Media personality Lasizwe Dambuza has announced an exciting new partnership with the popular restaurant chain, RocoMamas, for his hit YouTube show Awkward Dates. The 26-year-old Soweto-born influencer, who recently hit the milestone of one million subscribers on his channel, shared his enthusiasm for the collaboration, calling it a significant moment for both his brand and future opportunities.
Lasizwe took to Instagram to express his excitement about the partnership, saying, “Help me welcome our new home for Awkward Dates! Welcome @RocoMamas. I am so excited to share meals and memories with you.”
In an interview with Daily Sun, Lasizwe explained why he chose RocoMamas as his new partner, highlighting the restaurant’s national reach. “What made me partner with RocoMamas is their over 90 stores across South Africa. I want my audience to experience the same meals featured on the show and make it a norm to enjoy a date with family, friends, or a potential partner,” he said.
Previously, Awkward Dates was partnered with a restaurant based only in Johannesburg, but with RocoMamas’ widespread presence, the show can now be more relatable and accessible to viewers from all corners of South Africa, including Limpopo, KwaZulu-Natal, and Cape Town.
Lasizwe also discussed the challenge of bridging the gap between the food and entertainment industries, something that has not always been easy, especially for restaurants. “As a content creator, bridging the gap between the food and entertainment industries has always been difficult, especially for restaurants,” he said. “My goal is to show brands that collaborating with influencers can be beneficial and that content creators can effectively create food-related content. Restaurants haven’t always embraced influencer marketing, and I want to change that by demonstrating how partnerships can boost their visibility.”
Fans of Awkward Dates can look forward to some exciting new segments in the upcoming episodes. Lasizwe teased one of the ideas, saying, “We’re incorporating fresh challenges to make the show more engaging. One of the ideas includes a hot wing challenge where my celebrity guest and I will compete to see who can eat the most hot wings in a short time.”
“It’s all about making the show more human and fun,” Lasizwe continued. “Viewers want to see their favorite celebrities under pressure and watch their reactions. Will they cry? Will they laugh? We’re bringing all of that to Awkward Dates.”
