Zakes Bantwini Joins Corona As Its First African Brand Ambassador.

The partnership marks a major move for Corona as it deepens its connection with African music and culture.

EVENTSMUSIC

Admin

8/28/20263 min read

Johannesburg, 7 August 2026, Corona has named Grammy Award-winning South African musician, producer and entrepreneur Zakes Bantwini as its new Brand Ambassador for Africa, marking the first time the global beer brand has handed the role to an artist from the continent.

The partnership lands as Bantwini heads out on a European summer tour, taking African electronic music through some of the continent's biggest festival stages — Palma de Mallorca, Lisbon, Hamburg and Berlin — before closing out at Amsterdam Dance Event, one of the world's premier showcases for electronic music.

More Than an Endorsement

Corona and Bantwini are framing the deal around a shared outlook rather than a simple sponsorship: the idea of slowing down, getting outdoors, and making room for the moments that matter. As the artist carries South Africa's sound to international stages, Corona will follow along, aligning the tour with its long-running "This Is Living" brand philosophy.

The rollout has a strong content component. Fans will be able to follow Bantwini's tour through an Instagram series called Golden Hour, On the Road With Zakes Bantwini, followed by a short documentary-style film released on YouTube once the tour wraps.

Bantwini described the partnership as a natural fit with how he's always approached his career, saying he tries to carry South African culture with him wherever he performs.

Coming Home to Mayonie Open Air

The collaboration isn't limited to Europe. Back in South Africa, Corona becomes the Official Beer Partner of Mayonie Open Air, Bantwini's own festival property, with events planned in both Durban and Johannesburg. The idea is to recreate the same sunset, music-and-outdoors experience that anchors the European leg, but on home turf.

Corona's push also ties into a broader message about modern life: the brand points to research suggesting adults now spend the vast majority of their time indoors, and is positioning this ambassadorship as part of a wider campaign encouraging people to reconnect with nature, particularly during golden hour.

Why Bantwini

Few South African artists have had the international run Bantwini has managed over the past two decades. Beyond his own catalogue, he's built one of the country's most respected independent music businesses, mentoring emerging talent and championing South Africa's electronic scene. His breakout global hit "Osama" introduced a mainstream international audience to South African dance music and helped cement his status as one of the continent's defining cultural exports.

Vaughan Croeser, Vice President of Marketing at South African Breweries, said Bantwini's global success and authentic connection to culture made him the natural choice for the role, calling him representative of the best of South African creativity.

The Bigger Picture

For Corona, recognised as the world's most valuable beer brand and sold in 180 countries, the Bantwini partnership is as much about cultural credibility as marketing reach. For Bantwini, it's a chance to formalise a relationship between his global touring career and his festival business back home, under a single banner that runs from European dance floors to sunset sets in Durban and Johannesburg.