The Media Online’s weekly round up. Columinate and MultiChoice collaborate to build large African research panel. John Faia appointed GM of Mall Ads. Times Media announces key management appointments in sales and marketing. AdJoin announces partnership with Associated Media Publishing. Stratitude partners with Yotti’s for a brand redesign. Jumia partners with Mastercard to deliver cashless commerce in Africa. NATIVE VML – A proud Level 1 BBBEE Agency. SARIE Voorbladgesig 2017 binnekort op kykNET. Clicks2Customers rebranded to NMPi as part of global growth strategy. Markex 2017.
This week’s BIG move: Columinate and MultiChoice collaborate to build large African research panel
Modern market research agency Columinate has been awarded a three-year contract to establish a multi-country digital research panel for MultiChoice. This is the outcome of a tender process that began in April 2016 and saw multiple agencies bid for the opportunity to collaborate with the broadcaster.
“Listening to and understanding the needs of our customers is critical in our business. We’re consolidating our research to have an integrated approach and a holistic customer view across the business. Therefore, we need a centralised digital panel and a partner with an integrated research capability. Columinate demonstrated a strong ability to meet these requirements. We’re excited to partner with them to deliver customer insights,” said Morne Bosch-Serfontein, group GM for information and insights at MultiChoice.
Founded in 2008, Columinate is a pioneering full-service digital marketing research agency that has served over 110 leading African and multinational businesses.
“We are delighted to have secured this exciting project. Columinate shares the vision of this undertaking and it aligns perfectly with our approach to modern, relevant and future-focused market research,” said Dr. Henk Pretorius, CEO of Columinate.
People moves
John Faia appointed GM of Mall Ads
With a background in operations, products, retail and both classical and sports marketing, John Faia brings versatility and agility to Provantage Media Group’s new company: Mall Ads™. Faia has a long history of experience within the mall environment and an in-depth understanding of all aspects of marketing including strategy, creative and execution.
Faia’s versatile background means that he adds significant value on various levels including operations, products and alternative income, providing vital experience that can substantially contribute towards any brand or commercial objective.
With regards to heading up Mall Ads™, he is looking forward to innovating in the environment, bringing brands, landlords and consumers Out of Home media and engagement opportunities that are fresh, relevant and beneficially add to the overall mall experience.
“I have a passion for commercialising assets and products and delivering innovative solutions and ideas. In South Africa the mall environment is growing substantially. It has become ‘the third place’ for many consumers and we look forward to capitalising on this to the benefit of all stakeholders. It is an extremely exciting environment to be playing in right now,” he says.
Times Media announces key management appointments in sales and marketing
Reardon Sanderson has been appointed as Times Media’s general manager of group sales and marketing, with Eben Gewers joining as his deputy.
“In a climate where the media industry is exceptionally competitive, we’re in an enviable position of having experienced, innovative individuals with sound commercial knowledge managing our advertising revenues and sales and marketing teams. Reardon and Eben will have our utmost support and confidence moving forward,” said Andy Gill, managing director at Times Media.
The commercial experience acquired by Sanderson working across the magazine, surveys, advertising, and digital sales divisions led to his appointment as deputy GM in June 2014, under Trevor Ormerod who retired from the industry in December 2016.
With more than 20 years’ experience in the media advertising industry – across print, TV, radio and digital platforms, Gewers will be relocating from Cape Town to Johannesburg to take up his new position. Gewers rejoins Times Media from Vizeum, where he has spent the past year as media director.
Business moves
AdJoin announces partnership with Associated Media Publishing
AdJoin Media announced this week that it has partnered with publishing house Associated Media Magazines.
AdJoin Media, Africa’s first independent Private Audience Marketplace (PAM), launched last year and has since built up a comprehensive network including a number of South Africa’s top publishers. The media company now sites on roughly 100 million available monthly impressions with close to 23 million unique South African users in its audience data pool reached since inception.
AdJoin is a partnership between media group Kagiso Media and digital media sales house MaxAxion. It provides one single programmatic solution allowing advertisers access to a combination of first and 3rd-party data across a network of premium, brand safe publishers.
“We’ve worked hard since inception to partner with premium partners and the coming together of this partnership with Associated really helps us bolster the value of audiences inside of AdJoin,” says Daniel Courtenay MD AdJoin Media.
Stratitude partners with Yotti’s for a brand redesign
Integrated agency Stratitude has been appointed to redesign the Yotti’s Turkish Delight brand across their full range of products. Yotti’s is a proudly South African company that has been in the confectionery industry for 15 years.
“We’re delighted that we’ve been chosen for this project,” says Stella Carter, head of client service at Stratitude. “Our creative team has been sharpening their skills in design packaging, successfully growing this part of our portfolio. We have exciting ideas for the rebrand and can’t wait to get started.”
The agency is tasked with creating a fresh, new identity for Yotti’s that will separate it from competitors. The redesign must include subtle Turkish Design elements and showcase the brand in a unique, tasteful way.
Jumia partners with Mastercard to deliver cashless commerce in Africa
Jumia has joined forces with technology company Mastercard to drive cash out of the online retail sector and provide a more secure and convenient way for consumers to shop online. Many online purchases are still being paid for with cash at point of delivery.
Africa’s online retail sector presents an exciting opportunity for retailers to grow their businesses by connecting with new customers. According to Jumia, the e-commerce sector must focus on delivering a stronger consumer experience if it is to reach its full potential of developing into a $50 billion industry by 2018.
“Developing stronger and streamlined online retail platforms and offerings is necessary to unlock the full potential of e-commerce on the continent. Optimising the overall customer experience by guaranteeing safer and simpler payments means opening the online retail environment to greater numbers of African citizens,” said Jeremy Hodara, co-founder and co-CEO of Jumia.
KNect 365 TMT appoints Networx PR to handle AfricaCom 2017
Networx PR has been re-appointed by KNect 365 TMT (KNect), an Informa PLC company, to handle its communications around AfricaCom 2017. Taking place 7 – 9 November 2017, at the extended Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC), Africa’s largest Telecommunications, Media and Technology conference and exhibition, will be celebrating its 20th anniversary.
Networx PR (Networx) has worked with Informa on a number of occasions and is familiar with the AfricaCom product. With the increased footprint of the CTICC, AfricaCom is now able to accommodate the ever-expanding business interest in the continent’s commercial prospects; from local and international organisations alike. Networx has therefore been tasked to work with KNect to increase AfricaCom’s influence across the continent, and into the Americas, China, as well as consolidating its relationships with its existing network.
Kaz Henderson, Managing Director of Networx remarked: “The important role that technology plays in just about every aspect of our lives, cannot be disputed. AfricaCom is the confluence of service providers, business drivers, innovators, dreamers and decision makers from the technology, telecommunications and media sectors, and is probably the most influential and important facilitator of technological advancement conversations on the continent.
“We are delighted to work with the team at KNect 365 TMT to help broaden the conversation and encourage the participation of those actively interested in furthering the development of the African digital ecosystem.”
“We are thrilled to be working with Kaz and the Networx PR team. Kaz and her team are extremely diligent and a pleasure to work with. This being the 20th AfricaCom we cannot wait to share some of our exciting new features – stay tuned!” said Craig Lumsden, marketing executive, Knect 365 TMT.
NATIVE VML – A proud Level 1 BBBEE agency
NATIVE VML has earned a Level 1 BBBEE Contributor certification. Since inception in 2010, the agency has worked tirelessly to ensure not only that it produces work that is purpose-driven, but that it proactively participates in the transformation of the industry.
“We are firm believers in Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment and the dream of creating a truly equitable society for all South Africans, regardless of race or gender,” says Jason Xenopoulos, NATIVE VML, Chief Executive Officer. “We have tried to embrace this dream in numerous ways, focusing on training, skills development, and employment equity, doing what we can to redress the imbalances of the past.”
The agency, via its NATIVE Academy, has implemented various initiatives which are intensively focused on skills development.
Making moves
SARIE Voorbladgesig 2017 binnekort op kykNET
SARIE Voorbladgesig het geen inleiding nodig nie. Dié gesogte wedstryd ontvang elke jaar duisende inskrywings van vroue regoor Suid-Afrika wat meeding om op dié Afrikaanse glans-vrouetydskrif se voorblad te verskyn. Vanjaar bring kykNET die kamera’s saam op die soektog vir SARIE se 2017-voorbladgesig.
Karen Meiring, Direkteur kykNET kanale, sê: “Dit is geen geheim nie dat Suid-Afrikaanse vroue wêreldwyd hul merk maak en SARIE se Oktober-uitgawe is jaarliks ‘n bewys hiervan. Almal eg Suid-Afrikaanse vroue met ’n saamgesels-sprankel in die oë en ’n warm glimlag wat ’n vertrek kan ophelder. Dit is vir kykNET ’n voorreg om ons platform vir die wedstryd beskikbaar te stel. Ons gaan die vroue beter leer ken en al die mooimaakwenke agter die skerms deel.”
Die gewildheid van die wedstryd kan daaraan toegeskryf word dat modelwerk nie ’n voorvereiste is nie. Dit is vir die SARIE-redaksie belangriker om vir lesers die voorblad-geleentheid te gee wat gewoontlik net bekendes beskore is.
Volgens SARIE se redakteur, Michélle van Breda, is die projek vandag veel meer as net ’n wedstryd: “Dit het die hart van die tydskrif geword, want elke jaar sê tot 10 000 lesers, agttien jaar en ouer en vanoor die hele SA, vir ons: Ek wíl op SARIE se voorblad, want dis mý tydskrif, mý taal, mý wêreld. By SARIE hou dit ons nederig, want dit beteken lesers het totaal eienaarskap van hul gunsteling-tydskrif geneem, soveel so dat hulle ook op die voorblad wil wees.”
Inskrywings het reeds gesluit en die kameras begin binnekort rol met die bekendmaking van die top-40 wat meeding om SARIE se Oktober-voorblad. Die uitsending bestaan uit 7 spesiale episodes wat kykers die geleentheid bied om deel te wees van uiteindelik 10 finaliste se reis na ’n glans-voorblad.
Clicks2Customers rebranded to NMPi as part of global growth strategy
South African digital marketing stalwart, Clicks2Customers, has rebranded its local operations to NMPi as part of the group’s global re-name, as the company expands both its offering and global footprint.
Clicks2Customers, which has operated in the local market for 15 years, began trading as NMPi as of 30 May 2017. NMPi now has offices in Australia, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Switzerland, with plans to roll out the NMPi brand across its offices in Asia and the United States in the coming months.
“The rebrand is a culmination of months of planning to align our service offering and company into a global outfit which is able to provide the very best insight, strategy and delivery to South African companies. Our clients can expect the same business and technical support, with the added benefit of all the knowledge and deep insight from our global team,” comments Adriaan Strydom, Managing Director of NMPi South Africa.
Markex 2017 celebrates 30 years of promotional strategy and creativity
More than 80 exhibitors will be displaying their promotional items at Markex 2017, which this year celebrates a significant milestone: 30 years of showcasing dedicated marketing strategy and creativity in South Africa. For the first time this year, Markex will also be co-located with Madex 2017, Africa’s only dedicated marketing show.
This year’s event features a number of new exhibitors as well as some firm favourites from the past, including headline partner, Kevro, and supporting partners, Captivity Headwear and Abelanani. The targeted promotional products expo runs from Wednesday 7 to Thursday 8 June at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg, and is aimed specifically at resellers of promotional products and their corporate buyers.
o if you want to find a corporate gift that leaves a lasting impression, find out more at this year’s Markex event – you can visit www.markex.co.za for more info. To register for free entry to the Markex general section of the hall, please visit the website. Trade visitors must pay R100 entry fee for access to the Markex reseller zone. Save R50 by registering online, and receiving the exclusive registration link from your supplier. Follow #Markex2017 on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.