Strategically Building Heritage Brands Digitally

1st Sep, 2025

In today’s digitally saturated world, heritage brands face a unique challenge: how to preserve their storied legacy while remaining fresh and relevant in the digital age. For brands rooted deeply in cultural resonance and historical trust, the answer lies in strategic digital excellence. 

AutoTrader South Africa, once a print magazine and now the country’s leading digital automotive marketplace, offers a masterclass in this transformation. Alongside it, heritage powerhouses like Castle Lager, Amarula, Simba Chips, Chappies, and SAB’s SABC, demonstrate how digital strategies can safeguard longevity while reinforcing authenticity.

 

A Glimpse At Digitally Transformed Brands

1. From Print to Digital: AutoTrader’s Strategic Reinvention

Launched in 1992, AutoTrader South Africa started as a weekly automotive classifieds magazine. Over time, it became clear that the digital wave was unstoppable. In 1998, AutoTrader launched its website, autotrader.co.za, gradually growing its online presence (Wikipedia). Despite a thriving print era (mid‑2000s being a high point), leadership foresaw the seismic shift. By 2013, digital overtook print, with increasing traction online (leader.co.za).

The final printed edition rolled out on March 30, 2017, marking a complete digital pivot (PRWeb). Post-transition, the company embarked on a full-scale digital transformation - harnessing data analytics, cloud infrastructure, and intelligent systems to redefine service delivery and customer insight (GeorgeMienie, Africa Outlook Magazine).

Key strategic lessons from AutoTrader:

• Bold leadership decisions: The choice to sunset a long‑running print operation took courage, signaling commitment to future-readiness.

• Data‑driven reinvention:Transformed from digitisation to transformation, leveraging internal and market data to optimise offerings and customer experience.

• Local adaptation informed by global insight: While learning from the UK parent company, only strategies that resonated with the South African market were adopted (GeorgeMienie).
   

2. Heritage Meets Digital: Other Iconic South African Brands

Beyond AutoTrader, several South African brands have successfully married heritage with a strategic digital footprint.

Castle Lager & Amarula

These brands harness storytelling rooted in culture and origin - Castle Lager leaning into national pride, and Amarula evoking the marula fruit’s regional heritage. Their digital marketing often weaves social engagement, nostalgia, and cultural narratives to deepen consumer bonds (imminstitute.co.za).

Simba Chips

Introduced in 1957, Simba is a cultural icon, its name meaning “lion” in Swahili, and the mascot immediately recognisable across generations (Wikipedia). Although specific digital tactics aren’t widely published, heritage brands like Simba often succeed online by pairing rich storytelling with modern content formats (videos, social media, interactive campaigns).

Chappies Gum

Dating back to the late 1940s, Chappies is famed for its quirky “Did You Know?” facts in wrappers. In 2012, they invited fans to submit new trivia via digital channels - an example of leveraging user-generated content to refresh heritage and engage audiences (Wikipedia).

SABC / SABC+ Digital Transition

While not a product brand, SABC is a broadcasting institution deeply embedded in South African life. Its digital arm, SABC+, led by Khanyisa Melwa, showcases how legacy media can reimagine itself for streaming and digital-first content, aligning public service with audience expectations (southafricatechmarketers.podbean.com).

Maxhosa Africa

A contemporary example with heritage at its core. Founded in 2011, Maxhosa takes inspiration from Xhosa beadwork and modern design. It has leveraged e‑commerce and digital storytelling to expand from local roots to global markets (Vogue Business).

 

Why Digital Marketing Matters for Heritage Brand Longevity

• Relevance in evolving markets
  Digital platforms allow heritage brands to stay present where audiences live: online, social, and mobile.

• Emotional resonance through storytelling
  Platforms like Instagram, YouTube, and email nurture immersive narratives that bring heritage stories to life.

• Community building and co-creation
  User-submitted campaigns (e.g., Chappies trivia) deepen engagement, modernising heritage appeal.

• Data-informed strategic growth
  As with AutoTrader, digital transformation enables brands to refine offerings and optimise outreach through analytics.

• Flexibility and scalability
  Digital-first strategies allow fast adaptation - whether rolling out limited-edition heritage-themed products or responding to cultural moments.
   

How Ideation Partners with Heritage Brands for Digital Excellence

At Ideation, strategic planning ensures your brand’s heritage is the cornerstone of its digital evolution:

Strategic Initiative	What We Do
SEO & Landing Page Optimisation	We align keyword research with heritage narratives to drive intent-based traffic and craft landing pages that reinforce brand authenticity.
Content Strategy: Heritage & Planning	Long-form articles, video storytelling, and social content are designed to celebrate heritage while driving audience trust and discovery.
Google Ads Campaigns	Target audiences actively seeking legacy brands or heritage-based value propositions, positioning your brand as trusted and enduring.
Strategic Planning Initiatives	Designed for leadership and marketing teams, from digital health audits to tailor-made integrated digital strategies that align to business goals - these consultations offer frameworks and insights for digital planning that respect past identity while future-proofing.

Get Your Company To Thrive In A Digitally Transformed World

Heritage brands like AutoTrader South Africa - born from print and now thriving online, offer powerful proof that legacy and digital innovation can coexist beautifully. Whether it’s through emotionally rich storytelling, strategic use of data, or community-driven campaigns, the digital era offers unprecedented opportunities for heritage brands to amplify relevance and resilience.

Ready to cement your brand’s digital future? Schedule your digital health audit with Ideation today and let’s co-create a roadmap that preserves your legacy and accelerates your relevance in the digital age.