- South Africa is setting the tone for music, fashion, art, and sport in global culture
- Cultural insiders NOT generic influencers build emotional resonance and relevance.
- Local authenticity that travels is IN “global validation” is OUT
- Future-fit marketing is about co-creating with the people who actually shape culture.
In July 2025, Showmax released a campaign that didn’t just promote the streaming platform, it set a new cultural benchmark. WATCH US, isn’t a celebration of celebrity for celebrity’s sake. It’s a declaration of cultural sovereignty. A statement that South Africa isn’t just participating in global culture, it’s shaping it.
The spot features Grammy-winning artist Tyla, Amapiano architect Kabza De Small, globally celebrated visual artist Karabo Poppy, and U20 sprint world champion Bayanda Walaza, with narration by Emmy-nominated actress Thuso Mbedu and appearances by cultural fashion visionary Laduma Ngxokolo. Within 36 hours, the ad had nearly one million views.
This wasn’t accidental. It was appetite meeting timing. Demand meeting identity. Global culture recognizing where the heat is coming from, and most important… responding.
A Shift in Appetite: From Influence to Origin Culture
Brands have long sought “influence,” but what they’re now chasing is provenance, the source of the sound, the swagger, the aesthetic, the movement.
South Africa has become a wellspring of global cultural exports:
- Amapiano is shaping nightlife from Lagos to London to Los Angeles.
- Tyla’s rise reflects a new generation of artists fluent in both local roots and global cultural fluency.
- Karabo Poppy’s visual language is now synonymous with contemporary African expression.
- Athletes like Walaza embody a future where excellence is both local and world-defining.
The world is no longer just watching Africa, it’s learning from it.
Showmax understood something critical: authentic cultural energy cannot be outsourced or replicated, it must be sourced from within.
Why This Campaign Matters for Global Marketing
The industry is moving away from universal narratives to hyper-specific cultural storytelling. Audiences want stories rooted in real places, real identities, real communities. They want work that feels lived, not researched or A.I induced.
This campaign succeeded because it:
- Centered cultural insiders not imported ambassadors.
- Represented talent at peak momentum, rather than retrospective tribute.
- Connected aspiration to origin, without diluting authenticity.
It signalled a future where cultural leadership is multidirectional. Where Johannesburg is as influential as Paris, Seoul, or New York. Where talent no longer “graduates” to global, they define global from home.
The Future of Marketing Narratives
Brands that win in the next decade will:
- Commission from culture, not just advertise around it.
- Partner with creators as co-authors, not assets.
- Understand that culture is not a campaign, it’s a continuum.
The WATCH US campaign isn’t just a celebration of talent; it’s an invitation to reframe the centre of gravity in culture itself.
And here’s the urgency. If brands operating in Africa are not aligning with the cultural architects right now, they will be left behind by audiences shaping global taste in real time.
South Africa isn’t asking to be seen anymore.
It’s being watched. And the world is taking notes.