[Interview] Ronelle Bester, Founder, Red Ribbon Communications

 Ronelle Bester is the founder of Red Ribbon Communications, a South African PR agency renowned for its two-decade specialization in technology and its foundation on a powerful ethical compass. This commitment was recently formalized when Red Ribbon signed the Clean Creatives pledge, vowing to refuse any future work with fossil fuel organizations.

Red Ribbon is known for its creative and strategic campaigns. What would you say differentiates your agency from others in the market?

What truly differentiates Red Ribbon is our foundation, which is built on three core pillars: our people-first philosophy, our data-driven strategic approach, and our unwavering commitment to ethics.

First, our agency is built on what we call the "Human Factor". This is a deeply human-centric approach that translates into a culture of profound care and respect for our team. We pioneered a 100% remote agency model long before it became a global trend, specifically to empower exceptional talent to thrive without sacrificing personal goals.

We offer policies like two annual self-care days, a day off for birthdays, and a strict no-work-over-weekends rule. This culture fosters fierce loyalty and stability - our core members have been with us for 12 and 6 years, which is rare in an industry known for churn. This stability and trust extend to our clients, with some partnerships lasting over a decade.

Second, we are rigorously strategic and analytical. A PR agency's best case study should be its own brand, and we live by that.

Finally, it is our ethical compass that truly sets us apart. Clients trust us implicitly for this reason. We lead with humility and consistency, focused on results, relationships, and reputation.

Your agency has deep experience in sectors like Cybersecurity, FinTech, and Renewable Energy. Was this a deliberate strategic choice to specialize? How does this sector-specific focus benefit your clients?

Yes, specializing was a very deliberate choice from the moment I founded the agency. In 2003, I launched Red Ribbon Communications with just a laptop and a vision to give a voice to Cape Town’s emerging tech start-ups. Over the past two decades, we have helped shape the trajectory of South Africa’s technology sector and built a reputation as one of the country’s most respected independent agencies specializing in technology.

This deep, sector-specific focus is incredibly beneficial for our clients. It means we have an unmatched ability to simplify complex narratives for tech brands. Our deep expertise is what our B2B clients value most.

The communications industry is changing rapidly with technology and shifting consumer behaviors. From your perspective, what are the most important trends shaping PR and communications today?

From my perspective, there are two dominant trends that are fundamentally reshaping our industry, moving it towards a new era of trust and authority.

The first, and most critical, trend is the evolution of PR’s role into that of a primary builder of trust in a polarised world. In an era rife with misinformation and 'fake news', our function has shifted from simple promotion to being "custodians of credible connection". This trend is about expertly navigating misperceptions, fostering understanding, and ensuring authoritative voices can cut through the noise.

By championing verified information and connecting journalists to actual experts, professional PR acts as a powerful counterweight, helping to rebuild public trust. This directly impacts an organisation's reputation and results in modern information ecosystems, including new AI-driven search engines, which increasingly prioritise factual, authoritative sources.

The second, and equally important, trend is the rise of data-driven thought leadership as the mechanism to build that trust. This is where modern, data-driven public relations dismantles the old "spin-doctor" perception. The media landscape is saturated with generic messaging, and journalists are fatigued by global statistics that lack local relevance. The only way to build credibility is with fact-based, objective insight.

Red Ribbon Communications recently signed the Clean Creatives pledge. Can you walk us through what motivated this decision? What factors made now the right time for Red Ribbon to take this stand?

Our decision to sign the Clean Creatives pledge was motivated by the urgent need to take a stand against the fossil fuel industry's role in the climate crisis. By signing, we have committed to declining any future contracts with fossil fuel organisations, their trade associations, or front groups.

The motivation is rooted in the reality that climate breakdown is a human crisis, one that will disproportionately affect the most vulnerable members of our society first and hardest. With scientists projecting that temperatures in South Africa could rise by up to 4 °C by the end of the century, we face accelerated water stress, food insecurity, and catastrophic wildfires.

From both an ethical and a business standpoint, the time to act is now. We believe that continuing to work for fossil fuel organisations hurts our environment and communities. It also poses significant risks to the brands and clients that genuinely prioritise sustainability.

 Looking beyond the pledge itself, what role do you believe PR and communications agencies should play in the climate crisis? Is it enough to just refuse work, or is there a more active role to take?

I believe PR and communications agencies have a critical dual role to play, and it absolutely extends beyond just refusing to work with polluters.

Refusing contracts with fossil fuel organisations, as we've formalised with the Clean Creatives pledge, is the essential first step. It is a matter of integrity and ensuring that our industry is not actively contributing to the promotion of climate-breaking pollution.

However, the more active and arguably more impactful role lies in what we choose to do. It is not enough to be passive. As communications professionals, we have the power to influence behavior, foster awareness, and drive the national conversation.

Our role is to proactively use our creativity and strategic expertise to amplify positive change. This means we have a responsibility to support the industries leading the transition to a sustainable future, such as climate tech, green tech, and renewable energy.

Looking ahead, what is your vision for the next chapter of Red Ribbon Communications?

Our vision for the next chapter is already in motion and is focused on intelligent, sustainable growth built upon our strategic evolution. In 2024, we undertook a significant pivot, consciously moving from being a highly specialised B2B tech agency to becoming a versatile, all-around tech PR powerhouse. This has successfully opened up the burgeoning consumer tech sector for us, a market we are excited to explore further following our flagship win with LG Electronics.

www.redribboncommunications.co.za