In Johannesburg, Mathe Okaba, Association for Communication and Advertising South Africa (ACA) CEO, speaks about the huge job that the local industry has yet to do, at a time when the South African economy is largely denuded. Now the communications sector has to deal with transformation — both digital and structural — at the same time as it wrestles with survival during and post-covid-19.
“Research clearly shows that transformed businesses are more resilient, creative and fare much better than untransformed companies or sectors. This begs the question, why after all these years is the industry so untransformed?” asks Okaba.
When she first entered the industry post-apartheid, she says, business was wholly untransformed.
“The heads of the business were all white boys. No disrespect to them. All these white boys having a good time playing golf together. Not having to share their social spaces; not having to share their monetary rewards.”
When asked about this intransigence, Okaba says: “It is a latent fear that nobody wants to recognise or to talk about,” says the industry head who has been calling the captains of industry to the table to talk about COVID and the future of the industry.
“We need to talk, all of us.”
“I understand that change is hard, that it is difficult, but we must survive,” says Okaba, who believes that diversity and equality is innovation in and of itself. “We need to talk, all of us.” She believes that holding conversations, tackling challenges head on and empathy are key factors in tackling SA’s transformation project properly.
Banishing race from enterprise and putting action to increasing diversity and inclusivity is one of multiple social challenges brands and agencies alike must tackle.
A massive shift in the business landscape was signalled in August last year, when 200 of the world’s top corporate leaders assembled to discuss the other great shift in capitalism.
In what amounted to a ‘mea culpa’, the executives declared that the era of the shareholder was dead. After their meeting, the capitalist cohort did an about turn and rejected Milton Friedman’s philosophy that businesses exist purely to make a profit.
The New York Times reported last year that the leaders broke “decades of long-held corporate orthodoxy” to make a statement on “the purpose of a corporation”.
This argued that companies should not put the interests of shareholders first but also invest in employees, protect the environment, and deal fairly and ethically with suppliers.
Despite all the good intent from the titans of business, no mention was made of the huge gap between the salaries of the corporate chiefs’ present and their workers. “The highest-paid 100 chief executives make 254 times the salary of an employee receiving the median pay at their company,” The New York Times wrote.
Demand change
Only two days ago, on Tuesday, 9 June 2020, news broke that over 600 black advertising professionals representing every major agency in the US were squaring up to the industry to demand change.
AdWeek reports that, in the wake of the murders of Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery “and countless other Black men and women both known and unknown has forced formerly ‘apolitical’ brands and advertising agencies to reflect on how they should respond to the racism pandemic, both internally and externally.
Many participated in #BlackOutTuesday, several have opened their purses and donated millions to causes committed to addressing injustice and police abolition… But Black advertising professionals want more than symbolism and one-off actions.”
But how does an industry get moving meaningfully? For Mathe, it begins with courageous conversations. Ultimately, though, transformation starts with a willingness to adapt; it starts with the political will to transform.
So, for those politically willing, here’s help from MIT Sloan School of Management, which offers a pragmatic lens for addressing transformation.
At the height of digital transformation, MIT Sloan identified that innovation drives the very adaptability that enables change. Encouragingly, the research clearly shows transformation offers a real competitive edge.
Our challenge
Below is a summary of useful practices and attitudes from the MIT Sloan study. Ultimately, transformers transform by embarking on a journey of radical change — one that is relentless, that embraces risk and that has no end.
The journey is heroic but rewarded with gifts, such as fortitude, collaboration, resilience, and strength.
Post covid-10, the communication sector’s challenge is to quickly adapt to a rapidly changing new reality. As Darwin showed, adaptability is key to survival.
MIT Sloan’s transformation guides
Values — This is not what people say but what they do. The most-innovative companies/brands/agencies invest in being entrepreneurial, promoting creativity and encouraging continuous learning. Being always learning is adaptation and speaks directly to what Darwin talks about in terms of survival and adapting.
Behaviours — In innovative companies, what is evident are leaders who are willing to kill off existing products with new and better ones. These transformers energise teams with a vivid description of the future and enable people to cut through red tape. For employees, actions that support innovation include a doggedness in overcoming roadblocks, “scrounging” resources when budgets are thin, and listening deeply to customers. Ultimately, transformers are curious humans with a strong can-do attitude.
Climate — Transformative companies have an innovative climate that cultivates engagement and enthusiasm, and challenges people to take risks within a safe environment. Resilient, innovative companies foster learning and encourage independence.
