Provantage was formed on 1 July 2003 when long term industry colleagues Jacques du Preez and Brendan Taylor decided to combine their years of experience in marketing into this new venture. Over the last five years the company has grown in size and reach, cementing their position as market leaders in the ambient market, activation, events and transit media industry.
Provantage currently offers a national footprint, having grown from their initial operation run out of a home in Northern Johannesburg. There are currently six offices nationwide, consisting of the head office and additional warehouse facility in Johannesburg, as well as an office in Cape Town, Durban, Port Elizabeth, Bloemfontein, Polokwane and Nelspruit. The operation is staffed by a dedicated team of just over 80 employees and is headed by Managing Director, Jacques du Preez; Executive Directors, Brendan Taylor and Glen Jordan, Vaughan Berry and Alicia Nyuswa,
Since inception Provantage has implemented numerous brand activation campaigns for blue chip clients that include Metropolitan Life, Pioneer Foods, Nedbank, Master Foods, Mango Airlines, Tiger Brands and Zodiac Pool Care to name a few. The transit division has also implemented numerous big campaigns for clients such as SuperSport, Coca-Cola, Star Shoot and Pep. However, the launch of Provantage TTV in 2007, the first in-taxi television station in Africa, took Provantage Media's transit media offering to a new level. Immediately big names brands such as of MTN, Nedbank, Spar, Clover, Metropolitan Life, Nokia and Jet Stores realised the value that this targeted medium offers. TTV is now available 1000 taxis country wide reaching four million viewers.
These campaign successes spurred on more ambitious expansion plans, with multi-national clients requesting Provantage Media to conduct campaigns in other African regions. To meet this demand Provantage Media announced the expansion of their operation into Africa in 2006, with contracts in Nigeria, Botswana, Ghana and Kenya.
A dedicated Events and Experiences division was also added to the service offering. This ensured the company was positioned as a specialist ‘one-stop shop' for all brand activation needs. Provantage Events has since rolled out numerous large scale campaigns, most notably the lavish launch of the LG Scarlet, Aquafresh Soccer Cup for GSK, the Kellogg's Biggest Bowl campaign and road show, which broke a Guinness World Record for the world's largest bowl of cereal.
2008 has also been a landmark year, with the launch of Provantage Tavern Media, a new media platform enabling brands to reach a large segment of the young, fashionable black population through targeted brand activations in up-market township taverns and bars. Tavern Media currently offers permanent media platforms such as interior and exterior boards, smart activations, a Tavern TV channel and sales development services allowing brands to reach the top end of the black township market.
Du Preez says the company is very focussed on empowering people at a grass root level and explains that there is still a strong family culture in the company despite the unprecedented growth they have experienced. “Our close-knit team of employees has helped grow Provantage Media to where it is today, which is something that we are all very proud to be a part of,” says Du Preez. “We look forward to what tomorrow holds for the company, with all the current initiatives we currently have in the transit and township media markets, with many more exciting projects planned for the future, so watch this space,” he concludes.
