Feel the good work.

We’re here

to do the good work.

“The good work” are ideas that are born with purpose. They are ideas that are created to serve your business and inspire your customers through strategy, art and word.

Thought-through, beautiful communication created by people.

People who are in it for the long term, who understand the pressures of building a business and are brave enough to explore the “what could be” with you, for your brand.

This is Workbench. Let’s do the good work together.

Do the work, see the work,

FEEL THE WORK

Good work makes for good business. Explore

Lifting up migrant workers

& A BUSINESS

Client

MUKURU

Capabilities

/ Research / Brand Audit / Brand Positioning / Corporate Identity / Campaign creative concepts and planning / Media planning / Promotion / TV / Radio / Key social media

Overview

BRAND POSITIONING & RELAUNCH

We were tasked with reinvigorating the Mukuru brand, a business built on providing migrant workers with financial services. After a full marketing audit and research process we collaborated with our client to complete a comprehensive marketing and brand overhaul, in under 6 months. We were able to refocus the communication and present the brand with the heart that reflects its integrity, and commitment to promote the dreams of Africa’s ever growing migrant workforce.

“Workbench have been instrumental in our brand awareness and adoption.”

BRONWYN PRETORIUS

HEAD OF MARKETING
MUKURU

0 M
customers and counting

Giving shoes

A STORY TO TELL

%
Increase in Sales (YOY over campaign period)
%
Of all global “Superga” mentions on the internet were attributed to SA during the campaign
%
Increased social media engagement
Client

SUPERGA

Capabilities
/ Campaign creative concept and plan / Brand Ambassador development / Digital content creation / PR / Digital and Social media / Promotion / Radio / Activation / Partner brand management
Overview

INTEGRATED BRAND ENGAGEMENT CAMPAIGN

Superga in South Africa had a global pay-off line of “If these shoes could talk” and not much else. We took this and we gave people what they wanted, a one-of-a-kind experience and a story to tell. We took it further by publishing one-off experiences and awarding consumers on the same day. The buzz for the next activation and the endorsement from brand ambassador drove brand awareness and engagement from a shoestring budget.

Finding the Proteas and cricket

A VOICE

Client

CRICKET SA
2015 - 2019

Capabilities

/ Research / Brand Positioning / Corporate Identity
/ Logo design / Campaign creative concept and plan
/ Media planning / TV / Radio / Content creation
/ Social Media and Digital Integration / CRM / PR

Overview

BRAND POSITIONING AND INTEGRATED CAMPAIGNS

Both the Proteas men’s and women’s cricket teams were operating without a consolidated and distinctive brand in the South African sporting landscape. We took their team philosophies and created brands that expressed the essences of what each represent. With powerful and consistent communication, we were able to capitalise on the teams’ successes and help minimise fall-out during dips in performance. The communication drove brand awareness and equity, positively impacting ticket sales, as well as sponsor and broadcaster discussions.

56 %
Unprompted brand recall
for #ProteaFire
R 42 M
PR AVE for the Proteas Women team brand launch

Stirring the adventure

FOR A GLOBAL AUDIENCE

“The level of thinking and brand craft that Workbench has brought to our brand is amazing.”

TOM GAMBORG

GLOBAL MARKETING LEAD
DON PAPA RUM

Client

DON PAPA RUM

Capabilities
/ Campaign creative concept and plan / Digital content creation / Social media / Point-of-sale / Sales collateral / Brand toolkits
Overview

BRAND POSITIONING AND RELAUNCH

Don Papa is a single-island rum from the Philippines and enjoyed in the US, Europe and recently, South Africa. The brand was undertaking various activities in global markets, but didn’t have something to tie it all together. Our “Sugarlandia is calling” campaign helped define a universal voice for the brand, create content for trade and digital, as well as create the needed impact at the point of purchase.

Add Goodness.

WHEREVER YOU CAN

Client

DENNY
MUSHROOMS

Capabilities

/ Research / Campaign creative concept and plan
/ Media planning / Activation / Content creation
Radio / Social media / PR / Brand Ambassador and influencer programme

Overview

BRAND POSITIONING AND INTEGRATED CAMPAIGNS

Denny mushrooms, South Africa’s dominant mushroom brand, had been losing market share due to small entrants, tough retailers and a lack of awareness around mushrooms, in general. Workbench came up with a cost-effective, PR activation approach around their “Add goodness” positioning to demonstrate to the public that they were invested in the best interests of South Africans’ lives – both on and off the plate! The public responded, and not only did we help the less fortunate, but awareness and sales went up as a result.

81
Restaurants and delis helped during the 2020 Covid-19 lockdown
“Workbench and their amazing partner agencies helped us move mountains when we needed it most.”

SAMANTHA MCCHESNEY

MARKETING DIRECTOR
DENNY MUSHROOMS

Honouring people everyday for

DOING WHAT THEY DO

+ %
Increased organic website leads (MoM)
%
Brand consideration
+R M
in added media value
+ %
Brand recognisability
Client

FMI

Capabilities

/ Research / Campaign creative concept and plan
/ Media planning involvement
/ Radio promotion / Radio / Print / Social media

Overview

BRAND BUILDING AND LEAD GENERATION

FMI had largely been a “direct to Financial Adviser” player in the insurance industry and wanted to bring their brand to consumers. Our “We’re for what you do” campaign sought to change the perception that insurance is only for those with more stable occupations. In beautiful and touching ways, we honoured the ordinary work people do, and the people who do it in our lives, by showcasing the impact they have on the those around them.

Start-ups, scale ups

ON THE UP AND UP

Client

VARIOUS

Capabilities
/ Brand development and positioning / Communication strategy / Logo design / Corporate identity / Brand asset development / Naming / PR / Campaign development / Web design / Brand audits / Sales collateral creation
Overview

NEW BRAND DEVELOPMENT AND ESTABLISHED BRAND SCALE-UP

While we may work on some more established brands, we do believe in entrepreneurship and the power of crafted communication driving growth all businesses. Not only do our skills add value, but our experience and connections have helped many new brands avoid the pitfalls of taking a brand to market, maximising their budgets in the best possible way.
Our philosophy?

WE CARE MORE.

Building a brand that keeps growing, that builds the bottom line, that becomes a part of the fabric of society is, well… hard.

It takes grit. Big ideas. Bravery. Passion. And the smarts to see it through. It takes doing the work, the good work, consistantly – and with purpose.

What makes it easy?

Working with those who believe in the same things as we do. People who care about “doing the good work”. and adding value for the long term. Marketers, makers and sellers who understand the pressures of building a business, but are unafraid to share ideas that scare and intrigue at the same time.

Creatively led. Entrepreneurially minded. Strategically sound.