Instant Grass sows new seeds

The network is made up of highly connected, brand-savvy individuals (known as grasses) spread throughout key urban areas in South Africa, working in parallel with the Instant Seed network.

Both networks are subject to strict selection criteria and highly involved in the youth culture of the communities they live in. They include DJs, club promoters, bar managers, fashion students and photographers all in their late teens or twenties.

Grasses can inform clients of the latest trends, while seeders are able to credibly insert brands into the market place, from Stellenbosch skateboarders to Sowetan clubbers.

"The most successful brand stories in the youth market are shaped not at board room tables but out on the street. There are many examples of highly successful brands, from basketball shoes to energy drinks, where brands are adopted and adapted by different youth communities in a way never conceived by their manufacturer," said Daniel Beatty, marketing director of Instant Grass.

"Instant Seed is about both understanding this process and kick-starting "buzz", and creating a feeling of ownership about a product or brand. Traditional advertising is increasingly less credible to youth audiences," Beatty commented.

Clients include Lipton Ice Tea; K-Swiss; Distell and Levi Strauss.