As part of this plan, the school will expand its presence from South Africa into the rest of the continent. The first step down this road will see Red & Yellow launch a Johannesburg campus in June this year, adding a direct presence in the continent’s economic hub to its well-known and successful school in Cape Town.

Red & Yellow’s aim is to deliver cutting-edge learning for the marketing, advertising and communications industry for young people looking to enter the industry as well as professionals who need to improve their existing knowledge and experience.

Its courses have a robust academic underpinning, but also have a strong practical focus on making individuals work-ready as soon as they graduate or receive their certificates. Offerings range from entry-level diplomas and certifications for school leavers to long and short courses for working professionals at all stages of their careers.

Says Lynette Oelschig, CEO of Red & Yellow: “For the past 20 years, Red & Yellow has been creating the country's best marketers and creatives, and they've been building the world's biggest brands. Our strategy for the next five years will be built on three pillars: growth, relevance, and world-class standards. Our growth strategy is not just about recruiting students, but also about growing our menu of courses and expanding into new geographies.”

She adds: “When it comes to relevance, we will continue to ensure that our online and longer, classroom-bound courses remain relevant to the real and constantly evolving needs of the advertising and marketing industry in South Africa and the rest of the continent. That means we’ll not only keep strengthening our well-respected marketing and advertising courses to cater for a changing digital world, but also add more world-class short courses for working professionals in time to come.”

Red & Yellow invests in ensuring world-class standards across its courses, lecturers, and campuses, so that it can deliver students who are highly employable and ready to make a difference to the brands or agencies they work for. This is evident in the list of awards that its students have won in recent years.

Tarryn Chudleigh was selected as Adfocus’ Student of The Year 2014, while Tshegofatso Mogotsi-Phetlhehas been selected as the Cape Town All Star for the 2015 Art Directors Club Portfolio Night. In 2014, Red & Yellow students won four student Loeries and were nominated for numerous others.

Red & Yellow has a history of producing graduates who become game-changers in the market - exceptional individuals who have made a dent in their industry niches and the wider business landscape. These alumni include Nicky Greenwall, television and media personality best known for producing and presenting eTV’s The Showbiz Report; Chris Gotz, executive creative director at Ogilvy; Veli Ngubane, founding partner and creative director of AVATAR; Conn Bertish, executive creative director at Quirk; Moe Kekana, art director at King James; and many more.

An important element of Red & Yellow’s future is the Red & Yellow Springboard Marketing Institute (RYSMI) – South Africa’s only advertising learnership programme of its kind. The Institute was launched in 2014 to give young people an opportunity to achieve a fully funded National Certificate in Advertising.

In its first year, the Programme has already yielded excellent results for the students and for the industry, with 48 out of the 50 students in the first intake getting placed with companies such as Top Billing, Ackermans, Bletchley Park and Quirk, to name a few. The National Certificate of Advertising - accredited as a Level 5 qualification in the National Qualification Framework - comprises of six months of structured classroom learning with the Institute and six months of on-the-job training with an employer in the industry.

“Any conversation about relevance in South Africa should include the importance of transformation and job creation in building a more sustainable industry. We are proud of this initiative to help young people enter the industry with relevant and world-class skills so they can forge bright futures and great careers for themselves,” says Oelschig.

She adds: “We will cement our place as the best and most innovative marketing school in Africa by giving young students and older professionals alike the training and education they need to develop their careers in the marketing, advertising and communications industry.

“As always, we will remain a training provider that offers agencies, brands, and students’ practical training and education that is aligned with the needs of the working world. Red & Yellow still stands for logic and magic - a place where students learn to apply strategic thinking and unleash their creativity to meet the business needs of African brands and agencies.”

For more information on Red & Yellow, visit www.redandyellow.co.za. Alternatively, connect with them on Facebook or on Twitter.