A name once synonymous with South Africa’s iconic youth-centred events, Until Until has evolved into a full-scale creative agency that is making waves in the marketing and branding world.
Founded in 2013, Until Until’s journey started with a modest event on a tennis court, but it quickly became clear that this was just the beginning of a much larger story. Today, the agency delivers high-impact creative solutions to global brands, while maintaining a deep connection to the youth culture that sparked its original success.
Until Until’s rise from event producers to creative visionaries was not an overnight transformation, but a natural progression born out of the team’s innate understanding of youth audiences. With roots in Johannesburg’s vibrant social scene, the company initially built a reputation for organising unique, high-energy events that drew large crowds and left lasting impressions. As these events grew in scale and complexity, so did the brand partnerships that emerged.
Charles Lusengo, Creative Director and co-founder of Until Until, says: “We started to notice that the brands sponsoring our events were showing up in ways that didn’t match the creativity and innovation of the experiences we were curating. That’s when we realised there was an opportunity to be more than just event organisers. We could help these brands connect with our audience in more meaningful and authentic ways.”
What began as a focus on sponsorships and brand activations soon evolved into providing strategic and creative solutions for the brands they once hosted. With an eye for how audiences were engaging with their events, Until Until started to ideate around the entire brand experience, moving beyond event planning into full-scale campaign development. The arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic, which paused live events globally, only accelerated their pivot toward becoming a fully-fledged creative agency.
“Covid was a turning point for us,” Lusengo recalls. “We could no longer throw events, so we leaned into our ability to develop creative strategies and campaigns, using the insights we gained from years of engaging with our audience. We realised our expertise went beyond events and into the realm of brand building.”
Until Until’s expansion has attracted high-profile global brands, including Breezer, Beefeater Gin, Spotify, Prime Video, and Absa. These partnerships have grown into collaborations and extended projects where Until Until provides everything from communication strategies to fully integrated marketing campaigns. It is this ability to marry deep cultural insights with innovative creative work that sets the agency apart.
Until Until’s journey has not been without challenges, particularly when it comes to proving their capabilities beyond event production: “In the beginning, we had to work hard to show brands that we weren’t just party promoters. We had to demonstrate that we could deliver on broader creative briefs – now we’ve earned that trust.”
“The advantage we have is that our connection to youth culture is real and ongoing. We’re not just looking at research reports. We’re still in the mix, hosting events, talking to people, seeing trends develop firsthand. That gives us a unique perspective, which we can translate into actionable strategies for our clients.”
This immersion in youth culture, particularly in Johannesburg, has remained at the heart of Until Until’s identity. The city itself has been a major influence, shaping the founders’ approach to creativity and problem-solving: “As a team, we’re from different cities, but Joburg is where we came together. This city has a vibe, an energy that has always informed how we think and create. It’s why we’re still able to get young people on the dance floors and why we understand how to reach them through other media.”
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Author: Petra Peacock from Chimeracomms on behalf of Until Until.
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