WPP has been selected by Heineken® as its global shopper marketing and commerce partner for the Heineken® brand portfolio, including Heineken®, Heineken® 0.0 and Heineken® Silver. This expands WPP's relationship with Heineken® and underscores its leadership in delivering innovative, AI-powered marketing solutions at scale.

First National Bank, a partner of SA Rugby and the Springboks since 2017, has announced the deepening of its relationship by becoming the principal partner of the Springbok teams, with the FNB logo taking front and centre of the teams' jerseys.

Angus Hamilton-Morris, Client Services Director at DarkMatter, provides a behind-the-scenes look at what 100 workshops with CEOs, CMOs and Brand Managers have taught him and why this might just change the way individuals play the 'advertising board game'.

WARC has released the Global Ad Spend Outlook 2025 / 26 — Quarter 1 Update. The study has found that global advertising spend is now on course to grow 6.7% this year to USD$1.15-trillion, a downgrade of almost one percentage point (pp) from WARC's November forecast due to growing market volatility. A further cut of 0.7pp has been applied to 2026, downrating growth to 6.3%.

Fossil fuels — coal, gas and oil — are the main drivers of climate change, leading to severe consequences for South Africa. The advertising and PR industry should be mindful of the enormous power it holds to make a positive move, by taking a stand against fossil fuel advertising, says Bradly Howland, CEO of Alkemi Collective. 

The Absa Group Marketing and Corporate Affairs office has announced senior leader appointments as it continues to create a high-performing brand, marketing and communications team. 

Google has announced the launch of the YouTube Works Awards. These awards celebrate the most impactful and innovative advertising campaigns across 15+ markets, and for the first time, it is being brought to South Africa.

Tech brands are currently facing new challenges in content and digital marketing. That is why Saads Abrahams from media update spoke to Judith Middleton, the CEO at DUO, for her valuable insights on how to navigate them.

Salesforce has released its latest Connected Shoppers Report. According to the report, Gen Z is fueling a social shopping explosion, with 39% now having purchased and 76% having discovered products on social media platforms.

HOT 102.7FM has announced that it has received two shortlist nominations for the 2025 New York Festivals Radio Awards in the United States. The station has also been recognised in the New York Festivals TV & Film Awards, in the Corporate Image — Corporate Social Responsibility, Not for Profit category for the 2024 'Hot Cares Christmas'.