brand building
Local ad agencies have an edge
TBWA\Worldwide’s global chief creative officer, Chris Garbutt, believes local ad agencies are well placed to capitalise on the new demands facing brands, given the country’s divided past and better understanding of humanity
Advertising generated in SA will continue to increase its global footprint, says Chris Garbutt, global chief creative officer at TBWA\Worldwide. And he should know, having spent his formative years in the business at TBWA\Hunt\Lascaris as an art director before taking on the bigger job, succeeding another South African, John Hunt.Garbutt was in SA for a fleeting visit and, speaking to the FM, said that as brand building became more difficult and more competitive in a continually fragmenting world, ethics would become the new currency."Brands that understand human needs [and] societal tensions and have real empathy will inevitably set themselves apart."To that end, he said, SA’s deeply divided past and challenging present give ad agencies something real and visceral to work with, suggesting that South Africans understand "humanity" better than anyone else, and that often shines through in the advertising work the country produces.Garbutt believes that in a world of US President Donal...
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