New BANA network aims to increase the slice of business for black ad agencies

Groovin Nchabeleng chats to Relebogile about a bigger market share for black agencies. The launch was held at Sandton's IDC.

Listen the conversation in the audio below:

Advertising industry legends have come together to launch a newly formed consortium aimed at ‘increasing the slice of business for black agencies'.

The 100% black-owned forum called the Black Agencies Network Association (BANA) held its launch at Sandton’s Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) on 4 August.

Award-winning advertising guru, Groovin Nchabeleng says the organisation aims to drive transformation in an industry that has remained largely unchanged post-apartheid.

The choice of black agencies is now far greater than it was before. These agencies are truly transformed and 100% black-owned and managed.

Groovin Nchabalang, Chairperson - BANA

The launch of an entity like BANA has been a long time coming as this R50 billion-rand industry has remained untransformed and largely dominated by multinational agencies from other parts of the world

Groovin Nchabalang, Chairperson - BANA

We are doing this launch to collaborate as black agencies, we mentor each other and open up education to offer bursaries.

Groovin Nchabalang, Chairperson - BANA

South African advertising does not reflect the demographics of the country currently, he adds.

It is inconceivable that we have allowed multinationals to subvert local black-owned agencies and tell us about our own stories. We have to finally take the initiative and allow South Africans to tell South African stories.

Groovin Nchabalang, Chairperson - BANA

The event also honoured a host of advertising pioneers that helped transform the industry pre-1994 among them the likes of Peter Vundla, Beatrice Kubheka, Letepe Maisela, and Dimape Serenyane.

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