Mazda Southern Africa Hosts First-Ever Omotenashi Day

Mazda Southern Africa Hosts First-Ever Omotenashi Day to Celebrate People, Connection and Community

MC Jason Goliath leads a day of laughter, learning and togetherness at The Forum in Hyde Park

Mazda Southern Africa has taken its people-first philosophy to a new level with the hosting of its inaugural Omotenashi Day - a celebration of the Japanese belief system that sits at the heart of everything Mazda does: “Your happiness is our happiness.”

Held at The Forum in Hyde Park, this memorable event brought together the full Mazda team alongside the entire Mazda dealer network. The day served as a milestone for dealer engagement, recognising the critical role dealers play in delivering on the brand’s promise and strengthening the sense of community that defines Mazda in South Africa. 

Omotenashi is more than just a concept. It is a way of thinking that guides how Mazda treats its customers, colleagues, and the broader Mazda community. It’s about ensuring every interaction feels personal, caring, and considerate; about putting humans at the centre of everything Mazda does; and about building personal, thoughtful, and meaningful connections through the service the brand provides - both internally among employees and externally to customers.

The event captured all of these values in action, with a full day of celebrations, interactive learning, games, and shared experiences. Hosted by well-known comedian and media personality Jason Goliath, the programme was filled with laughter, energy, and heartfelt moments that reinforced Mazda’s human-centric culture.

“Our people and our partners are the heartbeat of Mazda,” said Deolinda da Costa, Head of Marketing and Communications at Mazda Southern Africa. “By bringing together our employees and dealer network, Omotenashi Day was about living our philosophy in practice: showing care, creating connections, and reminding ourselves that the service we provide must always be thoughtful and human-centred. If we can achieve that internally, it naturally flows through to how we serve our customers every single day.”

From carefully designed activities to moments of recognition and reflection, the event reflected the very essence of Omotenashi: anticipating needs, making others feel valued, and always going the extra mile with sincerity. By extending the invitation to its dealer partners, Mazda Southern Africa has also reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring that Omotenashi is not just a philosophy lived at head office, but a shared belief system across its entire community of people who represent the brand.

For Mazda in the South African market, Omotenashi Day marks an important step in strengthening both internal culture and dealer engagement - ensuring that at every touchpoint, customers experience Mazda not just as a car brand, but as a brand that genuinely puts people at the centre of everything it does.