Porsche Middle East and Africa has released a gripping, eight-minute documentary that tells the story of The Black Mambas, the world’s first all-female, anti-poaching unit.
The film, a partnership between Porsche South Africa, Porsche Middle East, The Romans and produced by LITTLEBIG Global, shows Porsche Centre Johannesburg repurposing a Cayenne SUV into a one-of-one rapid response vehicle. The Cayenne was donated to The Black Mambas to support its efforts to protect the largest remaining rhino population on earth.
The PR sustainability campaign demonstrates the powerful combination of tangible action with long-form storytelling, showing the depth and substance that modern, creative PR can achieve.
“At its heart, this campaign shines a light at the outstanding work The Black Mambas do to protect the rhinos of the Greater Kruger,” said Dr. Manfred Bräunl, CEO of Porsche Middle East and Africa.
Dr. Bräunl added, “We felt there was an opportunity to not only support their efforts on the ground, but also to help bring their voices to a global audience. Through this collaboration, we were able to create a campaign that raises awareness of an important cause while delivering a lasting impact where it matters most.”
Joe Lipscombe, Partner, The Romans, said, “The goal wasn’t to make a piece of content about a Porsche vehicle, but to use Porsche’s platform to elevate and amplify the much deeper story of The Black Mambas. This isn’t just sustainability communications or a simple awareness piece, but a much larger, more tangible commitment to a global cause, driven by the power of PR.”
Lipscombe added, “When Chris Jordan, Head of PR at Porsche MEA, told us his idea, we nearly fell out our seats. For us, this demonstrates everything that’s great about purposeful PR; action-oriented, narrative-driven storytelling backed by real-world impact. Our passionate, talented team then had the responsibility of bringing the initiative to life in the most memorable way.”
That’s when The Romans onboarded South African-based production studio LITTLEBIG Global, with the proven quality of director Rob Smith, to put Porsche’s vision on screen. The result is a short documentary that leverages the voices of the women on the front lines as the narrators of their own story.
The upgraded Cayenne has already become a daily operational asset for The Black Mambas, supporting patrols and helping the team respond more efficiently across the vast Greater Kruger landscape.
Beyond its practical impact on the ground, the documentary has generated significant international attention, securing global earned media coverage and capturing the interest of social media, automotive communities and mainstream media alike.
The campaign also attracted the attention of CNN International, which travelled to South Africa to produce its own feature on the initiative, further amplifying awareness of The Black Mambas and their vital conservation work.
CREDITS:
Client: Porsche Middle East & Africa
Chris Jordan
Mahvesh Sayed
Porsche South Africa
Jessica Baker
Christo Kruger
Natasha Xavier
PR agency: The Romans
Rusol Al Hano
Surbhi Lal
Katie Bell-Wright
Hesham ElKammash
Kassandra Panagiotopoulos
Joe Lipscombe
Production lead and support: LITTLEBIG Global with Big Bird, THEN, and Pressure Cooker Studios
Rob Smith
Alexis Leih
Marne Mans
Elmaree Bohm
Jared Paisley
Daniel de Villiers
