Lerato Agency, a PR & Digital agency, celebrates its third-year anniversary. Established during the challenging times of the COVID-19 pandemic (when many businesses were contemplating their futures), Lerato Agency has not only survived the pandemic but has also become a trusted partner for crafting brands that people love.
Founded in 2020, Lerato Agency emerged amidst a global pandemic that disrupted industries worldwide. Despite the uncertainty and economic downturn, the agency’s visionary founder, Pat Mahlangu, seized the opportunity to create a dynamic and resilient agency.
The five love languages (services) at Lerato Agency are Public Relations, Digital Marketing, Design and Branding, Content Creation and Experiential Marketing. In celebrating the momentous milestone, Lerato Agency is showing love to three youth-owned businesses. Lerato Agency wants to turn three start-ups into brands that will stand the test of time. The agency will render its services to the tune of R300 000 (R100 000 per startup).
The criterion for this initiative is as follows:
The startup should be running for more than 6 months and less than a year.
The startup must be youth-owned (between the ages of 18-35).
The startup must be South African and registered with the CIPC.
Startups that meet this criterion can apply by sending their business profiles to hello@lerato.agency and the team will be in contact. Since inception, the agency has worked with over 30 reputable brands of the JSE as well as the Top 16 Youth-Owned Brands Awards and the Festival of Youth-Owned Brands.
Pat Mahlangu: Founder of Lerato Agency
“We are thrilled to celebrate the third-year anniversary of Lerato Agency, a milestone that marks our continued growth and success in the industry. As we reflect on our journey, we recognize the invaluable support we have received from our clients and partners. This initiative aligns with our core values of fostering entrepreneurship and sustainable growth. We are dedicated to growing and nurturing these startups into brands by investing our resources and mentorship,” says Pat Mahlangu, the founder and CEO of Lerato Agency.
Lerato Agency attributes its success to a client-centric approach, focusing on understanding each client’s unique needs, goals, and target audience. By providing tailored strategies and leveraging the latest marketing techniques, the agency has consistently delivered measurable outcomes and helped businesses thrive in the digital age.
Brands are an important part of the TikTok experience, whether they are starting trends or connecting communities, they are creating authentic audiences built on the foundation of sharing joy. They are embracing the creative and authentic spirit of TikTok and giving users a new way to discover and engage with the products they love.
2022 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations title winners, Banyana Banyana return to the country and South Africans came out in numbers to celebrate the winners at the OR Tambo Airport. Upon their return, South Africans wore their proudly South African colors to welcome the victorious queens for walking away with their first Women’s AFCON trophy on Saturday.
Image: Banyana Banyana returns with the Women’s AFCON trophy.
Banyana Banyana walking away with their 1st Women’s AFCON trophy
South African women’s soccer team, known as Banyana Banyana were crowned Africa’s new champions on Saturday. The team won after beating their host, Morocco with a score of 2-1. it was a tough battle for the team, as they went through the 1st half without scoring a single goal. However, the team did not give up, they rose to the occasion and in the end triumphed, leading up to their 1st win at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations. South Africans were left ecstatic as they celebrated Banyana Banyana’s victory.
Image: Banyana Banyana crowned the Women’s AFCON winners.
Banyana Banyana welcomed back in style
Banyana Banyana returned home today, and South Africans could not let the moment of their arrival pass them by. Their supporters dressed up, sang and were filled with joy as the team made their way back home. With all the things that the country has been going through, Banyana Banyana’s victory came at a the right time. The team brought so much joy and unity amongst South Africans, which is exactly what the country needs at the moment.
South African actor, playwright and theatre director, Mncedisi Shabangu has passed on, at the age of 53. The actor passed on in the early hours of Sunday (24 July). Mncedisi’s bother, Mthokozisi said the actor was sick before he was declared dead at a local clinic.
Image: Mncedisi Shabangu
Roles Mncedisi will be remembered for
He was known for his roles in iNumber Number, The Lab and e.tv soapie, Rhythm City, to name a few. The actor won a SAFTA award for ‘Best Supporting Actor’ for his Rhythm City role as ‘Khulekani Ngobese’. Mncedisi was more than an actor, he dedicated his time to directing for various theatre productions.
Image: Mncedisi Shabangu on Rhythm City.
Renowned actors pay tribute to Mncedisi
The industry has lost a legend. Actors such as Sello Maake KaNcube, Fana Mokoena, Hamilton Dlamini and Atandwa Kani went on to pay tribute to the late Mncedisi Shabangu on social media.
Rikhado Makhado, affectionately known as ‘Riky Rick’ passed on earlier this year on the 23rd of February, after committing suicide. The legendary musician was known for his great music, his fashion sense, and his passion for uplifting the youth. Riky was also the owner/franchisee for Legends Barbershop Waterfall Corner. He would’ve turned 35 today.
Image: Riky Rick
Riky Rick’s relationship with Founder & CEO of Legends Barber
Founder & CEO of Legends Barber, Sheldon was more than a business partner to Riky Rick. He was a close friend to Riky and his family. Sheldon was shattered by Riky’s passing, that he felt the need to give him his last haircut before his burial. He and the Legends Barber team always strive to give honor to Riky – for being a formidable business partner and friend to the business.
Image: Founder & CEO of Legends Barber and late Riky Rick at Legends Barber Waterfall Corner launch.
Legends Barber honors Riky Rick through the relaunch of his store
Sheldon and the Legends Barber Waterfall Corner staff saw it fit to relaunch the Waterfall Corner store to honor the late musician. In addition, they gave back to the community by offering 35 free haircuts to the first 35 customers who bring along blankets. The blankets will be donated to a local orphanage.
As people continue to celebrate and honor Riky, one thing always stands out – that he was and is still a legend. The Legends Barbershop team is legendary for making Riky Rick’s legacy live on. Happy Birthday to the King of Kotini, Riky Rick.
Stimorol Flow Lab held its first workshop this past Saturday, at the luxurious Hotel Sky, in Sandton. Stimorol Flow Lab brought the industry’s greatest to inspire and empower young up and coming artists in the music industry. Musa Keys, Majorsteez and Slikour were among the speakers present. The artists shared their insights on the music industry, how one can grow in the industry as they took the audience through their own journeys in the music industry.
The platform sparked beneficial conversations between musicians, producers and upcoming artists. They spoke about the hard work that goes into becoming successful in the industry and what keeps them going when it gets tough.
What is Stimorol FlowLab?
The Stimorol FlowLab is Stimorol’s new platform aimed at bridging the gap between South Africa’s greatest artists, music producers and upcoming artists and producers. In a country filled with a number of young people who want to make it in the music industry, Stimorol FlowLab felt the need to give upcoming musicians and producers the necessary push in the right direction. It is an opportunity to not only learn from the best musicians and producers in the country, but for the musicians/producers to share their journeys in life, before their prominence.
Image: Stimorol Flow Lab
Guest speakers: Majorsteez, Slikour and Musa Keys
For its first workshop, Stimorol FlowLab sure did show up! They brought the talented South African hip-hop & RnB brother-duo, Majorsteez, award-winning rapper, Slikour and renowned South African music producer and Amapiano star, Musa Keys. To speak on the business side of music, the platform brought music operations manager at TikTok Africa, Yuvir Pillay (affectionately known as Sketchy Bongo) and regional manager for Ditto music in Africa, Wendy Bekker.
The Flow of the workshop
The venue for Stimorol FlowLab’s first workshop (Hotel Sky, Sandton) provided an intimate setting that allowed the speakers and audience to interact with one another. The workshop was centred around four sessions. First session themed ‘repping my city’ was kicked-off by hip-hop & RnB brother-duo, Majorsteez and rapper, Slikour.
Surrounding yourself with people who have your best interests at heart: Majorsteez
Majorsteez featured the likes of Cassper Nyovest, Costa Titch and Uncle Vinny, to name a few. The duo highlighted how their parents influenced their love for music, when they realized that music was their calling and shared a few words of encouragement to the audience. “The moment we knew that we’ve found our calling was when we recorded our song ‘Lies’ featuring Uncle Vinny and Costa Titch. When we recorded the song, we didn’t know what our next move was, but the support we got after the song came out made us realize that we actually doing good”, said one half of the duo, Steez (Sihle). The duo further went on to encourage up and coming artists to surround themselves with people who got their best interests at heart.
Image: Majorsteez at the Stimorol FlowLab
Believing in your craft: Slikour
Slikour who is a veteran in the music industry is not only a rapper, but an advocate for South African musicians/artists through his popular online music platform, Slikour on Life. Slikour left the audience inspired as he touched on his journey as a rapper, from Skwatta Kamp to Slikour on Life. He also emphasised on the importance of being authentic, sticking to your true-self and believing in your craft. “If you do believe in anything firstly, you got to ask yourself, do you have the confidence to convince someone that it’s only you, nobody else and you the greatest. If you don’t have that confidence, you are going to be part of everyone else who’s trying, part of everyone who’s constantly told that they are not good enough”, says Slikour. The music industry is a very competitive industry with so many young talents who want to make it to the top. Unfortunately, sometimes the pie is just not big enough for everyone, hence authenticity, hard work and confidence is encouraged to stand out from the crowd.
Image: Slikour at the Stimorol FlowLab
Releasing music in modern times: Yuvir Pillay & Wendy Bekker
The second session was themed ‘Scene and Heard’ with Yuvir Pillay and Wendy Bekker. TikTok Africa music operations manager, Yuvir Pillay and Ditto Music Africa regional manager, Wendy Bekker gave tips on how upcoming artists can use modern technology to distribute their music. They touched on the technicalities of uploading music on online music distribution platforms, different copyright laws, press releases, record labels, while sharing a few tips on building momentum on music releases.
Opening up the industry: Musa Keys
The third session was themed ‘Breaking the mould’ with Musa Keys. Musa Keys is a South African music producer and amapiano star, known for his hit songs ‘Samarian Boy’, ‘Vula Mlomo’ and ‘Selema Po Po’ to name a few. During the Stimorol workshop, the star spoke about how he started making music from a young age, and how he strives to uplift young, up and coming artists. In his recent hit ‘Kancane Kancane’, he featured new artists. “With the song ‘Kancane’, it was literally two new kids, nobody knew anything about them. Crazy thing, that was their first drop ever, and their first drop happened to be a gold-selling song, going for platinum now”, says Musa. He also touched on his versatility. The star does not want people to box him into a certain genre or style of music. Musa Keys does more than producing music, he also incorporates his vocals in some of his music. Musa Keys wrapped it up by emphasizing on the importance of choosing a team that has your best interests at heart. Especially with management, your manager needs to always have your best interests at heart.
Image: Musa Keys at the Stimorol FlowLab
To close off the workshop, there was a ‘Listening Session’. The session was for upcoming artists to show off their music. Stimorol played songs of those who submitted their songs for the Stimorol FlowLab. This gave the artists the opportunity to interact with the speakers, Majorsteez and Musa Keys. The whole purpose of the workshop is to open up the music industry, and to inspire future musicians and producers in South Africa. The workshop also gave insight on the business side of music. The next Stimorol FlowLab workshop will be held in KwaZulu-Natal. Let’s keep it flowing!
Founded in 2020 by Pat Mahlangu, Lerato Agency turned 2 on the 9th of July 2022. Lerato Agency is a PR & Marketing agency founded with the purpose of crafting brands that people love.
The starting point of Lerato Agency
Lerato Agency was born at a critical time in South Africa. When the world was still trying to navigate through the COVID-19 pandemic, Lerato Agency was born. While a number of businesses were closing down and people were losing their jobs, Pat Mahlangu unlocked opportunities through Lerato Agency. During these dark times filled with uncertainties about the future, all the world needed was ‘Lerato’ (love) and togetherness.
Lerato Agency became a ‘beacon of hope’. Regardless of the economical state of the country at the time, the agency was set on creating opportunities and contributing to the economy of South Africa.
Image: Lerato Agency Logo
The ‘Lerato’ in Lerato Agency
‘Lerato’ means love in seSotho, because Lerato Agency’s core value is crafting brands that people love. The agency consistently thrives to build brands that people can resonate and fall in love with. Like every love story, Lerato Agency has five love languages – being digital marketing, public relations, content creation, experiential marketing and design. The aim is of the agency is to form meaningful, long-lasting relationships with its clients and their customers.
Brands Lerato Agency has worked with
For the past two years, Lerato Agency has worked with a number of brands, such as Brand Africa, Brand SA, SAMRO, Aunt Caroline and Himalaya to name a few. One of the biggest projects the agency has worked on is the inaugural Top 16 Youth-Owned Brands Awards (YOBA).
The creative team of Lerato Agency was behind the inaugural Top 16 YOBA awards, using the beloved five love languages. The agency is run by the youth and advocates for the youth, which is why it was the perfect fit for the Pat on Brands initiative, YOBA.
The agency has continuously reflected the hard work of those who work tirelessly behind the scenes to craft brands that people fall in love with. Lerato Agency intends to keep the momentum and continue moving to greater heights. Here’s to more years of spreading ‘Lerato’!
Bringing the heat to Cape Town this Winter, KFC South Africa is opening the doors to it’s limited-edition pop-up store; Kentucky Town.
As the Winter chills roll in, KFC brings a lil’ heat to the Canal Walk KFC restaurant – in the food court – for a limited time only from the 7th to 17th of July. Just 11 days, in honour of their Original 11 Herbs and Spices Secret Recipe.
Limited-Edition Menu
For 11 mouthwatering days KFC will be serving up a hot new limited-edition Menu with some KFC meals that you’ve never seen before – and may never see again.
The special Kentucky Town Cape Town menu will include some of the top favourites from the original pop-up store such as the Doughnut Zinger Burger and Spicy Chips flavoured with Tabasco. However they will be turning up the heat with a stack of new and exciting limited-edition items. In homage to the city and culture of Cape Town, the menu includes the limited-edition KFC Gatsby as well as KFC Chachos (like Nachos), Simba Crunch Zinger Wings, Kentucky Fried Oreos with Soft Serve and a Midnight Mojito to seal the deal.
Image: Kentucky Fried Oreo and Soft Serve
Image: KFC Gatsby
Image: KFC Midnight Mojito
KFC’s Famous Sauces On Sale
KFC’s famous sauces will be on sale again! The ‘Zinger Sauce’ and The ‘Dunked Sauce’ flew off shelves last year. You can get these KFC sauces for R50, however there will be a limit to stock.
Image: KFC Sauces
Limited-Edition Winter Gear & Gadgets
This is perfect for all collectors. What’s a new Season without a fresh new look? Kentucky Town Cape will offer new Winter Gear Collection for sale.
Capetonian’s most-groomed can prepare their beards and moustaches for the limited release of The Colonel’s Beard Oil inspired by the secret 11 herbs and spices recipe. Moreover, there is limited-edition KFC 11 Herbs and Spices Fire logs, so you can cozy up to our famous KFC aroma all Winter.
The Winter Gear Collection will also include limited-edition items such as the Colonel’s Onesie and KFC PJs. This is all in addition to Zinger sleep shorts, vests, trakkie pants, hoodies, and Winter accessories.
The best part? All proceeds from sales will be donated towards the KFC Add Hope initiative. Add Hope helps provide nutritious meals to underprivileged children in South Africa. So now you can look good this Summer and DO good at the same time! Yaas please!
Durban July live event returns with new headline sponsor – Hollywood Bets
The renowned horse-racing event, Durban July took place on the 2nd of July 2022, and for the 1st time Hollywood Bets is the headline sponsor of the event. Hollywood Bets has taken over the reins of being headline sponsor of the Durban July from Vodacom. This comes after a two-year hiatus of having live events, with the event only taking place virtually – due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The event is more than just about horse-racing, it’s a time for high ballers and fashion talents to show up and show off their fashionable outfits. The likes of Thuli Phongolo, Cooper Pabi, Mohale Motaung and the founder and CEO of award-winning Youth-Owned brand, Mbali Sebapu [Hermosa Flor] attended the event. The celebrities, as the youth say: “ate and left no crumbs”.
Outfits that brought the honey
The Durban July theme for this year was “Show Me The Honey” and honey! They sure did show the honey! The outstanding looks that brought the honey and get a PAT from us are looks by Jessica Nkosi, DJ Tira, Khuli Chana, Ayanda Thabethe, Nandi Madida, Thuli Phongolo and Mbali Sebapu.
As per usual, there are those that always follow the theme, and those that simply do not get the memo. These looks that brought the honey get a PAT from us for definitely making a statement! Paying attention to detail, being authentic and most importantly following the theme is what pulls off a ‘killer’ outfit. Durban July showed us that South African fashion designers, and African fashion designers as a whole never disappoint. The beautiful outfits/garments were designed by the likes of Roberto Scholtz, Orapeleng Modutle and Otsile Sefolo, to name a few.
Jessica Nkosi
Jessica serving honey bee in her fashionable garment designed by Namibian fashion designer, Ruberto Scholtz
Thuli Phongolo
Thuli Phongolo’s breath-taking garment designed by South African fashion designer, Orapeleng Modutle
Ayanda Thabethe
Ayanda Thabethe looked stunning in her fashionable dress designed by Laart Neviole Emporium.
DJ Tira
DJ Tira styled by his wife, Gugu Khathi, in dashing outfit designed by House of Ole [Ole Modimo]
Nandi Madida
Nandi Madida’s fashionable honeycomb dress designed by Keys Fashion.
Khuli Chana
Khuli Chana serving honey in his ‘yellow-mellow’ outfit.
Mbali Sebapu
Founder & CEO of award-winning youth-owned brand, Mbali Sebapu looked stunning in her regal dress designed by Otsile Sefolo.
It had been a long time since the horse-racing event, Durban July took place, for some it was their first time attending the renowned event and for some it’s a tradition. Celebrities made sure that they showed up and made up for the last two years they couldn’t experience the event live.
What’s your favourite look from the Durban July 2022, and tell us why?
Nando’s celebrates launch of two new PERi-PERi Bag & Bake flavours with #PERiTricks pop-up in the heart of Braam! Synonymous with creativity, Nandos showcases this with the launch of two new variants of the Bag and Bake product. The new variants, namely Paprika Citrino and Smokey Churrasco will be launched at the new pop-up located in Braamfontein between 24 June and 10 July 2022.
Image: Supplied
Flavours In The Bag
The Paprika Citrino is paprika and lime-flavoured and with the recipe perfected, the brand needed to come up with a name that only Nando’s could own and besides, just calling it Paprika and Lime would’ve been much too meh. So, after a bit of back-and-forth, Paprika Citrino seemed to be the best choice. Here’s why it makes perfect sense, with those six little syllables the brand is able to do more than just describe a flavour. It gives Nando’s an opportunity to evoke its rich Afro-Portuguese heritage and invite customers to enjoy a vibrant, spicy, uniquely Nando’s experience. The second new variant is a little more complex in its flavour profile. With rich, oaky, savoury notes balanced by a subtle sweetness, the finished product’s smokey taste is evocative of chicken braaied over wood. It was this sense of “that’s-close-but-not-quite-right” that inspired the name Smokey Churrasco.
Image: Supplied
#PERiTrick
These two flavours inspired a whole range of #PERiTrick recipes – that could be cooked any time, anywhere any way – even in your dorm room with an iron or in a tumble dryer – yes, a tumble dryer – if you don’t have access to a kitchen to utilize the more conventional appliances such as a toaster, air fryer or microwave. Once the recipes are prepared, guests will have the option to enjoy their creation/treat in a pod on-site or take it home to indulge and enjoy.
With the pop-up, Nando’s also celebrates the creative skills of young and talented individuals such as award-winning textile and surface designer, Bonolo Chepape. Bonolo together with the help of culinary-minded design agency Studio H came up with original themes for the launch. Food Stylist and Chef Keletso Motau, styled the video shoots and facilitated the recipe videos while Cinematographer, Earl Abrahams captured and packaged all the video. Chepape says she drew inspiration for the patterns and colour palette from Nando’s brand heritage as well as textile weaving techniques and Bauhaus-inspired elements of Mozambican architect, Poncho Guedes. “I wanted the design to be playful and reflect the experimental and experiential purpose of the pop-up.”
Image: Supplied
Nando’s Vanessa Nunes, Marketing Manager for Groceries says, not only did Chepape receive the Best Textile Design award at 100% Design South Africa 2018, she was a finalist in the Nando’s Hot Young Designer Pattern Hunt in the same year and a recipient of the 2019 Design Foundation Future Found Award. “Our collaboration with Bonolo and Keletso is part of our ongoing drive to nurture creative talent in South Africa. As an authentically home-grown brand, we welcome all South Africans to a seat at our table. At our pop-up store, they’ll be able to engage with our brand in an interactive and fun way and gain greater insight into the creativity and innovation that drives our brand,” she says.
Anyone can experience the pop-up between 24 June and 10 July 2022, by booking at https://www.nandos.co.za/popup and walk-ins are always welcome.
Intel announced the world’s fastest mobile processor, bringing its performance hybrid architecture to mobile platforms for the first time with new 12th Gen Intel Core mobile processors that are up to 40 percent faster than the previous generation mobile processor. Intel introduced 28 new 12th Gen Intel Core mobile processors that deliver a feature-rich suite of capabilities to create laptops for people to compute whenever and wherever they need – without compromise.
Word From Nitesh Doolabh
Nitesh Doolabh, Country Lead for Intel in South Africa comments,” The South African Gaming community have been eagerly awaiting the much-anticipated Intel 12Th Gen Core Mobile Processors launch. Intel 12th Gen is a brand-new Core architecture with the biggest change in x86 in over a decade with Intel’s new Hybrid Technology with both Performance and Efficient cores. This exciting new Hybrid approach allows us to bring together two different architectures via the Intel Thread Director Software. We are delighted to partner with local Gaming Specialists, Evetech, to showcase and make available the world’s fastest mobile processor to South African Gamers”.
Image: Supplied
Built For Next Generation of Gaming
Intel continues its introduction of industry-leading mobile performance processors with the 12th Gen Intel Core H-series mobile processors.
By pairing Performance-cores (P-cores) and Efficient-cores (E-cores) with intelligent workload prioritization and management distribution through Intel® Thread Director, the new Intel Core i9-12900H improves system performance across single and multi-threaded applications.
Based on the Intel 7 process, new 12th Gen H-series processors offer:
Up to 5 GHz frequencies, 14 cores (6 P-cores and 8 E-cores) and 20 threads that give the 12th Gen Intel Core i9-12900H. It delivers performance leadership over Intel’s previous generation and the competition.
The performance extends for unparalleled gaming experiences across top gaming titles and content creation tools. The new 12th Gen Intel Core H-series delivering up to 28% faster.12th Gen Intel Core H-series is more than up to the task for content creators. For example, users may see up to 43% higher performance in 3D rendering gen-over-gen.
Broad memory support for DDR5/LPDDR5 and DDR4/LPDDR4 modules up to 4800 MT/s – a first in the industry for H-series mobile processors.
Nearly three times faster connectivity on exclusive high-speed channels without legacy Wi-Fi interference. Using integrated Intel® Wi-Fi 6E (Gig+) gives users the freedom to work and learn from home and relax with smooth, high-quality streaming.
Thunderbolt™ 4 support that delivers transfer speeds up to 40Gbps and PC connectivity to multiple 4K monitors and accessories.
Designed for enthusiast gamers, creators and engineering professionals who want to push their laptop performance to the next level, the new 12th Gen Intel Core H-series mobile processors deliver desktop-caliber performance on the go.
With just 2 weeks away from South Africa’s first-ever youth-owned brands awards, it is with great excitement to announce that one of South Africa’s leading black-owned investment companies, Sakhumnotho Group Holdings (Pty) Ltd, is now the headline sponsor of the inaugural Top 16 Youth-Owned Brands Awards (YOBA)
What The Sponsorship Comes With
The sponsorship is in monetary terms and value-added benefits which will see the winners of the awards walking away with a 3-months business mentorship from one of Sakhumnotho’s subsidiaries – Global Business School of Entrepreneurship (GBSE). They also acquire the naming rights of the awards, therefore, going forward the Top 16 YOBA awards are brought to you by Sakhumnotho Group.
Image: Supplied
“Pat On Brands sees Sakhumnotho as an ideal partner in helping to reach our ambitious targets of shining the light on the incredible work being accomplished by South Africa’s youth. This collaboration also seeks to contribute towards empowering the nation’s youth and the world’s sustainable development goals.” Says Pat Mahlangu CEO and Founder of Pat On Brands
As an active and concerned media company, Pat On Brands continues to seek out meaningful opportunities to contribute, synergistic partnerships and economic empowerment solutions to enact a lasting change for future generations.
About Sakhumnotho
“Sakhumnotho Group Holdings is a company that believes in investing in the future of our country. Our name bares testimony to this; directly translating to “Building the Economy” or “Creating Wealth”. We strongly believe in the potential young people of this country have, and this is clearly demonstrated in our annual internship programme.”
This made it a no-brainer for us, as an organisation, to partner with an initiative that recognises the amazing entrepreneurship efforts of South Africa’s youth. We were very meticulous in what we put our name on, and this initiative by Pat on Brands makes us proud to be a naming sponsor!”, said Mosa Ntwampe, Group Head of Marketing and Corporate Communications
Image: Mosa Ntwampe, Group Head of Marketing and Corporate Communications at Sakhumnotho
The Top 16 YOBA is all about recognising the economic contribution made by the South African youth. The awards will be held on the 15th of June 2022 at 18:00 in Sandton. Tickets are available here https://patonbrands.com/eventer/top-16-youth-owned-brand/
The Top 16 Youth-Owned Brands Awards (YOBA), an initiative by Pat on Brands has recruited 10 award-winning leaders in the marketing and communications industry, academia, and entrepreneurship to evaluate and shortlist 482 nominations.
Judging of Nominated Brands
The judges are seasoned professionals and have distinguished careers in marketing and entrepreneurship. When it comes to building and growing brands, the judges are very knowledgeable and have a wealth of experience. To evaluate the entries, they will be using a set scoring criterion across 16 categories. The scoring criteria are guided by Young & Rubicam and David Aaker’s principles, brand equity principles that focus on the general appearance of the brand, originality, creativity, geographic reach, and the consistency in the application of the brand CI.
“As a platform, Pat on Brands has always been known for bringing out captains of industry to engage with young people and YOBA is no different. We are very pleased and enthusiastic about having judges of such high caliber to help us recognize the Top 16 youth-owned brands in South Africa.”, says Pat Mahlangu – Founder & CEO of Pat on Brands.
The jury will be chaired by renowned marketer Sadika Fakir and co-chaired by Lebo Lion.
“It is a massive concern that youth unemployment in South Africa year on year is more than 45% with COVID-19 aggravating the situation, in turn negatively impacting our socio-economic levels substantially. Now more than ever, we need to encourage youth entrepreneurship to inspire a new era of hope for the nation. YOBA is such a platform recognising Youth Owned Brands and entrepreneurship. I am truly honoured to be a part of a movement of this nature as it fuels the industry and the country with inspiration, creativity, and a fresh perspective on leadership. When I look at youth-owned brands, I feel compelled to challenge my own inhibitions and conventions. YOBA will certainly be a catalyst for positive growth in the continent.” says – Sadika Fakir – Integrated Media & Digital Director at Tiger Brands, Chairperson: ARB
Meet The Judges
In no particular order, the list of esteemed judges for the inaugural Top 16 Youth-Owned Brands Awards is as follows:
Sadika Fakir (Chairperson of the jury) – Sadika Fakir, Integrated Media & Digital Director at Tiger Brands is a firm believer in integrated and seamless marketing communications that focus on the customer. With an ever-evolving customer base and shifting media landscape, she states that we must consistently reinvent our approach to the market – taking customer shifts and nuances into consideration to drive seamless & integrated communication solutions. She is captivated by the power of the media & digital and believes it suits her disruptive approach to work. After a seven-year stint in similar roles within financial services, Nedbank and FNB respectively, she joined the consumer goods category in her role at Tiger Brands in 2020. Prior to the corporate roles, she notched up ten years at numerous agencies building her integrated strategic media experience totaling more than 17 years within integrated channel strategy and advertising. She has her BCOM Honours in Marketing (Cum Laude) and is a designated Chartered Marketer through the Marketing Association of South Africa. In 2022, Sadika was appointed Chairman of the Advertising Regulatory Board (ARB).
Lebo Lion (Deputy Head) – Lebo is an award-winning digital marketer, iTunes podcasting pioneer, speaker, author, strategist, & influencer whose viral Twitter threads, digital marketing expertise, and courageous conversations, have led to her being one of the most sought-after speakers and business consultants in South Africa. She has transformed over 1000 South African Start-Ups and SMEs, through her global top 100 iTunes podcast charting platform; The Lebo Lion Show. Known as “THE VOICE OF MARKETING”, Lion delivers mindset shifting & empowering content, that disrupts the African learning landscape.
Bulelani Balabala – Dubbed as “the go-to guy for township entrepreneurs” by City Press. Bulelani is the founder and CEO of IAF brands, a township-based Branding & Social Media marketing company. He is the founder of Township Entrepreneurs Alliance (TEA) an initiative aimed at developing entrepreneurs in the township & rural areas, through this platform TEA has directly impacted over 48000+ small businesses in the formal and informal sectors. He serves on public and private sector boards. He is a professional speaker who covers the township economy, branding, entrepreneurship & inspiration. He is featured on multiple media platforms where is gives thought leadership and insights. He has shared platforms with business, industry, and government leaders. He lives by the simple motto #GetThingsDone
David ‘Slaying Goliath’ Tshabalala – David Tshabalala has worked with, & independently collaborated with the biggest global brands, not limited to, namely: KFC, Coca Cola, Adobe, Netflix, Converse, Audi, Smirnoff, Reebok, and many more. Despite his notable industry accolades and achievements – he says he’ll never proclaim to know it all. Perhaps these are the tenets of his relative success, the willingness to not only learn from those above him but to absorb lessons from his juniors too. David says he’s a teachable spirit because he’s been trained to stay grounded by his mentors and industry peers. His natural disposition to stay humble has been largely influenced by his environment and the people in it. “My work is a kaleidoscope of color and crafted content, driven by my penchant for consuming pop culture. I embody the ethos of being an independent self-starter; being able to work with major brands directly, while staying true to myself – telling the South African story in a meaningful and engaging way.” – David
Dr. Beate Stiehler Mulder – Dr. Beate Stiehler-Mulder is a Senior Lecturer, the Marketing Coordinator at the Department of Marketing Management at the University of Johannesburg (UJ), and the W&R Seta Leadership Chair: Gauteng. She holds a Ph.D. in Industrial Economics and Management from the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, Sweden. She has 16 years of experience in Marketing Commerce, 9+ years’ experience in Marketing and Retail Lecturing, and Academic management, she is a Certified Digital Marketing Professional (DMI International), the winner of an “Outstanding Paper” 2017 from the Emerald Literati Network Awards, and she was a main Jury Member for the 2020 & 2021 Financial Mail AdFocus Awards. She has built a strong background of work, research, and publications in South African and international journals and conference proceedings, where she has presented broad research on marketing, branding, retail, digital, and consumer subjects. As the current W&R Seta Chair: Gauteng, she aims to provide a platform that develops critical thinkers and problem-solvers in the Retail industry, conduct relevant retail and consumer research, and launch innovative education and work-based learning experiences – all in the spirit of advancing and professionalizing the wholesale and retail industry.
Mpho Maseko – Mpho Maseko is a self-motived integrated marketing and communications professional with more than ten years of strategic marketing and campaign development experience working on local and global brands. She’s been working in the financial services sector for five years. Her marketing and communications experience is also in the broadcasting, technology, and digital marketing services sectors. As a self-confessed “Marketing Maverick”, she ensures that marketing and communications align to both long- and short-term business objectives. Mpho honed in her management expertise after graduating with a Post Graduate Diploma in Management from Wits Business School. In 2005 she joined the SABC where she held several management positions in marketing & communications. Her responsibilities in these roles extended to the strategic communications management for various SABC brands. Mpho’s commitment to South Africa’s Marketing and Communications industry is also demonstrated in her involvement in various industry bodies. In 2014, she was appointed committee member for the Advertising and Media Association of South Africa (AMASA), on which she still currently serves. From 2017 to 2018 she served as Head of the Brand Council of the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB). In 2020 she ended her tenure as a Marketing Tourism committee member of the Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency.
Thembi Sehloho – Thembi Sehloho is currently serving as the Marketing Director for Rice and Pasta at Tiger Brands SA, Thembi is a seasoned marketing specialist with a passion for meaningful and impactful brand work. After graduating with a BCom-Accounting degree; she went on to build a formidable career in marketing spanning over 15-years. With the ability to run strategic and capital expansion projects, Thembi has landed accolades which include the following:
· Building the Mama KOO franchise which propelled the brand to be SA’s most loved brand
· Maintaining Tastic’s position as the top brand within staple food
· Winning a Silver PRISM Award for PR Campaign of The Year, and Tastic TVC voted 2020 the best-liked TVC as voted by consumers – Kantar #MyHeritagecampaign.
Thembi is passionate about leadership and mentorship and was recently awarded the 3rd Positive Role Model Award – 9th Annual Gender Mainstreaming Awards. She has solidified herself as a formidable and seasoned marketer in South Africa with vast experience in SA’s leading iconic FMCG brands which include; All Gold, KOO, Bakers, Tastic, and Fatti’s & Moni’s.
Neo Ramokutwana – A seasoned performance marketer with over 16 years’ experience in financial services marketing. Ramakutwane is experienced in developing optimised and result focused marketing campaigns with various budgets with a proven ability and specialised knowledge in distribution and intermediary marketing. She has in-depth knowledge of the South African marketing landscape and trends. Neo says she is driven and willing to go above and beyond to deliver results.
Dr. Marcia Lebombo – Dr Marcia Lebambo holds a Doctorate Degree in Business Administration from the Tshwane University of Technology, Business School. She is currently working as a Senior Lecturer at the Tshwane University of Technology, in the Department of Management and Entrepreneurship. With more than 10 years of experience in Higher Education, Dr. Lebambo published book chapters and articles in accredited journals and presented her work at local and international conferences including Tanzania, Botswana, and Austria. Her research interests are in the areas of entrepreneurship and small business development, entrepreneurship policies, rural tourism, and technological entrepreneurship. Apart from her work as an academic, Dr. Lebambo is a trailblazer in youth community development. In 2012, she founded a non-profit organisation: Marcia Lebambo Foundation which focuses on improving literacy in South African township and rural schools. Her motto is; Do the best you can, where you are, with what you have!
Katlego Ditlokwe – Katlego Ditlhokwe is a Researcher, Thought Leader, Marketing Guest Lecture, Strategic Planner and Simply a Storyteller.He describes himself as a true lover of advertising and a learner of the industry. Katlego has a degree in Marketing Communications. He is a certified Digital Marketer and Art Director.Ditlhokwe started his career as a Media Strategist at Joe Public United; changed his career path to practicing Brand Strategy, and he is now a Lead Strategist at Brave Group. Basically, he is a creative that just chose to specialise in Strategic Communication.
Word From Pat Mahlangu
“As a platform, Pat on Brands has always been known for bringing out captains of industry to engage with young people and YOBA is no different. We are very pleased and enthusiastic about having judges of such high caliber to help us recognize the Top 16 youth-owned brands in South Africa.”, says Pat Mahlangu – Founder & CEO of Pat on Brands
The YOBA awards encompass 16 categories which are Accessories, Beverage, Agriculture, Beauty, Apparel, Media, NGO, Homeware, Education, Personality and Influencer, Footwear, Food, Travel and Tourism, and Technology. The inaugural award ceremony is scheduled to take place on the 15th of June in Johannesburg where we will see young creatives who’ve propelled the marketing industry for real change.
Queens and Kings, the moment has come to introduce the latest member to the royal Black Crown family… The NEW 440ml Black Crown Gin & Dry Lemon with Marula. A drink made like you. Bold, authentic, and African. A premium locally crafted Gin & Dry Lemon infused with African Marula fruit – an extension to the existing Black Crown Gin & Tonic. The perfectly mixed and easy to drink Gin & Dry Lemon with Marula is crisp and unapologetically refreshing in more ways than one.
Image: Supplied
The New Flavour
The new Black Crown is available in a 440ml can at all major retailers from end of May. It’s best served cold and gives you the premium sipping experience you’ve come to expect from Black Crown. It boasts 5.0% alcohol content and stands out with its stunning green, black, and gold packaging. Black Crown is here to inspire young Africans to proudly embody a Royal State of Mind. So, to the Kings and Queens of Africa. let every sip of Black Crown remind you to keep doing what others don’t and #OwnYourCrown.
Scan the QR code on your Black Crown pack for some more exciting surprises.
Africa’s most authoritative intergenerational movement aimed at inspiring a brand-led African renaissance, Brand Africa endorses the inaugural Top 16 Youth-Owned Brands Awards – an initiative by Pat on Brands. Established in 2010, Brand Africa’s goal is to drive a brand-led transformation of the continent’s brand, image and wealth.
Brand Africa 100: Africa’s Best Brands
The Brand Africa 100: Africa’s Best Brands rankings are the most authoritative survey and analysis of brands and underlying businesses in Africa, covering 30 countries that represent all the continent’s five economic regions.
Pat on Brands announced the launch of the inaugural top 16 Youth-Owned Brands Awards. First of its kind in South Africa, the awards aim to give recognition to proudly South African Brands owned and run by the youth. The youth of South Africa and Africa at large are the key drivers to economic growth and job creation. The creativity and innovation of the youthful population plays a significant role in the continent’s economic transformation.
“Recognizing that 70% of the population in Africa is under 30 and that only 20% of brands Africans admire are made in Africa, these “Pat on Brands Top 16 Youth-Owned Brands Awards” are an important and timely initiative to inspire youth to lead the African renaissance,” Thebe Ikalafeng – Founder and Chairman, Brand Africa.
Brand Africa Endorsement
This endorsement is important for the Top 16 YOBA as it affirms its position to recognize brands that are owned and run by the youth.
“The endorsement by Brand Africa is testament to need to create excitement about made in Africa brands, particularly those that are youth-owned. It is truly an honour that an organisation of such a high stature as of Brand Africa is recognizing our initiative as a driver for the African renaissance. As the youth put it “Real Recognises Real,” Pat Mahlangu – Founder and CEO of Pat On Brands.
Top 16 YOBA will be hosted on 15 June in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Make some Flying Fish Pressed Lemon out of life’s lemons with every What The Flying Fish!? (WTFF) moment as Flying Fish brings you an entertaining source of fun, light-hearted escapism to their fans. Flying Fish has decided to take ownership of these modern landscapes and create a playful, interactive inception experience for their followers.
Stuck in a Flying Fish Ad Campaign
“As a brand, we are now encouraging everyone to take those moments in life where perceptions of our reality make us go: “What The Flying Fish? and embrace them. Moreover, have a laugh at themselves, and then share that memory, because whenever you are faced with something delightfully unexpected, chances are you’re stuck in a Flying Fish ad. Take flight from the mundane and flow with the possibilities. Fans can now join the movement and watch an ad within an ad. The campaign allows them to enter the world of self-aware characters or even create their own reality-bending moments online.
Tumi Stop Nonsons and Mashabela
Two well-loved South African comedians, Tumi Malita “ Stopnonsons” & Mashabela Galane, are making this a reality. You can find them, literally, stuck in a billboard, in-person – yes inside a billboard! at one of the busiest intersections and traffic count areas in Gauteng. Get ready for multiple 12 hour-long live-roasting sessions of passers-by on William Nicol drive on the 9th – 11th May 2022. Keep a lookout on social media for content posted daily about the experience on the brands pages or come on down lets see what unfolds.
“Flying Fish is all about celebrating the unique and the unexpected and giving people a chance to experience things that are far from the ordinary. That’s why we consistently try and provide South Africans with new and exciting experiences and moments to enjoy. This is the very first time South Africa has seen something like this. We are revamping an ordinary concept and adding our flavour to it.” added Zachary Kingston Marketing Manager for Flying Fish South Africa.
South Africa’s largest commercial youth radio station introduces its audience to an audio only drama, speaking to the essence of ‘theatre of the mind’.
Tequila AF, created and directed by Y content producer Lumko Johnson, brings a storyline of murder, and explores themes of friendship, loyalty and mental illness. Says Lumko: “My late great grandmother introduced me to radio through radio dramas she loved and followed. We didn’t have a TV at the time, I must’ve been four or five and we would gather and listen to the Xhosa stories every night before bed. I trust and believe in this story and commend Y for introducing something so cool to its audience.”
Source: Supplied
“Y is more than a radio offering. After the success of The Banques and Venom Show, we are confident in our abilities to produce content for all platforms and Tequila AF is our second project, with more following soon,” said Phindi Ziqubu, Y’s content manager.
“Our research has shown an undeniable demand amongst younger audiences for this kind of content. Y has been deliberate in ensuring we enter the podcast space with something unique and which is not simply a repurposing of what we produce on-air. Content produced by the station will be available exclusively on the YFM app, before it is released on other platforms,” says Hilton Tarrant, Y’s digital manager.
Image: Sourced
The Drama Series
The drama stars up-and-coming actors Andisiwe Mpinda (as Sibu), Makoto Phumodi (as Pasi), Mmathapelo Bodibe (as Pearl), Tshepo Ramasia (as Thabiso) and Freddy Mabitsela (as Zee). Tequila AF is available from 20 April on the YFM app, with new episodes releasing every Wednesday. Download the app in the App Store or Google Play.
Episodes will also be available on Thursdays on all major podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Google Podcasts.
Black Crown celebrates World Art Day (15th April 2022) with its latest piece of art, the new 440ml can. The can embodies creativity with its bold African and royal design. The gold exudes royalty and luxury and is complemented by the black, which carries power and confidence. The unique crown, strategically placed at the centre of the design is at the core of the brand, which aims to proudly embody a royal state of mind. It is a crown that says you don’t hide from the light. You step into it. And it is in that moment when you chose to wear that crown, that dreams stop being dreams. So, take that crown. Wear it proudly. Know that you deserve it. And own it. Own your crown. Black Crown identifies as an unapologetically Africa brand, which exemplifies African creativity by uplifting local African artists.
Artist Collaborations
Spotlighting African excellence, the brand has collaborated with local artists including young, vibrant and colourful hair artist Themba Mbuyisa (@themba_mbuyisa), photographer David Blaq (@davidblaqrsa) who through his work hopes to contribute toward the emergence of a futuristic narrative of creative Africa – to name a few.
Source: Supplied
World Art Day
On this World Art Day, Black Crown celebrates its latest piece of art. Packaged in a premium 440ml can, this beautiful accessory is made easy to enjoy in more occasions, such as outdoor experiences, picnics in the park, get together with friends, festival and events. A perfect drink that brings versatility to your doorstep. Launched in April 2022, the new Black Crown 440ml can is available nationwide, what are you waiting for? Grab a can of Black Crown, scan the QR code for exciting experiences and remember to tag @blackcrowngnt #OWNYOURCROWN
New Look, Same Flavour: The Stimorol X Happyville Collab. Stimorol collaborated with Jozi streetwear brand Happyville to reveal new packaging design.
Happyville
Mzansi’s coolest gum announced a hype-worthy partnership with Maboneng-based streetwear brand Happyville. #NewLookSameFlavour is the name of this collab.
Happyville’s gifted founder Lebohang Serame is to design a unique range of threads for each of Stimorol’s three ranges. To clarify, the threads will be for the Original flavours, X-Fresh, and the never-ending Infinity experience. Every Stimorol fan will be able to find a look that matches their flow. Happyville’s gifted founder Lebohang Serame had this to say: “I’m excited to create a collection that’s flexible and fluid, to give Stimorol’s new generation of fans a chance to flow through the world as themselves.”
Image: Supplied
Musa Keys
One of SA’s most refreshing Amapianio stars, Musa Keys, is the dapper model for the #NewLookSameFlavour collab. The Vula Mlomo hitmaker will showcase the range on social media. In addition, Brand manager Khanyisa Ntshuntshe says, “We’re thrilled to work with the talented, young creatives involved in this collaboration. From the visionary minds at Happyville to the fantastic Musa Keys and the photographers who will be shooting him, there’s real energy in this team. They all have such a strong and authentic resonance with the Gen Zs that love Stimorol. We’re entirely confident that this collaboration and Stimorol’s approach going forward will be a success.”
Image: Supplied
Moreover, the collab drops tomorrow, so for a chance to take home your very own one-of-a-kind piece, keep an eye on Musa’s IG and Stimorol’s social feeds!
After a 7 months battle in court, Sol Kitchen (previously East Coast Soul Kitchen) has outsmarted the largest food franchise in the country.
Chicken Licken’s Trademark
Golden Fried Chicken (Pty) Ltd, which owns Chicken Licken, has a number of trademark registrations in the foodstuffs of the word “Soul”. Moreover , the trademarks include Soulslaw, Soul’d out, Soul doctor, Soul man, Soul mates, Soul fire and Soul food. The case goes back to July 2021. Chicken Licken’s attorney, informed the restaurant that by trading as “East Coast Soul Kitchen”, it had infringed the trademarks and demanded that it changes its name.
Sol Kitchen
After receiving a letter the restaurant accused Chicken Licken of malicious conduct and vexatious litigation. The restaurant said they would not desist as requested. The matter ended up in the high court, where the restaurant changed its name to “Sol Kitchen”.
Source: Sol Kitchen Facebook
It announced on its social media page: “On Monday, November 15, 2021, East Coast Soul Kitchen will become Sol Kitchen”. And that was just the kick to the face on Chicken Licken. Judge Patrick Gamble said that due to the name change the battle was effectively over. He also ordered the restaurant to remove remaining references to “East Coast Soul Kitchen” from its webpage and/or Facebook page within the week.
The Final Verdict
In line with the “soul” question, Judge Gamble said the case had many questions including whether the fast food giant’s outlets are known as “Soul Kitchen”? The Judge also questioned the origin of “Soul Food”. Moreover, the question of whether Chicken Licken has plans to expand its business into the preparation and sale of food described as soul food.
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