Openfield/baby George Partnership Rewrites The Sponsorship And Experiential Playbook

Openfield CEO Bongani Chinkanda explains. “Over the years, we’ve seen marketers spend more money and waste more time by having to use multiple suppliers to tell one brand story. If one entity can provide the requisite strategic planning, innovative thinking, relevant experience and production and studio facilities, why would you want to risk fragmented solutions and a dilution of accountability? Openfield’s clients can now expect and demand high quality, shareable content across live experiences and sponsorship platforms from one interlocking partnership.”

Baby George Creatives CEO Tshepo Maseko picks up the conversation.“How often have you been in a situation when content has had to be retrofitted around a brand post-event? This partnership is aimed at designing content at strategic planning stage. And that’s just the start. The speed at which we’re able to move from live moment to digital activation, so vital to marketers across commercial sectors, will be the envy of the sector. We combine strategic foresight, speed, cohesive brand governance with less time-wasting risk factors such as no hand-overs and little or no debriefing.”

Both Bongani and Tshepo are quick to establish that this is a partnership and not a takeover. “Think of it as an ecosystem with a common goal; to ensure there is an expanded and more efficient service available with the compound effect of two strata of expertise and experience.” “Exactly”, agrees Tshepo. “Baby George Creatives comes to the table with a recognised, specialist capability. We’re providing the additional firepower needed for Openfield to offer marketers and their loyal and prospective customers an end-to-end brand experience.”

This partnership has all the characteristics of an equation. Strategic input equals content which has longevity and reusability. Fewer suppliers to deliver on the brief equals greater cost efficiency, particularly when it comes to co-ordination. And both of these factors together equal a greater return on a smaller investment.

Right now, all over the world, the marketing services sector is in turmoil as it struggles to deliver relevant solutions against diminishing revenue streams. “At Openfield, we resisted the current navel-gazing which marketing services are currently engaged in and took a good hard look at what the caretakers of big and soon-to-be big brands really need and why,” Bongani explains. “When we did that, we saw massive opportunity for brands to compete and grow on a stage of their choosing, constructed with a singularity of thought and purpose. Or, if you’re prefer a sporting metaphor”, concludes Bongani with the hint of a smile, “we focused on the ball in the back of the net, not the ball at our feet.”

“That’s what we believe marketers need today. A partnership with one goal, one voice.”