Nontobeko Kunene’s research project which proposed that cultural and social relevance is as important as design, with reference to the advertising industry, has been adopted by her employer.

Kunene completed her research project between 2016 and 2017 in fulfilment of her part-time BTech studies in Graphic Design from the Durban University of Technology (DUT). “The research that I did discovered common problems that are faced in the advertising industry, and gathered more data about the lower LSM groups and the history of South Africa. This research highlights the importance of cultural and social psychology and shows how advertising can come across as offensive or stereotypical when the culture of different individuals is not considered during the creation of advertisements targeted to them. It also highlights the importance of primary research and shows the benefits of creating work that is culturally relevant,” explained Kunene.

Kunene’s compelling research project has now been adopted by a prominent advertising agency, Tragos Bonnange Wiesendanger Ajroldi (TBWA), which she works for as an Art Director.

“At TBWA, I am now currently creating a cultural editorial that is designed to inform and inspire my co-workers. I am helping them gain more knowledge
about the African culture so we can produce work that is culturally relevant.
For now, I am focusing on two main topics which are culture clash and culture insights. Culture clash looks at how culture drives behaviour and how cultural barriers can sometimes cause a cultural clash alienating our consumers. This specific section is designed to help my co-workers become more aware of the society we live in, and understanding that it’s not about what people see but it’s about what they perceive,” she said.

She believes that this research project will add a lifetime value to the agency because it will enable them to understand culture, which will assist them to produce work that communicates effectively, and also help them to build a better relationship with their clients. “Once we build an emotional connection with our target market. We will be able to recognise relevant opportunities, so we can create effective advertising campaigns,” added Kunene.

The 24 year-old Kunene said her research project was important for her because it is in line with her responsibilities as an Art Director, which includes creating visual concepts in response to clients briefs. “As an Art Director, I always seek to influence changes in audience behaviour through ideas, creativity and the use of traditional and digital media,” she said.

Kunene said she is grateful for the support and guidance she received from her lecturers at DUT. “Studying at DUT really did play a huge role in preparing me for my future. They taught me relevant things that are now coming in handy at my current job. Plus as Graphic Design students studying at DUT, we were very fortunate to have lecturers like Mthandeni Zama, Frank Kalala, Dennis Purvis and Piers Carey,” she said.

Pictured: Nontobeko Kunene

Nduduzo Ndlovu