Charl Nel, previously of 9November and Daddy Buy Me a Pony, hasn't even properly launched his new agency to the industry yet, and his team walked away with the Pendoring equivalent of a Grand Prix – the Prestige overall winner on the night for Media24 Son newspaper's radio campaign. Its awards tally included: Gold in the TV category: ATKV TV; Silver in the TV Category: ATKV TV; Gold in the Radio category: SON Radio Campaign; and Gold: Original Afrikaans work for ATKV's campaign.
Speaking to Bizcommunity.com over Facebook last night, Sunday 9 September, Nel said 2Buffels was an agency that worked on the same structure as the IT industry – as a more collaborative model than an agency structure.
An ecstatic Nel said there was no doubt that their Pendoring wins would help to put the agency out there as an alternative creative shop. “We actually launched ourselves at the Pendorings without intending it…!”
He explains his business model as working magic with budgets for big or small clients. “From a business perspective we simply want to build this new way of doing business in the ad industry (a collaborative model of people getting together for specific projects in a less informal way than an 8 – 5 job) as a viable alternative to the bigger agencies and the frustration that go along with dealing with them.
“Secondly, from a creative perspective we want to create an environment where people work together on projects and do what they do best and what they LIKE doing. This ‘like doing' is important. Because if you like doing what you do and you do it in your environment that you are fond of, you are going to do it better and that's what we are trying to achieve. Technology makes it possible for us to sit anywhere and work together like the Googles and Yahoos of this world.
“Advertising is a craft – one doesn't buy your most exquisite pieces in your home at a retail chain shop – you search for it and you find it in unknown and unexpected places – that is what we want to be about: exquisite work and brands in a boutique environment.“
He concludes: “The wonderful thing of winning these Pendorings is the fact that no-one knew about 2Buffels and what we do so it was purely the work that was judged and that makes the win so much more profoundly overwhelming for ourselves. We are very very excited about what it says about our work and what the future may hold!”
Currently, apart from Nel who is the MD, 2Buffels consists of: Stefanus Nel, creative director: concepts; Linette Retief, creative director: copy; Marcelle Labuschagne, art director; Sarita Immelman, art director; James Gray, creative director: online.
