Last week it was announced that the unemployment rate in South Africa increased to 29 percent in the second quarter of 2019 from 27.6 in the previous period. The news has catastrophic implications for the local business sector as the number of unemployed rose by 455 thousand to 6.65 million – making it the highest jobless rate since the first quarter of 2003.
A Stellenbosch-based bank decided to do things different and afford young people the opportunity to take the future into their own hands. Through South Africa’s harsh economic climate, Capitec continues to stay committed to bringing financial relief to South Africans with their array of impressive solutions which make banking easier and more affordable.
On top of becoming South Africa’s fastest-growing retail bank, Capitec and SABC 3 announced their exciting and game-changing new reality series titled ‘The Next Brand Ambassador’. The show hopes to alleviate the financial burden for three people who, after being put to the ultimate test throughout the show, will be given the opportunity work with the marketing team of South Africa’s number one retail bank, Capitec.
The show is set to test and inspire the 12 national finalists who will be tasked with tackling a series of challenges that are specifically designed to test whether they have the persona, quirky creativity and skill-set to be ‘The Next Brand Ambassador’. Throughout the series, the finalists will obtain experience in an array of marketing positions through the tasks and challenges they get set every week. Through a process of elimination, three contestants will win a year-long contract within Capitec’s marketing department where they can expand on their skills and gain even more knowledge than ever before.
The series takes a different approach to reality television and gives a spotlight to the business sector within an entertainment space. While the show is set to change the lives of the 12 finalists who embark on the journey, ultimately, the show also hopes to impart some wisdom to viewers at home who are encouraged to use the findings learned and shared by the finalists on the series to change their approach to business.
Sbusiso Kumalo, Head Brand Marketing at Capitec, says “The recent unemployment numbers are some of the scariest statistics South Africa has seen in a very long time. In our current economic climate, it is imperative for the South African government and small, medium and large businesses around the country to work together to produce a trajectory which promotes higher employment levels. But, to do that, we need to ensure that our skillset is world-class. This is why a series like ‘The Next Brand Ambassador’ is so important. It gives the finalists a chance to show us what they’re made of and, ultimately, get the interview of their lives. For some, this chance may never have happened without a platform like this. So, the series promotes a dynamic and fresh approach to the marketing industry and is set to change the way we see potential candidates.”
Nandi Madida, businesswoman and musician says that the series is a game-changer for South African television as a whole. “This show is what the nation desires,” she says. “It’s a show that is on the pulse of all things needed in the work place. It’s a show of substance and truly shows the audience that nothing is impossible to a willing heart”.
Meanwhile, Sylvester Chauke, CEO of PR consultancy agency DNA Brand Architects, highlights the point that the show is set to give viewers some important learnings to take home and incorporate into the way they do business. “The show is more than just the contestants that are participating on the show. The lessons embedded in the challenges are such that viewers at home will gain pointers on how to tackle very common challenges in the job search and skills required in order to solve problems, nonmatter the industry. Young people will enjoy the show but they will also walk away with some valuable tips and tricks they too can use.”
Finally, Odette van der Haar adds that the challenges are constructed in way to test the skills of the finalists while teaching viewers at home some of the fundamentals within the marketing industry. “There is a general lack of awareness that the industry is a career destination and that young people who are inherently creative talent can use their creativity to build a successful, professional and highly rewarding career or business,” she says. “What South Africa needs is more creative thinkers, more entrepreneurs who use creativity to generate an income, contribute to the economy and in so doing, create more jobs. This show will not only change the lives of three young people by catapulting them into their careers in marketing, it’ll showcase the importance of creativity which is more often than not under-valued and/or misunderstood.”
The launch season of The Next Brand Ambassador premieres on Thursday 15 August at 19:30 on SABC3 and is proudly brought to you by Capitec.
