Talking in Creative Circles is the official podcast of the Creative Circle. In this series we invite a diverse group of experts to talk about the latest developments in the South African advertising industry, celebrate successes and share the inspiration that drives creativity forward.
Email us your suggestions on info@creativecircle.co.za.
Talking in Creative Circles is produced in partnership with Kagiso Connect.
Cannes Lions is one of the world’s leading creative awards festivals, but what actually happens inside the jury room?
In this episode of Talking in Creative Circles, guest host Danni Pinch, ECD at Accenture Song Cape Town, speaks to two South African creatives who judged at Cannes Lions 2026: Suhana Gordhan, CCO at LoveSong, who judged Glass: The Lions for Change, and Jabulani Sigege, Group ECD at Machine, who judged Audio and Radio.
Danni also shares her own experience from the Entertainment Lions for Gaming jury.
Together, they unpack what makes work stand out, how juries move entries from shortlist to metal, and why the best work needs craft, context, honesty and real-world impact.
The conversation also explores standout winning work, the importance of clear case studies, what South African agencies can learn from Cannes, and why local creative talent belongs in global rooms.
25 Nov 2025
The BIG creative reset
Ad New Year is that brief moment after The Loeries when the industry resets after a busy award season and looks forward to new work. In this episode, we look back on the past year and on tackling new challenges.
This episode features guest host Fran Luckin, CCO at VML, along with Jacquie Mullany, ECD at FCB Africa, and Saf Sindhi, CCO and co-founder of the new independent agency Bananas.
This episode centres on the importance of fostering a positive work culture, navigating the impact of AI on the advertising industry, and maintaining creativity in award-winning work. The conversation also highlights personal experiences from the past year, including challenges, strategies for motivation and innovation, the rise of independent agencies, changing criteria for creative judging, and the role of joy and humour in creative projects.
In this episode:
00:00 Introduction and Setting the Scene
00:53 Welcome to the Podcast
01:53 Reflecting on the Year in Advertising
03:36 Challenges of Starting an Independent Agency
07:19 The Role of Awards in the Creative Industry
08:57 Navigating Trends and Originality in Advertising
12:19 The Impact of AI on Craft and Creativity
16:37 Motivating Creative Teams
20:37 Finding Fun in Advertising
21:26 Embracing Mischief and Meaning
22:26 The AI Dilemma in Advertising
26:39 Balancing Craft and Technology
33:38 South African Creativity and Unity
37:14 Hope for the Future of Creativity
39:29 Encouraging Young Talent
41:16 Conclusion
1 Oct 2025
The Radio Renaissance
Radio and audio ads are thriving in the digital age, and South Africa has a strong track record of global wins in this discipline. In this episode, guest host Grant Sithole, CCO of Dopemine, talks with Sbu Sithole, CCO of The Odd Number, and Ravi Naidoo, Programme Manager at Jacaranda FM. They cover new opportunities, the craft, and some behind-the-scenes insights into making great radio work.
In this episode:
00:00 Introduction to Radio and Audio Ads
00:51 Welcome and Guest Introductions
02:42 The Evolution of Audio Advertising
02:47 The Boom in Podcasting and New Audio Formats
05:04 The Power of Radio: Theatre of the Mind
08:01 Crafting Great Radio Ads
13:38 Challenges and Opportunities in Modern Radio Advertising
19:03 Nostalgia and Iconic Radio Campaigns
20:59 Insights from a Veteran Programmer
21:08 Engaging Branded Content
21:15 Creative Advertising Examples
21:58 The Importance of Open-Mindedness in Media
22:47 The Odd Number's Unique Flavour
23:34 The Recipe for Effective Radio Ads
27:07 The Role of Gut Feel in Advertising
27:32 The Courage to Pull an Ad
34:12 The Power of Shorter Ads
37:02 Final Thoughts and Future Possibilities
23 Jun 2025
What really happens in the global jury rooms?
Carl Willoughby, Pete Little, Naledi Manama, and Suhana Gordhan discuss the challenges of competing globally in creative awards, South African talent, and standout work from One Show jury rooms in this interview episode.
16 Apr 2025
What the Best Of The Year judges really thought
In this episode of 'Talking in Creative Circles,' Julie Maunder, founder of Ididthat.co, hosts a discussion with industry veterans Xolisa Dyeshana, Chief Creative Officer at Joe Public, and Alex Goldberg, Creative Partner at Ogilvy Cape Town. They delve into the highlights of the Creative Circle Best of Year Awards, discussing standout campaigns and the judging process.
The conversation covers some of the categories including film, print, audio, and digital communication, emphasising the importance of storytelling, compelling case study creation, and client-agency collaboration.
They reflect on the evolving standards in South African advertising, highlighting innovative campaigns. This episode is packed with insights and advice for creating award-winning work, making it essential listening for anyone in the industry.
Key moments:
00:58 Overview of Creative Circle Best of Year Awards
01:18 Meet the Industry Experts
01:55 Judging the Best of the Year
04:17 Debating the Top Work
06:39 Innovation in South African Advertising
09:35 Creating Award-Winning Campaigns
14:58 The Importance of Case Study Videos
19:01 Client-Agency Collaboration
30:21 Integrated vs. Film Categories
32:55 The Power of Storytelling in Advertising
33:43 Crafting Compelling Film Pieces
34:18 The Impact of Integrated Campaigns
37:45 Celebrating Excellence in Print
40:59 Radio: South Africa's Strong Suit
44:37 Innovative Out of Home Campaigns
46:55 Design Excellence in Advertising
49:59 Digital Communication Highlights
54:58 PR and Media Communication Success
56:44 Final Thoughts and Industry Insights
19 Nov 2024
A deep dive into design in South Africa
We’re talking all things design with some Loeries judging insights and a wider conversation about the state of the discipline.
On this episode our guest host Liana Liebenberg, Creative Partner at Design Bridge and Partners, talks to Wade Moonsamy, Co-Founder & Creative Director at BCKRDS and Vumile Mavumengwana, Creative Director at VM DSGN.
00:00 Introduction to South African design
01:24 Meet the Guests
01:44 Challenges in the design industry
03:35 The role of awards in design
07:23 Impact of AI on design
11:43 Innovation in design
18:28 Judging the Loeries
23:57 Distinctiveness of African design
30:49 Conclusion and future of African design Creative Circle website (https://www.creativecircle.co.za/) · Kagiso Media Radio (https://kmradio.co.za/)
30 Aug 2024
What’s the Cannes Plan?
When it comes to Cannes, South Africa has a history of punching way above its weight. But not this year. What’s shifted? What is needed to get back up on that global stage? Is it an industry issue, an agency issue or is it simply not a priority anymore?
Join Keith Manning, Executive Creative Director at TBWA Hunt Lascaris, for Episode 4 of Talking In Creative Circles. In this episode, Keith discusses the latest trends and insights from the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. His guests are Zee Ntuli, a director from Darling Films, and Thandeka Gilbert, Creative Group Head from McCann Joburg. Together, they'll delve into South Africa's performance at Cannes and explore what it takes to compete on the global stage.
00:00 South Africa's Struggle at Cannes Lions
01:54 Judging the Industry Craft Category
03:10 Judging the Film Craft Category
04:49 Challenges in Judging and Producing Work
08:22 The Importance of Craft and Time
11:22 Agility vs. Quality in Advertising
16:02 Breaking the Cycle and Innovating
21:32 Embracing Local Identity in Film Craft
22:44 The Importance of Authenticity and Originality
24:09 Challenges with Client Approval Processes
27:16 Understanding Client KPIs for Better Results
30:55 Building Creative Communities and Fandoms
35:30 The Role of Bravery in Creative Success
40:11 Incorporating Creative Accolades as KPIs
43:23 Final Thoughts
8 Jul 2024
A new era in advertising: The mission of Open Chair
Are the days of advertising being an Old Boys' Club really in the past? Today, there are plenty of women in Adland, but are they staying? And has the glass ceiling disappeared, or has it just become harder to see?
In this episode, the leaders of the Open Chair movement share how they believe it can help make the advertising industry better.
Open Chair exists for two main reasons:
1. To inspire and uplift women in advertising and marketing, ensuring that they stay and take up senior roles.
2. To help make the industry safer for ALL our people.
The women at Open Chair recently launched #OnMyWatch - a code of conduct that aims to tackle the problems we still face, that are rarely spoken about.
Join the conversation with Independent Creative Leader Suhana Gordhan, Nkgabiseng Motau, CCO of Think Creative; Melina McDonald, Executive Producer at Darling Films and guest host and Chairperson of the Creative Circle, Carl Willoughby.
00:00 Introduction: Gender Disparities in the Industry
01:01 The State of Women in Advertising
01:42 Personal Experiences and Challenges
07:51 The Role of Open Chair
12:25 Code of Conduct: A Movement for Change
19:28 Support and Future Vision
35:45 Conclusion and Call to Action
Get in touch with Open Chair via thewomen@openchair.tv
Connect on social media:
Instagram: openchair_
Facebook: Open Chair
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/openchairsouthafrica/ Follow on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/openchairsouthafrica/) · Creative Circle website (https://www.creativecircle.co.za/) · Kagiso Media Radio (https://kmradio.co.za/)
14 May 2024
How do you earn Earned Media?
In this episode we talk the highs and lows of Earned Media with Keri-Ann Stanton, PR Strategist and Creative at KAMuses; Steph Van Niekerk, ECD at TBWA\ Hunt Lascaris and Mike Sharman, Chief Creative Officer at Retroviral. Creative Circle website (https://www.creativecircle.co.za/) · Kagiso Media Radio (https://kmradio.co.za/)
19 Mar 2024
Best of 2023
Our very first episode! We bring together some of the Creative Circle Best of the Year Award judges to talk about what caught their eye among the winners. In this episode we hear from Carl Willoughby, Chief Creative Officer at TBWA\Hunt\Lascaris, Sibusiso Sitole - Chief Creative Officer and founding partner of The Odd Number and Roanna Williams, Chief Creative Officer & co-founder of Boundless.
00:00 Introduction to the podcast
00:23 Launching the Official Podcast of Creative Circle
00:56 Meet the Creative Minds Behind the Mic
01:47 Diving Into the Best of the Year Awards
02:38 Spotlight on Award-Winning Work: Riky Rick's 'Stronger'
05:45 Exploring the Power of Purpose-Driven Campaigns
06:04 Assessing the Creative Landscape of 2023
14:48 The Art of Crafting in Advertising
18:02 The Evolution of Film in Advertising
21:05 Design Excellence and Motion Graphics
31:27 Final thoughts
33:04 Wrapping up Creative Circle website (https://www.creativecircle.co.za/) · Kagiso Media Radio (https://kmradio.co.za/)
15 Mar 2024
Talking in Creative Circles launches 19 March, 2024! (Trailer)
Talking in Creative Circles is the official podcast of the Creative Circle. Episode 1 drops on 19 March. Creative Circle website (https://www.creativecircle.co.za/) · Kagiso Media Radio (https://kmradio.co.za/)
Who has been a guest on Talking in Creative Circles
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Carl Willoughby
Pete Little
Naledi Manama
Suhana Gordhan
Reach and audience
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YouTube views
62,910,462
Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025
Spotify
5.0 / 5
3 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 54 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
47
Social presence
0
YouTube
93
Engagement
60
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