pH Project
Management
The Full Story
Adele Lucas Promotions
Project 2 : Township Talent
The Township Talent Project, initiated by Toby Chance of Adele Lucas Promotions (ALP) in 2010, sought to bridge the gap between South Africa's formal and informal economies.
Penny from pH Balance was tasked with formulating a strategy to integrate these economies, addressing the concern of national retailers drawing spending away from local businesses and spaza shops.
The Challenge
The challenge was to create a symbiotic relationship between national retailers and local small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in townships. Toby Chance envisioned a scenario where retailers could support local businesses by stocking 'local is lekker' products, benefiting both parties. Retailers would enhance their community relations and contribute to local entrepreneurship, while SMEs would gain access to larger markets, upskilling opportunities, and a pathway to the formal economy.
Case Execution
pH Balance and ALP developed a plan to create a collective brand for township products, a brand that could be adopted by major retailers.
This plan included extensive training for SMEs on product development, quality assurance, and distribution. A proposed 13-episode reality TV series aimed to mentor local talents, aligning their crafts with global trends for commercial success, culminating in a pop-up shop in major retail stores for the top talents.
The Outcome
The initiative attracted interest from major retailers like Woolworths and Foschini and collaboration with entities such as the Gordon Institute of Business and Cape Craft Design Institute.
Despite generating considerable momentum and securing participants from townships around Cape Town, the project was ultimately shelved due to unfulfilled government funding commitments.
Conclusion
The Township Talent Project illustrates the potential and challenges of fostering collaborations between corporate sectors, SMEs, and media to uplift local communities.
Although it didn’t materialize as planned, the efforts by pH Balance, ALP, and tv media partners like Ailsa Fleming and Di Chance laid a foundation for future initiatives aiming to bridge economic divides with innovative, inclusive business models.
