Event Recap

On Tuesday, 26 May, The Venue Melrose Arch was the place to be as hundreds of South Africa’s leading marketers, creatives, and tech enthusiasts gathered for the 5th Annual New Gen Trends in Marketing & Tech Conference. A massive thank you to our headline partner, Blue Robot Group, for proudly sponsoring an unforgettable day of insights!

The Event brought ten of South Africa's most influential marketing voices together for a day shaped by a single shared question: what does meaningful marketing look like in a world flooded with AI-generated content, polarised feeds and shrinking attention spans?

Across every keynote and panel, the same themes kept surfacing. Trust over noise. Meaning over volume. Advocacy over impressions. Human connection over optimisation. Authenticity over trend chasing. Experience over interruption. Story over saturation—community over campaigns. 

Summary:

AI will transform how we work, but humanity is becoming the real differentiator. The brands, marketers, and creatives who succeed will be the ones who balance technology with empathy, automation with craft, scale with meaning, speed with intention, data with emotional intelligence, and reach with resonance. Because in a world flooded with content, the rarest thing is beginning to look very simple: Something that genuinely feels human. 

Thank you to everyone who joined us this year. We look forward to hosting you in 2027. 

Speakers & Topics

  • Darren New

    Darren Morris, Chief Executive Officer at Lucky Hustle. Agency/Client CoLab

    TOPIC: Using Creativity Superpowers to Change South Africa. 
    Read more
  • Screenshot 2026 05 17 093812

    Ludumo '9mm' Lamati, former SA World Boxing Champion, and Founder of Ringside Fitness

    Ludumo is stepping into the ring on stage with Lucky Hustle’s Darren Morris for a powerhouse agency/client CoLab session.
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  • Tamryn Taylor Unilever

    Tamryn Taylor, Head of Marketing: Demand Generation: Beauty Well-Being & Personal Care at Unilever SA

    TOPIC: The Earned Economy: Why Culture-Powered Communities Are the Growth Engine of 2026 
    Read more
  • MONDRE

    Mondre Bremner, Senior Manager: Digital Channels Strategy | Integrated Marketing & Experience at Nedbank

    TOPIC: Why Editorial Content Matters… Or Is It Really That Deep? 
    Read more
  • Clare Professional photo

    Clare Trafankowska, Executive Head of Media and Digital Marketing at FNB

    Topic: From Personalisation to Permission: The Next Era of Customer Relevance.
    Read more
  • Hyh HOD photos Ryan Mc Fadyen

    Ryan McFadyen, Co-Founder at HYH Group and Head of Strategy

    TOPIC: Growth After the Algorithm Breaks 
    Read more
  • Dentsu Corporate 20230425 45

    Carni Wilkens, Chief Growth Officer at dentsu SSA

    TOPIC: We are human after all: The Transparency Gap 
    Read more
  • Emilio blue robot

    Emilio Warmberg, Regional Sales Manager at Blue Robot Group - Main Event Sponsor

    TOPIC: Moving from Passive Exposure to Active Attention
    Read more
  • Syd headshot white background

    Sydney Rheeder, Creative Innovation Lead at TBWA\Hunt\Lascaris\Jhb, part of Omnicom Advertising Group (OAG)

    TOPIC: CES 2026: Key Shifts from the Los Angeles Consumer Electronics Show - Joint Session
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  • Olivia Matterson

    Olivia Matterson, Head of Innovation at TBWA\SA, part of Omnicom Advertising Group (OAG)

    TOPIC: CES 2026: Key Shifts from the Los Angeles Consumer Electronics Show - Joint Session
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  • 1743711653411

    Marcel Swain, MD of Dentsu X

    Panel Discussion Guest.
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  • 1713434255130

    Chantel Harrison, MD of iProspect

    Panel Discussion Guest.
    Read more
  • Capture jon

    Master of Ceremonies - Jon Gericke, Owner, Pint Size Media, and SAfm Radio Presenter

    Read more

Key Takeaways

Cultural Capital & Community

  • The Mandate: Move beyond "engaging" with culture to shaping it. Brands must transition from passive observers to active community architects to secure long-term loyalty.
  • The Metric: Meticulously audit the ROI of community-led growth against traditional top-of-funnel spend to prove the value of high-affinity networks.

Operationalizing AI & Tech

  • Content Redefined: AI isn't just a tool for efficiency; it’s a total recalibration of customer expectations. We explore how to set new benchmarks for speed and relevance without eroding brand voice.
  • The Human-AI Fusion: High-impact growth requires the synergy of machine intelligence and human intuition. We focus on the "Human-First" framework: using tech to amplify, not replace, radical transparency.

The New Trust Economy

  • Permission-Based Personalization: Moving from "creepy" data tracking to earned relevance. The next era is defined by the transition from invasive personalization to explicit consumer permission.
  • The Credibility Crisis: Automation alone is a race to the bottom. Growth now depends on "Authentic Credibility"—sparking genuine dialogue that survives the skepticism of a tech-saturated market.

High-Velocity Growth & Performance

  • Data as Lifeblood: Hardwiring data into the full lifecycle—acquisition, activation, and retention—to ensure every dollar spent is an investment in relevance.
  • Attention as Currency: Reach is a vanity metric; Active Attention is the true gold standard. We analyze the hidden "decay cost" of campaigns built solely on passive exposure.

Purpose-Driven Actionability

  • Courageous Creativity: Moving past "purpose-washing" to tackle societal issues with measurable impact. This is about creativity that solves problems, not just occupies ad space.
  • The Scalability Framework: How to scale global impact and technical execution without losing the "craft" that makes a brand unique.

2026 Ticket fees

Secure your seats today!
Secure your seats today!

2026 Ticket Fees: Prices (Ex. VAT) 

TICKET SALES ARE OFFICIALLY CLOSED FOR THIS EVENT!

  • Standard Ticket Fee: R3, 300
  • Book 5 or more standard tickets and receive a 10% discount:
  • Tertiary Institutions: Lecturers and Staff: R2, 000
  • Student Rate: R1, 000
  • Ticket price includes: Priceless content | all-day refreshments | delicious breakfast | full buffet lunch | afternoon snacks | full-day parking.
  • NO ONLINE TICKET SALES OR PAYMENTS: Payment Method: Standard EFT

Secure your seats today, email stephen@newgenawards.co.za 

We'll issue an invoice once you confirm the final ticket numbers. Full payment is required before the event (credit cards not accepted). No refunds for any fees. All delegate fees include 15% VAT, which international delegates can reclaim through their local VAT refund provider.

Who should attend?
Who should attend?

  • Agency & Corporate Marketing Leadership: CMOs, Marketing Directors, and Brand Managers looking to integrate innovative technology into organizational goals.
  • Digital & Performance Marketers: Specialists in digital, mobile, and social media marketing focused on increasing ROI, lead generation, and engagement.
  • Marketing Technology (MarTech) Leaders: Professionals focused on automation, AI, and MarTech systems.
  • Content Creators & Strategists: Experts looking to leverage AI and data-driven, personalized storytelling.
  • Creatives: Designers wanting to explore new tools to enhance their visual designs.
  • Data Analysts & AI Specialists: Professionals using analytics and behavioral science to influence consumer behavior.
  • Business Leaders & Entrepreneurs: Owners looking to build brand loyalty and adopt new technology tools. 

2026 Highlights

Testimonials

  • Just wanted to say thank you for pulling together such a great event a couple of weeks ago! The talks and topics have stayed with me since then and given me that extra motivation to push and fight for our own creativity with our clients.

    Was great to go to and will definitely be at the next one! 

    - Angus Hamilton-Morris, Client Service Director at DarkMatter

  • As a Digital Content Curator passionate about social media and the future of content, we took away valuable insights from the conference that have helped shape our marketing approach.

    - Kgabo Karabo Maila, Digital Content Curator, Instinctif Partners Africa

  • I had the pleasure of attending the #NewGenTrends in Marketing conference today, which highlighted the evolving dynamics of our industry. From AI's influence on marketing to the ever-changing landscape of media and client/agency relationships, the sessions provided great insights into where our field is headed.
    A big thanks to Stephen Paxton for orchestrating such an event.

    - Rachelle Sadie, Marketing Manager Kipi.ai

  • Congratulations on your recent #NewGenTrends in Marketing conference. The industry has been buzzing with feedback on what a first-class industry event it was (again) 🙏 Onwards and upwards

    - Tracy Jones, Founder & MD of Dialogue

  • At Leagas Delaney South Africa, we believe that Everything Matters. From the smallest creative detail to the boldest strategic vision. That’s why we are proud to support the New Gen Conference once again. As a tech-driven, insight-led agency group, we see this platform as an essential space where innovation, creativity, and digital transformation converge to shape the future of our industry. It aligns with our core values of challenging convention, driving meaningful impact, and elevating African creativity onto the global stage. We’re excited to be part of the conversation and to collaborate with the brightest minds pushing our industry and our continent forward.

    - Ray Langa, Group CEO: South Africa, Leagas Delaney - 2023, 2024 & 2025 Event Sponsor

  • The #NewGenTrends conference was so amazing, with so many important lessons learned about how to approach marketing and branding. From using awe and wonder in your thinking to using AI for content creation and encouraging #UGC. Finally, keeping concepts such as behavioral science and customer experience top of mind in our analysis of marketing data (to aid that strategic thinking and planning) 🤓

    - Nombulelo Bridgette Mini-Matsio, Digital Marketing, Volkswagen Group Africa

  • Powerful session #newgentrends In Marketing Conference. Desh Govender, TikTok. I could listen to you all day! Thank you Stephen Paxton on a fantastic day.

    - Caley May, Group Marketing Manager, Abcon Group

  • What an insightful day spent at the New Gen Marketing Conference yesterday. Thanks to Stephen Paxton and all the speakers for the very inspiring food for thought.

    - Gabi Goldstein, previous Chief Marketing Officer, Student Village

  • The audience: leading minds across agency & brand
    What an incredible session at the NewGenTrends in marketing conference with my co-host Raymond Langa 👏🏾
    Thank you for the warm welcome, and the amazing feedback on the day! 

    - Desh Govender, Previous Global Head of Marketing at TikTok | current Chief Marketing Officer at Luxe (L'Oreal)

  • Thought-provoking content and inspiration from Gareth Cliff. Well done Stephen Paxton for putting together a fantastic day.

    - David Pugh, Co-Founder & Managing Director, uCreate Innovation Hub

Event Sponsors & Media Partners

  • Blue Robot Group Dark with no background
  • WM2024
  • MM Website LOGO
  • Blue Robot Group Light with Dark background
  • Flow Logo On White