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A legacy of experience and wisdom
As we approach the end of the year, I find this is a good time for reflection and planning. I start with a review of what we’ve achieved and what we need to do better. This year, I went back a little further and found myself looking at the old advertising my father had done in the 90’s for our agency. 29 Aug 2024 Read more

E+I empowers women in leadership roles
Ebony+Ivory (E+I), the long standing independent integrated agency, is headed by several fearless women taking the lead and making E+I stronger by boosting its growth as an agency, retaining the biggest clients whilst rapidly investing in new business acquisition to grow the agency exponentially. 15 Aug 2024 Read more

The Ebony+Ivory approach to data-driven success
In today's fast-paced digital world, having a robust online presence isn't just beneficial, it's essential. At Ebony+Ivory, we specialise in crafting bespoke digital solutions that are not only data-driven but encompass a 360-degree approach to digital strategy. This means that we are proactive and adaptive; ensuring the delivery of optimal results to meet the ever-evolving digital landscape. From in-depth online research and digital strategy formulation to optimised website development and dynamic social media content creation, we cover all bases to elevate your digital presence. 26 Jul 2024 Read more

Where will your focus be for the rest of 2024? Ours is on creating better customer connections
It’s been a whirlwind start to the year, and I’ve determined that flux is my new buzzword. I’ve moved on from being ‘agile’ to something I believe is more in line with what we need to be, and that is fluid and blended. 24 Jun 2024 Read more

Ebony+Ivory announces new client win: PwC Africa
With an exceptional run of new account wins, Ebony+Ivory is poised for growth both locally and internationally. 23 Feb 2024 Read more

Ebony+Ivory eyes East Africa
Ebony+Ivory Integrated Advertising Agency, a strategic brand reputation consultancy, aims to enter the burgeoning East Africa market for growth. In an interview with Business Day, MD Nombini Mehlomakulu reveals the company’s growth strategy and objectives for 2024. 29 Jan 2024 Read more

Authentic transformation in advertising
Communication agency, Ebony+Ivory announces exciting increase in black female ownership to 51%. 18 Dec 2023 Read more

Solving the multi-agency dilemma for CMOs
Ebony+Ivory is a specialist services agency that combines the expert skills required for each of the myriad of services every marketing company needs under one roof. With our expertise and access to the latest trends and technology, Ebony+Ivory can optimise your campaigns, save you time, money and resources. 16 Nov 2023 Read more

Delivering performance-based marketing
Performance-based marketing is a critical part of any integrated marketing plan but it requires specialist skills and experience to achieve the exceptional results that are possible. 18 Aug 2023 Read more

How different are B2B and B2C customers, truly?
I had an interesting conversation last week about whether a traditionally B2C advertising agency can deliver effectively to a B2B client. I have always thought there was little difference between the services a creative advertising agency should offer a client, regardless of whether they are B2C or B2B. But I did pause to calibrate my response, and I think it's worth sharing for anyone else pondering this question as we continue to see an increase in B2B brands actually investing in brand development. 12 Jul 2023 Read more

Paul Middleton
I recently watched a masterclass from Cesar Vacchiano, global CEO and co-founder of Scopen, on the Agency Scope global trends that have emerged in the past 12 months and which are expected to guide the industry into the future. Of the many interesting trends and insights shared, there was one that truly stood out for me... it was the complexity that CMO's are facing in having to manage 12 or more agency partners. It's a trend that seems to be the norm in the world as well as here at home (in South Africa) right now. I was astonished... Twelve? That's a lot of partners - with a lot of people and a lot of tasks inside each partnership - to manage, control, measure, track, finance and coordinate! 31 May 2023 Read more

Is copywriting still important in advertising?
Admittedly, as the head of a creative agency, this wasn't a question I thought I'd ever have to seriously answer. But the question has surfaced and I'd like to empathically say, YES! copywriting is still important and possibly more important than ever. I can only assume that copywriting is being taken for granted because it is so pervasive in our everyday lives. Copywriting is everywhere. Ads, videos, blogs, books, emails, product descriptions... all copywriting. 9 Feb 2023 Read more

ATL and digital strategists to integrate, not isolate
Neither traditional nor digital media should be seen in isolation in advertising and media strategy, and neither should these media streams be planned or bought as such. Both need to sit around the same table, albeit virtually, to secure strategic integrity and seamless campaign integration. 22 Sep 2022 Read more

Oryx+Crake goes against the grain of vanity metrics and goes for truth in transparency
Oryx+Crake serves brands as transparency truthsayers for digital campaign clout that doesn't cut corners but cuts the creative cloth based on real-time data-driven insight. 1 Jul 2022 Read more

Next generation Ebony+Ivory expands agency in Western Cape
Ebony+Ivory, an agency which delivers campaigns for brands across South Africa and other markets that includes the UK, China, India, and Europe has invested in growth of advertising and media companies and professionals based in the Western Cape, as it launches a new office in the region. 10 Jun 2022 Read more

The metaverse and the rise of homo virtualis
There has been a lot of talk about the metaverse, however, as a concept, it is not fully formed yet and the question remains, what impact will it truly have? 8 Jun 2022 Read more

Rise of brand empathy in a polarised world
Yesterday's boxes can't hold the future. Those vociferously demanding a return to conspicuous consumption, endless motoring, the rollout of urban sprawl and the long-term security of home ownership in bucolic suburbia may have missed a few pointers. 29 Mar 2022 Read more

Move from #DataConfusion to #DataFusion
In this valuable marketing strategy tutorial, renowned South African media coach - Gordon Muller - workshops audience identifying Socio-Economic Measures (SEMs). He maps out aha-moment scenarios to answer the question, "How do we go about finding the right path in our media choices?" He helps marketers figure out how to find the nuggets of audience intelligence in Fusion. 17 Dec 2021 Read more

Free up creative expression
There's #creative freedom in the last three trends that we explore in this week's Creative Curves series grand finale. If you missed the first two blogs in our Ebony+Ivory Design Leadership Series, take a quick click check here. 22 Sep 2021 Read more

Stand out #design skills of spliced visuals
There's #creative fun and then there's the thrill of the chase of #opencreativity briefs. We opened up our brief and challenged our #ImpactPossibilities designers to translate some of this hands-off year's design trends. 16 Aug 2021 Read more

Socioeconomic measures (SEMs) enable marketers to grasp realities for South Africans
History shows that a boom tends to follow a recession. While the uptick may be slow to tick over, when it picks up momentum, it unfurls like the Protea seed after the wildfire. How do you prepare today for a full new bloom? 4 Aug 2021 Read more

Design trends that 'make it pop'
We've got our designs on the trends that move the stylus and your brand position. Follow the Ebony+Ivory Creative Curves Series in which we feature visual creativity techniques to attract and hold the attention of busy minds. 8 Jul 2021 Read more

Media planning that interprets multiple studies to position brands
Category leaders are positioned with pinpoint purpose, not randomly conceived. If there is a home truth that emerges as we reach the fourth lense in the Ebony+Ivory Marketing Segmentation South Africa Series, it is that media agencies must interpret multiple data streams. Their role is to identify which market - specifically - a specific brand can grow its share of category. 28 Apr 2021 Read more

Platform zone: Radio and reading in South Africa
In this second part of our exploration of media platforms, we scan why content reading and listening patterns are important when generating media strategy. 24 Mar 2021 Read more

Data insights: Platforms - value in content mapping and viewing
Moving from silo media planning to content mapping and a 'value in' instead of 'cost out' approach to media procurement. 26 Feb 2021 Read more

Perfect purchasing power ratios
When it comes to effective media segmentation, the feisty film footballer Rod Tidwell's "show me the money" line to his agent Jerry Maguire may resonate with most marketers. As now more than ever, businesses look to their brands to deliver more strategic clout that translates into sales. 10 Feb 2021 Read more

Market segmentation: people and places
South Africans in 2021 - The real socio-economic measure (SEM) reality check 

In this article, we map the geo-flow of households, people and living standards in Mzansi - giving marketers a strategic view of the realities in which South Africans live, move and work. 29 Jan 2021 Read more


The post-Amps landscape: play it as it lies
Mining South Africa's rich vein of marketing and media data to ensure meaningful and addressable media buying and planning decisions. 20 Jan 2021 Read more

2021 - The road to recovery
Generating people-centred insights to drive market recovery and sustainability in South Africa. 12 Jan 2021 Read more

My Kreepy Teacher strikes funny bone, just right, for Kreepy Krauly
Digital times have changed since 2013 when the Kreepy Krauly mockumentary, Kreepy Wrangler went viral but what remains the same is the South African brand of humour - and the power of parody to send a brand into shareable subspace. 20 Oct 2020 Read more

Women in advertising: Talking inspiration at the women's table of leadership
"Each time a woman stands up for herself, without knowing it possibly, without claiming it, she stands up for all other women" - Maya Angelou 13 Aug 2020 Read more

TLC for Lambano + St John Children's Critical Care partnership
When two incredible South African healthcare organisations joined forces to help more critically ill children and their families, Ebony+Ivory was thrilled to be a part of it with logo design, radio production plus media planning and buying help for the combined brand. 7 Jul 2020 Read more

#Covid-19 is a white swan - Ebony+Ivory proves this
The term black swan has been popularised for describing unforeseen events and it has been wrongly used to describe the Covid-19 pandemic. There is another term, white swan, which is more apt for this pandemic. A white swan event is one that we could have seen coming. This is true of Covid-19 as many experts have, for decades, outlined the possibility of a global infection pandemic. In fact, as a species, we have lived through a number of real-life pandemics in our history. 9 Apr 2020 Read more

Ebony + Ivory wins the Sasria account
Ebony + Ivory, South Africa's longest-standing through-the-line agency, has just won the sought-after Sasria account. Sasria is the South African Special Risks Insurance Association, a state-owned company and the only short-term insurer that provides cover to all the people and businesses that have assets in South Africa. 8 Apr 2020 Read more

Ebony + Ivory pulls off Brand SA's Giyani Activation Constitution Awareness Campaign in under a week
During the Giyani Activation Constitution Awareness Campaign, Brand South Africa was promoting freedom of expression and identity using the platform of South African language and the culture of reading. 6 Mar 2020 Read more

SA's #FreshAt50 agency of the future E+I celebrates its 50th anniversary
The 1960s were advertising's coming of age era or perhaps best known for its 'creative revolution'. It was during this time that Paul Middleton Snr launched his agency, followed by a name change in 1989 when Paul David Middleton bought the business and named it Ebony+Ivory, or E+I in corridor talk. 28 Feb 2020 Read more