WINDHOEK, 11 June 2026 – Ogilvy Namibia has concluded a three-month creative mentorship programme with the College of the Arts (COTA). On 10 June 2026, eight students presented full marketing campaigns to representatives from Paratus Namibia at the agency’s Windhoek offices. The programme paired design, photography and web design students with the agency’s strategic & creative teams to solve a live client brief under professional conditions.
The collaboration began in March 2026. Students were grouped into two agency-style teams, Team Para and Team STXSH, and briefed to develop a marketing campaig using Paratus Namibia as the case study. The brief required them to conduct research, set a strategy, develop a central creative idea, produce visual assets, apply the client’s brand guidelines and combine photography and design into a single campaign.
The programme was led by Ogilvy Namibia’s Managing Director, Rozanne van der Merwe, working alongside COTA lecturers Clara Schnack, Patrik Mwashindange and Ebben Kapalie. Before the creative work began, students completed the Lynette de Beer Temperament Colour Assessment to help them understand their working styles within a team.
“This partnership has been a tremendous success, and we are incredibly proud of the growth shown by the students throughout the programme. Beyond producing great work, the objective was to prepare them for the realities of the professional world. What stood out most was their willingness to collaborate, take constructive criticism, adapt, and keep pushing forward despite numerous revisions. Their perseverance and positive attitude were evident from start to finish. At Ogilvy Namibia, we believe that skills can be taught, but attitude is everything. If you remain open to learning, embrace feedback, and never give up, anything is possible” – said Rozanne van der Merwe, Managing Director of Ogilvy Namibia.
Representatives from Paratus Namibia attended the final presentations to review the campaigns and give feedback directly to the students, giving participants exposure to a live client setting.
The mentorship forms part of Ogilvy Namibia’s 30th-anniversary activity in 2026 and continues the College of the Arts’ practice of placing students with industry partners. Ogilvy Namibia has confirmed its intention to support similar programmes in future.