Publications
Partners
Durban may not be a backwater but, let’s face it, it’s not exactly the centre of the advertising universe either. Is that a handicap for agencies based there? Not according to Craig Clay-Smith, who’s built The Flagship Group into a leading independent agency. “If you’ve got the goods you can operate anywhere,” he maintains. “But sitting back and waiting for the phone to ring is a downhill slide to nowhere. If you’re an agency that innovates and makes things happen it makes no difference where you’re based.”
Clay-Smith has escaped the regionalisation trap by positioning the group as a specialist in sports marketing – without abandoning its traditional advertising clients. “We continue to win pitches against top global agencies. Last year we won the global ICC Champions Trophy campaign and owned the Gauteng media for six weeks.”
Flagship has a number of potentially lucrative projects up its sleeve for this year, including the launch of a major sporting product and a reality TV show. The agency will be handling the World Golfers’ Championship later this year, with an expected 50 countries participating.
“We were the only Durban agency to be recognised in the Virgin Active Sports Industry Awards this year with three shortlists, including one as Sports Agency of the Year. It’s hard to compete against global-type budgets, but we’re proud to say we were recognised as one of the most established, holistic sports specialist agencies in South Africa, outside of our traditional client base,” says Clay-Smith.
He says one of the biggest challenges facing the ad industry is the lack of experience among both marketers and ad agencies. “The market has changed dramatically over the past few years,” he asserts. “Inexperience often talks to inexperience. Youth and experience must work together, combining energy and new thinking with security and knowledge.”
“We have to work incredibly hard for every rand we earn,” says Clay-Smith. “In general, advertising emanating from KZN is hard-working and results-driven.”
Clay-Smith has escaped the regionalisation trap by positioning the group as a specialist in sports marketing – without abandoning its traditional advertising clients. “We continue to win pitches against top global agencies. Last year we won the global ICC Champions Trophy campaign and owned the Gauteng media for six weeks.”
Flagship has a number of potentially lucrative projects up its sleeve for this year, including the launch of a major sporting product and a reality TV show. The agency will be handling the World Golfers’ Championship later this year, with an expected 50 countries participating.
“We were the only Durban agency to be recognised in the Virgin Active Sports Industry Awards this year with three shortlists, including one as Sports Agency of the Year. It’s hard to compete against global-type budgets, but we’re proud to say we were recognised as one of the most established, holistic sports specialist agencies in South Africa, outside of our traditional client base,” says Clay-Smith.
He says one of the biggest challenges facing the ad industry is the lack of experience among both marketers and ad agencies. “The market has changed dramatically over the past few years,” he asserts. “Inexperience often talks to inexperience. Youth and experience must work together, combining energy and new thinking with security and knowledge.”
“We have to work incredibly hard for every rand we earn,” says Clay-Smith. “In general, advertising emanating from KZN is hard-working and results-driven.”
