Africa’s Biggest Marketing Conference: The Nedbank IMC – Marketing is Business
On 18 September, over 3,300 people from more than 20 countries gathered for Africa’s leading marketing conference, the Nedbank IMC, welcomed by CEO Dale Hefer. The event featured inspiring leaders and speakers such as Charl Bassil, Solly Malatsi, Mandisa Mfeka, Vaughan Croeser, and many others.
The Nedbank IMC is a hub for marketing excellence in Africa, uniting experts across industries to collaborate in advancing the profession. This year’s theme, “Marketing is Business,” reflected the growing recognition of marketing as a key driver of organizational success.
Launched in 2019, the annual Nedbank IMC Conference has grown into Africa’s foremost integrated marketing event. The Integrated Marketing Collective (IMC) believes that marketing is business and deserves its rightful place at the boardroom table. With more CMOs, senior marketers, and agency leaders attending than any other conference on the continent, the IMC continues to set the standard for relevant, insight-driven dialogue in the marketing and communication space.
Strategic Partnerships
Collaborations included SABC, Women in Marketing Africa (a global not-for-profit), and the Marketing Association of South Africa (MASA).
A youth panel was facilitated featuring three top student marketing leaders.
Media partnerships with Africa’s leading marketing publications: Bizcommunity, Modern Marketing Media, Future Media, and MarkLives.com.
These partnerships elevated the event’s professionalism and credibility, positioning it among the most reputable marketing conferences in Africa.
The success of Nedbank IMC 2025 stands as a powerful case study in the value of strategic collaboration. By aligning with purpose-driven organizations such as WiM Africa, leveraging the national reach of SABC, and integrating innovative tech solutions, the conference not only broke attendance records but also fostered meaningful industry connections.
This partnership model demonstrated that traditional media remains a powerful ally in the digital age. It offered national visibility, reinforced marketing’s strategic importance, and reaffirmed the SABC’s role as a vital business partner.
Key Educational Takeaways
The Nedbank IMC 2025 defined marketing through its central message: “Marketing is Business®.” This represents a shift from viewing marketing as mere advertising to recognizing it as the engine of growth, the bridge between ideas and profits, and a driver of measurable business impact.
Businesses were urged to stop treating marketing as a cost center and start viewing it as a strategic investment that fuels sustainable growth.
Top takeaways included:
1. Beyond brand-building: Marketing must go beyond awareness to deliver measurable business outcomes through innovative campaigns.
2. Purpose-driven marketing: Consumers increasingly support brands that align with their values. Purpose is now essential for long-term loyalty.
3. Authenticity builds trust: Genuine, customer-first campaigns foster brand loyalty and repeat business.
4. Speaking the right language: Marketers must move beyond vanity metrics and communicate their impact in business and financial terms.
Practical Marketing Tips
Understand your audience: Use market research to build detailed customer personas, including demographics, pain points, motivations, and preferred platforms. Avoid trying to appeal to everyone.
Develop a strong content strategy: A solid content strategy provides the blueprint for creating, publishing, and managing content that attracts and retains customers.
Adopt a multi-channel approach: Focus on where your audience spends time. Keep your core message consistent across platforms, even as you tailor formats for each one.
Set clear goals and measure success: Define and track key performance indicators (KPIs) to make data-driven decisions and continuously optimize your ROI.
Conclusion
Marketing remains the cornerstone of any successful business, powered by collaboration, thought leadership, and strategic communication.
At Coral Communications, we believe in bold, polished, and professional storytelling. Our approach centers on growth, change, and strategic engagement to elevate brands.
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