The Lead Creative

Hosted by Mongezi Mtati

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Episodes

111

Latest episode

May 2026

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About the show

The Lead Creative podcast hosts a series of conversations with great minds behind some of the leading brands, businesses, organisations and top ideas that we all love. From advertising thought leaders, forward-thinking brand leaders, innovative digital marketing minds to content creators - the podcast gives into what makes the world engage with some of the top brands. Founded and hosted by Mongezi Mtati, the podcast shares analysis, trends, and strategic intelligence.

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May 15, 2026Episode 1344 min

Why Safe Advertising Makes Brands Forgettable

In this episode of The Lead Creative, Mongezi Mtati speaks to Chris Botha, MD of Park Advertising, about why brands are playing it safe and what it’s costing them. He shares his perspective on the tension between data and creativity, why shrinking budgets should drive braver decisions, and how media consumption is shifting in a world where audiences increasingly avoid interruption.Get tickets to the Nedbank IMC Conference:To stand a chance to win a ticket to the Nedbank IMC Conference taking place on 17 September, subscribe to our LinkedIn newsletter here, and enter on our LinkedIn page.___________________________Buy us coffee here to help us grow.___________________________The Lead Creative Podcast is available on:AppleSpotifyYouTubeFollow us on:LinkedInFacebookXInstagramYouTubeSend us mail! Make a donation to Threads for Ikasi, a foundation that provides school uniforms, dignity packs and other essentials to children in townships, rural areas and under-resourced communities. To support them, go to: https://threadsforikasi.org Support the showBuy us coffee here to help us grow. Follow us for more on:YouTubeLinkedIn Instagram

March 19, 2026Episode 121 hr 1 min

Marketing Leaders on the Impact of AI, Culture and Creativity in Brand Building

CMOs are balancing speed, AI and increasing complexity while trying to keep brands distinctive and relevant. In this episode of Marketers’ Brief on The Lead Creative, Abey Mokgwatsane, CMO of Investec, and Jessica Wheeler, Chief Brand and Customer Officer of Nando’s, unpack how they are navigating brand discipline, culture and creativity.Get tickets to the Nedbank IMC Conference:To stand a chance to win a ticket to the Nedbank IMC Conference taking place on 17 September, subscribe to our LinkedIn newsletter here, and enter on our LinkedIn page.This conversation is hosted by Mongezi Mtati of The Lead Creative and Danette Breitenbach, Managing Editor of Bizcommunity, and sponsored by the award-winning digital agency Rogerwilco. Thanks to our production partners, Soweto Media, for the production and post-production on this episode.___________________________Buy us coffee here to help us grow.___________________________Produced in collaboration with our partners, Soweto Media.___________________________The Lead Creative Podcast is available on:AppleSpotifyYouTubeFollow us on:LinkedInFacebookXInstagramSend us mail!Support the show___________________________Follow us for more on:YouTubeLinkedInInstagramSend us mail! Make a donation to Threads for Ikasi, a foundation that provides school uniforms, dignity packs and other essentials to children in townships, rural areas and under-resourced communities. To support them, go to: https://threadsforikasi.org Support the showBuy us coffee here to help us grow. Follow us for more on:YouTubeLinkedIn Instagram

February 25, 2026Episode 111 hr 5 min

Marketing Is Business: Building Lasting Brands and Communities

Marketing has never had more tools. But has it ever had less patience?In this episode of The Lead Creative, host Mongezi Mtati engages with Dale Hefer, CEO of the Nedbank IMC Conference, which welcomed over 3,300 delegates from more than 20 countries in 2025, marking a record-breaking year.Before leading one of Africa’s largest marketing conferences, Dale built and sold top ten South African agency, Chillibush. We unpack:• Why marketing must be treated as a core business function • The difference between audience and community • Why credibility compounds in brand building • The risks of short-term marketing thinking • How AI exposes weak strategyThis episode was produced and edited at Solemix Studios.If you’re a content creator, marketer, producer or artist, Solemix Studios will offer you 30% off your first project. Tell them The Lead Creative sent you, and click here to book their studios.Send us mail! Make a donation to Threads for Ikasi, a foundation that provides school uniforms, dignity packs and other essentials to children in townships, rural areas and under-resourced communities. To support them, go to: https://threadsforikasi.org Support the showBuy us coffee here to help us grow. Follow us for more on:YouTubeLinkedIn Instagram

February 20, 2026Episode 1054 min

Unpacking Client and Agency Relationships That Deliver Results

As AI-generated answers and generative engines reshape how brands are discovered, marketing teams are forced to rethink visibility, experimentation and partnership.In this episode of our awards series, Mongezi Mtati and Danette Breitenbach, the Managing Editor of Bizcommunity, speak to Nomfundo Ndlangisa, Head of Marketing at Stellenbosch Business School, and Pareen Shah, Head of Analytics at Rogerwilco.The conversation unpacks the partnership behind GEOFF, their award-winning generative engine optimisation tool. It explores trust, experimentation, data signals and what it really takes to build client–agency relationships that win both trophies and customers.___________________________Support a worthy cause! Help us support Threads for iKasi, a foundation that ensures school kids from underprivileged communities have school uniforms and dignity packs. Find out more and donate here.___________________________Buy us coffee here to help us grow.___________________________The Lead Creative Podcast is available on:AppleSpotifyYouTubeFollow us on:LinkedInFacebookXInstagramSend us mail!Support the showSend us mail! Make a donation to Threads for Ikasi, a foundation that provides school uniforms, dignity packs and other essentials to children in townships, rural areas and under-resourced communities. To support them, go to: https://threadsforikasi.org Support the showBuy us coffee here to help us grow. Follow us for more on:YouTubeLinkedIn Instagram

February 5, 2026Episode 91 hr 1 min

Marketing Leadership In Complex African Markets: Lindy-Lou Alexander, CEO of WPP Open X Africa

Lindy-Lou Alexander, CEO of WPP OpenX Africa, shares how global brands like Coca-Cola stay relevant across Africa’s diverse markets. Working with The Coca-Cola Company in 54 African countries, Lindy-Lou operates at the intersection of marketing, advertising, creativity, data and technology.She reflects on her career across Tiger Brands, Diageo, Vodacom and Standard Bank, and explains why marketers must actively represent consumers inside organisations, especially when budgets tighten and choice increases.___________________________Buy us coffee here to help us grow.___________________________Produced in collaboration with our partners, Soweto Media.___________________________The Lead Creative Podcast is available on:AppleSpotifyYouTubeFollow us on:LinkedInFacebookXInstagramSend us mail!Support the show___________________________Follow us for more on:YouTubeLinkedInInstagramSend us mail! Make a donation to Threads for Ikasi, a foundation that provides school uniforms, dignity packs and other essentials to children in townships, rural areas and under-resourced communities. To support them, go to: https://threadsforikasi.org Support the showBuy us coffee here to help us grow. Follow us for more on:YouTubeLinkedIn Instagram

January 21, 2026Episode 81 hr 4 min

How KFC Thailand Builds A Culture of Brave Advertising, Marketing and Creative Work

A conversation with Suhayl Limbada, CMO of KFC Thailand, on mirroring culture, earning creative bravery and building global work that resonates locally. From Let There Be Cake to Cannes Lions wins, this episode completes the 360 story after our earlier conversation with Saf Sindhi of Bananas.More Marketing, Advertising and Brand Building Insights:Culture must be earned, not extractedBrave work needs trust, not egoHeritage brands win when they remember who they areRisk creates relevance when rooted in truthBuy us coffee here to help us grow.___________________________The Lead Creative Podcast is available on:AppleSpotifyYouTubeFollow us on:LinkedInFacebookXInstagramSend us mail!Support the show___________________________Follow us for more on:YouTubeLinkedInInstagramSend us mail! Make a donation to Threads for Ikasi, a foundation that provides school uniforms, dignity packs and other essentials to children in townships, rural areas and under-resourced communities. To support them, go to: https://threadsforikasi.org Support the showBuy us coffee here to help us grow. Follow us for more on:YouTubeLinkedIn Instagram

January 15, 2026Episode 753 min

Building a Loved Challenger Brand That Encourages People To Buy Less Not More

What does it take to build a challenger brand with integrity in a market dominated by global players? In this episode of The Lead Creative, Mongezi Mtati talks to the founder and CEO of Desert Salt, Samantha Skyring, about growing with intention, encouraging customers to buy less, and why attention to detail matters more than scale. The conversation explores storytelling, founder-led brand trust, social media as a tool for connection, and how long-term thinking creates brands that last. ___________________________Buy us coffee here to help us grow.___________________________The Lead Creative Podcast is available on:AppleSpotifyYouTubeFollow us on:LinkedInFacebookXInstagramSend us mail!Support the show___________________________Follow us for more on:YouTubeLinkedInInstagramSend us mail! Make a donation to Threads for Ikasi, a foundation that provides school uniforms, dignity packs and other essentials to children in townships, rural areas and under-resourced communities. To support them, go to: https://threadsforikasi.org Support the showBuy us coffee here to help us grow. Follow us for more on:YouTubeLinkedIn Instagram

December 22, 2025Episode 611 min

Creativity, Marketing Effectiveness and the Cost of Short-Termism: Effie Awards Trends

Marketing effectiveness is under pressure as short-term metrics continue to shape decision-making. Recorded at the Effie Awards South Africa as part of The Lead Creative Effies Series, this conversation with Gillian Rightford, Effie Awards South Africa Lead and ACA Executive Director, revisits the long-term cost of short-term thinking, now viewed through award-winning work. Conversation highlights Why long-term brand building is back in focus Why vanity metrics carry less weight in judging The limits of AI in creative effectiveness Why playing safe is a brand riskProduced in collaboration with our partners, Soweto Media.___________________________Buy us coffee here to help us grow.___________________________The Lead Creative Podcast is available on:AppleSpotifyYouTubeFollow us on:LinkedInFacebookXInstagramSend us mail!Support the show___________________________Follow us for more on:YouTubeLinkedInInstagramSend us mail! Support the showBuy us coffee here to help us grow. Follow us for more on:YouTubeLinkedIn Instagram

December 17, 2025Episode 513 min

Building Loved Brands in an Age of Data and AI

What separates effective marketing from short-term noise? Recorded at the Effie Awards South Africa, this conversation with Thami Majola, Executive Head of Brands and Communications at Vodacom, unpacks advertising effectiveness through a brand and business lens. Thami shares insights on data-driven marketing, customer understanding, AI and the discipline required to build trusted, loved brands. Produced in collaboration with our partners, Soweto Media.___________________________Buy us coffee here to help us grow.___________________________The Lead Creative Podcast is available on:AppleSpotifyYouTubeFollow us on:LinkedInFacebookXInstagramSend us mail!Support the show___________________________Follow us for more on:YouTubeLinkedInInstagramSend us mail! Support the showBuy us coffee here to help us grow. Follow us for more on:YouTubeLinkedIn Instagram

December 11, 2025Episode 459 min

The Secret Behind Vaseline’s Advertising and Consumer Success

Simple work is often the hardest to make. In this episode, Kenosi Matsebatlela, Head of Marketing for Vaseline, and Tumi Moutlana, Creative Director at VML, share how trust shaped the Mntana Ka Gogo piece. We explore why the idea resonated, how cultural memory works in advertising and why clarity outperforms complexity. They share how instinct, chemistry and timing help teams create work that feels familiar and honest. ___________________________Buy us coffee here to keep us fuelled.___________________________The Lead Creative Podcast is available on:AppleSpotifyYouTubeFollow us on:LinkedInFacebookXInstagramSend us mail!Support the show___________________________Follow us for more on:YouTubeLinkedInInstagramSend us mail! Make a donation to Threads for Ikasi, a foundation that provides school uniforms, dignity packs and other essentials to children in townships, rural areas and under-resourced communities. To support them, go to: https://threadsforikasi.org Support the showBuy us coffee here to help us grow. Follow us for more on:YouTubeLinkedIn Instagram