In this Business Talk with Michael Avery interview, Andrea Quaye discusses the role of brands in South African culture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Quaye is the Marketing Director at Heineken Beverages South Africa, a position she has held since 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She is a seasoned Brand Management and Marketing specialist, having started her career in 1998 at Unilever, where she represented Dove South Africa and Rexona Argentina.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Five years later, Quaye moved to South African Breweries (SAB), where she assumed the position of Marketing Development Manager.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She took on multiple other positions at SAB, including Marketing Capabilities Manager, General Manager for Carling Black Label, General Manager for Castle Lite, and ultimately, Marketing Director.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
During this 13-year stint, Quaye briefly left SAB to work as the Head of Consumer Marketing at Cell C for just over a year before rejoining SAB.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In 2016, she became the Vice President of Marketing in Africa for Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB-InBev), a position she held for three years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She then joined The Coca-Cola Company in 2021 as the Vice President and Global Category Lead for Coffee in Dublin, Ireland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
During her career, Quaye\u2019s expertise has allowed her to navigate and excel in diverse markets across Africa, Europe, North America, Latin America, Asia-Pacific, and the Middle East.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She has received many accolades throughout her career, with prestigious local and international awards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Under her leadership, the Carling Black Label \u2018Be the Coach\u2019 campaign won 12 Cannes and 4 Pencil Awards as well as a Grand Prix at the Loeries. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Along with her extensive experience, Quaye holds multiple degrees, including a Master’s in International Business from the University of Poitiers in France.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In this interview, Quaye unpacks the difference between a brand representing South African culture and one that allows itself to be influenced by it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She suggests whether businesses should have a say in shaping culture, and how they could do that responsibly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Quaye also explains what responsibilities come with the influence brands have on culture, and how to recognise when a brand is participating in the culture with meaning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She then discusses how Heineken Beverages balances global brand consistency with authentic local influence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Finally, Quaye talks about the responsibility brands have to strengthen the ecosystems that generate the cultural relevance from which they benefit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Watch the full interview with Andrea Quaye below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n