In today’s rapidly shifting economic landscape, South African businesses are increasingly looking beyond their borders for expansion. However, scaling a brand internationally while navigating the disruptive rise of AI requires more than just local confidence — it requires a fundamental operational reset.
Many South African brands that expand internationally struggle to scale. The reasons for this, says Investec CMO Abey Mokgwatsane, is that they assume that what works at home will automatically translate to success abroad. The result is that they often misread client preferences, misalign messaging, underprice offerings and underestimate regulatory, cultural and competitive complexity.
“Success abroad isn’t just about a brand or marketing — it’s about the whole business ecosystem and the ability to adapt,” says Mokgwatsane. “International scale is not just growth; it’s an operational reset. It requires global-ready supply chains, legal frameworks, marketing, client support and local talent with deep market knowledge. Success requires strategic adaptability and a proactive approach to new technologies.”
While cost leadership alone rarely wins abroad, global markets reward differentiation and unique experiences. Nando’s is a good example. South Africa is the brand’s cultural home, but it has over 500 stores in the UK, compared with just fewer than 300 in South Africa. By tailoring its positioning to a more premium dining experience rather than just fast food, it avoided the category pricing pressure that would undoubtedly have led to failure.
“Similarly, at Investec, success internationally comes from exporting more than the brand itself. While the brand provides ‘cut through’, it is the high-touch client service and bespoke solutions that allow the business to stand out in a crowded financial services market,” says Mokgwatsane.
International success, he adds, doesn’t hinge on brand strength alone but comes down to adaptability: the ability to translate what works at home into something that authentically fits a new market.
AI is reshaping global competition
AI is changing the marketing landscape across three key areas: cost reduction, actionable data strategies and search behaviour. Business leaders, says Mokgwatsane, must transition to more proactive AI-enabled strategies.
“AI is driving down costs and transforming content creation. While marketing automation can now replicate a brand’s voice and tone instantly, marketing leaders need to have honest conversations about how AI intersects with human creativity and what that means for the creative industry in future.”
To build lasting credibility, a brand must be consistently distinctive and have differentiated products to power recall
As data becomes far more actionable, businesses with strong data strategies can deliver personalised, high-impact campaigns at hyperscale, while those without these fundamentals risk being left behind.
The generative AI market is projected to grow from $252.5bn in 2025 to $280.48bn in 2026. AI agents now shop, compare prices and interact with online content on behalf of customers. A third of US referrals on Walmart now come from AI-driven interactions, which makes it clear that failing to integrate AI into search strategies risks losing both visibility and revenue.
“AI makes real the era of hyperpersonalisation,” Mokgwatsane says. “The best marketers will blend this newfound power with age-old creative excellence.”
Building trust in a digital-first world
In a digital-first world, building trust and relevance boils down to one principle: consistency. Mokgwatsane describes a brand as a “heuristic shortcut” that helps the brain, which is the most powerful search engine, find and choose a product.
To build lasting credibility, a brand must be consistently distinctive and have differentiated products to power recall. Furthermore, purpose is what gives a brand promise and delivery meaning. “A brand cannot claim to be purpose-driven if its actions aren’t making the world better,” he says.
Mokgwatsane’s guiding philosophy for marketing leaders is clear: “Don’t be consistently fresh, chasing novelty for its own sake, but be freshly consistent and find novel ways to communicate your brand promise. When consistency, purpose, and craft work together, they create trust and relevance, even in a fast-moving digital landscape.”
The big takeout: While cost leadership alone rarely wins abroad, global markets reward differentiation and unique experiences
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