MEAMARKETS / Business Awards 2021 81 , Jan22112 Offlimit Communications Pty Ltd (OLC) boasts a high-profile network of clients and has successfully evolved into a ground-breaking marketing industry titan. An agency providing personalised experiential, Through-The-Line, and 360-degree marketing solutions. Best TTL Marketing Agency 2021 - Africa OLC has retained its position as an exceptional continental service provider through its unparalleled work ethic, remarkable resilience, and adaptability, consistently setting the agency apart from its competitors. Building a reputation of quality by creating innovative marketing solutions for its clients has seen the company repeatedly recognised by numerous organisations. For example, receiving Africa’s Leading Through- The-Line Agency MEA Award in 2020 and 2021 and the Bronze Prism Award in 2021 for Influencer Management. The two-time consecutive MEA award-winning agency is managed by a phenomenal team of executives - Jerome Cohen, Lisa Alton, Garon Bloom, and Shereen Zuma, who all have client service at the core of their existence. With a high-engagement business offering centered around research and strategy innovation, activations, PR strategic direction and implementation, influencer engagement, content creation, and stakeholder engagement, the second EMEA category award has been no small feat. It is a title that OLC believes is necessitated by staying at the top of your class by being a formidable changemaker and shapeshifter. A title that cements the agency’s footing in Africa as one of the most prolific full-service agencies on the continent. Having started as an experiential marketing agency, OLC expanded its offering by launching the OLC PR and Digital Social Media Division, offering clients a bespoke and comprehensive through-the-line service that’s catapulted the brand towards a more versatile client base. “It’s important to anticipate what’s ahead and innovate towards inevitable shifts in the market,” says Jerome about why work ethic, resilience, agility, and adaptability are crucial components to business success. “Experience brings you an invaluable sense for business, and most times, I’ve intuitively gone with my gut feeling, making sure I try and avoid making the same mistake twice. The stakes are also higher for us. We have been in this business for 16 years, and statistically, after ten years, a whopping 80 percent of businesses close down - so it’s imperative to reinvent yourself.” A phenomenal (and happy) staff compliment, exceptional efficiency, quality of delivery, and cost-effective strategies win in a digitally transformed world, which are all intangible aspects that have made OLC see the business obtain turnovers above R200m over the last 18 years. As a “people business,” OLC has been able to attract the right talent through its work, and Cohen believes that when you build the right skills, a team can be managed productively and, more importantly, successfully. When the Covid19 Pandemic initially took the world by surprise, Jerome quickly leaned on what he believes to have helped OLC keep paddling deep in the water below the uncertainty of various markets from which the business maintained its client base. “An optimistic mindset is essentially the most critical tool that helped us fight a global crisis of this magnitude. Never mind how problematic and deep the situation is; there will always be a positive side. More so when you choose to stay focused on a clear goal and outcome,” he expresses. Crisis allows any business to press the reset button, especially when everyone is enduring the same hardship. “Only those that manage to adapt and anticipate fast enough, with the right foundation and structure, will bear the fruits of their labour,” says Cohen, “In every trying situation, there is always a positive side. We are currently prioritizing our further expansion in Africa, with a crystal-clear plan attached to it.” In addition, OLC directors note the importance of a profitability plan, citing the necessity of gaining profits across all business segments - developing a horizontal styled business structure. Their current vision is for each division to excel and be the best in its respective field. That wish requires time, and accuracy, which is imperative, as opposed to overpromising and underdelivering - which can have a devastating effect on a business. Jerome concludes by noting that “People often shoot in too many directions hoping that something will stick. All we have to do is practice stretching ourselves just a little further, commit to being flexible, a team player, and always be at our highest level of energy. The more you give, the more you will get. With that attitude and much passion, any business is well on its way to success.” Contact: Candice Goldring Company: Offlimit Communication Pty Ltd. Web Address: https://www.offlimit.co.za/ Offlimit
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