Many of the years that followed were challenging from a national economic perspective. However, naysayers, critics and tough business conditions notwithstanding, a decade later M&C Saatchi Abel is celebrating its 10th birthday as one of the top-ranked, and one of the most rapidly growing, creative companies in South Africa.
“It is an incredible milestone to have reached 10 years. We are all very proud and happy to celebrate this achievement. However, it is important to highlight that 10 years doesn’t represent an arrival, but rather a solid foundation from which to continue our growth and upward trajectory,” says founding partner and CEO Mike Abel.
M&C Saatchi Abel opened its Cape Town office with 13 people and no clients. Audacious? Perhaps. But so are all bold moves, says Abel.
He knew, even before there was furniture in the office, that the goal was to create a diverse, respected, effective agency that would provide real value for its clients while striving to become the most desired creative company on the continent.
“Our ambitions were bold – and they still are. But we knew we wouldn’t fail because we believe implicitly in our vision,” Abel says. From humble beginnings, M&C Saatchi Abel grew into one of South Africa’s largest agencies, with offices in Cape Town and Johannesburg, and a presence throughout sub-Saharan Africa, with a level one BBBEE accreditation.
Its 13 employees expanded to more than 300 of the most talented creatives in the country. And from zero clients, M&C Saatchi Abel can now count some of the most important blue-chip clients in South Africa, with a long list of awards bearing testament to its successes, the most recent being its sterling night at the 2019 FM Adfocus Awards, including Large Agency of the Year, Partnership of the Year for its work with Nando’s, and the Industry Leader award for its chief creative officer Neo Mashigo.
How the agency managed to achieve this is no secret. Abel has said the meteoric growth has been, and continues to be, dependent on an uncompromising commitment to their clients. “Have we grown their top line? Have we grown their market share? Have we grown their brand equity? Our job is to provide measurable value,” he says.Razzle dazzle, gimmicks and applause, says Abel, are transient. Results-driven by an unflinching commitment to creativity and underpinned by ‘brutal simplicity of thought’ is a golden thread that has underpinned the agency’s journey.
Another vital aspect of M&C Saatchi Abel’s success has been a commitment to its staff’s growth and diversity – both in people and thought. Abel says the agency set out to have a partner structure where entrepreneurial creatives would thrive. Today, he says, the agency has a talent pool of industry heavyweights and maverick thinkers, strategists, creatives of all disciplines and business people.
“Another key aspect of our success with the incredible clients we have is that we strategically marry our talent with clients. We understand that true magic happens when there is a long-term relationship built on trust,” says Abel.
“I would like to thank every single partner and employee that has been involved in our journey, all our clients who currently include, Takealot Group, Nando’s, Standard Bank, Lexus, and Mweb, as well as the myriad of people we interact within the industry. Here’s to the next 10 years, where we will strive to continue finding simple solutions in an increasingly complex world and to tell stories that resonate with audiences,” he says.
About M&C Saatchi Abel:
Established in 1995 by brothers Maurice and Charles Saatchi and founded on the philosophy of ‘brutal simplicity of thought’, M&C Saatchi is today the largest independent advertising agency network in the world, with 29 offices globally. Locally, the M&C Saatchi Group (South Africa) comprises six separate companies, one of which is M&C Saatchi Abel. The agency’s doors opened in 2010 and, in less than five years, grew to have offices in Cape Town and Johannesburg, as well as a presence throughout sub-Saharan Africa. In addition to being one of the most influential agencies in the country, M&C Saatchi Abel is renowned for creating beautifully simple solutions to a complex world that have earned the company an ever-increasing list of accolades and awards. The remaining companies in the M&C Saatchi Group (South Africa) are M&C Saatchi Connect, M&C Saatchi Africa, Dalmatian, Creative Spark and Levergy.
