At this year’s Nedbank Integrated Marketing Council (IMC) conference on 15 September, Doug Place will be considering the marketing industry through a broad lens, using the Marketing Association of South Africa (MASA) as the launchpad for innovative ideas.
Place is a man on a mission. As the current Chairperson of MASA and a leading marketer in South Africa, he is committed to ramping up professionalism in our marketing industry, and considering how marketing can be leveraged to build robust South African businesses. Place is also the Chief Marketing Officer of Nando’s Africa, Middle East, and South Asia.
MASA is a key organisation in South Africa’s marketing ecosystem and serves as a platform where marketers are able to consider their sector beyond just their own businesses. The organisation is able to act as a mouthpiece and conduit for the industry where, for example, there are changes in the legislative environment around things like advertising. It can also ensure that common datasets (like LSMs or SEM) are proliferated and shared by marketers to give a single view of the truth through verifiable research as a result of its oversight on the MRF.
MASA also furthers the marketing profession through what is known as its professional designations programme. Here marketers can apply for the process to be certified as chartered marketers, marketing practitioners or Associate Marketers (subject to certain conditions such as experience and active years in the industry), which are internationally recognised through the South African Qualification Authority (SAQA) reciprocity framework.
Place said, ‘Designations are important because it enables companies to hire marketers with confidence, and for marketers, it is a way to further their professions and thereby also provide assurance to the public of ethical and professional conduct in application. For me, a strong MASA is a strong marketing profession, which is in everyone’s best interest if we are to grow and sustain a respected marketing sector and contribute to economic growth.’
The Nedbank IMC is presented in association with MASA, which Place said makes sense. ‘MASA is the only representative member association and SAQA approved professional body for marketing in South Africa, and the Nedbank IMC the only marketing event of its kind here.’
Place believes that marketing in South Africa has significant as-yet untapped potential. ‘I believe that we’re capable of more. This is less of a criticism and more of an encouragement.’ If you look at Europe and the US, he said, the path to CEO is often via the marketing department. ‘This would be massively unusual in South Africa. More often than not, South African CEOs come from financial and operations backgrounds to lead the business. Other territories understand that the role of an executive is to architect and build future value of a business, by plotting routes to markets, and enabling economic growth and prosperity. That is best done by marketers as evidenced elsewhere. I think South African marketers have an opportunity here, but they have to be equipped and prepared in order to grasp it.’
Place said that even though South African marketers and creatives are operating in difficult economic circumstances, we need to recognise that most great brands and companies were born in troubled times and that the turmoil we face is an invitation for great thinking and not a great retreat. Place is an ideas-to-implementation marketer, clearly evidenced in his contribution to the journey of one of South Africa’s most iconic homegrown brands Nando’s, and his guidance this year as chairperson at MASA, which continues to grow from strength-to-strength. To hear more from Place, book your ticket today to attend the Nedbank IMC 2023 on 15 September at the Urban Brew Studios in Johannesburg. An online option is also available.
In-person tickets (conference only) are priced at R4000 (excl VAT) until 31 July 2023. In-person tickets (conference and Effie Awards South Africa) are priced at R5000 (excl VAT) until 31 July 2023. Limited seats are available. Virtual tickets are priced at R1499. For more information, visit www.imcconference.com.
The annual Nedbank IMC Conference is Africa’s foremost integrated marketing conference. The IMC believes that Marketing is Business© and that marketing deserves its place at the boardroom table. This conference has more CMOs, senior marketers and agency leaders attending than any other in Africa and is relevant to anyone in the business of communication. One day of 15-minute presentations (with some exceptions), the conference is known for its hard-hitting global agenda with no sales pitches.
The Nedbank IMC Conference is now in proud partnership with The Effie Awards South Africa, the world’s preeminent marketing effectiveness award. The Nedbank IMC is presented in association with MASA, in collaboration with the ACA, in partnership with the DMASA and is endorsed by the IAB. The 2023 theme is ‘Marketing. UpClose&Personal’ and is relevant to anyone in the business of communication. Modern Marketing is a proud media partner of the Nedbank IMC Conference and the Effie Awards South Africa.
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