SAB launched its KickStart programme in 1995 as a poverty alleviation programme, but it has since become a major platform to stimulate sustainable enterprise development. KickStart promotes business awareness through training, supplying grants as start-up capital and providing post-training mentorship and assistance during the setting-up phase of the business. Aimed at 18 to 35 year-olds from previously disadvantaged backgrounds, over 22,700 existing and budding entrepreneurs have already benefited from KickStart and more than 3200 business have been started by KickStart participants. Every year, SAB recognises its chosen entrepreneurs with a glamorous awards ceremony.
"In order to raise the profile of the event in line with Global Entrepreneur Week, SAB approached MMM to coordinate the awards, and to spearhead its creative elements, content and experiential design," explains Mic Mann, Executive Producer of Mann Made Media.
The audience comprised stakeholders from the government, media, Kickstart finalists, SAB directors, and corporate guests. To appeal to all of these various segments, MMM based experiences around the theme of 'Serious About Youth Business' - reflecting that business can be exciting, fun, and deeply rewarding, but it also requires a level of serious application in order to survive and thrive. Also, the S the A and the B of South African Breweries becomes instantly synonymous with the S the A and the B of 'Serious About Business.'
The agency achieved this by designing all of the experiences within a five-hour timeframe beginning in the late afternoon - rather than spreading the experiences throughout the entire day.
The experiences included a lively panel discussion (led by SAFM journalist Xolani Gwala), an interactive 'Video Wall' that featured brief edited stills and video montage sequences of all the 18 KickStart finalists, and a glitzy gala dinner. The MC for the evening was Leandra Reddy, the popular character from various TV shows.
"The experiential mix of compelling presentations, exquisite visual backdrops, well-paced dining intermissions and superb local entertainment made for a highly engaging, as well as informative experience for all involved," adds Mann.
