Black-owned businesses in the marketing and advertising sector are to benefit from the newly launched incubator project by The Creative Counsel (TCC).
The company which is the brainchild of its joint group CEO’s Ran Neu-Ner and Gil Oved is the largest advertising group in South Africa by staff and turnover.
In the first phase of the project, TCC will take five startup businesses under its wing, which will be supported and mentored by the agency’s management team. The startups will incubated until they are well established.
Transformation is key
Neu-Ner and Oved say they hope for the initiative to bring transformation to the brand communication industry.
“We have opened applications for black startups in media, marketing, digital, mobile and activations. We have no interest in taking any equity in the businesses but are passionate about supporting them with the infrastructure and administrative and accounting processes to succeed,” says Neu-Ner.
He adds that the company strongly believes that black-owned business are the future of the industry and much needs to be done to bring change to the face of the industry.
“We believe successful black-owned businesses are the true measure of transformation. For as long as the advertising industry continues to find sophisticated methods of fronting and recycling the few black managers in the industry, economic transformation will not be achieved, at TCC, we hope to confront and hopefully, eradicate this practice and foster true empowerment in the industry,” he says.
He adds that the industry needs to re-look its approach to transformation.
“Getting our black friends to pitch for businesses so we tick the black supplier box does not aid in redressing the economic imbalance. Putting black CEOs in white-owned businesses is not the answer either,” he said.
Knowledge sharing
What the Creative Counsel also hopes to achieve through the initiative is for big companies to work hand in hand with startups in the industry.
Key players in the in the brand communication sector need to invest in smaller players by equipping them with the support needed to help them grow, says Oved.
“Mentorship is absolutely key in this regard to ensure fledgling companies are given the best chance to succeed. You find a lot of small agencies starting up and fizzling out a year or two later because of lack of experience in business management,” he adds.
More than most business sectors in the country, Oved says the advertising industry has “citizens at the core of the business.”
“Advertising accurately reflects the demographics of South Africa as well as the values and aspirations of its people. As such the industry itself has to reflect this and contribute meaningfully to economic transformation in this country,” says Oved.
How to be part of the project
TCC is looking for 100% black-owned businesses in the media, marketing, digital, mobile and activations space, which are currently in operation and are showing positive turnover of under R20 million. Application can be sent through to incubator@creativecounsel.co.za.
