Looking closer to home, our country has not survived unscathed. Unemployment is at a 13-year high, we all watched Thuli Madonsela’s term come to an end in awe of the work she has done, and we have faced being downgraded to junk status on more than one occasion this year. Business is tough with CEOs of large and small companies experiencing immense pressure to steer their ships through very rough waters.

Despite all of this, I’m proud to say that The Jupiter Drawing Room Cape Town has emerged not only untouched but actually having had a great year.

Our executive creative director, Lucas van Vuuren, played an important part in our success this year, leading his teams through several new business pitches, resulting in us securing new high-profile clients, namely BURGER KING®, Milpark Education, and WebAfrica; clients who are happily embracing our innovative approach to problem solving because we understand their business intent. They are seeing the positive results that these campaigns yield for their companies

You only needed to head to Twitter on Tuesday, 8 November to see how BURGER KING® hijacked a competitor’s birthday with its 'SWHOPPER' campaign – a campaign which was driven through our social media and PR departments. This is testament to how the growth of these two departments has resulted in an agency-wide conversion to a digital mind-set and how this will drive business growth.

Our PR department continues to offer creative solutions that assist in increasing our clients’ exposure in national media and various touch-points for the consumer. The campaigns, projects and activations that are being implemented are measurable and have translated into an increase in immediate sales and changes in brand perception for our PR clients.

Our Design department, headed up by Jo Thomas, has firmly established itself as a reputable branding agency not only in South Africa but across the globe. Their relationship with the Virgin Group in the UK now enters its fourth year and saw them offering their services to a number of Virgin companies – most notable was their work for Virgin Radio International. In addition, Milpark Education, Protea Hotels by Marriott Group, and Windhoek were all large scale identity projects managed by the design team.

Moving into 2017, we will extend our skill sets still further with an exciting new influx of young talent for our Ripple Effect programme. Movie-makers, game developers, animators, and film writers will be added to our current extensive pool of creative talent.

It’s an exciting time. With developments like Ripple, a mind to constantly exploring new business opportunities, and a strong management team that constantly question our processes to better serve the needs of our clients, I believe we are perfectly poised for whatever 2017 may bring.

Laurence Mellman, chief operations officer at Specialist Communications and WPP plc, and Jupiter Cape Town board member shares our enthusiasm for what 2017 holds. “Jupiter Cape Town celebrating a successful 2016 is an indication of how tenacious and nimble its team is. They’re able to adapt their offering at a pace that is essential to survive in the advertising and communications industry today.”

Being tenacious and nimble are two character traits that are not only relevant to the advertising industry in South Africa, but to us as a country. We have an increase in young entrepreneurs, we have a solutions-based mindset, and we always rally together during hard times – just look at how we get behind our Springboks.

Yes, the retail industry is competing for a market with limited disposable cash this festive season and sales will be down, but there is a feeling of promise and opportunity in the air. A promise that things will improve, and we will come out fighting. South Africans are preparing themselves for the year ahead.

So tighten your seatbelts, we’re in for an exciting 2017. Whatever it may bring, I’m confident that we are poised to take it on and to succeed.

For more information, visit thejupiterdrawingroom.com. Alternatively, connect with them on Facebook or on Twitter.