This is with a focus on driving awareness of European brands into the African market and, likewise, supporting African businesses looking to enter the European market, according to the agencies.
Pulse Communications (under the leadership of its founders Kirsten Roos and Samantha Thomas) and Ivie Media (founded by Irina Vlad with operations director Alison Kingon at the helm) have been at the forefront of communication strategy since their inception, say the agencies.
As collaborative agency partners, both businesses have worked together across an array of clients in South Africa, including Travelstart and The Courier Guy, to offer comprehensive, impactful and data-backed through-the-line (TTL) support to their clients.
Africa and Europe share a rich history of trade, with the European Union (EU) playing a crucial role as a major trading partner for numerous African nations, say Pulse Communications and Ivie Media. In recent times, there has been a growing interest in foreign direct investment (FDI) between Africa and Europe.
This is fuelled by the emergence of innovative startups in Africa looking at global expansion opportunities, including:
- entry into European markets in order to attract investors
- access a larger customer base, and
- benefit from the well-developed business infrastructure in Europe.
The partners add that 77% of investors active in Africa's venture landscape in 2022 were international investors, while Europe is home to 41% of the world's top emerging startup ecosystems, having exported well-known brands into Africa, including:
- TomTom
- Booking.com, and
- recently, Soly.
Pulse Communications and Ivie Media say that, given these trends, it was only a matter of time before the decision to establish headquarters in the Netherlands became inevitable for both agencies.
Kirsten Roos, co-founder of Pulse Communications, expressed her enthusiasm about the expansion.
"At Pulse Communications, our mission has always been to create innovative, impactful communications strategies. By joining forces with our collaborative agency partners Ivie Media, we're now poised to take our vision to the global stage. This partnership will not only benefit our clients but also open up new horizons for creative, cross-border collaboration," says Roos.
"Our journey at Ivie Media has been defined by a relentless pursuit of excellence in marketing and communications. This expansion allows us to further enhance our expertise and extend our influence into new markets. We are excited to facilitate the exchange of ideas, products and services between Europe and Africa," says Irina Vlad, founder of Ivie Media.
According to the agencies, the partnership between Pulse Communications and Ivie Media comes at a time when cross-border collaboration is more critical than ever. The agencies will focus on expanding their operations — including their data-backed, AI-powered approach — into Europe, leveraging their expertise to drive awareness of European brands in select African markets, including:
- South Africa
- Nigeria
- Kenya, and
- Ethiopia.
Simultaneously, they aim to provide invaluable support to African businesses looking to introduce their offerings to the European market, particularly:
- the Benelux region
- France
- Germany
- Switzerland
- Sweden, and
- the United Kingdom.
In a world where globalisation and international trade are key drivers of economic growth, this partnership is poised to be a game-changer. Pulse Communications and Ivie Media are committed to fostering synergy between Europe and Africa, enabling businesses on both continents to flourish and prosper, conclude the partners.