at scale,” says Brett Morris, GCEO and GCCO, FCB Africa. “And, for us, storytelling sits at the core of this, if we are going to get it right.”

In terms of further integrating digital into the agency offering, he says, “We’ve made significant strides in integrating our business to bring digital into the centre of the conversation, so much so that most of our largest clients are now fully integrated. This has been a process of overlap and and skills transfer and, in 2017, we intend to accelerate this significantly by eliminating the overlap, and putting strategy and idea at the centre of the process.”

AVATAR is often misperceived as a digital agency in the market, says CEO, Zibusiso Mkhwanazi. “We plan and execute digital very well; however, we are more than a digital agency and we are more than a traditional agency — we are an integrated agency with digital at the core, led by mass consumer insights.

“We are in a fortunate position that we were born as an integrated agency with digital at the core from day one, when the agency was formed in 2012,” adds Mkhwanazi. “Communication, process and education between departments, offices and people [are] key so that the left hand and the right hand know what the other is doing. This ensures that our AvaStars in various digital and traditional departments work under a single strategy and idea, and are pulling in one direction.”

Previously

Publicis Machine and FCB Africa were our contenders in 2015.

How the poll works

Towards the end of 2016, Joburg’s agency leaders were invited to nominate their most-admired agency in Joburg, the most-admired creative leader in Joburg and the most-admired agency boss in Joburg. We also asked them which agency did the best at digital integration and which agency they saw as the one to watch in the future. Nobody could nominate his or her own agency or staff members, and only agencies or execs who work out of the City of Gold could be voted for. All the nominations were then tallied up for the final result. The editors of MarkLives had a single vote in the poll. The most-admired agency of the year is disqualified from the One to Watch category; votes cast in its favour in this category is discarded.

Note: Runner-up(s) will only be named if they achieved a good nomination tally relative to the winner’s position. Contenders are named if they stood out significantly above other nominees, but weren’t able to close in on the winner’s tally.

See previous poll results for Jozi:

Herman Manson (@marklives) is the founder and editor of MarkLives.com.

— Sign up now for the MarkLives email newsletter every Monday and Thursday, now including headlines from the Ramify.biz company newsroom service!

#MagLoveTop10: Best business magazine covers of 2016

by MediaSlut (@MediaSlut) As the last in our 2016 #MagLoveTop10 roundups, it’s the second year for our other new category: Best Magazine Business Covers! As a collection, they give us a snapshot into the state of affairs, locally and internationally, financially or politically. They’re able to tell us so much, with so little…

Here’s the publishing schedule for 2016’s #MagLoveTop10 series:

Friday, 2 December 2016: Best South African magazine covers of 2016
Friday, 9 December 2016: Best international magazine covers of 2016
Friday, 13 January 2017: Worst magazine covers of 2016
Friday, 20 January 2017: Sexiest magazine covers of 2016
Friday, 27 January 2017: Best food magazine covers of 2016
Friday, 3 February 2017: Best travel magazine covers of 2016
Friday, 10 February 2017: Best business magazine covers of 2016

Find a cover we should know about? Tweet us at @Marklives and @MediaSlut.
Want to view all the covers at a glance? See our MagLove Pinterest board!

View 2015’s best business magazine covers here.

#10. Finweek, 1 December 2016

A catchy cover that states exactly what its intentions and cover story are. It definitely reels the reader in, and makes you want to know more.

This is Finweek’s second appearance on this new list. Last year, it was also at no. 10.

#9. The Economist, 9 April 2016

World domination. Imperial ambitions. Emperor of the future. The Economist writes that “not since the era of imperial Rome has the ‘thumbs-up’ sign been such a potent and public symbol of power. A mere 12 years after it was founded, Facebook is a great empire with a vast population, immense wealth, a charismatic leader, and mind-boggling reach and influence.” We all know the statistics of Facebooks’ success and how it keeps improving every day, but make sure you read the full article to see why it says Mark Zuckerberg is preparing “to fight for dominance of the next era of computing”, and then the cover will make complete sense! And he’s only 31!

This is The Economist’s second appearance on this new list. Last year, it was also at no. 9.

#8. Harvard Business Review, July/August 2016

Diversity in the workplace is all too familiar to us in South Africa but it, of course, goes so much deeper than just black and white. It stretches across the whole rainbow spectrum, the whole sexuality spectrum and so many other spectra that most companies don’t know where to start and where to stop, thus their programmes don’t work. HBR illustrates this in a colourful and clever way, and the article is an insightful piece that all companies will find beneficial.

This is Harvard Business Review’s first appearance on this list.

#7. JSE, October/December 2016

Did you know? The dolos was developed in East London in 1963 by Eric Mowbray Merrifield and Aubrey Kruger, and is one of South Africa’s most-famous and widely used innovations! JSE illustrates a clever (yet very complicated) way of creating your own little paper dolos. It’s not very practical to do yourself but the illustrations and overall execution are what draws your attention, and make you want to read the cover story to find out about “the next wave of SA innovation”. And that’s why the title is once again in the Top 10!

This is JSE’s second appearance on this list. Last year, it was at no. 1.

#6. Financial Mail, 16 June 2016

Financial Mail (South Africa), 16 June 2016: Julius Malema 2

Financial Mail (South Africa), 16 June 2016: Julius Malema 1

You might recognise that Financial Mail is currently looking different these days. But, before the redesign and relaunch, it published this double-whammy by running its very first set of split-covers with two equally striking Julius Malema covers, as it got the scoop to spend time with him on his campaign trail. Financial Mail is definitely a magazine to keep an eye on in 2017! Read more here.

This is Financial Mail’s first appearance on this list.

#5. Forbes (Spain), July/August 2016

This is certainly a cover that you won’t get at first glance yet, once you do, it’s brilliant! On the cover is Tim Cook, Apple CEO, talking about Steve Jobs. Get it now? Read more here.

This is Forbe Spain’s second year on this list. Last year, it was also at no. 5.

#4. Fortune, 15 June 2016

So fresh and amazing! FORTUNE looked at 500 of America’s Largest Corporations, and at no. 34 was Procter & Gamble, owner of the toothpaste brand, Crest. Sheer genius in how these two elements and messages are incorporated on the cover! Read more here.

This is FORTUNE’s second appearance on this list. Last year, it was at no. 6.

#3. Bloomberg Businessweek, 24 October 2016

2017 already seems to be all about “fake news” and “spoof images”, making Bloomberg Businessweek’s “Spoof covers” in October 2016 even more relevant! The main cover is the one with “The Year Ahead — 2017” and the guy in the magazine stall. If you look closely, you’ll see him surrounded by all the other (fake) covers, which all performed the role of section openers throughout the issue! So clever, especially when you go and read all the cover lines, and that the cover designs are based on actual magazines… A worthy no. 3 position! Read more here.

This is Bloomberg Businessweek’s second appearance on this list. Last year, it was at no. 2.

#2. L’Obs, 17 March 2016

https://www.instagram.com/p/BDBRbYuiFsQ/

Two clever, yet simple, split-covers, lands L’Obs the second position! When these covers are placed together on the magazine shelf, the effect is priceless! Read more here.

This is L’Obs’ first appearance on this list.

#1. PM, September 2016

And, for the no. 1 position, we have PM with a very simple digital graphic of the EU stars “loading”, as everyone tried (and is probably still trying) to figure out what hell a post-Brexit world will look like. It’s clean, striking, smart, effective and a most worthy no. 1! Read more here.

This is PM’s first appearance on this list.

MagLove by @MediaSlut is a regular slot featuring the best local and international magazine covers every week, recognising well thought-out, powerful and interesting (and hopefully all three-in-one) covers and celebrating the mix of pragmatism, creativity and personal taste that created each of them. The anonymous (for now) blogger behind MediaSlut knows way too much for his own good about media in South Africa, magazines in particular. His mission is to show when SA magazines fail but, most importantly, also when they succeed. If you’re looking for a library about SA magazines and news, this is your one-stop pitstop.

— Sign up now for the MarkLives email newsletter every Monday and Thursday, now including headlines from the Ramify.biz company newsroom service!

EXCLUSIVE: kulula.com moves to McCann Worldgroup

by Herman Manson (@marklives) McCann Worldgroup has won the kulula.com and MTbeds accounts. The business was previously held by King James Group and Native VML (digital).

“McCann showed us a new, strategic approach to our communication as part of our business model; we couldn’t ignore the way this will positively affect both kulula.com and MTBeds,” says Shaun Pozyn, head of marketing for British Airways (operated by Comair) and kulula.com.

According to McCann Worldgroup executive chairman for Africa, Fraser Lamb, the agency is delighted to bring kulula.com and MTBeds on board: “kulula.com is one of South Africa’s iconic brands and we are delighted to be working with clients who understand the need for brave creative work that breaks through. We are not only a match from an agency-business perspective, we get along really well together, and that is a sure recipe for success.”

According Archie Masebe, managing director of McCann Johannesburg, the first campaign from McCann for kulula.com will run from March 2017, while the digital team is already working on the MTBeds brand.

Herman Manson (@marklives) is the founder and editor of MarkLives.com.

— Sign up now for the MarkLives email newsletter every Monday and Thursday, now including headlines from the Ramify.biz company newsroom service!

ABC Analysis Q4 2016: The biggest-circulating consumer mags in SA

ABC results magazines February 2017 slider

by Herman Manson (@marklives) The Audit Bureau of Circulations of South Africa has released consumer-magazine circulation statistics for the period October–December 2016 (ABC Q4 2016); see our newspaper ABC analysis here. Apart from highlighting several figures that stand out for us, we’ve also updated our list of the biggest-circulating consumer titles in SA.

Note: we compare the current figures with the same figures for this time the year before, and not with the previous quarter. Green equals growth; red declined; purple maintained, new entrant or renamed; orange discontinued or resigned; pink no submission or suspended; and brown minimal newsstand sales.

Key insights

Overall, circulation fell to 4 443 681 from 5 079 834 in the previous corresponding reporting period (and from 4 557 748 in the previous quarter). Single-copy sales stood at 2 758 129 (down from 3 247 608 in Q4 2015) and total paid (which includes subscription figures) stood at 3 360 806 (down from 3 939 098 in Q4 2015). Paid-for digital copy sales were at 57 301 (down from 130 912 in Q3 2016 after Student Brands failed to make a submission).

Custom magazines saw an overall circulation decline to 7 031 102 from 7 266 175 in the corresponding previous reporting period. Single copy sales in this category stood at 35 832, and total paid for circulation at 1 652 569.

The business press

Finweek is up to 11 977 from 11 363 (total free copies = 3 287). Financial Mail has declined to 12 162 from 15 292 in the corresponding previous reporting period.

Entrepreneur has inched up to 17 856 from 17 760. Forbes Africa has grown to 20 707 from 17 536 (total free = 10 730). Your Business Magazine has grown slightly to 10 565 from 10 352. Noseweek has declined to 12 924 from 15 170. Personal Finance has fallen to 9 532 from 11 459.

Farmer’s Weekly is down to 11 836 from 12 705 and Landbouweekblad has fallen to 26 098 from 31 221. Plaastoe made no submission. Marktoe! came in at 8 716 [corrected 2017/02/09]. Veeplaas has fallen to 7 787 from 9 573.

Biggest-circulating business magazines in terms of paid-for (sales, bulk and subscriptions) circulation:

Entrepreneur: 17 841
Noseweek: 12 924 +1
Financial Mail: 12 162 -1
Forbes Africa: 9 977 +1
Personal Finance: 9 447 -1
Finweek: 8 690
Your Business: 8 019

Biggest-circulating business magazines in terms of total circulation:

Forbes Africa: 20 707
Entrepreneur: 17 856
Noseweek: 12 924 +1
Financial Mail: 12 162 -1
Finweek: 11 977
Your Business: 10 565 +1
Personal Finance: 9 532 -1

Position movement relative to Q3 2016.

Entertainment & celeb news

People has continued its circulation decline by falling to 42 708 from 52 672. TV Plus (Afrikaans) is down to 29 520 from 33 537; the English edition has fallen to 24 545 from 34 607.

Bona is down to 57 828 from 74 866 in the previous corresponding reporting period. Drum has collapsed to 53 207 from 80 807, Huisgenoot has dropped to 207 661 from 237 938, and YOU has fallen to 110 554 from 131 774.

The Big Issue has fallen to 12 523 from 14 163. Taalgenoot is down to 68 427 from 69 023.

Home & gardening, leisure

Condé Nast House & Garden has declined to 33 265 from 36 425 (total free up to 7 543). Easy DYI is down to 12 598 from 14 091 (total free = 4 342). Food & Home Entertaining has fallen to 23 782 from 27 186 (total free: 3 016). House & Leisure has declined to 23 127 steeply from 33 689 (total free: 4 010). Sarie Kos has fallen to 26 691 from 36 346.

Elle Decoration has fallen to 20 858 from 22 793 (total free: 5 991) and SA Home Owner is down to 37 292 from 39 182 (total free: 8 520). SA Garden and Home is down to 52 098 from 56 509 (total free: 3 359). Tuis Home has fallen to 78 4325 from 83 645 (total free: 0) and VISI is down to 14 820 from 15 499 (total free: 408). Woolworths TASTE is listed as a custom magazine — circulation has climbed slightly to 27 376 from 27 240 (single copy sales: 22 336). Fresh Living/Kook en Kuier showed zero single copy sales (total circulation: 468 202); it is now free to active PnP Smart Shoppers.

Men’s market

Destiny Man is up to 14 775 from 13 550 (total free: 4 048). Very Interesting has declined to 17 959, compared to 18 347 (total free: 5 227) in the previous corresponding reporting period.

GQ is down to 21 084 from 24 848 (total free: 6 843). Hype has been discontinued.

Men’s Health has fallen to 32 088 from 38 637 and Popular Mechanics to 30 670 from 32 014. Stuff is down to 14 427 from 16 928 (total free: 4 228). Tjop & Dop and Blaque Magazine failed to submit circulation data.

Health, fitness, sport

Compleat Golfer is up to 9 594, from 8 337 (total free = 5 852). Amakhosi has fallen to 14 735 from 18 532 and Kick Off is down to 23 795 from 28 566. Golf Digest has fallen to 7 826, down from 8 068. Zigzag has been suspended.

Magnum has fallen to 11 020 from 13 268 while Game & Hunt/Wild & Jag is down to 9 089 from 9 857. SA Hunter has fallen to 42 592 from 44 339.

Hitting the road

CAR has seen a bump to 65 228 from 64 632 but Leisure Wheels has fallen to 14 753 from 15 198. Drive Out/WegRy has declined to 21 512 from 26 755. TopGear and TopCar have both been closed down.

Bike SA is down to 12 533 from 15 93915 939. SA 4×4 has fallen to 13 882 from 16 541. Speed and Sound is down to 27 041 from 31 541.

Getaway is down to 37 836 from 41 465 (total free: 7 537) and Weg!/Go! has fallen to 55 072 from 59 719. SA Country Life has declined to 34 884 from 37 075 (total free: 2 048).

Woman’s general

Destiny Magazine is up to 27 105 from 26 163 (total free: 4 954). Cosmopolitan has declined to 40 978 from 54 189 (total free jumps to 8 465) and Glamour to 44 379 from 51 410 (total free: 7 946). Elle has fallen to 26 925 from 30 002 (total free: 7 392). Fair Lady is down to 34 571 from 41 360.

Good Housekeeping/Goeie Huishouding has declined to 45 340 from 54 282 (total free: 7 150), Ideas/Idees has declined to 43 814 from 56 088. Leef has been listed as discontinued (see Ideas/Idees and Lééf transfer to former editors). Move! has collapsed to 79 237 from 104 152. True Love is down to 42 373 from46 827 and Vroue Keur has dropped to 55 298 from 59 345. Woman and Home is down to 84 993 from 93 165 (total free: 5 649).

Essentials is down to 24 649 from 28 022. Grazia has been discontinued. Kuier has fallen to 99 684 from 108 428. Marie Claire has dropped to 20 933 from 32 598 (total free = 3 256). Rooi Rose is down to 73 446 from 79 676 (total free: 6 352). Sarie has fallen to 68 305 from 79 632. Your Family is down to 35 277 from 42 880. Women’s Health has declined to 34 937 from 42 694, and Longevity to 15 434 from 16 370. Finesse has changed frequency to 9 x annually and fell to 43 429 from 47 414.

The MarkLives’ Big Magazine list*

Huisgenoot: 207 661
YOU: 110 554
Kuier: 99 684
Woman and Home: 84 993 +1
Move!: 79 237 -1
Tuis/Home: 78 432
Rooi Rose: 73 446 +2
Taalgenoot: 68 427 -1
Sarie: 68 305 +1
CAR: 65 228 re-entry

Bona: 57 828
Weg/Go: 55 072 falls out of Top 10

*By total circulation. Must have a cover price. Annuals excluded. Movement on the Big Magazine list compared to 2016 Q3 data.

ABC Q4 2016 stories:

ABC Q3 2016 stories:

ABC Q2 2016 stories:

ABC Q1 2016 stories:

For more ABC stories:

ABC Analysis – Circulation Data

Herman Manson (@marklives) is the founder and editor of MarkLives.com.

— Sign up now for the MarkLives email newsletter every Monday and Thursday, now including headlines from the Ramify.biz company newsroom service!

ABC Analysis Q4 2016: The biggest-circulating newspapers in SA

ABC results newspapers February 2017 slider

by Herman Manson (@marklives) The Audit Bureau of Circulations of South Africa has released newspaper-circulation statistics for the period October–December 2016 (ABC Q4 2016); see our magazine ABC analysis here.

Note: we compare the current figures with the same figures for this time last year, and not with the previous quarter. Green equals growth, red decline, purple maintained, new entrant or renamed, orange discontinued and pink no submission or suspended.

Key insights

Daily newspaper circulation fell to 1 213 424 from 1 360 172 during the previous corresponding reporting period (Q4 2015); pdf replica editions totalled 6 184, up from 5 801 copies in Q3 2016, while single copy sales came in at 907 386. Circulation at the weeklies fell, too — total circulation declined to 489 886 from 528 674; weekend newspapers went to 1 478 664 from 1 673 079; and local papers also saw a decline, falling to 347 769 from 374 343. Free sheets fell to 6 218 571, from 6 301 033.

ABC member circulation totals:

Daily newspapers: down to 1 213 424, compared to 1 360 172 for the previous corresponding period
Weekly papers: down to 489 886 from 528 674
Weekend papers: down to 1 478 664 from 1 673 079
Local papers: down to 347 769 from 374 343
Free papers: down to 6 218 571 from 6 301 033

Daily papers

In Gauteng, Pretoria News has climbed to 14 515 from 14 201 (sales below 50% of retail cost = 2 664). Beeld has fallen to 41 682 from 46 637 in the previous corresponding reporting period [413 copies go to Print Media in Education (PMIE)]. The Star is down to 84 168 from 84 772 (sales below 50% = 10 750). Sowetan is down to 82 624 from 90 296.

In the Cape, Die Burger (Eastern and Western Cape editions) has declined to 50 258 from 53 483. The Cape Argus has decreased slightly to 29 796 from 30 484 (2 896 to PMIE), while the Cape Times has also declined to 30 781 — down from 32 029 (2 285 copies go to PMIE). Son has fallen to 74 103 from 79 776.

In the Eastern Cape, Daily Dispatch has fallen to 19 649 from 23 611, and The Herald to 18 010 from 19 882.

In KwaZulu-Natal, the Daily News is up slightly 24 610 from 24 556 (796 = sales below 50%) and The Mercury climbs to 26 165 from 25 602. The Witness has declined to 13 597 from 14 549.

Business Day has declined to 22 069 from 25 350, The Citizen to 44 390 from 53 343 (single copy sales: 29 762), and Daily Sun to 181 330 from 217 012. Isolezwe has fallen to 90 724 from 99 499. The Times is down to 56 027 from 100 363.

Volksblad has declined to 15 314 from 16 919. Diamond Fields Advertiser is down to 7 866 from 8 615.

The MarkLives Big Daily Newspaper List*

Daily Sun: 181 330
Isolezwe: 90 724
The Star: 84 168 +1
Sowetan: 82 624 -1
Son: 74 103
The Times: 56 027
Die Burger: 50 258
The Citizen: 44 390
Beeld: 41 682
The Cape Times: 30 781

Weekly & weekend papers

Pretoria News Saturday has grown to 8 899 from 7 414 (sales below 50% of cover price: 1 636); the Saturday Star is up to 51 994 from 50 781 (sales below 50% of cover price: 4 585); the Weekend Argus Sunday edition to 17 772 from 17 060; and Independent on Saturday up slightly to 36 788 from 36 729. Saturday Beeld has fallen to 39 761 from 42 629; Saturday Burger to 63 940 from 66 624; the Weekend Argus Saturday edition to 34 233 from 36 954; and Saturday Dispatch to 18 471 from 19 598.

City Press has declined to 81 488 from 88 938 and Rapport to 128 460 from 138 030 (single copy sales: 103 967). The Sunday Times has declined strongly to 274 369 from 332 272 (single copy sales: 156 975). Sunday Tribune has declined to 57 640 from 61 765 (sales below 50% = 4 700). Sunday Sun is down to 96 760 from 129 151 and Sunday World has also dropped to 63 450 from 84 974.

Ilanga Langesonto has declined to 40 188 from 43 347 and Isolezwe ngeSonto has fallen to 74 077 from 80 538. Isolezwe ngoMgqibelo has fallen to 69 387 from 77 271.

In terms of the weeklies, The Post has inched up to 43 482 from 43 439 (sales below 50%: 2 636)s and Ilanga has fallen to 68 327 from 72 453, . The Mail & Guardian has fallen to 32 034 from 33 213. Soccer Laduma is down to 266 811 from 289 739.

The MarkLives’ Biggest Circulation Per Issue Newspaper List*

Sunday Times: 274 369 +1
Soccer Laduma: 266 811 -1
Daily Sun: 181 330
Rapport: 128 460
Sunday Sun: 96 760
Isolezwe: 90 724
The Star: 84 168 +1
Sowetan: 82 624 -1
City Press: 81 488
Isolezwe ngeSonto: 74 077 re-entry

Son: 74 103
Isolezwe ngoMgqibelo: 69 387 falls out of Top 10
Ilanga: 68 327
Sunday World: 63 450

*South African titles only. Must have a cover price. Excludes free papers.

ABC Q4 2016 stories:

ABC Q3 2016 stories:

ABC Q2 2016 stories:

ABC Q1 2016 stories:

For more ABC stories:

ABC Analysis – Circulation Data

Herman Manson (@marklives) is the founder and editor of MarkLives.com.

— Sign up now for the MarkLives email newsletter every Monday and Thursday, now including headlines from the Ramify.biz company newsroom service!

#AgencyLeaders2016: The one to watch in Jozi in 2017!

by Herman Manson (@marklives) Today, we reveal which Joburg agency fellow ad execs feel is the “one to watch” in 2017 — the agency from which they expect great things in the year ahead!

Monday: Most-admired ad agency bosses in Jozi
Tuesday: Most-admired creative leaders in Jozi
Wednesday: Most-admired ad agencies in Jozi
Today: One to watch in 2017 in Jozi!
Friday: Most digitally integrated ad agencies in Jozi

The ones to watch in Johannesburg! (tied)

R\VERBED

The Odd Number

R\VERBED is one of the few black-woman-owned ad agencies of scale in the country. Lead by founder Monalisa Zwambila, it launched as an PR and activations agency, bought out creative agency Chillibush Communications in 2014 to build an integrated offering, and is today a R50m+ business. In 2016, the agency grew revenue by 35% after picking up business from Diageo Trust, Fundi (formerly Eduloan), KFC (field communications business), Translux, City-to-City and Potatoes SA.

The Odd Number was launched by Xola Nouse and Sibusiso “Sbu” Sitole in April 2015; since then, the agency has grown from the two founding partners to a team of 18 and existing clients include BBC Worldwide, VIP, MSQ Health, Multichoice and Health Systems Trust. Its most-recent account wins include Brand SA, the official custodians of Brand South Africa (one of two ATL agencies), and Heineken (TTL agency for one of its innovation brands, Sol). The agency won a Bronze and Gold Loeries, a Gold Pendoring and shared the Pendoring Umpetha Award last year.

“This growth has not been without its challenges. We continue to navigate the perils of a startup agency,” says Nouse. “The systems, processes and controls we’ve implemented in the business have allowed us to mitigate the risk. As we approach the new financial year, we intend to continue to grow from the platform we’ve already established.”

The runner-up

AVATAR

AVATAR was launched in 2012 by Zibusiso Mkhwanazi and Veli Ngubane. Over the course of 2016, it experienced rapid growth, picking up business from Caltex, Unilever, Sanral, Hollard, Sowetan Sunday World, Fox Life, Astrazeneca, TopT, Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality and Mpact. Revenue doubled, profitability increased by 300% and staff count is up 33% on a year ago. Also in 2016, the agency opened an office in Cape Town, headed by Mthunzi Plaatjie, as well as a new online video production studio as part of a creative studio. In January 2017, it was announced that Mkhwanazi and Ngubane had acquired a significant minority stake in M&C Saatchi’s South African agency network. This has allowed M&C Saatchi PLC to acquire a 20% stake in AVATAR from Avatar Investment Holdings.