Rapt Creative's glimpse of the past and nod to the future

Image supplied. Wayne Wilson, appointed as chief operating officer: tech & media, is one of several appointments at Rapt Creative that will take the agency into the future

The agency’s latest venture brings media planning and buying into its already established advertising offering of above-the-line (ATL) and below-the-line (BTL) through digital and social events, on-the-ground activations, shopper marketing and PR.

The agency’s founder and CEO, Garreth van Vuuren, admits this is a nod to how things were in advertising’s golden age and a glimpse at where things are going in the future. He champions a vision where operational excellence meets creative innovation and freedom.

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Media: The final piece of the puzzle

“By offering a full spectrum of expert services — for truly integrated creative services — underpinned by custom-built AI and sophisticated customer analytics tools, Rapt Creative is poised to transform client expectations of agency partnerships,” he says.

“Our goal has always been to create a nexus of strategy, creativity, and technology, delivering not just campaigns, but deep, engaging experiences. Media is the final piece of the puzzle.

“The approach shakes up the industry status quo with a model that is more unified and streamlined, speeding up the process from brief to execution while elevating and freeing creativity to lead to an overall more effective and efficient outcome,” he explains.

Overcoming the financial barrier

The capacity to offer the media component is critical to Rapt Creative's model's success, but historically the most significant barrier to entry into the media arena for small and medium-sized enterprises has been access to large amounts of finance to 'underwrite' media purchases.

Van Vuuren has secured the necessary investment into the agency, giving it access to a facility that will allow it to onboard the largest media accounts in the country on 30- to 60-day payment terms.

Expansion of leadership team

He also points out that this strategic pivot from Rapt will be energised by the expansion of its leadership team, marking a significant leap towards unparalleled integrated marketing excellence.

“This strategy champions cohesive, specialist teams working under a singular strategic vision, removing unnecessary costs and fostering a culture of togetherness centred around innovation and creativity,” he stresses.

key appointments

• Wayne Wilson: chief operating officer: tech and media: On the media side, Wayne Wilson has been appointed as chief operating officer: tech and media. Wilson brings a wealth of experience from his tenure as COO of AdDynamo and his pioneering work at Hitch Innovations, known for its marketing media and ad tech innovations.

  "His role is pivotal in steering Rapt Creative’s media capabilities towards innovative ground-breaking, impactful campaigns with its own product development to boot," says van Vuuren.

“By breaking down the silos within agency operations, we’re not just streamlining our process; we’re redefining the benchmarks for what integrated marketing can accomplish,” Wilson says.

“This comprehensive approach ensures that every campaign is meticulously crafted to perform optimally across all media platforms. With these strategic additions to the team, Rapt Creative is not just responding to the changing dynamics of the marketing and media landscape; it is actively driving the evolution, setting a new precedent for what is possible in integrated marketing solutions.”

• Anke Nel, head of department: group media strategy and Genevieve van Vuuren, strategic business & innovations partner: Nel's experience at Wavemaker, along with [Genevieve] van Vuuren's exposure to the UK market during her time at Horizon Strategy, where she serviced Meta in its drive for AI and tech innovations as well as her seven-year stint on the African continent as a director of the agency, will be instrumental in helping clients navigate the complex media landscape, ensuring that strategies are not only innovative but also seamlessly integrated.

• Tanya de Jong: head of design: From Grid, de Jongh from Grid will work alongside veteran CCO James Cloete as head of design. Her renowned design expertise is set to elevate the agency’s creative output to new heights.