Real clients, real briefs: Applications open for The Vega School at Emeris’ Brand Activation and Brand Challenge

The Vega School at Emeris has kicked off the famous annual Brand Activation and Brand Challenge, inviting small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs) and non-profits to apply and be part of an exciting opportunity to work with the industry’s best budding business, brand and design talent.

“Essentially, students across The Vega School at Emeris campuses nationwide form multidisciplinary teams, much like a typical creative agency environment, to tackle real briefs from real clients and develop creative and strategy-led solutions to real businesses and brand challenges,” says Amalia van Schalkwyk, deputy dean of Brand Management and Communication. “It has been incredibly well-received by clients in the past, with many implementing some of the brand communication strategies and designs put forward by our students.”

The Vega School at Emeris has developed these programmes to ensure this unique real-world exposure begins early on in students’ learning journeys, starting with Brand Activation at second year level. During this fast-paced two-week challenge, students form and run their own agency teams, taking on the roles and responsibilities of industry professionals. This gives them the opportunity to work closely with non-profit clients while collaborating with their peers to create a full 360-degree brand analysis in a controlled simulation.

Levelling up, Brand Challenge, which runs over a seven-week period, allows third-year students – including distance learning students with a third year, honours and a postgraduate diploma qualification – to investigate complex business and brand scenarios from all angles. They then address these issues with the development of strategic and creative design solutions that organisations can take forward beyond the project itself.

“Both Brand Activation and Brand Challenge are designed to replicate the realities of agency life,” says Van Schalkwyk. “Students receive ongoing guidance and mentorship from lecturers, while independently conducting research and developing strategic brand communication solutions. With the support and supervision of their panel, they also refine their concepts and creative executions, ultimately presenting and pitching their work directly to clients as an agency in their own right.

“They truly take ownership of the process, and this allows them to gain invaluable insight into the time, expertise and grit it takes to be successful in the brand and creative industry.”

Clients are actively involved throughout Brand Activation and Brand Challenge, engaging with students at critical milestones and providing valuable input that helps inform and refine the development of their work before the final presentations.

In addition to adopting and implementing ideas generated through the programme, many participating organisations have created employment, internship and collaboration opportunities for students, demonstrating the tangible value of this industry-academic partnership.

Expanding access and impact

The approach to client recruitment for Brand Activation and Brand Challenge has evolved significantly over recent years.

“We previously worked with brands like Disney, AB InBev, Tiger Brands and MultiChoice, which of course students were thrilled about, as these are prominent, well-known organisations,” says Van Schalkwyk.

“As a faculty, we began asking ourselves how we could create a learning experience that delivered value both to our students and to the broader community. Small businesses (SMMEs) and non-profit organisations are essential to South Africa’s economic and social development, and we saw an opportunity to connect them with our students in a way that would be mutually beneficial.”

She adds that shifting focus to include SMMEs in the school’s call for applications was a necessary decision, aligning with the Emeris impact and Sustainable Development Goals, specifically regarding education, wellbeing, growth and the environment.

“Students collaborate with high-potential small businesses and NGOs that often lack a clearly defined brand identity, helping them clarify their purpose, strengthen their visibility and support sustainable growth. Through strategic brand communication and design interventions, students demonstrate the significant contribution that SMMEs and NGOs make to innovation, economic progress and social development within the country.”

Brand Activation and Brand Challenge are intended to give students multiple opportunities to apply their learning in practical environments and build professional portfolios while developing the skills required in modern workplaces. At the same time, they are engineered to offer businesses access to creative and strategic skills that will enhance their brands and help achieve their objectives.

SMMEs and non-profits interested in participating in the 2026 Brand Challenge and Brand Activation are encouraged to apply to the following contacts:

• Johannesburg Campus – Francois Barnardo fbarnardo@vegaschool.com
• Cape Town Campus – Barbara Radomsky bradomsky@iie.ac.za
• Pretoria Campus – Amalia van Schalkwyk amvschalkwyk@emeris.ac.za
• Durban Campus – Jessie Kell jkell@vegaschool.com
• Distance Campus – amvschalkwyk@emeris.ac.za