A nod from the Bookmarks Awards for REDD’S Africa.
When SoulProviders launched as a Content and Digital agency they couldn’t have foreseen what the future held a mere two years down the line. The big dreams and consistent hard work have culminated in recognition by the Digital industry’s most prestigious awards. SoulProviders is proud to announce that one of their online flagship brands REDD’S Africa, under their Africa Desk division, has been nominated in this year’s Bookmarks Awards in theBest brand/company category. REDD’S Africa client Langa Khanyile – Category Expansion Manager – AFB’s & Spirits, SABMiller Africa – had this to say about working with the agency SoulProviders. “When I challenged the SoulProviders team to reach 100k FB fans by the end of F14 it was an audacious goal that I considered to be unachievable by most. As it stands, not only are we fast becoming the biggest REDD’S community in the world, in one month, we were able to interact with 1 million consumers across the continent; more remarkable is the high engagement levels you will see on our page vs peer pages – which speaks to the relevancy and resonance of the content that is posted by the SoulProviders team –they just get our consumers, more than this, they are able to get them to go into outlets and purchase REDD’S by letting them know where it is available in their neighborhoods – no billboard can do that for you. Our unified vision is “one Redd’s, one Africa, one million hectolitres” – digital remains a key part of ensuring this vision is realised. All the markets where digital is employed have posteddoubledigitgrowth” The Chief-Firestarter of SoulProviders,Sarah-Jane Bodenhad this to add,“Really chuffed that REDD’S Africa is our first ever Bookmarks shortlist, it’s a passion project for us, where we have bravely ventured with our client into new territories, doing our best to bring an authenticity to pan-African storytelling on behalf of an exciting brand. We’re delighted the judges gave a nod to our efforts. We’re a small content and digital agency and being up there with all the legendary big guys is a big compliment for us. Represent!” This article wouldn’t be complete without hearing from Thina Mazulu who said “We’re so thrilled about the nomination & would like to raise our REDD’S ( 🙂 I couldn’t resist) to the Bookmarks judges for the vote of confidence. We’d also like to extend a big thank you to our clients for trusting us with sharing the brand with the continent. Holding thumbs for that award” Here’s to work with soul. Cheers. A special “Thank You” goes to all the REDD’S Africa team members. Looking forward to seeing this brand soar to greater heights: Kenya:...
The women of SoulProviders.
Allow me to open this post with words from Aibileen Clark from the motion picture The Help “You is kind. You is smart. You is important” The women here at SoulProviders took to the two popular social networks #Facebook and #Twitter to share their opinions on a question posed by Represent’s editor, Bheki Khoza. “In your opinion, Looking at 2013, have the woman of 1956 achieved their set goals when it comes to woman’s progress? ” After a week of creative analysis on the question mashed with a tint of femininity, these brave sisters returned with their opinions guns blazing they all focused on the diverse progress women have achieved in the last 5 decades. Read their stand points on the subject below. Sarah-Jane Boden – SoulProviders Chief Firestarter. @sisiwami “As an entreprenette & founder of SoulProviders, a proudly female-majority business, I know for sure that every woman I work with at SoulProviders has the brightest of futures and that every day the exemplary work they produce only forges us further forward. I thank the brave women of 1956 for paving the way for us to get out of the kitchen and into the boardroom. Onwards and upwards!” . Vanessa Hilton-Barber. Managing Editor –Digital PR and Content – @VanessaHB10 “While I think the 20 000 amazingly brave women who marched to the Union Buildings in Pretoria 57 years ago would be astonished by the unexpectedly smooth transition South Africa has made into democracy, and the freedom that women in our country have today, they would still have plenty to march about in terms of health and education – but we’ll get there!” . Khumo Ntoane Content Researcher and Resident Nerd @khumoyachaba “I tend to shy away from words such as PROGRESS because they are linear and stagnant. I think women’s lib is still far from being achieved because we look at it as a movement that’s only for women. Although there have been numerous shifts in women’s roles in society they need to be a lot more common and widely accepted without leaving men behind or feeling disempowered. i.e. it should be natural to identify women as Leaders, inventors, homemakers, scientists’ etc. not just as women-leaders, women-inventors etc.” . Nokwanda Zakiyyah Shabangu Content Manager @NokShabangu “Politically speaking, the Women of 1956 ignited the movement in the right direction. With 9 women in Parliament as ministers, in 2013 it is safe to say that we have begun to transform our views about the roles Women ought to play. Socially speaking, the Women of 1956 did what they could but on a larger scale our generation still lacks the open-mindedness to be conscious...
I Create We Create.
It is not everyday in South Africa where you come across young people gathering to foster a new way of living and successfully giving it their all to achieve their goals. Recently we teamed up with the feisty and talented Thinz who attended the #ICWC2013 conference held in Newtown to bring us up to speed, in her own words.This is what she observed, a good article for creatives at large. The transformation debate in the South African creative industry is one that’s going to go on for a long, long time. What a pleasure it was then to see one (of many) individuals who’s decided to take it upon himself to contribute towards turning this situation around. Banele, a guy we consider to be the epitome of a hustler here at the Represent offices, literally had to pull rabbits out of hats to put together what we consider to be the most inspiring workshop we’ve had the pleasure of being invited to. Having identified a gap (the size of the rift valley) between creatives with skills to offer and creative agencies desperately in need of talent, he facilitated an event that brought the two parties under one roof. On a cold winter Saturday morning, in a venue so nondescript it has to be one of Joburgs best secrets, the 1st of many I Create We Create events got underway. Hosted by a guy who – in my opinion has to be the funniest comedian right now – Donovan Goliath, the room began to buzz with inspiring speaker after speaker as creatives from a wide range of disciplines – photography, graphic design and writing – absorbed inspiration for how to make it in the dog-eat-dog world of living your creative dreams in the city of gold. All the speakers had nothing but gems to contribute. Sarah Jane Boden of SoulProviders started the show by sharing her learnings from being a small and growing content business. Shy-guy (he said it) Green Robot CEO Kgomotso Mautloa told his story of a start- stop journey to the top. A story that inspired many young people who could identify with him because he’s young and, like many of us, was at some point overwhelmed with the feeling of being directionless in his life. Then there was copy guru Mbulelo Nhlapho who blew everybody away with his portfolio of creative work that has cleaned up at awards shows across the globe. We often never take the time to think that behind the great advertising messages and stories we see out there, sure there’s the brand they represent, but behind it there are actual people who graft for hours,...
We will be back!
