It’s cool, tasteful and black – and this includes its target market. The inaugural edition of Cool & Black – The Directory is the who’s who of black movers and shakers in entertainment, sport, media, arts, lifestyle, fashion and TV, radio and film production.
Cool & Black – The Directory, introduced to the public last month, was the idea of Lerumo Maisela, 32, and Tshepo Matsepe, 35, partners in the six-year-old billboard communications agency, Kena Media. They funded it themselves and it took two years of research to put it together.
“The idea came to me in the process of running my own business. In looking for celebrities who could work with and deliver to a brand’s requirements, I needed to find professionals with a track record. Like most marketers, I used Google, but there was a definite need for a directory you could reliably refer to,” he said.
It was easier said than done. He and his four-strong team did extensive research, consulting industry professionals, to plumb the more “professional” aspects of the careers of more than 420 individuals. There are 20 people listed in each category, which include musicians, DJs, actors and actresses, comedians, sports stars, sports presenters, radio personalities, journalists, editors, photographers, marketing and PR agents, visual artists, performing artists, theatre personalities, designers, image specialists, models, music and television producers. Also included are trendy hangouts, events and awards.
An extra category is Cool & Making Moves. Among the names listed are singer Lira Molapo, media personality Khanyi Dhlomo, TV personality Basetsana Kumalo, marketing guru Serame Taukobong, entertainer Trevor Noah, Joburg Fashion Week owner Precious Motsepe, theatre guru John Kani, media personality Randall Abrahams, soccer star Steven Pienaar and production house Joyous Celebration.
“I targeted only those who had garnered accolades for their work,” said Maisela. “It is a directory of people who businesses can rely on to deliver in partnerships or collaborations.”
The fact that the directory features only black individuals (including coloured and Indian achievers) is not a deliberately contentious act on Maisela’s part.
“I’m promoting a certain sector and culture. Yes, it’s about black achievers, but the publication is for anyone.”
By this time next year, Maisela and his team want to have updated Cool & Black. “Tshepo and I will be looking for an investor for the second directory. And I want to expand it to more categories.”
In a recent blog, Sandile Memela, chief director of the Department of Arts and Culture, said Cool & Black had given a “new face, voice and power to what the young, gifted and black are capable of… The motives and thinking behind Cool & Black represent the best values that come from the history of Struggle: African independence, freedom, responsibility and self determination.”
L Cool & Black – The Directory is available in Shesha stores and Exclusive Books for R205.