This year’s Nedbank IMC Conference took place in September at Urban Brew Studios, Johannesburg, and welcomed experts in marketing, media and more from around the world. As an official bursary partner, Red & Yellow was honoured to participate in the conference and give our BCom Marketing bursary student Anganathi Beyile a platform to address attendees and those tuning in from home. His presentation was packed with inspiration, lessons and heart, as he took us through his personal story and let us know what drives his passions. 

If you missed this year’s prestigious Nedbank IMC Conference, you can catch up with BCom student Anganathi’s presentation below.

Anganathi brought attention to how young people in South Africa perceive brands. Through the lens of his BCom Marketing at Red & Yellow, he unpacked how there are brands that jump on social movements and take a stance without actually understanding what that movement means and whether their values align with their brand purpose.

“According to global research company Euromonitor, 30% of Gen Z consumers make purchase decisions based on brands’ social and political beliefs, while 24% boycott brands that don’t share their beliefs,” he says. “We as consumers connect with brands that have an identity, and a personality, so naturally, we tend to see the brands that we love as permanent fixtures in our lives mirroring the social relationships we share with other human beings. We see ourselves in these brands so what they stand for is incredibly important especially when we share those same beliefs.”

Anganathi also spoke to how marketers can do a better job of crafting messages and moments that appeal to the things that make us similar, not those that make us different. He thought back to images of Francois Pienaar handing over the World Cup trophy to Nelson Mandela, and John Smit handing the trophy to Thabo Mbeki, where people from all walks of life united by a common cause and vision for a better South Africa. “The messages we share with our audiences should aim to unify us and not divide us. Of course, this is not easy, if it was I wouldn’t be having this conversation.”

The annual Nedbank IMC Conference is Africa’s foremost integrated marketing conference. This conference has more CMOs, senior marketers and agency leaders attending than any other in Africa and is relevant to anyone in the business of communication.

Now in proud partnership with The Effie Awards South Africa – the world’s preeminent marketing effectiveness award – the Nedbank IMC is presented in association with MASA, in collaboration with the ACA, in partnership with the DMASA and is endorsed by the IAB.

As a driver of social upliftment and transformation, Red & Yellow provides not only financial access to underprivileged students to attend our world-class institution, but direct access to industry from day one. And with 93% of students finding employment by the time they graduate, we’re also driving youth employment and kickstarting fulfilling careers.

These benefits extend beyond just our students. Their families and communities benefit too, as do the Advertising, Communication and Design industries by having access to young talent with fresh perspectives. The end result is a more diverse, more creative and more exciting creative world.

We educate for impact. Red & Yellow is both privileged and duty bound to deliver real education for impact both within the sectors and businesses we work with, and to the future prosperity of South Africa.

We’re fiercely proud of our bursary programme, and our bursary students, and we’re delighted to partner with Nedbank IMC Conference to encourage more businesses to partner with us to develop the next generation of Changemakers, Innovators and Creators from disadvantaged backgrounds.