Back for its 8th edition, the All Africa Business Leaders Awards (AABLA) in partnership with CNBC Africa is set to honor both businesses and business leaders around Africa for the year 2018. AABLA recognizes remarkable business leaders, who through strength, innovation and foresight induce positive changes in an evolving corporate Africa. Per usual, AABLA will be honoring leaders in a series of regional award ceremonies in East, West and Southern Africa, before an All Afric grande finale in November. The categories to be considered are: Young Business Leader of the Year Entrepreneur of the Year Business Women of the Year Innovator of the Year (New Category) Industrialist of...

A ROLE in a back-to-school television commercial at the age of 12 sparked a lifelong love affair with brand communications for entrepreneur Sylvester Chauke. At age 35, he now heads his own communications and brand consultancy and has worked on many of SA’s biggest brands. Chauke is the oldest person at his agency, DNA Brand Architects, which he founded four years ago. A staff complement of 20 seeks to “solve business problems” in reaching target audiences, and he says DNA consistently punches above its weight at the boardroom tables of big business. “DNA is a mashup of everything I’ve done in the past....

"Entering for 'cluster 6' of the Prisa Prism Awards - best agency and best PR practitioner - is more than submitting an entry, it is about getting feedback from highly regarded experienced professionals. Entrants ought to review it and apply it - it will be to their benefit" - Dr Amanda Hamilton-Attwell, CEO of Business DNA and cluster 6 chief judge. Best PR professional Silver – Jolene van Heerden As communications manager for Mahle, an automotive component manufacturer in Durban, she has challenged the automotive industry to take ownership in assisting and addressing the ongoing shortage of skilled engineers and artisans. She is also...

DNA Brand Architects, a marketing and brand communications agency that's known for making wow stuff happen for brands, walked away with three honours at the 2017 instalment of the SA Small Business Awards by the National Small Business Chamber (NSBC). The awards ceremony is an annual project by the NSBC that recognises the tireless journey, hard work, outstanding achievements and vision of Small Business and Entrepreneurial Success. It is a celebration of the most outstanding small businesses and the exceptional entrepreneurs behind these emerging companies. DNA Brand Architects was honoured as one of top 20 Small Businesses in South Africa having met all criteria...

Earlier this month (April 2018), we were alerted by our patrons, that ZARA ( INDUSTRIA DE DISEÑO TEXTILE, S.A. (INDITEX S.A. Pty Ltd) company has copied one of our signature patterns. These patterns were appropriated & reproduced in as part of their sock range which they shared as new in their best-sellers on their online store (see image below). Their sock range resembles our Khanyisa Cardigan which was launch in March 2014 at the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Joburg. The cardigan is still available on our online store and has been on runways globally, the piece is still one of our best...

JOHANNESBURG - International luxury vehicle manufacturer Mercedes Benz apologised for "offending" South Africans following social media outrage over their Mother's Day advertisement The advert shows a woman playing different roles, from taking care of her child to owning a business. Mercedes Benz South Africa has since deleted the video on Twitter after some South African Twitter users pointed out that there were no black mothers in the advert. Mercedes Benz said the video was created "internationally" to lend the company's support for Mother's Day. "We under-represented the diversity of our followers in South Africa through the use of a single character. We apologise...

This is how our R500 bank note should look like in honour of Mama according to Romeo Romz-Deluxe Malepe   R300 note according to him. And finally R200 note in honour of Mama Winnie Madikezela Mandela according to Romz-Deluxe   Pictures courtesy of Romeo Romz-Deluxe Malepe: ...

by Herman Manson (@marklives) Avatar’s Cape Town agency has won the integrated agency business for global fashion retailer, H&M, in South Africa. Avatar, which is part of the M&N Brands group, will offer a number of services, including above the line, digital, social, below the line and public relations. “Help make a difference” “We’ve had our eye on H&M for a long time,” says Mthunzi Plaatjie, Avatar Cape Town managing director,  “And knew we wanted to help make a difference and help them navigate the local space. A win like this is also testament to the vision of building Avatar to be a world-class agency as we celebrate...

by Herman Manson (@marklives) The Odd Number has been appointed as lead agency for Wimpy, following a five-way pitch that included incumbent agency FCB Africa, King James II, Grey South Africa and Net#work BBDO. Xola Nouse, The Odd Number co-founder and managing director, says the agency is honoured to be working on such a truly iconic South African brand. “The partnership comes at the right time for our agency, and for the local advertising industry as a whole — it says a lot about Wimpy’s commitment to South African business, and to the future of our industry.” “Our Year 3 strategic objective in our five-year...