We were tasked with the production of a marketing video for the AGOA Exporter of the Year Awards. The video was centred around South African company Jendamark Automations, who won the Large-sized Export Business award for 2022. The project was funded by USAID, who also facilitated the awards show. The video focuses on their assembly solutions for the automative industry, and the importance of innovation for international markets. There is also large focus on the challenges they experienced presenting their products to international clients and how they overcame the stigma’s associated with South African exports. This was largely due to their commitment to refining their solutions to a point where they are the standard for assembly solutions on a global scale. Jendamark Automations is a major South African export success story, that demonstrates the importance of research and development — in order to innovate products for an international market.

For this video we collaborated with Sound Idea Digital, one of the leading video production company’s in South Africa. They have over thirty years of content production experience, and having collaborated with them before on multiple projects, it was a dream to work together on these videos. This video formed part of a series of videos for the AGOA Exporter of the Year Awards, which we have produced for two years running. Multiple videos across numerous businesses had to be shot and edited in preparation for the awards show and the accompanying live stream, which we also jointly facilitated with Sound Idea Digital. When filming multiple videos for a set deadline, it is of vital importance that all your planning is done in advance. A video’s production value is directly influenced by the availability of resources, key members and locations. This is why every potential opportunity for filming should be carefully considered from all parties involved.

South African export businesses face a number of challenges, from navigating red tape and bureaucracy to overcoming currency fluctuations and competition from other countries. Import/export process flows often form complex webs, resulting in a lack of visibility into pricing, supply chains and transit times. In addition, the South African government has limited trade agreements with many countries, restricting the ability of exporters to access markets and increasing their reliance on costly intermediaries. An additional challenge faced by South African exporters is a stigma associated with developing countries, where there is a general belief that the products and services offered are of a lower quality standard. It is a big hurdle that can only be overcome through relentless product development and professional marketing.

Professional marketing videos are essential for any export business in South Africa. These videos help to create an engaging and informative content that showcases the export products and services a business has to offer. This helps to improve visibility and exposure, as well as generate more leads from potential customers. Professional marketing videos also allow businesses to better showcase their unique selling points and emphasise what sets them apart from other international markets. Additionally, they provide a platform where businesses can introduce their export solutions in an interactive and engaging manner for their target audience.