Groovin Nchabeleng is proving that by committing to hard work and dedication, you are able to reap the rewards you fought so hard to achieve. The award-winning Blueprint Group CEO spoke to BBQ about his recent accolade, the state of his business, the plight of black-owned entities, and what it is going to take to get South Africa back on track, writes Ralph Staniforth.
Blueprint Group CEO Groovin Nchabeleng is a highly successful businessman and marketing guru with a passion for what he does and the people who surround him.
Like all inspiring success stories, Groovin’s journey has been filled with twists, turns, and crossroads. These have all contributed to the finished article we find today.
After graduating from the AAA Institute of Advertising in 1995 with a Diploma in Advertising and Marketing, Nchabeleng’s adventure into the world of advertising began. Interestingly, he admits that advertising was not his first love, with journalism the preferred destination on his path to a career. Everything happens for a reason, right?
Groovin explains: “After completing my matric, I wanted to study Journalism, which I thought would put me at the forefront of affecting and influencing behaviour. I came across an advert in The Star newspaper calling for students to apply for a scholarship in copywriting at the AAA Institute of Advertising. Not knowing what copywriting was all about, thinking it was related to journalism, I applied, but was rejected by The Star.”
This rejection would not deter Nchabeleng, which speaks to the resolve of the man.
“Not being one to give up, I decided to go to the AAA to personally apply. To cut a long story short, I was accepted and managed to secure a scholarship to study Advertising. So, for the years that I was at the AAA, most people thought I was studying Journalism; they knew me as ‘Groovin, the aspirant journalist’. And I never really bothered to explain anything to them. Afterall, at the time, very few people understood what advertising was all about,” the expert brand builder continues.
“People would later find out that I was in the advertising industry when I was sent overseas as a Client Service Executive at Leo Burnett South Africa, working on the iconic SAA account. It was a momentous occasion for a young black boy from Atteridgeville; getting in an aeroplane for the first time in my life to go and see the world. This is something my friends and family could only dream about. And, so, the rabbit was out the hat. That’s when they found out that Groovin was an advertising man and not a journalist. To this day, I have not shaken the title of ‘Groovin, the advertising guy’.”
With over 25 years of experience in the advertising and marketing game, Nchabeleng has entrenched himself in the industry. Prior to founding the Blueprint Group, he was the CEO and a shareholder of Leo Burnett South Africa/MMS Group, which is a division of the world renowned Publicis Worldwide. As the third biggest communications group globally–with some 65 000 employees in more than 80 countries, the experience garnered by Nchabeleng has been invaluable in forging his illustrious career to date.
Oh, and before we forget, yes, Groovin is his real name.
‘Groovin, the award winner’
Nchabeleng, who turned 52 in March, took home the ‘Businessman of the Year’ award at the 2023 BBQ Awards earlier this year. The recognition is testament to the impact this thought-leader has had on business in general in South Africa, as well as in the fields of brand development, communications, media, and social entrepreneurship.
“It’s very interesting when you get affirmation from your peers. It says that you are on the right path and that you are making a difference. It really feels good to know your work has a positive impact on the broader society. So, all in all, it feels good to be recognised,” he says.
His 2023 BBQ Awards accolade is not his first win at the prestigious awards ceremony.
In 2003, Nchabeleng was the recipient of the BBQ Award for ‘Entrepreneur of the Year’. He really is standing the test of time.
While he may be a decorated businessman now, Groovin admits that it is never easy at the beginning. The reality is that many people are often put off by the daunting task of breaking down barriers and forging a path for themselves. This is where hard work and dedication come into play, as without those values, success cannot be obtained.
“My advice to anyone starting out is that they need to understand that starting out is never easy. However, the hard work pays off in the end. Becoming and then remaining relevant is key to ensuring the sustainability of your business and the welfare of all your staff. Another key piece of advice I would like to give is that one should never simply take ‘no’ for an answer.”
“I also believe that all types of people can be successful, but as they say, the road to success is always bumpy. It takes resilience, focus, and determination to keep going, and that’s what’s important. You need to keep going to get the job done. Success is relative. One can be successful at home, or at church, or in business. Success comes in many different degrees for different people.
“I think it’s about a balance between professional accomplishments and personal well-being, ultimately leading to a fulfilling and purposeful life. And, most importantly every event has a purpose and every setback has a lesson. I have realsized that failure and critism, whether of the personal, professional or spiritual kind, is essential to personal expansion. It brings inner growth and a whole host of psychic reward. Never regret your past. Rather embrance it as the teacher that is. They will always criticise you as much as they will celebrate your achievements.”
Nchabeleng is fortunate to have had mentors take him under their wing over the course of his career. One of those mentors, who he worked under at Leo Burnett South Africa, instilled the mantra of “Focus on what matters most to get the job done” in him.
It’s quite an apt mantra when you think about it, as we often sweat the small stuff in business and in life, which can lead to a loss of focus on the things that are really important.
“When I started out at Leo Burnett South Africa, working on the South African Airways account, I had a good mentor and boss. The other lesson I learned at an early age was the importance of determination, self-belief, and confidence. After I applied for the scholarship in copywriting at the AAA, I was rejected by The Star, but as I said, I didn’t give up, I wanted to secure that scholarship, and in the end thanks to determination, self-belief, and confidence, I got that scholarship and with it I got into advertising. The rest is history.”
Groovin’s Blueprint Group journey
The Blueprint Group was formed in 2004 as a new entity off the back of Blueprint Strategic Marketing Communications with only three staff members, which was founded in 1999 by Nchabeleng and two other directors.
After twenty-three years of operations, the Blueprint Group is well established and hugely successful–and is now the oldest and largest black-owned advertising agency in South Africa with 150 advertising practioners and professionals staff across the breadth of South Africa. That really is some feat.
As a way to keep growing the Group, Nchabeleng has shown the vision to expand with various new divisions over the years.
After recognising the need for stakeholder and social facilitation services, in 2019, the Blueprint Stakeholder was formed. With the ever accelerating technological revolution in the world at large and in the communications industry, Nchabeleng launched the Blueprint Group’s digital arm, Bluecloud AI, in 2020. As all things digital require production facilities, Blueprint Productions–for both audio and visual production–was formed. Dropd, a virtual live shopping platform, followed the launch of Bluecloud AI.
As the name suggests, Koni Multinational Brands is the only product oriented business in the Blueprint Group stable. One of the flagship brands which has come on board is ‘Connie’ by Connie Ferguson, the doyenne of South African television. This relationship requires the marketing and communication services of Blueprint Advertising and Bluecloud AI, proving just how influential and impressive the full-service nature of The Blueprint Group is.
“The Blueprint Group was formed to seize and exploit emerging opportunities in the communications industry, but as the Group stems from Blueprint Advertising–which was formed to try to redress historical industry imbalances, advertising has formed a major part of our development. When HerdBuoys was launched in 1991, they were South Africa’s only black-owned agency, and by the year 2000 when Blueprint Advertising was just a year old, there were only eight 100% black-owned agencies in South Africa. Today, there are over thirty black-owned agencies, but the global multinationals still own 98% of all local advertising spend. Hence we are striving to right these industry imbalances,” Groovin, who serves in a different leadership structure in Pretoria Diocese of the Anglican Church and works closely with the Bishop of the Diocese as a church elder and the spokesperson for the Diocese of Anglican Church, says.
While the growth and success of the Blueprint Group is plain to see, the journey has not been without its challenges.
One of the major stumbling blocks to the additional growth of the Group has been the existence of multinational agency groups in South Africa and their stranglehold over the accounts of multinational brands.
This has led to the creation of the Black Agency Network Association (BANA), which seeks ‘to establish a profitable and sustainable business environment for black advertising and communication professionals where they can equally compete with multinationals and other large agencies’.
Nchabeleng explains: “Our biggest stumbling block has been our inability to work with the multinational brands like Unilever, Coca-Cola, KFC, and Toyota. This is because these big advertising spenders are still using multinational agency groups such as WPP, OMG, Publicis Group, and IPG. One group like WPP has Ogilvy, Grey, Wunderman Thompson, and VMLY&R, who all are very happy to work on the multinational brands.
“As a result, the Blueprint Group led the launch initiative of the Black Agency Network Association (BANA) to serve as the new driver and thought leader in accelerating the transformation of our industry through the facilitation of increased black-owned agency participation. This is all about righting this imbalance and is something we hope to resolve in our lifetime.”
These types of stumbling blocks have the power to send a business under.
Groovin, during an interview with BBQ’s sister magazine, Leadership, in 2021, recalls one of his first instances of struggling to obtain work and how he flipped the script in his favour. This particular situation involved multinational agency groups and their hold on the industry.
“In 2005, I pitched to Brand South Africa. At that time they were repositioning themselves from their then tagline, ‘Alive With Possibility’. So they issued an RFP. We submitted a proposal and got shortlisted. We went in there as Blueprint, but we were not issued the contract. Yvonne Johnson, the former CEO of Integrated Marketing Communications (the IMC), will tell you the story. I went back to her and asked why we had not been awarded the business and she said, ‘You know your concept was spot on. We liked what you guys did, but the view of the agency was that it’s a marketing agency for South Africa, with a global appeal’. So, they were looking for a global agency,” he reveals.
“Three years later, the same account went to pitch again. I pitched for the same account, but I just changed the first two slides, indicating that Blueprint was part of the Leo Burnett Group represented in 86 countries, with 65 000 employees. Those two slides added power to our pitch and I managed to get that account. The rest of the contents of the presentation were the same as I had presented in 2005.”
On the flip side of this major stumbling block is the Blueprint Group’s confidence in their ability to provide advertisers with a level of service on par with any of the multinationals out there.
Armed with the ability and agility to stay relevant as a holistic communications solution to the communications needs of the country, Nchabeleng admits that “offering everything from traditional ads and social facilitation services to digital game shows is perhaps our greatest overall achievement”.
“As a more focused achievement or an example of successful work, we are particularly proud of our COVID-19 communications and specifically the ‘Stay Safe. Vaccinate to Save South Africa’ campaign. Helping to save lives, is to us, our biggest achievement,” he continues.
“Although I never became a journalist, I learnt that advertising is not only about selling products and services and I am proud to say that the Blueprint Group has been at the forefront of affecting and influencing behaviour while building brands that help to build our nation.”
Expansion for a brighter future
As an all-encompassing communications agency, the Blueprint Group has purposefully evolved over time in order to adapt to the ever changing needs of society, as well as to adapt to the ever evolving digital landscape.
Groovin explains: “The needs of the people of South Africa to be heard led to the launch of the Blueprint Stakeholder arm. As technology continues to reshape how we connect and interact as a society, embracing digital strategies became crucial for survival and success of the Group. Hence, we now have the likes of Bluecloud AI and Dropd in our Group. Digital is key to our future, but it is only one part of the communications mix.
“The reality of South Africa is that the vast majority of our people, the consumers of everyday goods, still love SABC 1, and still love a good advert. But in summary, our strategy is to remain relevant by adapting to societal needs, as well as by adapting to the digital landscape as it changes.”
For Nchabeleng, the conception of a good TV advert is still really exciting. The same can be said for seeing the Group’s Social Facilitators engaging on the ground in the most rural corners of South Africa, especially after the lockdown period we all experienced. That also goes for digital and the way we are evolving in that regard with AI.
There is a lot to be excited about when it comes to the future for Groovin, but the important point is that any campaign or account accepted by the Group must contribute to its overall growth and sustainability.
“Producing digital elements in house is really exciting. Digital communications are really exciting. Artificial Intelligence and the likes of ChatGPT is both exciting and terrifying, but AI is the future and we need to embrace it. Bluecloud AI is a great example of this. Our data-driven social media solutions allow us to ‘Listen, Analyse, Discern, and Respond’ to consumer conversations–it’s amazing and exciting stuff.
“I need to brag here… we recently relaunched the Metro FM Music Awards online and the data shows we hit 3.2 billion impressions; that’s exciting. Dropd and live online game shows driving engagement and sales for a brand is also exciting stuff. The future is increasingly digital, and it’s changing fast. So, what is even more exciting is that the future of communications and the future of the Blueprint Group will not be what it is today; but we are constantly learning to adapt and evolve, and this in itself is very exciting.”
Part of the growth and expansion for any business entity is sustainability. That sustainability comes in various guises, with one of them being corporate social responsibility and giving back to society.
Nchabeleng knows the importance of being conscious of the issues we face around us and has always been adamant that the Blueprint Group does its part to make a difference where possible.
“We are well known for our social responsibility work,” Groovin avers. “Much of the work we do for our Clients addresses social issues. Examples include the likes of Gender-Based Violence and Child Protection Week campaigns for the Department of Social Development, campaigns on the dangers of cable theft for Eskom, road safety campaigns for the Department of Transport, and COVID-19 safety protocol campaigns for the Department of Communications. As a matter of fact, the initial COVID-19 safety protocol work that we did long before the vaccination campaign was pro bono in order to demonstrate what we could do and what needed to be done. Beyond this, the best examples of the Blueprint Group itself ploughing back to address societal needs and challenges would be the work we do for a few churches and the work we are doing as BANA.”
One solution for greater societal impact from businesses is collaboration. Working together to solve a problem has been proven time and again to be successful, but there simply isn’t enough of that collaboration happening within the business landscape.
Groovin believes that the launch of BANA is one form of collaboration which will bear fruit in the future, but there is certainly room for more going forward.
“Yes, I do believe there is always room for businesses to collaborate in order to give back, and, no, in general businesses don’t do enough. Once again I want to use BANA as an example. As our name suggests, we are a collaboration of agencies, purposely working together to transform our industry in order to give back to the local community; because together we are stronger,” he adds.
The plight of black-owned entities
“Being black doesn’t entitle you or give you a currency to success,” says Groovin.
Those are words of warning to black entrepreneurs who are looking to create a lasting legacy in South Africa and beyond.
The reality of the situation is that, for Groovin, “you have to have the drive and determination to make things happen”. He uses several examples of famous South Africans who have forged a path for themselves globally by working hard for what they want. It all starts with you.
“As black-owned agencies, we still need to compete with the global agencies, we need to be as good as and better than them, which we can be given our local understanding. So, for the Blueprint Group and the BANA initiative, it’s not about asking for things on a platter, rather it’s about saying give us the opportunity to demonstrate our capabilities, because we want to occupy centre stage here in South Africa, and we want to make inroads globally,” he says.
We have seen local brands as diverse as Trevor Noah and Nando’s creating lasting legacies through focus and determination. Equally, black pioneers such as the late Dr Richard Maponya. They had their own belief and confidence, and with this they laid the foundations for us to see and believe that black entrepreneurs can indeed run successful businesses.”
While it is of the utmost importance for black entrepreneurs to do the hard work themselves, the reality is that the South African government is not doing enough in a supporting role, according to Nchabeleng.
He believes that the policy of Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) has loopholes which actually put black-owned entities at a disadvantage, as the multinationals are treated as equals.
Groovin, who is a director of United Royal Kingships Holdings (URK) – a first-of-its-kind investment entity representing the interests of over 826 traditional leaders and 25 million under-served community members living in our rural constituencies, explains: “We don’t believe the government does enough to support black-owned businesses. That is why we formed BANA; to drive the change we want to see.
The reality is that there are B-BBEE loopholes that allow multinational agencies to be on par with black-owned agencies when it comes to transformation scores. This is happening because many of the multinationals are backed by black leaders in order to comply with B-BBEE regulations. Most, if not all, leading multinational agencies are at level 1 B-BBEE.
“We believe the government could do more by ensuring that the issues we have raised with the likes of the Competition Commission and the SAHRC around the Media, Advertising, and Communication (MAC) charter and other local legal empowerment requirements are addressed so as to serve as a catalyst towards accelerating the transformation of our industry.” As a member of the MAC sector council appointed by the Presidency his mission is to ensure that transformation is accelerated using institutions such as the MAC council.
Helping to create a prosperous South Africa
At the end of the day, a successful South African business has the power to contribute towards a stronger economy. As a country, we are well versed in the economic struggles we are currently going through, but enacting that change is a difficult task in isolation.
That’s why Nchabeleng is issuing a rallying cry to all businesspeople in the country to “lead the change we want to see” as a way to “improve and accelerate our socio-economic transformation”. Yes, support from the government is important from a legislation point of view, but the chance to prosper as a nation lies in the hands of those in a position to create business opportunities themselves.
“Instead of waiting for the government, we must lead the way. The government doesn’t have to be the architects of everything. I think that the two biggest issues are ‘hope’ and ‘belief’. South Africa is starting to lose hope in themselves, in their industries, in their government; people are becoming disillusioned and losing faith in the potential that they have. However, we have to believe that we can. As I said earlier with ‘belief’–coupled with focused determination–we can make great things happen,” Nchabeleng, who ran the incredibly successful ‘Feel It, It Is Here’ campaign for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, states.
Groovin concludes by stating that he has immense belief in the potential of South Africa, despite all the challenges we have faced and will continue to face.
Therefore, it is his dream to see South Africa rise from the ashes of loadshedding, corruption, and all its other ills to take its rightful place as a leader on the world stage.
“I believe so much in South Africa. As a nation we have gone through so many challenges, the current crisis being loadshedding and the severe consequences it has for individuals, businesses, and the economy as a whole. But I do believe that in a year or two this will be a thing of the past, because I believe we have the capability and can overcome anything. So, my personal hope and dream for the future is for South Africa not just to succeed, but to excel and become the brand that we all want to see,” he concludes.
And we are right there with you.
Ralph Staniforth is the Production Editor of Leadership Magazine.
The Blueprint Group
The divisions found within The Blueprint Group include:
Blueprint Advertising
Delivering rooted, real, and relevant creative solutions, Blueprint Advertising is a full-service advertising agency that delivers bespoke solutions to social, economic, business, and brand challenges. From a shisanyama in Musina to a corner shop in Umtata, a taxi rank in Bonteheuwel to a blomspot in Soweto, Blueprint Advertising is respected for their grasp of the local market, as well as their agility, capability, and personalised service. They are focused on one thing; to help grow brands that help to grow our nation. Key clients over the years have included; Eskom, GCIS, SANRAL, Transnet, Mango, RTIA, Shell, SASOL, FNB, Connie, DTI SABC 1, Metro FM and Brand South Africa.
BlueCloud AI
BlueCloud AI is a turnkey social media engagement solution. They do this by connecting people and humanising the digital experience through smart technologies.
Dropd
Dropd is a platform where consumers can discover great deals shared by various brands and retailers in South Africa. They are known as “the People’s Plug” on social media with their content generally reaching over 500 000 people a month. Their online service helps shoppers get the in-store experience online with interactive Virtual Shopping. Simply start a chat at any time and their virtual shoppers will connect with you for a personalised online shopping experience so you can shop with confidence and ease.
Koni Multinational Brands
Koni Multinational Brands is a company with investments in pharmaceuticals and personal care. One of their flagship brands is Connie by Connie Ferguson, South Africa’s much-loved actress and film producer, which was launched in 2015.
Blueprint Productions
All audio and visual requirements for campaigns are created by the team at Blueprint Productions.
Groovin Nchabeleng’s Personal Accolades
- BBQ: Entrepreneur of the Year 2003
- AdReview: Newcomer of the Year 2003
- South Africa’s Leading Manager 2004
- Financial Mail: Young Ad Operative of the Year 2007
- FinWeek:Advertising Personality of the Year 2007
- FinWeek: Most Influential Media Person 2007 and 2008
- Proudly South African: Campaign Endorsement 2009
- BBQ: Businessman of the Year 2023
The Black Agencies Network Association (BANA)
BANA is a non-profit organisation and newly formed forum comprising 100% black-owned agencies across South Africa. Their ambition is to champion transformation and inclusivity within the Advertising, Marketing, Digital, and Communications industry.Their vision is to establish an enabling and sustainable business environment for black communication professionals, by serving as the new driver and thought leader in accelerating the transformation of the industry through the facilitation of increased black-owned agency participation. BANA aims to transform the communication and advertising industry by increasing the slice of business for 100% black-owned and majority black-run agencies. Total advertising spend in South Africa is ±R58 billion (total includes traditional as well as digital advertising) and black agencies account for less than 2% of that spend. Over the years, there has been little progress and black agencies remain largely excluded. Given that we’ve also had over 25 years of democracy, they believe the time for meaningful change has come.
Vision: To establish a profitable and sustainable business environment for black advertising and communication professionals where they can equally compete with multinationals and other large agencies.
Mission: To champion the acceleration of transformation in the Advertising and Communications industry through facilitating increased black agency participation.
Values: Transformation, Compliance, Collaboration, Consumer Focus, and Building Capacity.
Groovin Nchabeleng
