Newcomers in the limelight

Charl Nel, managing director of the group, says: "We are positioning ourselves to be a boutique agency. Our margins are higher than average and we are focusing on a very specific number of clients who receive personal attention and far above average creative
work.

"We therefore strongly believe in the less is more principle and do not want to compete on size ever."

9November was also rated the second best Afrikaans advertising agency of the year with FCB Cape in first place and Network BBDO in third place.

AdReview says 9November won for two primary reasons: the performance of their creative unit and their unconventional business model of a group of small associated businesses that operate independently or in concert as an agency grouping, with their main business unit in this group being "Daddy buy me a pony".

"When we started the agency grouping we realised that it was different and that it will take some time for bigger corporates to realise the potential and advantages of our business model. We did not expect to be noted so early in our existence."