News that Stuart Lowe had lost his 10-year battle with cancer on Monday afternoon resonated across South Africa’s media and marketing industries.
His daughter, Kristi Lowe, posted a message from her mother, Gabi, and herself on Facebook.
“This afternoon we said our goodbyes to a man who has made an indelible mark on the lives of so many. Stu has been fighting his cancer for over 10 years, and today his journey came to an end. We are heartbroken at this massive loss, but in awe of his strength and so grateful for the man he was and the time we got to spend with him.
“Tonight, Stuart and Jenna spend the evening of Jenna’s 30th celebrating together, wherever they may be. We are so grateful for all the love and support. Thank you for your kindness, and we appreciate your understanding should we be slow to respond to messages at this time.”
Lowe’s daughter Jenna Lowe, 17 at the time, was diagnosed with pulmonary arterial hypertension in 2012. She died three years later on 8 June 2015. “Bright, beautiful and extraordinarily eloquent, Jenna demonstrated exceptional leadership and courage throughout her three-and-a-half-year battle with this debilitating illness. She helped raise much-needed awareness for pulmonary hypertension, opened up new treatment options and brought global expertise to South Africa,” her parents wrote on the website for the Jenna Lowe Trust.
“Her short life had a massive social impact, most notably with her internationally acclaimed and award-winning #GetMeTo21 campaign that significantly increased organ donor registration in South Africa.”
Lowe still made time for to campaign against another deadly disease – cancer. On his death, Campaigning for Cancer wrote, “It is with deep sadness that we share the passing of our esteemed board member, Stuart John Lowe. A compassionate leader and visionary, he dedicated his time, expertise, and heart to advancing the mission of the organisation. His commitment, guidance, and kindness have left an indelible mark on our team and the community we serve.”
In his business life, Lowe made an impact in the fields of publishing and consumer research. After matriculating at Bishops, he attended the University of Cape Town. He graduated with a Bachelor of Social Sciences and Marketing.
After a stint at Touchline Media, he joined Ramsay Media in 1997, where he remained until 2012 before launching WhyFive Insights and the pivotal BrandMapp annual research survey of South Africa’s middle and upper class.
‘What a partner. What a mensch’
His close friend and partner at WhyFive, Brandon de Kock, is devastated.
“These days you can measure someone’s impact on the world by the number of WhatsApp pings their passing generates. And I’ve been replying to the most extraordinary messages non-stop for two days. Not vacuous platitudes either, but real words, from the heart, about lessons learned, lives enriched and moments shared,” he says.
“Personally, Stu and I rode shotgun for each other for decades, literally, and what an extraordinary joyride it’s been. He was the Excel spreadsheet behind my PowerPoint presos: the show director standing proudly in the wings at curtain call, delighted for me to take the applause. What a partner. What a mensch.
“And on the business side, we can take comfort in the fact that, in WhyFive and BrandMapp, he achieved his ambition of creating something mighty useful and valuable to the media and marketing world he loved so much. And making it bigger and more robust than both of us.
“So we’ll keep going onward and upwards, carpe-ing every diem with his memory lighting the way, but knowing that whenever we celebrate a victory, there will always be a spare set of chopsticks at the sushi bar.”
Legendary status
WhyFive’s Julie-Anne Bell, business director at BrandMapp by WhyFive, picks up the story.
“Stu and Brandon de Kock started BrandMapp 12 years ago at RamsayMedia. Being in the top-end magazine business with titles like Car, Get-Away, and Complete Golfer, they needed sales insights to support their sales stories. At the time, no one could jump the security fences and get South Africa’s mid-market and top-end consumers to share their opinions.
“Stu figured out a way to make it happen (as he did with everything in life) and then found a way to share these valuable insights with the entire industry. 12 years later, Stu’s little RamsayMedia insights project is the gold standard of consumer landscape studies for the media and marketing industry in South Africa. He often said it took him 12 years to make BrandMapp an overnight success,” she wrote on LinkedIn.
“Stu, you reached legendary status in the industry and touched so many’s lives. From the outpouring of messages I have read today you have been described as a mensch, a man above men, a beloved husband (Gabi Lowe), the best father ever (Kristi Lowe), a brother (Alison McCutcheon (Lowe) and Shirley Lowe), a mentor, a friend, a gentleman, a genuine man, a dear friend, a prince among men, a stellar gent, a man with a beautiful presence, larger than life, a man who lived life to the fullest always pushing boundaries of rules and always with his cheeky laugh, caring and supportive; a remarkable human, possessed great generosity of spirit, always ready to share his industry knowledge, a brave and kind and wonderful man, an institution to the industry, genuine, authentic… and my personal favourite from Amanda Cromhout CADipL™️ who described you as MAGNIFICENT!”
‘A sparkle in his eye’
“Sad news that Stuart Lowe of BrandMapp by WhyFive has passed away after a valiant cancer battle. Stuart always had a sparkle in his eye, a new idea, a new possibility. He and his team at WhyFive built some of the smartest and most insightful research surveys and tools, always presented in such an accessible and interesting way.
“He adored his family, who’ve sadly experienced more than their fair share of illness and loss. Through it all, the death of his heroic daughter Jenna, and his own battles, he was optimistic, down to earth and full of life.
“I enjoyed our conversations immensely , a good dose of healthy banter and a smattering of work, and I will miss him.
“He joins Jenna on what would have been the evening of her 30th birthday. I take some comfort knowing they’re together.
“Condolences to Gabi and Kristi, his extended family and friends, as well his WhyFive team Brandon de Kock and Julie-Anne Bell.” ~ Gillian Rightford, executive director at the
‘Man in a million’
“Goodbye Stuart Lowe. You were a man in a million. My brother from another mother, fly high and fly free with your darling Jenna Lowe. You left on what would have been her 30th. May you dance with the particles. Thank you for your friendship. Gabi Lowe, Kristi Lowe we hold you forever. You did it your way, always… and taught us…” ~ Marianne Thamm, Daily Maverick
‘Caring and supportive’