People connect with people. In a digitally transformed world, it’s become even more important for marketing and communication agencies to create powerful stories that form real connections.

For more than 25 years, HWB Communications has understood this and has continued to evolve the way it works to evolve its services and approach to ensure that brands remain relevant in an ever-changing market.

To reflect its evolution as an agency, HWB Communications has transformed to become Alkemi Collective.

According to Bradly Howland, CEO of Alkemi Collective, storytelling has remained the bedrock of the agency. “When HWB Communications started in the late 90's it offered a traditional PR and media relations service to its clients. As things have changed, so have we. Today, creating impactful narratives that resonate with people has meant we’ve had to do so much more. We believe our new brand reflects this truth.”

Howland explains that the rebrand is more than just a name change, and that the agency has completely transformed itself to meet the changing market and client needs head-on. “As a fully integrated marketing agency, we’ve become a plug-and-play marketing team to support brands and help them tell their stories to the people that matter to them most.”

Appointed in March 2022, Howland has been focused on a strong turnaround strategy for the business to ensure that it recovers from its pandemic losses and grows into one of the country's leading agencies for marketing, communications, digital and creative services.

As part of these efforts, the agency concluded an M&A deal at the end of 2022 with Breakout Marketing & Communications that allowed it to grow its team of specialists and establish a JHB office.

“In today’s ever-shifting business landscape, Alkemi Collective stands as a beacon of transformation, where ethics and innovation merge. We're not just telling stories; we're fostering connections, influencing change and creating a lasting impact for the brands we work with. I stand committed to driving this vision forward, ensuring we not only adapt to change but become the catalysts for it, championing a new era of communications grounded in authenticity, inclusivity, and transformative action,” says Deputy CEO and former Breakout Director, Kgadi Mpobane,

“We’ve digitised our business and improved our systems, we’ve grown our team, adding new skills to the agency, and we’ve redefined our values and culture,” adds Howland.

More than just transforming how it supports its clients, Howland understood that the agency needed to reinvest in its team and find new ways to continually celebrate the value that they bring. From leadership development, regular mentoring and training, and the introduction of more benefits including menstrual leave for all female employees, Alkemi has been committed to transforming its culture just as much as it does to transform the brands it works with.

The collective efforts have meant that the agency has grown from 12 to 23 full-time team members over the last year.

“As we grow, we’ve learned that we can’t do and be everything for everyone. It’s why we’ve been on a mission to find the right industry partners to collaborate with. Doing so has allowed us to expand our services to clients and increase revenue channels,” he explains.

Elaborating on the choice of the new name, Howland says modern, contemporary alchemy is the process of transforming conditions for the better, changing one thing into another, taking something ordinary and elevating it into something extraordinary.

“ True transformation takes guts, says Howland. “It is also what we do best. With a bit of science and a dash of magic, we are transforming our organisation, our people, our clients, and their brands.”

Find more information at www.alkemi.global

There's a unique kind of magic that sparks when two like-minded forces come together. It's with this spirit that two independent agencies, HWB Communications and Firecracker Marketing & Events, have created a strategic partnership to amplify the impact for clients across both organisations.

Working alongside each other, the two agencies will offer clients an expanded set of services by tapping into the expertise and experience of each other’s teams.

"We’ve realised here’s a lot more power that can come through collaborating with others. We couldn't be prouder to join forces with the incredible team at Firecracker. This partnership allows us to offer our clients even greater value through a more comprehensive range of services while maintaining our independent operations," says Bradly Howland, CEO of HWB.

This exciting partnership comes at a crucial point in the company's evolution and growth.

"We began as a traditional PR agency back in the 90s, but times have changed, and the communications and marketing industry has evolved. To stay relevant and competitive, it has become essential that we remain agile and adapt how we work to keep creating an impact," Howland explains.

Over the past year, the HWB office in Cape Town has undergone significant transformation, reflecting the changing needs of clients and the industry.

"Though we've built our reputation as a PR agency, our focus has expanded. Our mission now is to craft high-impact branding, marketing, and communication campaigns, as well as deliver world-class event management services for our clients.

This is where our collaboration with Firecracker comes into play, allowing both Firecracker and HWB (both of whom are independent agencies) to deliver the great quality integrated services that previously only the biggest agencies in the market could achieve," Howland adds.

Firecracker, co-founded by Scottish national Claire Alexander and South African Nicola Probyn, launched in 2012 as an integrated, quality event management, marketing, and graphic design solutions agency.

The dynamic, female-led agency has an impressive track record of over 100 events for governments, corporates, SMMEs, and NPOs, in addition to designing marketing campaigns for local and international clients in South Africa and other African markets.

Firecracker's integrated approach – which encompasses in-house digital-based services like marketing, branding, and graphic design - has enabled them to maintain a strong client base both locally and abroad, including countries like New Zealand, England, Scotland, and Australia.

"Choosing to join forces with HWB was both strategic and ambitious," says Nicola Probyn, head of marketing at Firecracker. "We've noticed a growing demand from our clients for expert media and public relations services to complement their events and marketing campaigns."

"In turn, HWB has been receiving numerous requests from clients for event management services, which is why partnering with Claire and Nicola's team made perfect sense," Howland explains.

When Firecracker and HWB began discussions, it quickly became clear that the two companies shared the same values and standards. The conversation evolved from being preferred service providers to forming a full-fledged partnership.

Both companies are on an upward trajectory, and this alliance aims to strengthen client loyalty, create new job opportunities, and foster growth. As HWB and Firecracker embark on this exciting journey, they stand united in their pursuit of innovation, impact, and a continued focus of creating magic in whatever they do.