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Insurance giant Old Mutual appoints Promise as its TTL lead agency
By our African Marketing Confederation News Team | 2025
‘Strong chemistry’ between insurer and agency during the multi-agency pitch process proves to be a key point.
Promise, an independently owned and managed full–service agency operating out of Johannesburg and Cape Town, has been appointed by South African-based Old Mutual as its through-the-line lead agency for brand and retail audiences.
Illustration: Promise
Old Mutual is a well-established insurance and financial services group operating in 12 countries in sub-Saharan Africa, as well as in China. It employs over 27,000 people.
The appointment of Promise became effective from 1 April 2025 and followed a search and selection process which was managed by Yardstick, a consultancy that specialises in agency search, selection and relationship management.
“We enjoyed excellent chemistry with the Old Mutual marketing team and the pitch itself was a really enjoyable process too. We look forward to assisting the team, led by CMO Mosala Phillips and Head of Brand Thobile Tshabalala, to achieve their strategic objectives,” says Promise CEO, James Moffatt, in a press release.
Strategic and creative capability
Tshabalala comments: “The selection of Promise as our lead creative agency was an easy choice. They demonstrated very strong strategic and creative capability, while creating a very strong chemistry with us.”
Promise has worked with brands such as Castle Lager beer, Carling Black Label beer, AfriSam cement, Redefine Properties, Renault and Rand Merchant Bank.
In 2023, the agency was ranked first in South Africa at the D&AD Awards, the global advertising, design and digital awards, and was a runner-up at Cannes. The agency also won Best Digital Agency at the IAB Bookmark Awards in 2023, the second time in as many years.
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