M20 Johannesburg Declaration Handed Over To President Ramaphosa

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November 20, 2025

M20 Johannesburg Declaration Handed Over To President Ramaphosa — Ronald Lamola, Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, William Bird, Moxii Africa, President Cyril Ramaphosa, Makhudu Sefara, SANEF and Enoch Godongwana, Minister of Finance.

With a few days left before the official kick-off of the G20 Leaders’ Summit, President Cyril Ramaphosa received the Media20 Johannesburg Declaration from Media Monitoring Africa (now called Moxii Africa), and the South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF). The M20 is an independent initiative to ensure issues relating to media integrity and healthy information ecosystems are reflected in the G20 policy agenda.

William Bird, director of Moxii Africa, and Makhudu Sefara, chairperson of SANEF, led both delegations as they handed over the Johannesburg-Declaration. Ramaphosa was joined by Ronald Lamola, Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, and Enoch Godongwana, Minister of Finance, respectively. Bird highlighted to the President the meaning and importance of the M20, held at the beginning of September and attended by international guests eager to address challenges faced by the media globally.

Sefara took the President and his team through what the Johannesburg Declaration addressed and why it was important for these issues to be presented to the G20 leaders. In his response, Ramaphosa promised to appeal that the Johannesburg Declaration must form part of the G20 agenda. He acknowledged that the issues raised by the M20 are not only of concern to South Africa but also global issues.

The President said he was pleased with the initiative, and it will surely appeal to not only the G20 countries, but other twenty-two countries that participate in G20 activities. Ramaphosa emphasised the importance of media freedom and how the Johannesburg Declaration was focusing on key issues that are relevant to today’s challenges faced by the media, such as sustainability. Ramaphosa said his government will continue, however difficult at times, to work closely with the media, while trying to contribute towards solutions raised in the Johannesburg Declaration.

M20
https://media20.org

Chicken Licken Campaign Addresses Global Soullessness Crisis

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Modern Marketing

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November 19, 2025

Chicken Licken Campaign Addresses Global Soullessness Crisis

Chicken Licken has officially declared a global soul crisis. According to the Chicken Licken Soul barometer, the world is at dangerously low levels of soul. The cure? Soul Food®, the one thing the rest of the world is lacking. The #SoulFood2TheWorld campaign is South Africa’s way of saying, ‘Askies world, you clearly need some of this.’

An abundance of Soul Food® makes Mzansi the most soulful nation in the world. You know that thing that makes amapiano hit different? That energy when South Africans laugh? The way we turn a Tuesday into a vibe? That’s soul. And apparently, it’s in short supply everywhere else.

According to Chicken Licken’s research, global soul levels are at an all-time low. The solution is obvious: export South African Soul Food® to the masses. It’s basically humanitarian work, but tastier.

The #SoulFood2TheWorld campaign invites every South African to become a ‘Soulfluencer™’ – because influencer wasn’t enough. Those who buy Chicken Licken meals can win prizes.

According to the brand: ‘Only in Mzansi can soul look, sound, and taste this good, and honestly, who’s going to argue? Have you tried to explain South African soul to someone who’s never experienced it? It’s easier to just give them Chicken Licken.’

The #SoulFood2TheWorld campaign is now live across radio, digital platforms, and Chicken Licken stores nationwide.

JOE PUBLIC
https://joepublic.co.za/

J.C. Le Roux Campaign Encourages South Africans To Celebrate Themselves

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Modern Marketing

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November 19, 2025

J.C. Le Roux Campaign Encourages South Africans To Celebrate Themselves — Makazole Mapimpi.

J.C. Le Roux is entering a bold new chapter, one that celebrates confidence, individuality and unapologetic joy. Fronting the new ‘EXACTLY’ campaign is Makazole Mapimpi, the national hero whose journey from humble beginnings to global rugby stardom has made him one of South Africa’s most admired figures. But this time, it’s not about tries or trophies, it’s about owning your celebrations, your way.

Mapimpi brings his signature sense of style and authenticity to the J.C. Le Roux story, starring in a campaign that fuses fashion, flair, and freedom. Shot with the style of a high-fashion editorial, the campaign reflects a new energy in South African celebration culture, one that gives everyone permission to ‘be extra, more often’.

‘For me, celebration isn’t only about the big wins,’ said Mapimpi. ‘It’s about appreciating where you come from, what you’ve overcome, and the people around you. I’ve learned that confidence comes from within, and if you’ve got it, you don’t need to wait for permission to be you.’

Mapimpi said he was drawn to the campaign because it reflects how he chooses to live: ‘For me, it’s about celebrating who you are: your story, your journey and your wins, big or small. I love that J.C. Le Roux is encouraging South Africans to celebrate themselves, not just the occasion. Because moments don’t need to be big to matter – they just need to be yours.’

The partnership marks a new moment for J.C. Le Roux as it embraces the cultural power of South African individuality and expression. In a world where luxury often feels out of reach, the brand is flipping the script, positioning itself as inclusive, expressive and proudly local.

‘We wanted to move to owning life’s moments with confidence, celebrating both the journey and the milestones along the way, feeling alive and embracing everyday moments,’ said Siphokazi Solani, Assistant Brand Manager for J.C. Le Roux. ‘Mapimpi embodies that shift perfectly. His story is one of quiet strength, style, and substance and that’s exactly what J.C. Le Roux stands for. This campaign is about reclaiming celebration as something personal and self-defined. It’s not everyone else’s rules; it’s your rules.’

Through the ‘EXACTLY’ campaign, J.C. Le Roux is speaking to a generation that finds joy in self-expression, from spontaneous rooftop brunches to effortless moments shared among friends. Every Friday now has the potential to become a #JCFriday – an invitation to show up, shine a little brighter, and celebrate simply because you can.

J.C. LE ROUX
https://www.jcleroux.co.za/

The Real Black Friday Behaviour Marketers Ignore

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Modern Marketing

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November 19, 2025

The Real Black Friday Behaviour Marketers Ignore — Thando Mxosa, Penquin.

Black Friday has become one of the loudest and most predictable days in the marketing calendar, but according to Penquin’s Strategy Director, Thando Mxosa, the noise has disguised how disconnected brands have become from the people they’re meant to serve.

‘Every year we see the same thing. Brands adopt the same colour palette, the same headlines, the same urgency cues, and we justify it by calling it competition,’ Mxosa said. ‘But it’s not competition. It’s fear. Fear of missing out. Fear of flat numbers. Fear of silence. Black Friday is no longer a retail moment; it’s an industry reflex where brands forget who they are.’

Penquin sees this pattern play out annually across the industry. For Mxosa and his team, this isn’t just a creative issue, it’s a strategic one.

The Real Black Friday Behaviour Marketers Ignore

While brands fight to out-shout one another, South Africans are behaving very differently. ‘Real people aren’t panic-buying TV sets. They’re collaborating,’ Mxosa explained. ‘Families and friends are in WhatsApp groups comparing prices, checking grocery deals, splitting deliveries. Black Friday here isn’t indulgence, it’s ingenuity.’

Behaviour mapping consistently shows that consumers don’t experience Black Friday as a frenzy, but as a moment of collective planning, where value is defined by saving smartly, not buying impulsively.

‘This is one of the most overlooked behaviours in local retail strategy,’ he added. ‘Marketers talk about creating for culture, but we ignore the rituals right in front of us. South Africans use Black Friday to stretch their budgets. That’s value in its most human form.’

The Industry’s Blind Spot

Mxosa said the problem isn’t Black Friday, it’s the way the industry approaches it. ‘We keep chasing spikes instead of sense,’ he said. ‘We optimise for traffic, not trust. We build mechanics that feel like puzzles instead of empowerment – and every year we call it innovation.’

He believes marketers have become desensitised to sameness. ‘When all the ads look the same, we convince ourselves that’s what competition looks like. However, sameness is not strategy.’

If Brands Truly Cared About Culture, They’d Show Up Differently

Marketers often claim their work is ‘culturally driven,’ but Mxosa challenges whether that holds true during the biggest retail moment of the year. ‘If we respected the consumer context, our messaging would feel human,’ he said. ‘We’d design mechanics that empower people instead of making them jump through hoops. We’d build for households, not algorithms.’ Mxosa explained the issue isn’t Black Friday itself, it’s the industry’s blindness to its humanity.

The Harder Question: Who Are We When It Gets Loud?

Mxosa suggested that Black Friday is more useful as a mirror than a megaphone. ‘The real opportunity is reflection,’ he said. ‘What if Black Friday became the moment brands ask themselves: Do we still sound like ourselves when the pressure is on? If the only way to compete is to shout louder, what does that say about the strength of the brand the rest of the year?’

For him, the challenge, and the opportunity, lies in restraint. ‘Silence can sell too, recognition can beat reach and meaning is the one thing you can’t discount.’

A Thought For Next Year

Before marketers roll out the templated noise once again, Mxosa leaves the industry with one question: ‘If your brand went quiet next Black Friday, would anyone notice? If the answer is no, what does that tell you?’

PENQUIN
https://www.penquin.co.za

South African Shoppers Share What They Want From Retailers

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Modern Marketing

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November 19, 2025

South African Shoppers Share What They Want From Retailers

For the most part, Black Friday and the festive season peak that follows are retail brands’ time to thrive. But with budgets tightening and tension running high as crowds jostle for deals both online and in store, an unpleasant shopping experience can lead to angry customers, scathing reviews and reputational damage.

In the latest edition of VML’s global The Future Shopper Report, South African shoppers shared what they want from retailers. Here are three trends to note ahead of Black Friday:

Customer Experience That Builds Credibility

Today’s customers have little tolerance for underwhelming customer experience. Sixty-two percent of South Africans surveyed said they won’t shop with retailers, brands or marketplaces that don’t match their expectations of online shopping, while 77% said retailers need to get better at delivering the products, service and experience they want from their online shopping experience. Two thirds of South African respondents feel companies invest more in collecting their data than improving their experience.

Despite widespread claims of customer-centricity, many retailers are still struggling to bridge the experience gap. True customer-centricity is defined by the seamless, intuitive experiences customers actually receive.

Long-term gains: Mapping the customer journey to identify friction points and opportunities for delight, then using real customer feedback to guide improvements. Setting KPIs around customer outputs (e.g. satisfaction and loyalty), rather than internal metrics (such as units sold) and breaking down internal silos so that everyone in the business is working towards the same customer-centric goal.

Quick Wins:

– Transparency around pricing, delivery times, and stock availability: Manage customers’ expectations from the beginning.
– Delivering on promises: If an offer promises next-day delivery, make sure you have the resources to deliver the next day.
– Returns and refunds that are simple and fair.
– Authentic customer reviews.
– Clear and proactive communication around delays, issues or changes.

When customers see that a brand consistently acts in their best interest – even when it’s inconvenient for the business – their trust in that brand grows.

Personalisation That Feels Like Service, Not Stalking

When personalisation saves time, reduces effort, and delivers relevant value, it strengthens loyalty and increases lifetime customer value. But personalisation that doesn’t add value risks coming across as an invasion of privacy. Fifty-four percent of South African respondents feel that basic features (like remembering a customer’s preferences) are still missing from most sites. An equal number believe businesses seem more interested in pushing their own agenda than making customers’ lives easier online.

The problem lies in generic guesswork and thinly disguised upselling that intrudes, frustrates, and erodes trust. Effective personalisation strategies focus on delivering clear, tangible value to the customer.

Long-term gains: Unifying and connecting customer data across channels and using AI-powered CRM systems to create a complete customer profile. Using this insight to trigger personalised content, recommendations, search results and offers.

Quick Wins:

– Saving preferences (such as size) or creating favourite categories to speed up future shopping if your e-commerce platform supports it.
– Personalised promotions based on past shopping behaviour.
– Option to opt in for saving payment and delivery preferences to reduce friction at check-out via autocomplete or ‘save my info’ toggles.
– Post-purchase recommendations for complementary products or services at check-out or in a follow-up mailer.

True personalisation is dynamic, context-aware, and powered by intelligent software that can understand intent in real time.

Omnichannel Offers That Work Like Customers Think

Customers don’t think in terms of ‘online’ or ‘offline’; they expect both to work together, seamlessly. After the online retail boom catalysed by the pandemic, shoppers are rediscovering the value of physical stores. But they still expect the speed, choice, and convenience of digital. Fifty-five percent of South Arican respondents said long lines or wait times would stop them from visiting a physical store. Other deterrents were unhelpful or rude staff (53%), overcrowding (48%), out of stock items (47%) and a dirty or disorganised store (47%).

For brands and retailers, this means rethinking how channels work together, whether that’s through a full omnichannel presence or a more selective ‘optichannel’ strategy that focuses on what works best. Instead of trying to be present on every possible channel, optichannel brands identify and prioritise the most effective channels for their audience, products, and resources.

Long-term gains: Aligning every stage of the customer journey, from inspiration to fulfilment, under a single strategy. Using AI for demand forecasting to manage inventory and reduce delivery times.

Quick Wins:

– Standardise brand messaging and visual identity across channels for consistency: the offer on Instagram should have the same look and feel as the offer in store.
– Merge online convenience with offline immediacy through click-and-collect and curb-side pick-up options.
– Integrate QR codes, mobile payments and app-based loyalty programmes into physical in-store shopping.
– Consistent promotions across channels to avoid price mismatch frustration.
– Train staff on the online offers, so there’s no confusion.

The key is to make the physical store a fulfilment hub, brand theatre, and service centre, not just a point of sale.

VML’s ninth annual Future Shopper Report draws insights from more than 25,000 online shoppers across 16 countries, including South Africa. Download your free copy of the report here.

VML SOUTH AFRICA
https://www.vml.com/south-africa

How Earned-Media Insight Turns Marketing Constraint Into Competitor Advantage

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Modern Marketing

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November 18, 2025

How Earned-Media Insight Turns Marketing Constraint Into Competitor Advantage

Marketing budgets aren’t bouncing back. They’re tightening. Gartner’s latest CMO Spend Survey shows budgets have flatlined at 7.7% of company revenue, the same level as last year. Every rand now needs to prove its value.

That’s why more marketing leaders are turning to competitor intelligence by using earned-media data to see what’s working in the market before spending a cent. Instead of guessing, teams can base decisions on what’s already proven to drive attention and sales.

‘You can’t outspend competitors in 2026 but you can outlearn them,’ said Joe Hamman, Director at Novus Group. ‘That’s what competitor intelligence does. It helps teams see where others are winning attention, so you can move faster, spend smarter, and plan with confidence.’

Media monitoring isn’t just about tracking mentions or managing crises anymore. It’s about understanding the stories, keywords, and journalists shaping your category and using that insight to guide marketing, product, and PR strategy.

The analysis can identify the stories and topics competitors are owning, shows which journalists and channels drive the most impact, and reveals how your visibility, sentiment, and share of voice compare across traditional and digital media.

According to Grand View Research, global demand for media-monitoring tools is growing rapidly as businesses use them for competitive intelligence, not just reputation tracking. The market is expected to grow from $5.41 billion in 2024 to more than $16 billion by 2032, driven by the need for cost-efficient, data-led decisions.

Companies using structured competitor insight have seen conversion rates improve by more than 20% within a year, as sales and marketing teams align around data instead of assumptions.

In real estate, tracking global development and property trends helps South African firms localise emerging ideas before rivals do. In service or product businesses, media analysis exposes where competitors are shifting from product-led to service-led models which are insights that can guide pricing, messaging, and future positioning.

When done right, media monitoring pays for itself through avoided mistakes, smarter content, and faster response times.

‘In tough economic conditions, insight beats spend,’ Hamman added. ‘When you know what competitors are saying — and what’s being said about them — you can plan smarter and avoid expensive missteps.’

NOVUS GROUP
https://novusgroup.co.za/

1st For Women Brand Campaign Shifts From ‘Fearless’ To ‘Freedom’ Focus

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Modern Marketing

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November 18, 2025

Jill Mulligan and Seugnette van Wyngaard, 1st for Women.

Across many brands, women are often spoken to through their belongings – their cars, their clothes, their things. When women themselves are highlighted, the focus tends to fall on their strength and resilience.

But, the conversations 1st for Women held with women around the country revealed something deeper: women don’t want to feel they must show strength to be taken seriously. They want to be recognised as whole, able to be soft and bold, ambitious and tired, playful and serious, all at once.

That understanding shapes Her first, then her every thing, the brand’s new campaign and direction. It starts with the woman herself: her needs, her limits and her contradictions, and then moves to everything she values and wants protected. It isn’t about redefining her; it’s about lifting her up and supporting her with the same honesty and empathy she brings to the rest of her life.

The Power Of Being Seen

The new direction is rooted in findings from the Her and Now: Insights into the Women of South Africa 2025 report, which reveals a notable gap in how women feel represented. Nearly half (46.5%) of the women surveyed said they feel only ‘somewhat’ seen by brands. This reflects a broader desire for recognition.

‘The invisibility crisis among women isn’t just about representation, it’s about recognition of their full humanity,’ said Jill Mulligan, Head of Marketing at 1st for Women Insurance. ‘Women are tired of being seen only through the lens of their productivity or their caregiving roles. They want to be seen first as themselves before being defined by what they do for others.’

The new tagline, ‘Her first, then her every thing’, responds directly to this. It centres the woman’s first-hand experience before celebrating the many roles she plays and the responsibilities she carries in her family, work and community.

The research showed that women’s relationship with the idea of fearlessness has evolved. With the accelerating pace of modern life, what once felt energising now feels heavier for many. Women told us that they are constantly being seen as the one who ‘keeps it all together’, even when life is demanding. They still value strength, but want room to rest and the freedom to show softness or uncertainty without feeling they have let anyone down.

The Data Shows That:

– 67% of women feel expected to hold everything together daily.
– 96% of women say the right to exhale matters as much as the drive to achieve.

More than 4000 women contributed to the research. Many described the same contradiction: they feel strong, but they are worn down by being expected to be strong all the time. They are capable, but they are carrying too much. 1st for Women’s move from Fearless to Freedom reflects this shift. It acknowledges that strength and ease can co-exist, that peace is as important as power, and that resilience does not always look like toughness.

Showing The Mental Load, Honestly

The campaign brings the mental load to life by dramatising the constant invasion of women’s headspace. The protagonist Katlego’s car won’t start. When she messages her family chat group, people from all her various chats suddenly appear around her. They talk over one another, a physical expression of being bombarded by different voices and expectations. The chaos settles only once the 1st for Women Guardian Angel on Call steps in.

The stills extend the idea. Various women are beautifully photographed standing on raised pink podiums, visually lifted above the demands and objects that fill their days: her family, pet, her household possessions, her car, demonstrating that while her ‘every thing’ is valued and protected, she remains ‘Her first’.

Radio layers messaging group pings and overlapping voice notes to recreate the same sense of overload before the brand voice cuts through. Out-of-home and digital channels maintain the same visual language of elevation, keeping the woman at the centre of the frame, not lost behind the noise of everyday life.

Mulligan concluded; The ‘Her first, then her every thing’ campaign is a declaration that we see her. We cover everything she values after putting her first. We’re saying: ‘We got her because we get her’.’

1ST FOR WOMEN
https://www.firstforwomen.co.za/

Tips For Effective 2025 Black Friday Emails

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Modern Marketing

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November 18, 2025

Tips For Effective 2025 Black Friday Emails

Black Friday is one of the busiest times in the inbox. To stand out without overwhelming customers, businesses need to balance relevance, urgency, and value. The smartest brands are rethinking promotional mailers through tested strategies and data-driven personalisation. Everlytic have some tips for your business for 2025’s Black November.

Collaborative Partnerships

Co-branded rewards – from complimentary coffees via medical aids to travel perks through banks – boost engagement by tapping into shared value propositions. Partnering with non-competing brands expands reach and enhances perceived value.

Community And Belonging

Messages that emphasise membership (‘member-only benefits’, ‘VIP access’) foster emotional loyalty. Position offers as part of belonging to an inner circle, not just another sale.

Urgency And Scarcity

Time-sensitive prompts (‘limited time only’, ‘offer ends soon’) create immediate motivation. They tap into people’s tendency to procrastinate and drive faster action.

Prestige And Exclusivity

Eligibility-based framing (‘exclusively for you’, ‘first priority access’) adds desirability by implying selectivity. The more special the recipient feels, the stronger the pull.

Ownership Framing

Present rewards as already belonging to the recipient (‘your discount is waiting’). This taps into loss aversion – customers don’t want to forfeit what’s ‘already theirs’.

Abundance Messaging

Language like ‘boost your rewards’ or tiered benefits signals generosity and encourages repeat participation. Customers are more likely to return when they feel rewarded for loyalty.

Hyper-Personalisation Drives Results

The strongest Black Friday mailers don’t just broadcast offers, they reflect what each customer has already shown interest in. Personalise beyond first names. Reference products customers browsed, clicked, or added to cart, and highlight if those exact items are now discounted or nearly sold out.

Segment by purchase history, so sportswear buyers receive activewear deals and décor lovers see curated décor-only picks. Dynamic content blocks can automate this, serving different banners and product grids to different users. For lapsed subscribers, craft win-back nudges like: ‘We’ve saved your favourites – and they’re finally on sale.’ Geo-personalisation and send-time optimisation further sharpen relevance.

Design And Readability Ensure Clarity

The best-performing Black Friday mailers use short sentences, bullet points, and clear subheadings. Average readability scores sit around 64 on the Flesch-Kincaid scale – easy enough for broad audiences to skim, yet sharp enough to convey value. Step-by-step redemption instructions reduce friction and drop-off.

Implications and recommendations for your business:

– Audit your current Black Friday emails against these themes to identify gaps.

– Refine subject lines and pre-headers: test urgency, exclusivity, or ownership-style phrasing. Use exclamation marks and emojis sparingly for greater impact.

– Surface previously engaged products in personalised grids and remind customers of their past browsing behaviour.

– Streamline redemption with numbered steps and one-click vouchers tied to customer profiles.

– Explore brand alliances to introduce added-value perks beyond discounts. Consider tiered reward structures to encourage repeat engagement throughout the holiday season.

– Reinforce high-value emails with short, personalised SMS or WhatsApp nudges.

EVERLYTIC
everlytic.co.za

Rethinking Creative Awards For Real-World Impact

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Modern Marketing

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November 18, 2025

Rethinking creative awards for real-world impact — Darren Morris, Lucky Hustle.

Darren Morris, CEO of Lucky Hustle, says that every year, the advertising and marketing industry turns its gaze toward awards season. But as the lights dim and the hashtags fade, one can’t help but ask if we’re celebrating the right things.

Seasoned ad man Dean Oelschig’s recent LinkedIn post about the state of industry awards struck a chord precisely because it dares to ask that uncomfortable question: have we lost the plot? Are awards still a measure of creative excellence, or have they become an echo chamber rewarding those who play the system best?

I know how much awards matter. They build careers and attract clients. But perhaps it’s time to separate recognition from relevance. If creativity’s purpose is to move people — emotionally, behaviourally or commercially — then our awards should reflect that impact, not just the craft of the case study.

Recognising Work That Matters

Awards themselves aren’t the problem. Recognition can be a powerful motivator. The issue lies in what we choose to recognise. Too often, teams design campaigns for juries that disconnect from real-world effectiveness, polished and poignant on paper yet invisible in the lives of the people they claim to influence.

True creative excellence comes from relevance, resonance, and results. Did the work help sell a product or service? We should ask this question not just in judging rooms but in our agencies and boardrooms too. We can’t claim to celebrate creativity if we’re not also measuring its impact.

But How Effective Was It, Really?

There’s also the matter of storytelling. More and more, the case study video becomes more compelling than the campaign itself. We’ve created a sub-genre of ‘award-winning narratives’ filled with cinematic music, slow-motion footage, familiar arcs, and cherry-picked stats. It’s polished theatre but often detached from the messy, measurable reality of brand impact.

We can do better. Let’s tell the stories of creativity that mattered — the ones that drove a sales uptick, uplifted communities, or redefined what brands could stand for. When we redefine how we measure success, we not only elevate the work but also restore credibility to the system that celebrates it.

Is There A Cheat Code?

Is there a cheat code for awards? It often feels that way. Each year, we see campaigns that moved culture, sparked headlines and ticked every aesthetic box walk away with trophies. While the quietly brilliant ones, the campaigns that actually shifted market share and sales, changed behaviour or delivered measurable impact, barely get a mention. Have we created a system that rewards storytelling about results more than the results themselves? In chasing ‘feel good’, are we overlooking the kind of work that truly moves the needle for clients?

Reimagining For Real Impact

At its best, recognition should lift the industry. It should inspire young creatives to push boundaries and not intimidate them into thinking awards are reserved for a privileged few. It should remind clients that creativity isn’t a gamble but a business multiplier. And it should unite agencies around purpose, not politics.

The call isn’t to dismantle awards, but to reimagine them. To shift the spotlight from those who present well-knit case studies to those who change the most. To celebrate not just the idea, but the effect of the idea.

The next frontier for our industry isn’t about who wins. It should be about what the winning work means for people, for brands, and for the world around us. Creativity thrives on impact and imagination. I think our awards should, too.

LUCKY HUSTLE
https://luckyhustle.co.za

Mazda Launches SA’s First Bubble Billboard

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Modern Marketing

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November 17, 2025

Mazda Launches SAs First Bubble Billboard

Mazda South Africa has unveiled its Bubble Billboard in Menlyn, Pretoria. The first-of-its-kind installation releases real bubbles into the air, inviting people to pause, look up, and feel something. The billboard, which forms part of Mazda’s ‘The Feeling Will Find You’ campaign, captures the magic of Mazda’s new generation design philosophy, one that is less about mechanics and more about emotion, connection, and joy.

The sight of bubbles floating across the sky isn’t just playful; it’s a reminder of how driving a Mazda makes people feel: light, free, and wonderfully alive. ‘We wanted to create something that doesn’t just tell people what Mazda stands for but lets them experience it. The Bubble Billboard is more than an ad, it’s a feeling. It’s that little spark of wonder you get behind the wheel of a Mazda where design, emotion, and experience come together to make every drive something you feel,’ said Deolinda da Costa, Head of Marketing and Communications at Mazda Southern Africa.

Positioned at Menlyn, one of the country’s busiest retail and commuter zones, the installation has become a talking point for passersby who are met with a surreal yet simple display of wonder. With each bubble released, Mazda’s creative message comes to life, reminding us that sometimes, it’s the smallest moments that move us most.

Following its success in Menlyn, the bubbles will continue to spread joy this summer, moving to Sandton (Winnie Mandela Drive) in December and Melville/Franklin Roosevelt Park, Johannesburg (facing traffic travelling from Northcliff, Cresta and Linden) in January. Each stop invites South Africans to pause, look up, and find the wonder in everyday moments just as Mazda inspires on every drive.

‘At Mazda, we believe driving isn’t just about getting from A to B, it’s about how it makes you feel. Bubbles are light, fleeting, and joyful much like that first spark of emotion when you sit behind the wheel of a Mazda. That’s what we mean when we say: The Feeling Will Find You,’ added da Costa.

The Bubble Billboard forms part of Mazda’s broader Wonderrrr Awaits communication platform, which encourages South Africans to rediscover the beauty and feeling in everyday moments, from a morning commute to a spontaneous road trip.

As bubbles drift through the Menlyn skyline, they remind us that sometimes, all it takes is a little wonder to turn an ordinary moment into something extraordinary.

It is also worth noting the incredible spirit of partnership shown by JCDecaux, who played a pivotal role in bringing this first-of-its-kind innovation to life. Their team went above and beyond to navigate and resolve any challenges along the way, something that’s bound to happen when creating something entirely new. JCDecaux not only helped find solutions at every step to ensure the project’s success, a true testament to collaboration and creative commitment.

MAZDA
www.mazda.co.za