Briefly…LexisNexis and Reputation Institute create new system; calling Aquafresh direct; Neo scores Groupon business; Muscle Evolution publishes Jay Cutler special collectors’ edition; Fitness winter warmer issue hits stands; State Bank of India speaks to over a million with a Z-card; Beat it with Comutanet and Siyayinqoba
Monitoring reputations across media channels
LexisNexis and the Reputation Institute have joined forces to create a new system by which corporate South Africa can measure and analyse reputation. The two companies have merged their strengths – LexisNexis its web-based LexisNexis Analytics Dashboard that combines advanced text-mining capabilities, tone analysis and interactive graphical indicators and the Reputation Institute’s renowned dedicated RepTrak™ methodology -to monitor and measure reputation on a real-time basis in local and global print, broadcast and online news.
“With our state-of-the-art technology and our unique mix of press, web, social media and broadcast content, we are delighted to have developed with Reputation Institute’s Best-In-Class Approach of Cross-Stakeholder Reputation, RepTrak™ Media Dashboard, helping South African firms protect their brand, anticipate reputation risks and take back control of their reputation,” said Donovan Byrne, manager of LexisNexis’s International Online Services.
XL partners with Aquafresh to target the masses
Mass media advertising specialists XL recently partnered with Aquafresh (Glaxo Smith Kline) to develop brand awareness, and drives sales within the lower LSM market by creating a pre-paid airtime voucher campaign. The three-month campaign, using a whopping 5.5 million Vodacom airtime vouchers, targeted consumers in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal.
Buying a tube of Aquafresh allowed consumers to redeem their reward by calling a USSD line included included within the original airtime voucher. The consumer then followed simple prompts to enter their product barcode and were automatically informed if they had won, and how to claim their prize. Winners received their airtime within 72 hours.
XL’s Rob believes the success of the campaign is partly attributable to the uncomplicated redemption mechanism, as well as the nature of the reward, “Airtime is a highly valued commodity for this market sector and this helped fuel redemption for the Aquafresh campaign. Furthermore, the campaign assisted Aquafresh in reaching the informal wholesale market, which is notoriously difficult to reach in terms of mass market media options’.
Neo scores Groupon business
Groupon has contracted Neo@Ogilvy, Ogilvy Cape Town’s digital media agency, to handle its business. The global leader of a new phenomenon in social marketing known as social commerce – a marriage between social media and e-commerce – Groupon recently set up shop in South Africa. Implementing its hugely scalable and successful business model locally, Groupon negotiates considerable discounts from suppliers such as hotels and restaurants, based on the premise of a large buy in from the public. These deals are then offered online to Groupon’s users, and, if enough users buy in, the deal is on.
However, not all Groupon’s business model is scalable. Its global approach to online media, which makes use of existing business relationships and buying power, is not yet feasible in the South African market due to insufficient web traffic which limits the opportunity for affiliate marketing activity. What this means is, that, in a highly unusual scenario for Groupon, it has employed a local digital media agency to negotiate online advertising on its behalf.
‘Winning the business of an international market leader is testament to our substantial progress in the digital media field,” comments Mia Scholtz, head of Neo. “Going up against media agencies both locally and internationally and coming out tops is another confirmation of this for me,” she adds.
Assisting Groupon to reach its sales targets, Neo will be building Groupon’s supplier network as well as handling the majority of its online advertising.
Muscle Evolution publishes Jay Cutler special collectors’ edition
As the exclusive media partner for the Jay Cutler tour of South Africa, Muscle Evolution, South Africa’s only dedicated bodybuilding magazine, has printed a special collectors’ edition for the May/June issue. Jay Cutler is the current and four time Mr. Olympia champion, which makes him the best bodybuilder in the world at the moment, and Muscle Evolution was given exclusive media access to this bodybuilding legend during his recent two-stop tour of South Africa.
“Despite being the biggest name in world bodybuilding we have never featured Jay on our cover before, as it is our policy to only feature international athletes who take the time out to visit our great country,” explains Muscle Evolution editor-in-chief, Andrew Carruthers. “As such, we are extremely pleased to have had the chance to meet this great athlete and finally feature him on the front of South Africa’s best bodybuilding magazine.” The issue includes an in-depth interview with Jay, as well as behind-the-scenes images and info of his whirlwind tour.
Fitness winter warmer issue hits stands
Fitness magazine, SA’s only dedicated female fitness lifestyle magazine, is helping women beat the winter bulge in their May/June issue. It is packed full of helpful information to help stave off that dreaded winter weight gain, with expert advice on weight and cardio training, nutrition and supplementation.
“Our current issue includes the latest workout developed by our team of qualified personal trainers, as used by the top local fitness, bikini and physique models,” explains Tanja Carruthers, editor of Fitness. “Our full-body barbell and the antagonist muscle workouts get the job done in less time by burning more calories during each session, while our power meals feature ensures you keep eating healthy while delivering all the energy you need to working muscles during your workout.”
The latest issue also includes a feature on common training mistakes and how to avoid them, nutritional tips on how to boost immunity through proper nutrition to stave off colds and flu this winter, a closer look at how fat burners work, as well as the difference between good and bad muscle soreness and a feature on brain health.
State Bank of India speaks to over a million with a Z-card
Z-Card India recently received an order for 1.2 million Z-cards from the State Bank of India, a public sector undertaking, to promote a special salary package designed exclusively for the employees of the Indian Railways. This could result in mobilising the railway’s 1.4 million employees’ salary accounts being opened with the State Bank of India. The benefits of the deal to employees are being communicated on a six-panel Z-Card in English, Hindi and Bengali.
“The Z-Card provides a preview of all the schemes offered by the bank and the benefits that each employee is entitled to, depending on designation. Some guidance on investment is also given,” explains Floyd Fernandes from Z-CARD India. The covers of the Z-CARD have been designed to build brand loyalty, with the front containing the logos of both partners and an image of an old steam locomotive, whilst the back mentions all of the awards and rewards earned by the bank.
Beat it with Comutanet and Siyayinqoba
The HIV/AIDS pandemic affects everyone in South Africa regardless of status. Education remains a key factor in, not only curbing the spread of this disease but also, in decreasing the stigma infected South Africans have to deal with. With the help of ComutaNet, leaders in the commuter-marketing sector, Siyayinqoba embarked on a campaign to educate economically active commuters in eight of the countries hardest hit provinces.
Promoters issued condoms to commuters with a pertinent message: Always protect yourself when engaging in sexual activity so that together we can beat the spread of HIV/AIDS! The campaign message was further reinforced with impactful audiovisual messages on Rank TV and broadcast on Comuta Radio, which boasts a combined impressive weekly audience of over five million commuters.
