Dentsu started as a collection of entrepreneurs that envisioned a different type of agency. Diversity was critical and accountability was key. We wanted people and the leadership to have a real sense of ownership in the business, the work produced and the people it attracted.

We truly wanted to reshape the South African (SA) industry, proving that smaller challenger businesses can become scaled and potentially lead an industry. Here we are, a few years later and SCOPEN has named Carat SA as the Leading Media Agency in Overall Market Perception.

According to the AGENCY SCOPE SA 2023/24 study, the accolade is derived from an extensive series of interviews involving more than 520 industry professionals. This comprised of 312 Marketing Professionals (representing 220 companies), 45 Media Agency Professionals, 155 Creative Agency Professionals, and 16 Media Owners Directors. Irrespective of whether they have prior experience with the award-winning agency, this ranking is established based on the perspectives of the interviewed marketers and a set of attributes under consideration.

Over and above winning Leading Media Agency, Carat ranked in the top position for Spontaneous Awareness, Ideal Agency and is also the best perceived media agency in SA considering the opinion of 312 marketers interviewed.

Amongst other strengths, Carat is number one (according to all marketers interviewed), in Strategic Planning. When existing clients are interviewed and value the media agencies they are working with, Carat again appears as one of the leaders in Strategic Planning, which validates the strong perception existing in the marketplace.

Lerina Bierman, Group Managing Director for Dentsu Media Brands said: “This acknowledgment speaks to the unwavering dedication of our team, showcasing our commitment to transforming the industry and providing strategic excellence for our clients. It underscores our conviction that leading agencies are defined by the right people, united in their collective and steadfast commitment to the success of our clients."

Carat SA was not the only dentsu agency recognised for their incredible perception:

• iProspect SA was recognised for Planning and Buying Digital Media, E-Commerce Needs, Meeting Deadlines and ‘Weight’ on Digital Platforms.
• Dentsu ranked #2 in New Business Activity and Relationships with Holdings Groups.

“AGENCY SCOPE is highly respected in the industry, and I am so proud of CARAT for rising to the TOP position as Leading Media Agency. The recognition awarded by SCOPEN across dentsu SA and our agencies reflect our unwavering commitment to excellence, exceptional strategic ability and is testament to the hard work and dedication of our talented team.” comments Roxana Ravjee, CEO of Dentsu SA.

Dawn Rowlands, Dentsu Africa CEO comments “We are by no means at the end of our challenger journey. We have and will continue to invest heavily into our people, our tech and our data, and are certainly ahead of the curve. We are agile, insightful and culturally relevant. To our clients, partners and staff, thank you and let's keep challenging and reshaping our industry.”