The agency-client relationship is undergoing a radical transformation in 2026. The days of ‘creative for creative’s sake’ have officially been replaced by a demand for uncompromising accountability. With every cent of marketing spend under scrutiny, the definition of ‘value’ has shifted from the volume of output to the velocity of impact. According to Neill Robertson, […]
There is a quiet coup happening in the C-suite. It isn’t being led by a rival brand or a disruptive startup, but by a department two floors down: procurement, writes Pieter Geyser, Commercial Director, Humanz. In the modern corporate machine, marketing, once the engine of growth and the soul of the brand, has been demoted […]
Veronica Moleele, CEO of Penquin, is calling on marketers to embrace purposeful risk-taking as an essential strategy for success. Moleele argues that as platforms become increasingly packed with forgettable content, creative risk-taking has transitioned from a creative ‘extra’ to a business necessity. ‘Every second, someone is selling something. That’s why I believe creative risk-taking is […]
According to Willem Steenkamp, Flow Communications senior writer and editor, says that for the past few years, artificial intelligence has largely been in an experimental phase. But the focus for 2026 will likely be less about novelty and more about real-world application. Here are four trends for 2026. Trend 1: Integrated And Multimodal Generative AI […]
Human Rights Day, commemorated annually on 21 March, honours those who lost their lives during the 1960 Sharpeville massacre and recognises the ongoing responsibility to uphold the rights enshrined in South Africa’s Constitution. It is a month of national reflection, accountability, and recommitment to justice. In this context, Brandscapers Africa believes the private sector has […]
According to Thule Ngcese, Creative Partner, Distrikt 9 (a VML supplier development partner), AI is giving us flawless sunsets, flawless skin, flawless everything. But when perfection becomes the norm, it stops being a differentiator. Humans were never built to experience the world through sight alone. We have four other senses waiting to get back in […]
Richard Lord, a freelance media specialist, asks the controversial question: is programmatic digital OOH (pDOOH) a gimmick in its current state? Is it more about the ‘wow’ of the tech than the ‘win’ for the brand? Increasingly the South African media industry is being told that the future of OOH (out of home) is digital. […]
Shaun Frazao, Head of Digital and Content at Wavemaker South Africa, says digital channels offer great reach. However, everything you know about digital reach is wrong. In its essence, an effective media plan ensures that you reach as much of the right audience as possible in the most cost-effective way. Driving engagement, building affinity and […]
Grant Lapping, MD at DataCore Media, suggests that companies should be moving towards measuring the lifetime value of the customers they convert through their digital campaigns and channels. This is easier said than done because it demands that digital agencies look beyond digital campaign data and also draw on company-owned insights about their customer base. […]
According to Valiant, formerly known as BrandTruth, now more than ever, brands need to be brave, nimble and defiant in digital. Modern marketing professionals need to flip their thinking upside down – and think digital first. As events all but disappeared, media consumption patterns flew out the window and Out-of Home advertising became redundant, but […]