The family of Nelson Mandela is teaming with manager-producer Michael Sugar and ad agency DMA United to form a new company, Mandela Media, designed to honor the legacy of the anti-apartheid political leader.
Mandela Media — which will be run by his family — will create long- and shortform content and branding initiatives that explore topics including freedom, forgiveness, voices of the underdog, radical inclusion and equality, gender equality, mental health awareness and social justice.
“My father spent his life fighting for freedom and equality. My family and I are very excited to partner with Sugar23 on Mandela Media,” Makaziwe Mandela said Monday in a statement. “Sugar23 and DMA United not only believe in my father’s values but are also incredibly passionate about sharing those beliefs with people across the world through art, culture and entertainment.”
Mandela Media is a joint venture between DMA United and House of Mandela. The company’s goal is to educate and empower communities to work toward social justice. Sugar’s Sugar23 is a creative investment company that specializes in premium content, brand incubation and investment. Founded in 2017, the company — best known for Spotlight and the TV series The Knick, The O.A., Maniac and I Am the Night — next has Meryl Streep’s The Laundromat and Netflix’s Faun and Dr. Rapp.
“Nelson Mandela is an international icon who dedicated his life to changing laws and minds,” Sugar said of the late political leader and philanthropist, who died in 2013. “We are honored to partner with Mandela Media alongside Nelson’s family and carry on his legacy, inspiring a new generation with content that highlights the many causes he steadfastly stood for and the many people he tirelessly fought for.
DMA United is an advertising agency that also provides representation services for brands. Its clients include the NBA, Karl Lagerfeld, Major League Baseball, PepsiCo and the Tribeca Film Festival.
