At the end of May, VML South Africa ended a ten-year client partnership with Nando's. Losing a client account isn't the kind of news an agency would normally publicise. And – full disclosure – I was in two minds about writing this. But in the case of Nando’s, it feels appropriate, says Jarred Cinman, CEO of VML South Africa.

FNB has been ranked as Africa's top performing financial institution across three categories at the 15th Brand Africa 100: South Africa's Best Brands awards ceremony. FNB has been named the Most Admired Financial Services Brand, Most Admired Banking Brand and Most Admired African Brand Doing Good for Society and the Environment.

This Youth Month, South Africa commemorates the 49^th anniversary of the Soweto Uprising — a moment led by young voices demanding to be heard. Nearly five decades later, the urgency to amplify and act on youth perspectives remains as relevant as ever, says Charlie Wannell, Head of Marketing at Mediamark and AMASA Board Member.  

Brand Finance has released the Africa 200 2025 brand report. According to the report, the top 10 most valuable African brands are all South African, all earning an AAA+ rating, the highest brand strength rating awarded by Brand Finance.

Project Management Institute (PMI) has released a new study which highlights that 97% of respondents faced at least one major campaign challenge in the last year, including: going over budget (55%), overdue deadlines (54%) and constraints on creativity (47%).

The 2025 Financial Mail (FM) AdFocus Awards has opened for entries on Thursday, 12 June and will close on Friday, 15 August. The 2025 theme, 'Creative Capital: Building Agency Value in a Complex World,' reflects the evolution of agencies from creative shops to businesses that build value through strategic and impactful creativity.

Castrol South Africa has launched a road-test campaign, titled 'GTX LOOOOOONG RIDE,' a 10 500 kilometre overland journey from Cape Town to Kenya that puts Castrol GTX engine oil to the test. The campaign brings together storytelling, endurance and purpose. 

Carling Black Label has announced the launch of the Carling Score Predictor — a platform that invites supporters to predict the outcomes of the FIFA Club World Cup and win rewards for their football insight. The launch follows Carling Black Label's announcement as the official beer sponsor of the FIFA Club World Cup and its backing of Mamelodi Sundowns. 

BMW has announced a new addition to its brand campaign: an octopus performing an underwater waltz, powered by a central nervous system. This underwater waltz serves as a metaphor for the systematic workings of BMW's new central control unit, the BMW Heart of Joy.

WPP has partnered with TikTok to integrate Symphony, TikTok's generative AI tools, into WPP Open, its AI-enabled marketing platform. This collaboration gives WPP teams early access to TikTok's innovations, empowering clients to connect with TikTok's audience through content.