Vodacom SA appoints Ogilvy as its new integrated lead partner agency

Vodacom South Africa has announced that Ogilvy has been appointed as the telecom giant’s lead agency to deliver integrated through-the-line marketing services. This is with effect from 1 August 2024.   

Ogilvy takes over from VML, which has been with Vodacom since 2020. More recently, VMLY&R South Africa was instrumental in launching Vodacom’s 30th birthday campaign, coinciding with the country’s 30 years of democracy.

Vodacom says Ogilvy was chosen as a partner following “a rigorous, yet meticulous process up against several leading contenders in the advertising and communications industry. Ogilvy’s integrated solution is most ideally suited to deliver and service many facets of Vodacom’s integrated account”. 

Occasional review of agency portfolio 

Commenting on the appointment of the new lead agency, Andisa Ntsubane, Managing Executive of Brand, Marketing and Communications at Vodacom, says: “Aligned to our operational cadence, periodically, we are afforded the opportunity to review our agency portfolio to ensure that we remain competitive, while at the same time ensure that our agency ecosystem supports the new direction we are travelling as South Africa’s most iconic brand.  

“Our efforts enable us to accelerate our shift from a traditional telco to a future-fit technology communications leader. We are excited at the prospect of Ogilvy South Africa being handed the baton, and the responsibility to steward the Vodacom brand into the future, as we enter the next chapter of growth.” 

Adds Pete Case, CEO & Creative Chairman of Ogilvy SA: “We are absolutely delighted to be appointed by Vodacom as their integrated agency partner. [It is] a market-leading brand that positively touches so many lives in our country, and is on an extraordinarily exciting journey from telco to techco.” 

In a media statement, Vodacom thanks VML “for the significant contribution they have made in enhancing our brand equity over the past few years”.