business*
T
he local advertising agency landscape is inordinately competitive and highly territorial and we believe that the landing of a major, blackowned and award-winning network agency in Durban’s economy is new evidence that we can grow and compete strategically and creatively with the best in the country.” That’s according to Mount Edgecombe resident Antony Ellis, managing director of Avatar DBN which emerged after the acquisition of a 51% stake in Durban’s leading integrated independent agency, Espresso, by Avatar Agency Group, the largest fully blackowned agency group in South Africa. Antony co-founded Espresso with Natalie French in 2001. After spending
A major, blackowned and awardwinning network agency in Durban’s economy is new evidence that we can grow and compete strategically and creatively" time at major global advertising networks respectively, the partners created Espresso to fulfil their belief that there was a better way of producing great brand work across ever-changing consumer needs and communication channels. “We still feel the same way, and the move to Avatar is essentially about us walking that talk, taking the critical steps to evolve and advance our offering. This is of tremendous importance to us, both personally and professionally. “Firstly, to know that what we have built over 19 years of commitment to our code has value outside of our immediate ecosystem is both emboldening and
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Ideas that move
PEOPLE
TALENTED, PASSIONATE, CREATIVE, AND NOW BIGGER, BETTER AND WITH A BROADER SET OF RESOURCES TO OFFER CLIENTS, ESPRESSO HAVE GROWN INTO AVATAR DBN AND ARE READY FOR THE FUTURE, WRITES SHIRLEY LE GUERN
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