5 years ago, Soweto native Nhlanhla Nobanda set out to turn a fanciful dream into reality. Leaving a ten year career behind, he took the proverbial plunge and formed 555 Media Hub, an independent, 100% black owned media agency. Fast forward 5 years and the fledgling agency has grown in leaps and bounds, working with dozens of brands and developing countless successful campaign across various media platforms.
Getting started
Like many SME’s, 555 Media Hub started from humble beginnings, with coffee shops and internet cafés forming impromptu offices for the business. Through grit and determination, the company quickly found its feet, first cutting its teeth in the activation space before branching out to other services such as multimedia and production.
The Covid Effect
With 2020 came a major paradigm shift for the company. As the devastating Covid 19 pandemic ravaged the country, forcing the government to implement nationwide lockdown to control the virus’ spread, the local media industry came to a near complete halt. This is when 555 Media Hub decided to pivot towards digital marketing in a bid to capitalize on the sudden influx of consumers using online channels while stuck at home. This decision proved fruitful for the agency, with digital becoming a successful and permanent fixture in 555’s ecosystem.
What’s next
2022 was a big year for 555 Media Hub, with new employees, new clients and new partnerships brought into the fold. But while the agency has achieved a lot in the past half-decade, we are only getting started as far as realizing our growth potential. As we begin the year with a move to a new office space, 555 Media Hub is ready to take on myriad growth initiatives in the year ahead, while offering more services and value to existing and future clients. With emerging technologies like Web 3 and the metaverse on the horizon, the future looks exciting and ripe with opportunity, and as always, we will be on the cusp to guide our clients through the new terrain.
Nhlanhla Nobanda, MD and Founder, 555 Media Hub
