Online Masterclass: Shining a Light into the Shadows

On July 23, 2024, the Department of Marketing Management within the College of Business and Economics at the University of Johannesburg, in collaboration with the Marketing Association of South Africa (MASA), hosted an online #MarketingFit Sustainability Masters Class with esteemed guest speaker, Ms. Su-lise Tessendorf-Louw, Chief Marketing Officer at Mr Delivery.

The topic, “Shining a light into the shadows – How the advertising industry is revealing [or exposing] inequality and promoting sustainability globally,” sparked valuable insights. Ms. Tessendorf-Louw emphasized the importance of capturing Gen Z’s attention, who have an attention span of just 1.3 seconds. She discussed three main criteria to achieving this and the first criterion is to be entertaining and use attention-grabbing communication to engage consumers. The second criterion is to add value, by ensuring that your advertising message has a clear call to action, allowing consumers to participate and engage. The third criterion is to be thumb-stopping, with less than 5 seconds to capture attention, you must make an impact through visuals, stunts, or simple engagement.

A standout example was Coca-Cola’s recycling campaign, influencing behaviour and encouraging sustainability. The session ended with a positive note, leaving attendees informed and inspired. Many found the ads fascinating and appreciated Ms. Tessendorf-Louw’s insights.