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BRAND COLLABORATIONS
Amazon seals brand partnership with South Africa’s rugby captain
By our African Marketing Confederation News Team | 2026
Brand wants to leverage Siya Kolisi’s authentic audience connection while supporting the community work of the Kolisi Foundation.
Amazon South Africa has announced a 12-month partnership with Springbok rugby captain Siya Kolisi that will see the star feature in the retailer’s marketing campaigns whilst the company supports educational programmes run by the Kolisi Foundation.
The collaboration, which runs through to March 2027, will see Kolisi appear across Amazon’s customer experience and brand initiatives in South Africa. In return, Amazon will partner with the Kolisi Foundation to assist underserved communities across the country.
Siya Kolisi. Photo: Stefano Delfrate via Wikimedia Commons
Robert Koen, Managing Director for sub-Saharan Africa at Amazon, says Kolisi embodies resilience, leadership and community values.
“Our vision is to be South Africa’s most loved store. Who better to partner with than the country’s most loved South African?” notes Koen. “Siya connects authentically with people from all walks of life and shares our commitment to making a real difference in communities across the country.”
Foundation addresses challenges such as education and gender-based violence
Kolisi is one of the country’s most highly regarded figures. Through the Kolisi Foundation he works to address inequality through initiatives focused on education, food security and gender-based violence prevention.
The deal will see Amazon provide crucial educational resources and establish learning labs in underserved locations as part of its commitment to the Kolisi Foundation’s ongoing community programmes.
“We’ve seen the impact that access to education, support and opportunity can have in a young person’s life, and I’m grateful that this partnership will contribute meaningfully to that work whilst connecting with South Africans in a genuine way,” Kolisi comments.
Amazon launched in South Africa, its first African market, in May 2024. It is working to grow its profile through various strategic partnerships with various local celebrities and community initiatives.
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