South Africa's advertising industry is buzzing with originality in 2025. Venelize de Lange from media update unpacks the must-know campaigns of the year, revealing how brands are redefining connection and impact.
South African advertising in 2025 is making waves by blending cultural authenticity with emotional storytelling and creative innovation. Leading this charge are five campaigns that marketing teams can learn from. Here's media update's top picks that demonstrate how to resonate locally while capturing wider media attention:
1. Mondelez South Africa: #RealMzansiNames
This campaign invites South Africans to reconnect with the power of names: how they reflect identity, heritage and mutual respect.
Originally launched in 2024, this campaign continues gaining traction in 2025. The effort urged people to pronounce each other's names properly, collaborating with linguistics expert Dr Yanga Majola and spotlighting local languages and cultures.
At the prestigious 2025 WesBank New Generation Awards, it won Gold for Best Integrated Marketing Campaign.
Marketing Lesson: Always take into account the cultural identity of your target audience. Leveraging cultural authenticity, especially native names and languages, can build deep emotional bonds and differentiate a brand in a crowded marketplace.
Via YouTube
2. South African Tourism: South Africa Awaits — Come Find Your Joy!
Launched at the end of March 2025, this global brand-campaign positions South Africa not just as a destination, but as an invitation to rediscover wonder and joy.
Developed with agency Avatar Group and led creatively by Phil Ireland, the TVC is told through the eyes of a child and features local talent like musician Zakes Bantwini and chef Wandile Mabaso.
Marketing Lesson: Emotion-driven storytelling and national identity elevates a tourism brand, and when audiences feel that authenticity, they don't just visit a place; they connect with its spirit.
Via YouTube
3. Ringside Fitness:The Legacy of Ludumo Lamati
This low-budget campaign working with AI technology paid tribute to South African boxing icon Ludumo Lamati and won multiple honours at the New Generation Awards, including Gold for Best Low Budget Campaign and Best Use of AI.
Marketing Lesson: Innovation, purpose and storytelling can beat budget restraints. Using AI-smart solutions in a meaningful campaign can punch well above its spend.
Via Instagram
4. Capitec: Bank on Better
Launched in August 2025, this campaign positions Capitec as a purpose-driven bank that backs real South Africans. Shot in an interview style format with genuine clients, the 'Bank on Betterp' latform highlights stories of resilience and ambition (such as a first-generation graduate and a car wash entrepreneur).
Marketing Lesson: Focus on your people and their stories. This deepens trust and shifts the narrative from selling services to backing dreams.
Via YouTube
5. Standard Bank: Keep Growing
In July 2025, Standard bank launched a new brand campaign which speaks to growth not as arrival, but as a journey. With the tagline, "Africa is our home - we drive her growth", the advert uses a titled-gimbal visual technique to show the uphill nature of progress and features South African artist Zoe Modiga singing "Ain't no Mountain High Enough".
Marketing Lesson: Bold brand platforms that tap into broad societal aspirations (growth, resilience, continent-wide identity) can reposition legacy brands and amplify relevance.
Via YouTube
2025 has shown that South African ads win when they blend culture, emotion and innovation. Whether it's pronouncing names, steering tourism, or smart AI intervention, the campaigns above illustrate how local insight and global technique meet.
If you want to go into 2026 with the same success strategy, show up for your audience's identity, speak to their humanity and deliver your story through the best mix of creativity and tech at your disposal.
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*Image courtesy of Canva