To head up the group’s newly digitised above-the-line entity, Joe Public’s current deputy MD, Khuthala Gala-Holten, has been promoted to managing director and will join with above-the-line CCO Xolisa Dyeshana to take full leadership of the agency.
Joe Public says the last 24 months have seen a sharp industry-wide shift in focus from traditional paid advertising media to digitally focussed earned media, and it has become increasingly evident that it needed to bring its digital proficiencies much closer to the core of its creative competency.
To achieve this, the agency aims to fuse world-class creative thinking with specialist digital DNA to create new, ‘digitised’, above-the-line cluster units, equipped to deliver cross-platform advertising campaigns.
At the same time, Joe Public Connect will continue to serve clients across the group and expand its repertoire to include a growing data, tech and innovation offering as well as deliver digital ecosystems with a focus on creating robust customer and user experiences.
The partnership between ATL’s new capability to integrate above-the-line campaigns into the digital space, and Connect’s specialist ‘deep digital’ credentials will aim to enable Joe Public United to advance into the digital landscape.
"It’s never been a more exciting time to be in advertising, as we traverse the set boundaries of yesteryears’ way of communicating, in a world that’s fast becoming mobile-led in every conceivable way," says Dyeshana.
Gala-Holten concludes, "This renewed focus ensures our long-term sustainability, as we continue to strive for the growth of our people, our clients and our country in this new digital landscape."
Founding partners Pepe Marais and Gareth Leck, together with group strategic director Laurent Marty, will move laterally across into group roles to further advance integration across all seven of its specialist offerings to clients.
For more information, visit www.joepublic.co.za. You can also follow Joe Public United on Facebook, Twitter or on Instagram.