Durban agency off to a flying start for a strong 2008

James Porter, executive chairman of agency, says, “We are more than halfway through 2008 and we have had a flying start - showing no signs of slowing down. Increasing inflation and interest rates have led to much business doom and gloom, but we kicked off the year with three new prestigious accounts: Durban 2010, Tongaat Hulett Developments (a subsidiary of the Tongaat Hulett Group) and aQuellé.”

The Durban 2010 account includes advertising and public relations. Porter says that while the above-the-line campaign central to the account's success has not yet been given the final go-ahead, the agency has completed numerous 2010-related projects for Durban's Strategic Projects Unit, which heads up the city's 2010 preparations.

Commenting on the Tongaat Hulett Developments account win, the agency's MD, Richard Cassels, says the company employed the agency to create innovative and exciting above- and below-the-line strategies for several projects. The aim is to improve brand awareness and communication. Cassels says the agency currently strategising Bridge City, which he says is a new development that “will revolutionise the way South Africans view development!”

For aQuellé, the agency is handling the mineral water company's 10-year anniversary launch, as well as various product-related projects.

Winning these clients also came on the back of TBWA\Hunt\Lascaris\Durban being voted Objectivity's ‘Best Performing Agency of the Year' for 2007 in the International Agency category and the Build It Group's “National Service Supplier of the Year 2007”. The agency has won the Objectivity award three times within the past four years.

Porter says, “We believe in a partnership approach with our clients, and this has paid off both in terms of the awards we have received and the loyalty of our fantastic client list. Winning various awards over the years has also won us the confidence of our clients.”

The Objectivity award is based on results from an independent survey of clients by Objectivity, South Africa's only perception measurement and management company.

Receiving the Build It Group's “National Service Supplier of the Year” award was of particular importance, as the brand was born in the agency's offices. Says Praveen Inderpersadh, managing director of Tequila, the agency's design arm: “Critical to our success with Build It is the fact that we work with the client as a team, with the common goal of building the brand. We have a thorough understanding of the brand and our client relationship is built on mutual respect and trust - essential ingredients for success.”

A company within the SPAR Group, Build It was launched in 1999 and is the fastest growing hardware group in South Africa.

Porter concludes, “Being a successful agency is not just about winning awards. While these do motivate our team and affirm that we are ‘getting it right', our success comes from a combination of a team of passionate, talented individuals, and a client base that trusts in our ability to deliver the right solutions for their needs.”