If you had told me 25 years ago that Playmakers would be where it is now, I wouldn’t have believed you. Our founding team was young and had no experience in the sponsorship industry. We had some great ideas but, more importantly, we had the energy and belief that we could disrupt the industry.
We did not have a detailed picture of what the business would become. What we saw was an opportunity in professional sport. It was changing and we believed there was a need for a more emotive approach to how brands could connect with audiences through sponsorships.
We had no substantial clients when we started. In many ways, that was the risk. We were convinced we had something to offer, even if we did not yet know exactly what the journey would look like.
25 years later, Playmakers Sponsorship and Marketing has had the privilege of working with some of South Africa’s most loved brands, such as KFC, adidas, Absa, Betway, MultiChoice and Coca-Cola, to name a few. The agency group employs over 70 staff members, and over the years we have gone on to become a highly awarded agency. We have won the South African Sports Agency of the Year award four times, the AMASA Media Agency of the Year award twice and the coveted Financial Mail Ad-Focus Specialist Agency of the Year award, adding to our recognition as a market leader across the African continent.
When we reflect on the past years, the sponsorship and marketing landscape has continued to evolve. It looks quite different from when we started. There are more channels, more platforms, and more ways for brands to communicate with consumers and now technologies such as AI are changing how the industry operates. Yet, despite all this change, we need to be careful not to lose sight of what has always made great marketing work.
The underdog mentality
In the beginning it was difficult as we had started a business in a sector with no experience or credentials. In 2001, we pitched on adidas. Our pitch was fantastic, with a great execution plan, and I was convinced we would win, but we did not. We had the best thinking, but their marketing leadership felt we lacked experience. That rejection stayed with me. My attitude was very much to prove them wrong and show them what we would do in this industry.
We had a great underdog mentality when we started. We would come up with proactive ideas and sell aggressively into the industry. We had no retainers in place; we were very much as good as the idea we could come up with and sell into the market.
Later that year we pitched an idea around the Springboks called ‘The Springbok Pass’ to Rob Fleming, who was a head of sponsorship with a marketing background at SAB at the time. He backed the idea despite our lack of experience. The campaign was a great success. We went on to win a Raptor Award for sponsorship marketing excellence and helped kick-start our business and our relationship with SAB.
That opportunity was a turning point for the business. Suddenly, I felt we had arrived at the main table. Rob believed in us, took a gamble and gave us the break we needed and the rest is history.
About 10 years later and with brands like Castle, Carling Black Label, KFC, Coca-Cola and Powerade we again pitched on adidas. I was still unhappy they never originally backed us but this time, we won the business. We have had them as a client for almost fifteen years now.
This has taught me a great deal about the grit you need to start an agency. You need to be hungrier and more relentless than your competition. I always felt we had to prove ourselves and the underdog mentality of fighting and being prepared to scrap for business definitely helped our growth in the industry.
Less is more
There are so many ways to communicate with fans and consumers today that it can be tempting to try to use all of them at once. Campaigns can become complicated, with too many ideas competing for attention.
At the end of the day, great marketing is about addressing consumer needs through a simple, single-minded idea or solution. In short, less is more.
The principles of good marketing will not change. The noise should not distract us from respecting what produces magnificent work. This does not mean the industry should be rigid and not take risks. Quite the opposite.
When we started, our focus was on sponsorship and marketing. Over the years, our clients’ evolving needs have shaped how we’ve grown. We have expanded our capabilities in activations, shopper marketing, content production and public relations, producing award-winning work and helping brands connect with their audiences in more meaningful ways.
The ongoing challenge for agencies is to anticipate what clients will need next and identify new capabilities and fresh thinking that can add value. There is more pressure than ever before for brands to show commercial results beyond traditional marketing metrics.
AI has its place but will never replace human connections
Agencies need to see AI as an enabler as opposed to a threat. Those who embrace it will benefit and those that are threatened by it will ultimately struggle in the future.
Experiential platforms will be a good place to be in a world that is being disrupted by AI. Humans will always have the need to emotionally connect with each other and that is good news for our industry. As technology becomes more dominant, genuine human connection will be more valuable.
My experience of building an agency has also taught me the power of relationships and emotional connections and how they can change the trajectory of a business. We are a people business first that trades relationships underpinned by a skill set.
Longevity requires reinvention
Building a legacy teaches you that people are at the centre of everything. One of the things I am most proud of is seeing the people who have come through our doors.
Sponsorship agencies require agility, and our desire has always been to create an environment where people are supported to grow in their roles and take pride in collaborating with us. Recognising potential, developing it and acknowledging great work are important parts of building a sustainable team within any business.
Safe is not the answer – just bet on yourself
We are seeing fewer young people starting agencies, partly because the barriers to building a business have changed. Factors such as procurement play a much bigger role today, and I believe this has had an impact on the industry.
However, uncertainty will always be part of running a business. There will always be macro dynamics outside of your control. What matters is being decisive, being prepared to take risks and, sometimes, not being afraid to go backwards in order to move forward.
The legacy we want to build
I want Playmakers to be remembered for the work we produce, the careers we help shape and the environment we create for people to do their best work. When our people and clients look back on the happiest moments of their careers, I hope Playmakers is part of those stories.
After 25 years, I have learnt that longevity requires confidence to change and the judgement to know what to hold on to. We will keep evolving, listening to consumers and clients, backing exceptional talent and finding new ways to connect brands with people.
We started by asking how brands could connect better with audiences through sport. The possibilities have grown enormously since then, but that question still matters. The next chapter will be shaped by how well we answer it.
That is what still excites me about this business, and why I believe our best work is still ahead of us. Here’s to the next 25 years.
