Black-owned advertising agencies across Mzansi have joined forces to launch ‘The Black Agencies Network Association [BANA]’. The association will officially launch on 4 August 2022 with a black-tie event dinner in Sandton.
What the organisation is all about?
BANA is set to become the collaborative voice for the marginalised, and a new driver and thought leader in accelerating the transformation of the industry through the facilitation of increased black-owned agency participation.
With a combined expertise of over 100 years, the organisations that have joined BANA manage hundreds of millions of rands in communication spend annually, and influence over 50 million South Africans daily on various issues including social cohesion.
According to the founding members of the organisation, black-owned advertising agencies are not enjoying the same treatment and cosy relationship that white-owned ad agencies are having with corporate SA.
Groovin Nchabeleng, co-founder and executive chairman of Blueprint Group and chairperson of BANA said: “Advertising is a mirror of our society, and the industry needs to reflect the communities we operate in. Currently, the industry does not reflect this, hence we give birth to our organisation.”
BANA stated that 98% of marketing budgets from corporate South Africa are directed to the white-owned ad agencies, leaving them in the cold with a hungry stomach. The only work black-owned agencies get is government work and apart from that, they have nothing, it’s a sad state of affairs.
“A key objective of BANA is to help clients leverage their Marketing, Advertising and Communications SA (MAC SA) Charter spend to support our national transformation agenda, by utilising the top resources available via this trusted forum of black-owned agencies,” says Bongani Gosa, founder and CEO of BWD Advertising and vice-chairperson of BANA.
Who are the founding members?
The founding members of BANA include Nchabeleng and Gosa as well as Palesa Gcaba, owner of Altitude Communications and Events, Lufuno Makungo, founder of Ngano Media, Malebo Lesejane, founder and managing partner of Ethno Lab, William Seyama, founder of eNitiate Integrated Solutions, and Boitumelo Mohube, founder of Mohube Media.
For more information visit BANA’s website.
By Rethabile Mohlala – Media Consultant and Brand Strategist
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