Over the past 17 years, Grid Worldwide has established itself as an agency that gives meaning to brands. Its focus on ‘investment creative’, the phrase used to describe the equity that results from design-led thinking, has brought increased brand value to some of the country’s biggest businesses.
The recent FNB brand refresh, spearheaded by Grid, played a significant role in it being named the Strongest Banking Brand in the World in the Brand Finance Banking 500 2023 report, with a Brand Strength Index score of 93 (out of 100), and 30% increased brand value totalling $1,540 billion.
The agency’s work with MTN in 2022 had similar results, seeing the telco (or now rather ‘techco’) giant named by Brand Finance South Africa 100 2023 as the country’s most valuable brand once again, gaining 24% in brand value since the prior year to R74.3 billion.
“Bringing meaning to brands at the highest level can only happen when we are involved in the orchestration of end-result value creation” says Nathan Reddy, founder of Grid. “We want to build successful businesses through building successful brands.”
Much of the agency’s work is done with South African pride in mind. Amid the FNB rebrand, the well-known ‘Change Needs You’ campaign speaks to empowering the collective; demonstrating that South Africans are in charge of shared hope, and hold the power of change in their hands.
Ahead of the recent BRICS Summit, President Cyril Ramaphosa took to Twitter to encourage the nation to show our guests ‘The Best of Us’, in reference to the recent SA Tourism campaign, conceptualised and developed by Grid.
“We are a proudly South African organisation that transcends beyond the creative industry” says Reddy. “The strategic concepts and creative campaigns that we execute need to play a role in changing the business/consumer/national narrative for the better. Having the South African President use one of our campaigns to illustrate this is a huge accolade.”
Continuing to deliver on its promise of ‘Make It Mean Something’, Grid has seen its own business expand despite stifling market growth. In addition to a compounded growth of 72% over the last three years, the agency now has offices in Illovo, Sandton and Cape Town, having opened the doors to its own space in the Mother City in June this year.
Exist meaningfully
As Grid is constantly on a trajectory to grow and change, 608 Experiences, a new division within the business, born out of Covid-19, illustrates the company’s power of versatility and works with brands to curate experiences in entertainment and culture.
“For years brands have talked about market relevance. But having a product relevant for sale is no longer enough – they need to exist meaningfully in the cultural space” says Adam Byars, joint CEO and partner of Grid Worldwide and 608 Experiences.
608 has worked with the likes of FNB to assist in repositioning itself from a banking solution to a lifestyle brand, Loop and J’Something explored a musical collaboration in the physical and digital realms through a blockchain music marketplace, and Zakes Bantwini moved from Ghetto King to Grammy star, all in the name of ‘playing in culture.’
As Grid continues to evolve, the business also continues to bring creative excellence to local and global clients, with its award-winning work acknowledged across the industry.
Just this month, Grid was awarded the Fast Company Innovation By Design Award in the Packaging category for its innovative, sustainable packaging solution on Inverroche Bee&Bee.
Winning work
The same concept received international praise in its reception of a prestigious Cannes Lion and Merit Award at The One Show, and resulted in Grid being the only South African agency to win two golds and a silver at the 102nd Art Directors Club award show in New York.
Grid’s SA Tourism ‘The Best of Us’ campaign received a mention in the South African Craft Awards in September, while the FNB brand refresh, SA Cricket’s SA20 campaign and Pantry by Marble placed first, second and third, respectively, in the August Creative Circle Brand Identity and Collateral Design Awards. Zioux Break Free achieved a Wood Pencil for Graphic Design at the recent D&AD awards in London.
It’s no surprise that an agency creating so many award-winning campaigns would house some of South Africa’s best creative and intellectual talent.
Grid Worldwide was named the Financial Mail AdFocus Mid-Sized Agency of the Year for 2022 and has no intention of stopping there.
