PODCAST | The connected brand: advertising in 2025
George Chen, head of strategy at Avatar Agency Group, joins Mudiwa Gavaza
05 March 2025 - 14:09
by Mudiwa Gavaza
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George Chen. Head of strategy at Avatar Agency Group. Picture: SUPPLIED.
The state of advertising and brand building in SA is the focus of this edition of Business Day Spotlight.
Joining host Mudiwa Gavaza is George Chen, head of strategy at Avatar Agency Group, to discuss the local media, advertising and whether the communications industry can pull its weight when it comes to competing globally.
With offices in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban, Avatar is said to be the largest black-owned agency in SA. Its clients include the SA Revenue Service, Edgars, H&M, Telkom, Nokia, and Johnson & Johnson.
Join the discussion:
A few weeks ago the Competition Commission released a provisional report recommending that Google compensate the media industry to the value of R300m to R500m annually for three to five years. That would be a welcome boost for SA’s ailing traditional media houses where revenues have all but dried up over the past decade as a result of the rise of technology platforms and shifting consumer behaviour.
Chen speaks about how strategy can be used to not only increase a brand’s voice, but also bolster performance levels for brands within particular industries. He also discusses the potential impact of AI-generated content on the industry.
Tied to this are concerns regarding user privacy.
Other topics of discussion include: the state of advertising in SA in the face growing AI use; the growth of the digital economy and its impact on advertising; challenges faced by creative businesses; and an outlook for the industry.
Chen also talks about innovations to look out for in the industry in 2025, both in the technology and business side of things.
Business Day Spotlight is a MultimediaLIVE Production.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
BUSINESS DAY SPOTLIGHT
PODCAST | The connected brand: advertising in 2025
George Chen, head of strategy at Avatar Agency Group, joins Mudiwa Gavaza
The state of advertising and brand building in SA is the focus of this edition of Business Day Spotlight.
Joining host Mudiwa Gavaza is George Chen, head of strategy at Avatar Agency Group, to discuss the local media, advertising and whether the communications industry can pull its weight when it comes to competing globally.
With offices in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban, Avatar is said to be the largest black-owned agency in SA. Its clients include the SA Revenue Service, Edgars, H&M, Telkom, Nokia, and Johnson & Johnson.
Join the discussion:
A few weeks ago the Competition Commission released a provisional report recommending that Google compensate the media industry to the value of R300m to R500m annually for three to five years. That would be a welcome boost for SA’s ailing traditional media houses where revenues have all but dried up over the past decade as a result of the rise of technology platforms and shifting consumer behaviour.
Chen speaks about how strategy can be used to not only increase a brand’s voice, but also bolster performance levels for brands within particular industries. He also discusses the potential impact of AI-generated content on the industry.
Tied to this are concerns regarding user privacy.
Other topics of discussion include: the state of advertising in SA in the face growing AI use; the growth of the digital economy and its impact on advertising; challenges faced by creative businesses; and an outlook for the industry.
Chen also talks about innovations to look out for in the industry in 2025, both in the technology and business side of things.
Business Day Spotlight is a MultimediaLIVE Production.
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