Note: the Night Owls event is one of 600 trends pulled from the Springleap Creative Insights Platform. For further information on subscribing to the platform, go to www.trends.springleap.com
Maboneng is well known for it’s innovative history, and has become one of the creative hubs in the city of Johannesburg. Now, the precinct plays host to a new platform of creative conversation, which shows local creatives how important it is to share industry skills and knowledge. Night Owls caters to the future generation of influential creatives.
The first event took place on the 30th June this year, and drew in a handful of young eager creatives. Since it’s inception, the event has become a weekly session, attracting creatives of all niches. Targeted to 20 - 35 year olds, these events are focused at inspiring the youthful markets who have either just entered the industry or have already established themselves. The local creative industry is, in general, youth-centric and the targeted age bracket means that conversation can flow organically.
A copywriter may be able to express his forte better with some experience in design and layout. A designer may have a better edge in communicating visually with the craft of knowing how to string impactful sentences together. The Night Owls instalments is showing the up-and-coming generation of creative experts in Joburg how advantageous skill-swapping is in their industry.
Night Owls - Why did it Trend?
The event, a part from its unique angle, encourages a “DIY” mentality. Young creatives, whether freelancing or in an agency, have unlimited teaching resources on the internet, where YouTube tutorials are often accessed. Instead of relying on one-way communication, Night Owls is a tangible and real experience, where conversation is the cornerstone of sharing knowledge. A great way to network with peers and learn skillsets from one another, the event not only enhances one’s creativity but builds friendships too. This aspect of social interaction bridges the gap of creative isolation and also gives young minds a chance to help out their peers in a neutral setting.
Maboneng is a very ‘happening’ precinct; it has been since its creation. Not only offering visitors a culturally diverse and artisanal consumer experience, the neighbourhood - which translates to “place of light” in English - is one of Joburg’s best places to spark creative inspiration. Agencies have established themselves in the centre of this “creative chaos”, offering local brands a creative leverage.
These elements make for a trendy event, and as the word spreads about this young platform, the installments will be sure to attract many more creatives each session.
Night Owls - Why it Matters to Brands
The branding potential for events like Night Owls can offer almost any company in the creative industry a channel for partnerships - and content creation.
Online publication and creative listing service SA Creative Network would work brilliantly as a leverage tool for this event’s identity. A platform for established freelancers, the brand could help to filter their network into the Night Owls event. This would help ensure that the weekly event attracts creatives of a high talent/calibre to guide attendees that are just starting out.
Well renowned SA creative publication Between 10and5 could help to push the event’s presence by covering the proceedings in a publication. Perhaps creating columns like “skill swapping creativity” would ensure consistent and relative content creation. This would only benefit both parties.
Red Bull would have a brilliant stake here. It would be a perfect opportunity to engage with consumers, as the target market for Night Owls draws in a similar crowd. Young creatives skill-swapping for hours on end need a source of energy. That gap can be perfectly filled with a quickfire Red Bull promoter visit. This partnership could even benchmark a contract.
Night Owls - Why it Matters to Agencies
Night Owls, being an event that caters solely to creatives, could bear tremendous opportunities for local agencies.
As the event promotes skill-swapping, any creative agency could simply encourage their employees to learn from their peers in the city. This would cut costs on expensive training programmes, manuals, educational courses which traditional firms would pay for. Truly innovative agencies will appreciate outsider opinion to better the understanding and creative prowess of its workforce.
Agencies that appreciate the value and budding talent of young creatives have a perfect opportunity to fulfil any corporate social initiative quota. Events like Night Owls could always use a financial boost / vetted industry experience to help manage the process. This would give relative agencies a friendly identity, and a positive association in the industry.
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