Brand Council South Africa Selects Student Council

The Brand Council South Africa recently announced its newly formed Student Council.

 The Brand Council South Africa (BCSA) aims to create a vehicle that will represent the whole industry, have the rigour to deal with issues pertaining to the way business is conducted, and manage how the industry ensures sustainability of quality talent.

To achieve this, it was decided that a student council must be formed, one that would get a unique, youthful perspective and tap into the thoughts, behaviours and insights of students and added value to members.

The student council also aims to:

• Close the gap between businesses and students, by creating an open dialogue to understand what business needs are and what skills students should be developing.
• Provide the next generation coming into the workplace with a voice and a view of what will be expected of them.
• Enable final year and graduate students access to member organisations for internship opportunities.
• Provide member organisation access to best of breed candidates.
• Provide member organisation access to the student market for market research and insight purposes.

The Brand Council Student Council initiative will support these notions, and enhance the BCSA’s value to its members through deeper and more varied insights and understandings about incoming talent into the industry.

The new Student Council is pleased to confirm the following members:

• Kieran Kohler (BCom Strategic Brand Management)
• Bernice Mosala (Creative Brand Communication)
• Siya Mafanya (Bachelor of Brand Management)
• Rob Crawford (Creative Brand Communication)
• Zama Makhaza (Strategic Brand Communication)
• Matthew Smit (BCom Strategic Brand Management)
• Marvin MSipha (BCom Strategic Brand Management)
• Juhara Khan (Strategic Brand Communication)
• Jayce Davin (Creative Brand Communication)
• Sarah McCannaly (Strategic Brand Communication)
• Moosa Molibeli (Honours in Strategic Brand Management)

Says Leigh-Anne Acquisto, Brand Council South Africa Chairperson, “We are very excited to have established a Student Council, as it brings with it a vibrancy, a unique perspective, and fresh eyes on an industry that is changing so rapidly. Although currently it is made up Vega students, we would like to encourage other institutions to put forward nominations for the student board so that we may make this a national initiative.”

The BCSA stands by the fact that the professional practice of branding contributes distinctive, sustainable, long-term, economic, and social value to our nation. They will continue to cultivate a culture of active brand citizenship across businesses, within educational institutions, and throughout the industry.

To this end, the BCSA remains committed to developing a unified, authentic voice for the brand community in South Africa, one that is in line with the BCSA Manifesto and will contribute to the economy, society, and country.