In this episode we turn our attention to Gen Z - the digital-first generation that many marketers are still learning to connect with. Stacy and Sena chat to Anesu Malisa, Samsung Africa’s Gen Z Marketing Lead, and Yasmin Kathoria, head of Brand Growth Strategy at Kantar.

We discuss the importance of connecting with Gen Z, the characteristics and values of these consumers, and effective marketing strategies for connecting with them. Anesu and Yasmin talk about how to avoid falling into stereotypes and the importance of creating authentic brands that are timeless yet timely, and progressive yet original.

In this episode we discuss:

• The types of content and formats that resonate with Gen Z.
• The importance of authenticity, consistency, and relevance in marketing to Gen Z.
• Aligning with the personal brand and lifestyle of Gen Z consumers.
• The role of influencers and the importance of choosing influencers who align with the brand's values and have a genuine connection with their community.
• Why Apple’s ‘crush’ advert failed to engage Gen Z, and Samsung’s response that ‘creativity cannot be crushed’.
• A brand’s meaningful difference and addressing sustainability in marketing to Gen Z.

*This episode is produced by Laura Rapson

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In this episode Stacy and Sena chat about all things digital - specifically what goes into creating viral, award-winning campaigns. They’re joined in studio by Mike Sharman, the founder and chief creative officer of Retroviral, a creative comms agency that has made more brands go viral globally, than any other agency in Africa.

Mike shares his journey to starting his agency over 14 years ago and how he knew then just how important digital marketing was going to be. He explains what goes into creating viral campaigns and why it’s important to always move at the speed of culture.

In this episode we discuss:

• The winning formula for creating viral campaigns
• The importance of earned publicity in the success of a campaign
• Ensuring clever content always has a strong brand association
• How Retroviral helped take Nando’s ‘Last Dictator Standing’ advert global
• The power of news jacking - using Checkers’ ‘Sixty 60 Swindler’ campaign as an example
• The social media channels currently providing the best ROI for his clients
• The best way to work with influencers

* This episode was produced by Laura Rapson

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Load shedding may be temporarily suspended but it’s only a matter of time until it once again rears its ugly head. In this episode of Future Proof Mzansi, Sena and Stacy discuss the ever present struggle of getting the most out of media investments in a time of load shedding. They are joined by two experts in the field, to offer different perspectives on navigating this complex environment. Byron John, Head of Media Intelligence at DStv Media Sales, shares some advice for how advertisers can adapt their strategies to make the most of out of live, on demand and digital channels across the DStv offering. While Brian Muguto, Managing Director at PHD Media, shares insights into effective advertising across all media channels.

In this episode we discuss:

• The shift in consumer behaviour towards on-demand TV and what this means for advertisers.
• Why consumers are more receptive to TV sponsorship and product placement, as opposed to traditional advertising.
• Why advertisers should be more strategic with how they spend their advertising budgets across different platforms, instead of relying solely on a 30 second advert.
• The issue of ad frequency and how it can be managed to avoid irritating consumers.
• Commercial models offered by TV broadcasters to compensate for reduced viewership during load shedding
• The future of marketing with AI

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In this episode we take a trip down memory lane and look at the South African ‘ads that made us’. We’re joined in the virtual studio by Saiesh Ajudhiya, Kantar South Africa’s Head of Media and Creative to discuss some of the best ads in the country from the last few decades and what made them so successful. Saiesh brings years of creative experience in both agency and brand roles, and a personal love for advertising, to share insights into why certain adverts have stood the test of time.

In this episode we discuss:

• Kantar’s best liked advert of all time in South Africa (1984-2018) - Sasol’s Glug Glug ad. We discuss why it was such a successful ad and how the phrase ‘glug glug’ has stood the test of time.
• How Klipdrift made ‘met eish’ a colloquial term through clever storytelling.
• The power of good jingles and soundtracks, drawing on some of the best examples over the years.
• Why Nando’s has succeeded in becoming the brand known for ‘social commentary’.
• Key ingredients for creating award winning adverts and why it’s important to challenge category codes.
• Debunking the myth that it's harder to be creative in a world that’s more sensitive to societal dynamics

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As a follow up to our thought provoking season opener, Stacy and Sena go deeper on successful creative by discussing how to appeal to audiences from different demographics. They sit down with Kantar South Africa’s very own creative celebrity, Natalie Botha, to try to understand how socio economic factors and diversity can impact the success of an ad. Natalie is well known in the local market for leading Kantar’s creative and media team for many years and has recently moved to the UK, where she works on brand health within financial services.

In this episode we discuss:

• What brands need to consider when targeting the emerging market (previously LSM B) in South Africa, versus the developed market (previously LSM A)
• The importance of simplicity in storytelling
• Realism vs escaping from reality
• Diversity and being willing to die for a creative idea
• Showing up authentically by having a diverse creative team
• How South Africans respond to true diversity in an advert
• The Progressive Unstereotype Metric

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In our debut episode we chat to a legend in the industry about what goes into successful creative. Artwell Nwaila is the head of creative for Google South Africa and is well-known in the industry for always learning, experimenting and trying out new things. He has experience in Fine Arts, Publishing, Advertising, Photography, TV and Tech, and over the last few years has focused on data and how that drives the creative process.

Drawing on his broad experience in the creative industry, we dive into what brands should consider when creating adverts - especially in the digital space. We discuss trends he’s seeing on YouTube and provide some best practices for creating memorable campaigns.

In this episode we discuss:

• "The ABCDs of building creative adverts for YouTube" - which is similar to Kantar’s framework for creative effectiveness - and whether recent adverts have followed these best practices.
• Some of the key themes seen in YouTube advertising over the last two years and how they differ from the former, pandemic years.
• Using a ‘heartbeat’ story arc in order to grab your audience’s attention right up front.
• The power of consideration adverts (aka longer adverts) on digital platforms.
• Effective use of music and visuals to make compelling ads - including dispelling some myths.
• Shifting creative to cater for growing audiences on mobile devices.

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