AVATAR South Africa

AVATAR South Africa is a group of specialist marketing agencies that work together on advertising, digital, public relations, media and B2B growth. Its teams sit in Johannesburg and Durban, and the group says it has well over 100 people, from creatives and developers to strategists, writers and producers. It describes itself as wholly Black-owned.

What AVATAR South Africa offers

• Integrated digital agency: Avatar Jozi, a born-digital shop in Johannesburg making work for diverse South African audiences.
• Retail and shopper marketing: Avatar DBN in Durban handles FMCG, retail, below-the-line and in-store communication.
• Public relations: North Star combines data, digital marketing and traditional PR to shape brand stories across media.
• Media planning and buying: a data-led media unit that advises how brand, digital and communication plans fit with paid media.
• B2B consulting: a business-to-business growth arm, previously led by the current group chief executive.

Who it works with

The site lists brands such as Isuzu, ABSA, Bata, South African Tourism, Puma Energy, Robertsons and LegalWise, with recent campaign work for Steers, Aromat, Engen and Yoco.

Key facts

• Based in: Johannesburg and Durban, South Africa
• Team: more than 100 marketers
• Leadership: Mzamo Xala, Group Chief Executive Officer, who joined in 2019 as Chief Strategy Officer