This year’s IAB SA third annual Digital Summit brought together the best digital minds to share ideas, reveal the trends and explore this space. Michael Bratt attended the event to find out more.
Didier Uljasz, managing director of Accenture Interactive, head of personalisation EALA and digital marketing lead for MART, kicked off the Summit with a story on how a cheese maker in France grew to know everything about him, and how this led to him spending more money on cheese. “Intelligent service design resulting in customer experience and a personal relationship will work,” was the lesson Uljasz delivered.
Accenture research highlighted the fact that customers were more likely to buy from a retailer if they were recognised, remembered and given relevant recommendations; consumers leave a website if they were overwhelmed by too many options; and consumers were comfortable with their data being collected if a company was transparent about how it used the data or if they could control how the data was used.
“Companies must uncover a customer’s needs, wants, beliefs and preferences and target them,” Uljasz said, adding that it was about refining transparency, control and service.
The four principles of great digital advertising
The next speaker was Alexandra Salomon, director of international at the IAB who started by showing a television advert for Pepsi. She explained that this advert illustrated the four principles of great digital advertising. They are:
- The consumer is more than a set of data points.
- The platforms are always changing – and you must change with them.
- When the platforms change, creativity must change with them
- Technology expertise is crucial for meeting the new audience’s heightened expectations
Her message to attendees was, “We have got digital advertising backwards and we are paying the price for that. Marketers and agencies are putting technology first … regardless of the utility or toll it takes on consumers’ experience. Our goal should be to get advertising back in line with consumer delight.”
Salomon urged advertisers and their agencies to “return to a time when advertising was about what moves people. Let’s make experiences our business”.
The power of influencers and their audiences
Davin Phillips, executive director of CSA, was up next to talk about the power of the internet and its influencers. He emphasised that in this world, connectivity allowed brands to reach a broader community. “We are in a day and age no longer limited by infrastructure. We can target individuals and content is king in mobilising an audience,” he said. He also used influencers as an example and how they, as well as their audiences, are a powerful method of promoting brands.
The threat of fake news
Huffington Post editor-at-large, Ferial Haffajee, explored the threat of fake news. She gave a brief history of some prominent fake news stories that have circulated in South Africa, including a picture of her sitting on Johann Rupert’s lap. She said South Africa faced a social media propaganda campaign that was being driven by the “world we live in with growing inequality”, and not necessarily fake news. The shift from people obtaining news from traditional media to them getting it on social media and chat apps was adding to the problem. She added, “If we simply aggregate stories without investigating them, it makes society poorer.” She urged attendees to invest in quality journalism as it was not only important in curbing the fake news threat, but was also important for the country.
Expected trends in content marketing
Melissa Attree, creative director at Ogilvy PR Cape Town, said content marketing was nothing new. She then made a statement which caused a stir in the audience: “It’s going to cost you. Organic reach is dead!” She also advised, “Face to face is still very important, speaking to real people, even though we are in a digital world” and urged attendees to “start collaborating with people who have power in the niche”. She said print media was not dead, and that it was “just about getting the right content into the right hands”. She said “messenger bots” would be big in the future”.
“Brands must become brave, collaborate with people who have more reach than you do and have more authenticity than you do,” she said. “Lay your brand bare so other people can tell your story for you… Bearing in mind that we need to pay to play.”
Data must fall
The event was livened up by one speaker in particular, Thabo Tbo Touch Molefe, who discussed his new venture, Touch HD, as well as the #datamustfall movement. He revealed, for the first time that “we have poached the best in broadcasting and Millennials to create Touch HD”. He said that for the first time ever, advertisers could be told exactly who was listening to the content. A concierge service was on offer, integrating products into the Touch HD content. A profound point that he made was, “We can create the best content ever, but if we still have challenges with data, then it’s like running a marathon without a finish line”.
He added, “We must be consistent in the fight for lower data. When we say download Touch HD we understand what the market and audience is wanting to listen to”. Tbo Touch finished with a bold statement, “We will not enter 2018 with the same price structure for data, not after our presentation in Parliament”, which was met with a rousing ovation.
Marrying television and digital
The highlight of the speakers in the afternoon was Fahmeeda Cassim Surtee, group marketing and sales director for DStv. She talked about DStv’s hit show, Our Perfect Wedding, and how it utilised both traditional television as well as digital to promote itself. “Television and online together are a power couple,” she said. “Digital allows for interactivity and engagement with television content. It allows for further television reach, brand building, and measurement.” She also touched on the future of this match made in heaven, virtual reality.
Other speakers at the event included Lee Naik, CEO of Transunion Africa, who spoke about how advertisers should take advantage of digital; John Sanei, who touched on the gamification of everything, and Fiona Buchner who explained more about the progress of the IAB’s Transformation & Education Council and the MAC Charter.
Here is a gallery of photos from the event. (List of winners below.)
Category | Prize | Entry Agency | Brand | Product | Title |
Digital Strategy | Bronze | Ogilvy | Yum Brands | KFC Fill Up Meals | Fill Ups |
Digital Strategy | Bronze | NATIVE VML | Pernod Ricard South Africa | Absolut Vodka | Absolut One Source |
Digital Strategy | Bronze | Liquorice | Unilever | uGive | Do you give a click? |
Digital Strategy | Bronze | King James Group | Democratic Alliance | DA Elections 2016 | DA Elections 2016 |
Content Strategy | Gold | FOXP2 | Ster-Kinekor | Ster-Kinekor | #OpenEyes |
Content Strategy | Silver | NATIVE VML | Pernod Ricard South Africa | Absolut Vodka | Absolut One Source |
Content Strategy | Silver | Gorilla Creative Media | Unilever | AXE | You Gotta Dry |
Content Strategy | Bronze | Joe Public United/Native VML | Nedbank | Sponsorships | #GoSandile Twitter Track |
Content Strategy | Silver | King James Group | City of Cape Town | Metro Police | Metro Police Ride-along |
Digital Campaign | Silver | FOXP2 | Ster-Kinekor | Ster-Kinekor | #OpenEyes |
Digital Campaign | Bronze | Ogilvy | Yum Brands | KFC Shakin Shakin Meal | Shakin Shakin |
Digital Campaign | Bronze | Ogilvy | Volkswagen South Africa | Volkswagen Genuine Parts | Technically Digital Campaign |
Digital Campaign | Bronze | Hellocomputer & FCB Cape Town | CANSA | Testi-monials | |
Digital Campaign | Silver | NATIVE VML | Pernod Ricard South Africa | Absolut Vodka | Absolut One Source |
Mobile Campaign | Bronze | Ogilvy | Volkswagen South Africa | Volkswagen Brand | 011Beats |
Mobile Campaign | Gold | Ogilvy | Yum Brands | KFC Shakin Shakin Meal | Shakin Shakin |
Mobile Campaign | Gold | Net#workBBDO | Diageo | Tusker Lager | Team Kenya |
Mobile Campaign | Bronze | Ogilvy & MEC | Vodacom | Vodacom NXT LVL Bundles | Vodacom NXT LVL Soccer |
Data-driven Campaign | Bronze | NATIVE VML | Nedbank | Greenbacks Rewards | #LoveGreenBacks |
Integrated Multi-platform Campaign | Silver | Ogilvy & MEC | Volkswagen South Africa | Volkswagen Brand | 011Beats |
Integrated Multi-platform Campaign | Silver | NATIVE VML | Pernod Ricard South Africa | Absolut Vodka | Absolut One Source |
Integrated Multi-platform Campaign | Bronze | NATIVE VML | PASSOP | I am Muslim | |
Integrated Multi-platform Campaign | Bronze | Net#workBBDO | Chicken Licken | Rock my Soul Meal | Inner Peace Integrated Campaign |
Integrated Multi-platform Campaign | Bronze | King James Group | Sanlam | The Conspicuous Savers | |
Integrated Multi-platform Campaign | Silver | Net#workBBDO | Diageo | Tusker Lager | Team Kenya |
Integrated Multi-platform Campaign | Bronze | Ogilvy | Viacom – MTV | #LetsTalkColour | #LetsTalkColour |
Paid Search Marketing | Bronze | Saatchi & Saatchi Synergize | Toyota | Vehicle Range | Driving Media Efficiency |
Paid Search Marketing | Silver | SafariNow | SafariNow | PPC Business Data Boost | |
Organic Search Marketing | Bronze | Rogerwilco | Triumph | Giving Triumph a Lift | |
Organic Search Marketing | Silver | Clicks2Customers | Virgin Active | A Total Organic Workout | |
Display Advertising | Bronze | NATIVE VML | BMW | BMW X1 | BMW Webjack |
Display Advertising | Bronze | Ogilvy | Volkswagen South Africa | Volkswagen Genuine Parts | Technically banners |
Native Advertising | Bronze | NATIVE VML | Pernod Ricard South Africa | Absolut Vodka | Absolut One Source |
Branded Content | Silver | FOXP2 | Ster-Kinekor | Ster-Kinekor | #OpenEyes |
Branded Content | Bronze | Ogilvy | Volkswagen South Africa | Volkswagen Brand | 011Beats |
Branded Content | Gold | NATIVE VML | Pernod Ricard South Africa | Absolut Vodka | Absolut One Source |
Branded Content | Silver | King James Group | City of Cape Town | Metro Police | Metro Police Ride-along |
Social Paid Advertising | Silver | King James Group | Democratic Alliance | DA Election 2016 | |
Innovative use of Media | Silver | Ogilvy | Volkswagen South Africa | Volkswagen Brand | 011Beats |
Innovative use of Media | Silver | Nona Creative | Anon. | Game/Recruitment Tool | Do You Even Dev? Digital Installation |
Innovative use of Media | Silver | Ogilvy | Volkswagen South Africa | Volkswagen Genuine Parts | Technically – Eligible Bachelor |
Innovative use of Media | Bronze | Honeykome | Sportingbet | Online Sports Betting Site | I Bet You Don’t Skip |
Innovative use of Media | Bronze | Ogilvy | Viacom – MTV | #LetsTalkColour | #LetsTalkColour |
Email, direct & inbound marketing | Bronze | Hellocomputer | The Inner Circle & The Glenlivet | Decoding The Glenlivet Cipher | |
Innovative use of Mobile Media | Silver | Ogilvy | Volkswagen South Africa | Volkswagen Genuine Parts | Technically – Eligible Bachelor |
Innovative use of Mobile Media | Gold | Net#workBBDO | Diageo | Tusker Lager | Team Kenya |
Existing Social Communities | Bronze | Havas Boondoggle | Durex | The Big O | |
Existing Social Communities | Silver | King James Group | Sanlam | Sanlam Social Media | |
Existing Social Communities | Bronze | Ogilvy | Viacom – MTV | #LetsTalkColour | #LetsTalkColour |
Social Media Campaigns | Silver | FOXP2 | Ster-Kinekor | Ster-Kinekor | #OpenEyes |
Social Media Campaigns | Bronze | Ogilvy | Yum Brands | Burrito | KFC Burrito |
Social Media Campaigns | Silver | Hellocomputer | CANSA | Testi-monials | |
Social Media Campaigns | Bronze | King James Group | City of Cape Town | Metro Police | Metro Police Ride-along |
Social Media Campaigns | Silver | King James Group | Sanlam | Sanlam | The Conspicuous Savers |
Social Media Campaigns | Bronze | Ogilvy | Viacom – MTV | #LetsTalkColour | #LetsTalkColour |
Online Video Channels | Silver | Project Isizwe | TshWi-Fi TV | LIGHTS, CAMERA, CITIZENSHIP: TshWi-Fi TV engages, entertains and empowers Tshwane | |
Craft – Marketing Copywriting | Craft Silver | Hellocomputer | CANSA | Testi-monials | |
Craft – Marketing Copywriting | Craft Bronze | Net#workBBDO | Virgin Money Insurance | Not Like Insurance | |
Craft – News or Feature Writing | Craft Gold | 24.com a Division of Media24 | Netwerk24 | Netwerk24 | Die stil aktivis (The quiet activist) |
Craft – News or Feature Writing | Craft Silver | 24.com a Division of Media24 | News24 | King Hlaudi’s rise to power | |
Craft – Research | Craft Silver | Rogerwilco | Rogerwilco | WOLF – A Research Enabler | |
Craft – Interface Design | Craft Bronze | Ogilvy | Castrol | Castrol | Race to the Fastest Place on Earth |
Craft – Interface Design | Craft Bronze | Hellocomputer, FCB Africa | Lexus | Lexus Website V2.5 | |
Craft – Interface Design | Craft Silver | INJOZI and Net#work BBDO | Chicken Licken | Chicken Licken | Kung Fu |
Craft – Interface Design | Craft Silver | Net#workBBDO | Mercedes-Benz | C-Class Coupe | Virtual Reality test drive – C-Class Coupe |
Craft – Strategy | Craft Silver | NATIVE VML | NATIVE VML | INDIVIDUALS/ Make New SA Hero’s happen | Donovan White |
Craft – UX Design | Craft Silver | Hellocomputer, FCB Africa | Lexus | Lexus Website V2.5 | |
Craft – Online Video Production | Craft Silver | Ogilvy | Yum Brands | KFC Shakin Shakin Meal | Shakin Shakin |
Craft – Online Video Production | Craft Silver | NATIVE VML | Pernod Ricard South Africa | Absolut Vodka | Absolut One Source |
Craft – Online Video Production | Craft Silver | Superbalist.com | Superbalist.com | Editorial Video Content: The Dakar Express | |
Craft – Online Video Production | Craft Silver | King James Group | Sanlam | Mr Madumane Music Video | |
Craft – Client Service | Craft Silver | King James Group | Sanlam | Sanlam Social Media Channels | |
Craft – Ad Ops | Craft Bronze | 25AM | KIA | 25AM’s Ad Operations Team | |
Craft – Social Media Community Management | Craft Bronze | Cerebra | Vodacom | Brand | #TeamRed |
Craft – Social Media Community Management | Craft Bronze | Ogilvy | Yum Brands | Burrito | KFC Burrito |
Craft – Paid Search Marketing | Craft Silver | Saatchi & Saatchi Synergize | ADT, P&G, Toyota | Paid Search Optimisation | Excellence in Paid Search Marketing |
Craft – Organic Search Marketing | Craft Gold | Rogerwilco | Rogerwilco | The Rogerwilco Organic Search Team | |
Craft – Organic Search Marketing | Craft Silver | R.O.I Digital | Madison – The Heart of New York | Women’s Footware | R.O.I Digital’s SEO Team |
Digital Installations and Activations | Bronze | Levergy Marketing Agency | Audi | Audi Sport and A4 vehicle | Bowling Lab |
Digital Installations and Activations | Gold | Nona Creative | Anon. | Game/Recruitment Tool | Do You Even Dev? Digital Installation |
Digital Installations and Activations | Silver | Joe Public United/Native VML | Nedbank | Sponsorship | #GoSandile Twitter Track |
Customer Experience Design | Gold | Absa | Absa | Absa.co.za Website | Absa.co.za |
VR | Bronze | Hellocomputer | Toyota | The Toughererest VR Test Drive | |
Chat, messaging and Dark Social | Bronze | Liquorice | Unilever | Knorr | Whatsfordinner with Dinner on Demand |
Chat, messaging and Dark Social | Bronze | SuperSport, Levergy, Aqua | SuperSport | Euro 2016 – Chat, messaging and dark social | |
Brand, Commercial & Retail Websites | Silver | Absa | Absa | Absa.co.za | |
Brand, Commercial & Retail Websites | Silver | Superbalist.com | Superbalist.com | Superbalist.com website | Superbalist.com website |
Brand, Commercial & Retail Websites | Bronze | Hellocomputer, FCB Africa | Lexus | Lexus.co.za V2.5 | |
Brand, Commercial & Retail Websites | Bronze | King James Group | Sanlam Investments | Investments | Smart Invest Website |
Microsites | Bronze | Iconic | Bet.co.za | Bet.co.za | Betmatch |
Microsites | Gold | Ogilvy | Yum Brands | KFC Fill Up Meals | Fill Ups |
Microsites | Silver | Hellocomputer & FCB Cape Town | CANSA | Testi-monials | |
Microsites | Gold | Liquorice | Distell | Amarula | #NameThemSaveThem |
Microsites | Bronze | Superbalist.com | Superbalist.com | The Superbalist 100 | The Superbalist 100 |
E-Commerce Sites | Bronze | Superbalist.com | Superbalist.com | Superbalist.com website | Superbalist.com website |
E-Commerce Sites | Bronze | Spree.co.za | Spree | Spree Online Fashion Store | Spree Ecommerce Store |
Public Service and NPO platforms | Silver | 23Red & Jolly Good Digital | NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) | Blood donations | Virtual Blood Donation |
Public Service and NPO platforms | Silver | Hellocomputer & FCB Cape Town | CANSA | Testi-monials | |
Public Service and NPO platforms | Gold | Project Isizwe | TshWi-Fi.co.za | TshWi-Fi.co.za – Content Portal Empowering Free WiFi Users | |
For good Platforms | Bronze | Ogilvy | Volkswagen South Africa | Amarok | Amarok Social Test Drive |
For good Platforms | Silver | Liquorice & FCB | Distell | Amarula | #NameThemSaveThem |
Web Applications | Bronze | Rogerwilco | Rogerwilco | The WOLF Web Application | |
Web Applications | Bronze | Publicis Machine | Jaguar Land Rover | Automotive | Market Cart |
Mobile Apps | Bronze | Superbalist.com | Superbalist.com | The Superbalist App | The Superbalist App |
Mobile Apps | Gold | King James Group | Sendr | Sendr | Sendr |
Mobile Apps | Bronze | King James Group | SmartMoney | SmartMoney | SmartMoney |
Games | Silver | Ogilvy | Castrol | Castrol | Race to the Fastest Place on Earth |
Games | Gold | INJOZI and Net#work BBDO | Chicken Licken | Chicken Licken | Kung Fu |
Games | Silver | Clockwork Media | Ster-Kinekor | Regression | Regression launch |
Publisher sites | Silver | 24.com a Division of Media24 | Netwerk24 | Netwerk24 | Lessons from behind the paywall |
Publisher sites | Gold | 24.com a Division of Media24 | News24 | News24.com | |
Publisher sites | Bronze | Times Media | Times Media | BusinessLIVE | BusinessLIVE |
Specialist Publisher sites | Bronze | 24.com a Division of Media24 | W24 | W24 | W24 is here! |
Specialist Publisher sites | Silver | Soccer Laduma | Soccer Laduma | Transfer Window News | Dominating Football’s Peak Season |
Mobile Publications | Gold | 24.com a Division of Media24 | News24 | News24 Elections 2016 | |
Mobile Publications | Silver | 24.com a Division of Media24 | News24 | News24.com | |
Social Media Publications | Bronze | eNCA.com | eNCA.com | Elections 2016 | |
Social Media Publications | Bronze | 24.com a Division of Media24 | Daily Sun | Daily Sun | Daily Sun, Tshwane on Fire |
Publisher apps | Silver | 24.com a Division of Media24 | NetNuus | NetNuus | Yellow brick road to success |
Publisher apps | Silver | 24.com a Division of Media24 | News24 | News24 Elections 2016 | |
Publisher apps | Silver | 24.com a Division of Media24 | News24 | News24 App | |
Online Photography | Silver | Casimir TV | Casimir Magazine | Casimir Magazine | Casimir Photography |
Special Features | Silver | eNCA.com | eNCA.com | Election Polls | |
Special Features | Gold | KFM Radio – A Divison of Primedia (PTy) Ltd | EYEWITNESS NEWS | The untold story of Mbuyisa | The untold story of Mbuyisa |
Special Features | Bronze | 24.com a Division of Media24 | News24 | Matric Results | |
Online News Video | Silver | 24.com a Division of Media24 | News24 | News24 Video | |
Live Event Coverage | Bronze | eNCA.com | eNCA.com | Elections 2016 | |
Live Event Coverage | Silver | 24.com a Division of Media24 | News24 | News24 Elections 2016 | |
Live Event Coverage | Silver | 24.com a Division of Media24 | News24 | News24 Video | #FeesMustFall |
Streaming Services | Silver | Aqua | Wunderman | The Brave Ideas Podcast | |
Best Publisher | News24 | 24.com a Division of Media24 | 24.com a Division of Media24 | ||
Best Agency | Ogilvy | Ogilvy | Ogilvy | ||
Best Digital Student | Gold | Vega School | Bernard Cloete, Julia Smith and De Wet Cilliers | ||
Best Digital Youngster | Gold | Promise | Katlego Phatlane | ||
Brand of the Year | Gold | Ogilvy | KFC | KFC | |
Best Marketer | Gold | Vanessa Singh | Nedbank | Vanessa Singh | |
Best Contribution to Transformation in the Digital Industry | Gold | Livity Africa | Livity Africa | ||
Pixel for Purpose | Gold | Joe Public United/Native VML | Nedbank | #GoSandile | |
Best Individual Contribution to Digital | Gold | Matthew Buckland – Creative Spark | Matthew Buckland – Creative Spark |
Follow Michael Bratt on Twitter @MichaelBratt8