MIC is rewriting the rules of marketing and culture, giving access to all

That was the challenge at the heart of MIC (Marketing Influence Culture), held on 25 June 2025 at Radisson RED Rosebank, Johannesburg. This platform, a unique partnership between dentsu X South Africa (Experience Beyond) and Hype & Happening, serves as a cultural intervention. A call to arms for Africa’s next wave of brand architects.

Roxana Ravjee, CEO of dentsu South Africa, reflected on the event’s purpose: “MIC is personal. It’s built on the belief that marketing can be more than just metrics. It can shift culture, influence progress, and open doors. We created MIC to stand for something bigger than us. A platform rooted in purpose, one that challenges the status quo, amplifies diverse voices, and builds bridges between brands, creatives, and communities.”

Deshnie Govender, founder of Hype & Happening adds: "MIC was built to share the playbook, not gatekeep it. It’s a premium-yet-accessible platform rooted in the belief that when everyone gets the playbook, everyone can win. We’re not chasing big stages, we’re creating big shifts: in thinking, in storytelling, and in who gets to shape the narrative. We started with the ‘Hype and Happening’ podcast because the industry needed honesty, featuring voices like Gary Vaynerchuk, Heineken, L’Oréal, and Visa, and now, MIC brings those conversations live, beyond the boardroom and into the culture.”

Throughout the day, one truth kept surfacing: real work doesn’t just land, it lives. That message was driven home by Mokhethi Siganunu, strategy director at Dentsu Creative South Africa. “We talk about putting the consumer first, but often we centre ourselves,” he said. “We’re not just creating for clients; we’re creating for people. That demands empathy, relevance, and the courage to challenge our own assumptions.”

Voices from Spotify, TBWA (including leaders who’ve worked on brands such as Mondelez, Diageo, Unilever, and OpenX Coca-Cola), and KJ Productions shared insights on brand, marketing and culture. Their perspective highlighted the importance of authentic collaboration, local investment, and funding that fuels grassroots talent. Marcel Swain, MD of dentsu X South Africa, nailed it: “We don’t win in silos. We win in teams where experience meets fresh thinking, insight meets data, and strategy meets representation.”

As dentsu X backs platforms like MIC across the continent, one thing is clear: the future belongs to brands that listen deeply, create consciously, and lead with culture. A new generation is rising. One that turns insight into action and creativity into cultural impact.