Future Proof Mzansi

In this episode of Future Proof Mzansi, we’re discussing sport sponsorships. Sena and Stacy are joined by Kirby Gordon — the familiar voice of FlySafair and the strategic mind behind the airline’s iconic partnerships with SA’s national rugby and cricket teams. Kirby takes us behind the scenes of FlySafair’s journey in sports sponsorship, starting with how the airline first built its credibility th...

In this episode of Future Proof Mzansi, host Sena sits down with Hugh Mitchell, Head of Performance at Ruby Digital, to unpack one of the biggest moments in the retail calendar — Black Friday. Together, they explore how brands can make the most of this high-stakes period. Hugh shares expert insights on how brands can rise above the noise with smart, data-driven campaigns, balance brand building wi...

In this episode of Future Proof Mzansi we discuss how South Africa’s supermarket sector is in the midst of a retail revolution. From online shopping and digital transformation, to rewards and big brand partnerships, the top retailers are moving fast to keep pace with the intentional, value-driven shopper.  Stacy is joined by Stina van Rooyen, Director of Brand at Kantar, who brings the latest...

In this episode of Future Proof Mzansi, we’re joined by Jessica Wheeler, Marketing Director at Nando’s South Africa - one of the country’s most iconic and creatively fearless brands. From bold campaigns and local artist collaborations to balancing cultural commentary with brand responsibility, Jessica shares how Nando’s has kept its distinct voice while evolving with the times. We discuss staying...

In this episode we’re exploring consumer lifestyles, mindsets, and behaviours shaping five key markets in Africa. Sena and Stacy are joined by their Nigerian colleague, Kanayo Bardi to unpack Kantar’s Africa Life 2025 study. This is the first episode on Future Proof Mzansi that truly delves into consumer behaviour in other African markets and what that means for brands. Covering Côte d’Ivoire, Ken...

In this episode we’re chatting to Dean Oelschig, Managing Partner at Halo, the Grand Effie-award-winning agency behind Pineapple Insurance. The episode centres around Out of Home (OOH) advertising, but focuses on why creativity is critical to the success of any campaign—no matter the media channel. The discussion explores the power of building brand awareness, producing memorable and effective cam...

In this episode we wanted to talk about township marketing but our guest very quickly expressed his frustration with the term. We’re joined by Donald Mokgale, MD of MoyaApp, Director of Hibirism, and co-author of Introducing Hibirism: A Guide to Black Cultural Nuance, who explained that the term negates consumers’ multifaceted lived experiences. We kick things off with Donald sharing his journey f...

In this episode of Future Proof Mzansi, we chat to Julie-Anne Walsh, CMO of South Africa’s leading e-commerce platform, Takealot.com. The discussion revolves around the critical role of customer experience in brand building, particularly in the context of South Africa's e-commerce landscape.  The conversation highlights the importance of retaining customers through exceptional service and inn...

World Consumer Rights Day takes place on 15 March, and the theme for 2025 is ‘a just transition to sustainable lifestyles’. This year the focus is on how it's essential that sustainable and healthy choices for consumers are made more available, accessible, and affordable. With this in mind, host Sena invited her colleague William Stubbings to join her in studio, to discuss the pivotal role of mark...

In our season three premiere, Sena and Stacy are joined by Paulo Dias, Head of Audio Innovation at Ultimate Media and co-founder of the South African Podcasters Guild, to discuss the local podcasting landscape.  The conversation covers the growth of podcasting in SA and what drove its explosion over the last few years. They look into the challenges of discoverability and how content creators...

In this episode Stacy and Sena delve into the critical subject of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), drawing insights from Kantar's Brand Inclusion Index. They’re joined by Zinzi Mgolodela,  Director of Corporate Social Justice at Woolworths, and Amit Nanoo, Human Centric Growth Strategist at Kantar, to discuss the importance of authentic representation and inclusion in brands. They disc...

In this episode of Future Proof Mzansi, hosts Natalie and Sena discuss how South Africans are finding creative ways to make their money go further, particularly in light of rising costs of living. They explore the concept of 'value hacking' where consumers seek to maximise value from brands through rewards programmes and strategic spending. They’re joined by Kelly Goldsworthy, Head of Live Better...

In this episode Sena is joined by her colleague Tesh to hear from Brent Lindeque, one of South Africa’s most loved influencers. Before diving into the importance of influencer marketing, Brent tells our hosts all about how he came to be known as the Good Things Guy - sharing his journey from starting a viral social media trend, to becoming a leading voice in good news and influencer marketing.&nbs...

In this episode we’re tackling artificial intelligence - a huge topic at the moment. Our guest is Riaan van Wyk, a creative director at Ogilvy South Africa, and we’re chatting about the use of AI in marketing and research. Riaan talks about the evolution of AI since he first started working as a creative, and how quickly it has progressed over the last couple of years. He shares examples of campai...

In this episode, Sena teams up with Kantar’s Natalie Otte to address the important topic of sustainability. They’re joined by two guests from HEINEKEN Beverages, to discuss the role that marketing plays in future proofing brands and helping people live more sustainably. Eric Leong Son is responsible for driving Heineken Beverages' sustainability strategy, while Kayla Hendricks, is a senior brand m...

In this episode we turn our attention to Gen Z - the digital-first generation that many marketers are still learning to connect with. Stacy and Sena chat to Anesu Malisa, Samsung Africa’s Gen Z Marketing Lead, and Yasmin Kathoria, head of Brand Growth Strategy at Kantar.  We discuss the importance of connecting with Gen Z, the characteristics and values of these consumers, and effective marke...

In this episode Stacy and Sena chat about all things digital - specifically what goes into creating viral, award-winning campaigns. They’re joined in studio by Mike Sharman, the founder and chief creative officer of Retroviral, a creative comms agency that has made more brands go viral globally, than any other agency in Africa. Mike shares his journey to starting his agency over 14 years ago and h...

Load shedding may be temporarily suspended but it’s only a matter of time until it once again rears its ugly head. In this episode of Future Proof Mzansi, Sena and Stacy discuss the ever present struggle of getting the most out of media investments in a time of load shedding. They are joined by two experts in the field, to offer different perspectives on navigating this complex environment. B...

In this episode we take a trip down memory lane and look at the South African ‘ads that made us’. We’re joined in the virtual studio by Saiesh Ajudhiya, Kantar South Africa’s Head of Media and Creative to discuss some of the best ads in the country from the last few decades and what made them so successful. Saiesh brings years of creative experience in both agency and brand roles, and a personal l...

As a follow up to our thought provoking season opener, Stacy and Sena go deeper on successful creative by discussing how to appeal to audiences from different demographics. They sit down with Kantar South Africa’s very own creative celebrity, Natalie Botha, to try to understand how socio economic factors and diversity can impact the success of an ad. Natalie is well known in the local market for l...

In our debut episode we chat to a legend in the industry about what goes into successful creative. Artwell Nwaila is the head of creative for Google South Africa and is well-known in the industry for always learning, experimenting and trying out new things. He has experience in Fine Arts, Publishing, Advertising, Photography, TV and Tech, and over the last few years has focused on data and how tha...