In celebrating the Madiba spirit and honouring the iconic leader for Mandela Day, APO Group (www.APO-opa.com), the leading pan-African communications and press release distribution service, was honoured to participate alongside 66 other businesses and respected creative designers in the South African 67 Logos Designathon in order to assist a local South African business with a creative logo design.

67 Logos is an Over The Rainbow (OTR) initiative launched in 2018 with the aim to design 67 logos for 67 businesses in one day. The 2021 67 Logos Designathon was hosted by OTR on Monday, 19 July. The initiative saw professionally designed logos being handed over to 69 entrepreneurial businesses and SMEs at no cost to the businesses.

Nelson Mandela Day is celebrated annually on July 18, where the day is dedicated to honouring the former president of South Africa and humanitarian, by providing 67 minutes of service to helping and aiding others less fortunate. In celebration of Mandela Day, designers dedicated their time to create unique logos for small businesses in need of a professional logo.

The brainchild of rainmaker Lesley Waterkeyn and education specialist Sandy van Dijk, OTR knows that for many small businesses, owning an expertly designed logo is an elusive goal. With that in mind 67 Logos aims at having a lasting impact by helping these entrepreneurs stand out in the market.

With the dismal economic impact of COVID-19 on many SMMEs, leaving many people unemployed and many businesses hit hard, OTR has united through the power of design to make a difference.

Strongly supporting the initiatives drive to encourage larger businesses to empower and help give entrepreneurs and small businesses the boost they need, APO Group, who believes that there is strength in unity within the business community, reached out to OTR and applied to be part of the designathon. Once qualified, Head of Design at APO Group, Max Roussinov was given the task to work on two ideas for a design brief in less than two weeks.

With submissions done on July 15, Roussinov’s successful designs were both applauded with one of his designs done for The Intern secured as the final logo look and feel.

The Intern is a small business that helps businesses to grow by connecting them to top talent, whilst simultaneously developing the next generation of youth for a brighter future. They hand-pick motivated and quality interns and connect them to an organisation's specific needs and culture.

APO Group’s Founder and Chairman Nicolas Pompigne-Mognard, said he was proud to have partnered together with other businesses to support the Mandela Day initiative.

“Nelson Mandela is an icon recognised world over for his legacy of peace, human rights and social justice. The 67 Logos Designathon allowed larger businesses to assist small to medium size businesses, especially during these times. It is not often that smaller entities have the privilege of working with leading agencies and designers. This initiative certainly brought us together and made the business community stronger as we allied to support SMMEs growth and development during this time.”