Fast Company South Africa

Fast Company inspires a new breed of innovative and creative thought leaders who are actively inventing the future of business. With engaging narratives as informative as they are entertaining, Fast Company motivates fans to think beyond traditional boundaries, lead proactively, and most importantly, embrace change. The South African edition will be along the same themes as the USA; initially 40% of the content will be South African and 60% will be from the USA. For the first time, the South African market will have the opportunity to read exclusive interviews with the CEOs of Facebook, Amazon, NIKE, Google and the top international and local trend-setters across a broad spectrum of industries. South Africans are crying out for a younger, hipper business title – and now they will have one!

Fast Company South Africa

What makes a brand great?

4 TECH • The AI Gadget Debacle Here's why you shouldn't expect any mind-blowing AI-powered gifts anytime soon.

Safari Note+ Stylus for iPad

JONY IVE IS BUILDING HIS POST-APPLE BRAND THE PATIENT WAY

Academic on a Mission to Heal a Continent

Top three skills needed to succeed in an AI-driven world

Brands That Matter • Our annual look at standout brands encompasses 130 honourees in nine categories, including the inaugural CMOs of the Year. Here's how those brands and top CMOs stake out the intersection of business and culture.

KHENSANI NOBANDA • Leading the charge in Marketing Innovation

BRANDS THAT MATTER (SA) • For many years, global brands, their services and products dominated in South Africa. They still do. But since 1994, South Africans have become increasingly conscious of the need to buy locally-manufactured or developed products. From music to clothing, it became cool to be seen with a locally-made product. This “local is lekker” mindset fuelled the development of local brands; over the past decades, many have emerged. Some have come and gone. Several, however, have stood the test of time, among them those that truly matter to South Africans. Here's are some of the local Brands That Matter:

Arc'teryx The outdoor apparel brand gets creative to promote circular materials.

C-SPAN • THE TV CHANNEL BREAKS OUT OF ITS BASIC-CABLE CONFINES.

Quinn The app is bringing audio erotica mainstream—with celebrity voices.

Kofi Amoo-Gottfried isn't afraid to take risks if they get DoorDash users excited about delivery.

Loewe • THE SPANISH FASHION HOUSE IS THE BRAND ON EVERY ONE'S LIPS—TRICKY PRONUNCIATION BE DAMNED.

Minnetonka The moccasin brand reckons with its uncomfortable past.

Elizabeth Rutledge is using Gen Z's love of experiences to make American Express their ticket to culture.

Lilly • THE PHARMA GIANT FOR GOES THE HARD SELL TO FOCUS ON DRUG ACCESS AND SAFETY.

NFL America's most popular league embraces flag football as a pipeline for future stars and fans.

Tony's Chocolonely The chocolatier is building equity into the cocoa supply chain piece by piece.

Asad Ayaz shredded Disney's family-friendly marketing blueprint for Deadpool & Wolverine.

Universal Pictures • THE FILM STUDIO IS TURNING MOVIE MAR- KETING INTO A SUBCULTURAL MOMENT.

Hennessy • THE COGNAC BRAND GETS PLAYFUL AS IT COURTS A NEW GENERATION OF DRINKERS.

Behr The paint maker applies its DIY focus to social media.

Herman Miller The furniture brand's centennial celebrates its staying power.

Index

Category Honourees

Modular design Manufacturers look to fix what needs repairing as pressure mounts for products that last longer

The Silicon Cape is (almost) dead, should it be saved?

Goodwall launches GenAI for Youth programme with Microsoft to bridge the AI access gap

The...