PR agency in South Africa
DUO Marketing + Communications (DUO) was founded in 2004 by Judith Middleton. As a Director of the Cape IT Initiative (CITI) and one of the founding members that created South Africa’s first IT incubator, Bandwidth Barn, Judith realised the need for strong, affordable marketing and PR solutions for enterprises within the tech industry.
DUO Marketing is a PR and Digital Marketing agency in South Africa that specialises in servicing technology brands in Africa (South Africa, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, Ghana and Kenya). Our service offering covers strategy and planning, communications, and traditional and digital marketing.
What makes DUO Marketing unique is our robust team of professionals, all of whom have experience with technology companies, from SMEs built from the ground up by local entrepreneurs to NASDAQ-listed giants.
Vision & Mission
DUO’s vision is to give tech innovators a voice. Our strength lies in our ability to translate technology value into tangible business value and then harvest these outputs in the media and other relevant digital platforms for optimum brand exposure.
Our mission is to be the complete marketing and communications partner, facilitating growth and enabling greatness for tech companies by harvesting business value out of technology. We believe a holistic strategy reaps the best results and return on investment. We can support your business across owned, earned and paid marketing and communications activities.
Approach to Customer Service
We are an owner-managed agency which means we can be agile and flexible. As such, we have dispelled the conventional layered approach within traditional agencies and organised our teams to distribute roles to the people who are best skilled and suited to them rather than those who have capacity.
Our challenge is to drive a strengths-based methodology such that client IP is retained across a range of individuals at DUO Marketing from those writing content, to those pitching to media or securing opportunities for your brand.
The Essence of DUO
The very nature of our name – DUO – means we approach every client engagement as a partnership. We don’t work in isolation – our clients play a constant and pivotal role in building their brands, just as we do.
We are exceptional at finding and translating the human elements to our clients’ technology solutions. We take hard tech and tell stories about the tech that make it more human. This approach, combined with our relentless focus on meaningful outcomes and our professional approach, has given us a seat at all our clients’ boardroom tables as strategic advisors.
We strive to provide value to our clients and do not swap time for money. We understand the commercial role of communications within our clients’ businesses and develop strategies that deliver a return on investment (ROI) based on their business needs.
We sell expertise to clients. Every product or service we offer is created and implemented by an experienced, skilled and professional expert. We are not afraid to say no to work where we are not confident that we can deliver to our own high standards.
Every one of DUO’s clients enjoy the personal care and attention of a professional team that is passionate about growing their business through PR, digital marketing, social media and integrated communications.
Each DUO tribe member is committed to delivering value. We maintain integrity in all our dealings with colleagues, clients, the media and suppliers. We act professionally at all times and aspire to foster a culture within the organisation that is driven by achieving meaningful results.
While we work hard, we also value the importance of a balanced lifestyle that allows for more than just work. We put in our best effort during office hours and then spend the time to build and maintain fulfilling personal lives. We don’t work around the clock. We are dedicated to delivering an exceptional customer experience and passion, integrity and a willingness to work hard are must-have qualities for anyone wanting to join our high-performance team.
Are you smart, results-oriented and passionate about tech? Do you enjoy exploring new opportunities and challenging yourself to be innovative and output-focused for your clients? Apply for any careers at DUO.
Meet the DUO Team
Judith Middleton
Lesley Rencontre
Shey Nel
Anish Abraham
Joanna Oosthuizen
Devlin Brown
Tamsin McKay
Ammaarah Kootbodien
Astrid de la Rey
Charlote Hlangwane
Nosipho Memela
Lindiwe Maphumulo
Tankiso Motsoeneng
Phoebe Opperman
AJ van den Heever
Charles Middleton
Lebo Thobye
Brian Sibanda
Silvia Kabita
Bretta Russell-Espin
Fatima Hassan
Mignon Keyser
Buhle Sive
We have worked with incredible clients, including:
FAQ
Who is the top tech PR agency in South Africa?
With over two decades of exclusive focus on the technology sector, DUO Marketing is the longest-standing specialist tech PR agency in the region.
What makes DUO Marketing different from other agencies?
We are “Geeks by Nature.” We love technology and the impact it has on businesses and people. We don’t just do PR; we understand the underlying technology, from cloud to cybersecurity to software development and telecoms, and everything in between.
Who are the leaders at DUO Marketing + Communications?
Our leadership team consists of seasoned experts in business strategy, journalism, and digital performance, providing a holistic view of your marketing needs. Judith Middleton leads our agency in Africa and Joanna Oosthuizen leads the UK and European division called the DUO Global Studio
Does DUO Marketing work across Africa?
Yes. Our experience and extensive teams allow us to execute campaigns across 15+ African countries, navigating local media landscapes with ease.
What are DUO Marketing’s core values?
DUO partners with clients to build their brands collaboratively. DUO operates in a partnership rather than a transactional way, building on long-term relationships resulting in genuine growth. We humanise technology through compelling storytelling. Our focus on impactful outcomes and a professional approach positions us as trusted strategic advisors. We deliver ROI-driven strategies aligned with your business needs. Our goal is to consult and give you the best of our collective expertise.
PRCA: Public Relations and Communications Association
DUO Marketing + Communications is a proud member of the Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA) is the world’s largest professional PR body, which represents more than 35,000 PR professionals in 82 countries worldwide. With offices in London, Hong Kong, Dubai, Singapore, and Buenos Aires, it is a global advocate for excellence in public relations.
We are aligned to the PRCA’s mission to create a more professional, ethical, and prosperous PR industry. It champions – and enforces – professional standards around the world through its Professional Charter and Code of Conduct. The Code compels members to adhere to the highest standards of ethical practice.
DUO Marketing + Communications is an exclusive partner for the The Plexus Group, a group of global PR and digital marketing agencies servicing clients in the ICT sector. With a presence in over 45 countries, Plexus enables clients to benefit from tailored and scalable communications solutions that support both global and local strategies.
DUO Marketing supports Plexus’ strategy to serve clients who want to make good use of the opportunities presented by the emerging growth in Africa with PR, social media and online marketing. The partnership forms part of DUO’s strategic objective to increase market share with a global client base and further expansion into Africa.
We have a deep understanding of the Tech and Telecoms landscape and offer a wide array of services to position our clients effectively in the media and across all relevant digital platforms.
So, partner with a specialist PR and Digital Agency that understands your business, industry and customers.