"We are celebrating this milestone by living our purpose of growth, which has remained at the core of everything we've done over the years," says Pepe Marais, co-founder and group chief creative officer at Joe Public.
"We are grateful to be able to commit 25 bursaries for the next 25 years to support our industry's continued growth and transformation," adds Marais.
Joe Public launched in 1998 with a takeaway advertising model, which was then sold to an international holding company in 2001. The agency says it faced near bankruptcy in 2008 but gave everything except up and repurchased the business in 2009.
The agency adds that since then, Joe Public has grown, becoming the largest black-owned independent agency in 2020. In addition, it ranked as the number one creative agency in South Africa, according to all global and local industry platforms, as of March 2023.
"We are excited to give young creatives from underprivileged backgrounds the opportunity to excel in our industry, in partnership with the Red & Yellow School of Advertising, by building a pipeline from grassroots into our business. This is as we strive to put our South Africa industry on the global map using a diverse talent pool," Marais says.
"We'd like to thank our people and clients, past and present, for their ongoing commitment and partnerships over the last 25 years," says Khuthala Gala Holten, co-managing director and shareholder at Joe Public.
Holten adds, "As we step into our next chapter and plan for the next quarter century rather than merely the next financial quarter, we are fully committed to delivering on our purpose of growth, through the power of creativity."
"This is why we believe in the importance of investing in the growth of young creative talent," concludes Holten.
For more information, visit
www.joepublic.co.za. You can also follow Joe Public on
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