Briefly…

Briefly…SMG trounces nine agencies in The Citizen’s Challenge; ComutaNet Rank TV upgrade moves to North West; Good Housekeeping is almost here! Ogilvy executes glamorous M-Net birthday campaign; Open Day at AAA School of Advertising; and Final quarter’s lessons by Writers Write

SMG trounces nine agencies in The Citizen’s Challenge

Starcom Mediavest Group took top honours at a fun Rugby World Cup event that saw 10 media agencies competing in The Citizen’s Highest Score Challenge. The event had teams playing as Springboks on Playstation’s official Rugby 2011 World Cup game.

Each agency’s game was projected on to a large screen television and they went to great lengths to decorate the playing area with a grass carpet and Springbok flags. Each team member had five minutes to play against New Zealand as colleagues cheered and Hier kom die Bokke played in the background. It was a great relationship building activity and of course, agencies were playing for bragging rights and a party bus experience worth R10 000.

The scores of five individual team players were added together to make an overall team total. SMG had a combined score of 1320 points with the second placed agency scoring 990.

Gordon Patterson, SMG’s Group Managing Director says, “Congratulations to our team for coming out on top and congratulations to The Citizen for a well thought out and well executed event. It was great to experience pre-Rugby World Cup energy throughout the agency and what a fun way for The Citizen to interact with our teams.”

ComutaNet Rank TV upgrade moves to North West

The Rustenburg Taxi Rank in the North West Province recently received it’s highly anticipated make-over as part of ComutaNet’s extensive upgrade programme. A total of 13 Rank TV sites are being upgraded, enabling advertisers to engage an extensive audience of more than 11 070 276 who pass through the Rustenburg Rank monthly.

“As we are closing in on the completion of the extensive Rank TV upgrade, with only three to go, we are already seeing increased interest in the popular Rank TV medium, a trusted and preferred media platform for the millions of commuters, ” says general manager of digital media and marketing, Karen van Wyk.

The new and imposing electronic billboard boasts superior LED and sound technology, giving clients the opportunity for regional and vernacular splits, and also the chance to showcase content according to the region’s demographics and preferences. In addition to this massive screen, clients also have the opportunity to advertise through the Brand Mark and Rank Branding mediums, already highly effective and successful advertising platforms at the rank.

Good Housekeeping is almost here!

Good Housekeeping and the Afrikaans version, Goeie Huishouding, will hit the shelves in two weeks’ time. Associated Magazines’ new title, which is packed with smart solutions every woman needs to help her manage her busy life, will be on sale from October 17 for R24,95.

“The Good Housekeeping team has had great fun over the last two months compiling the launch issue and we can’t wait for the final product to reach readers,” says Sally Emery, editor of Good Housekeeping and Goeie Huishouding. “Each month the magazine will deliver fast, easy and affordable information, advice and ideas that are relevant to all aspects of a woman’s life, including health, beauty, food, fashion, parenting, relationships and home decorating. Our editorial promise is to produce ‘tried, tested and trusted’ content that is underpinned by the Good Housekeeping Seal.”

First published in 1885, Good Housekeeping now boasts more than 30-million readers worldwide, with 11 editions published in six different languages. Good Housekeeping South Africa is set to make history by adding a seventh language with the launch of the Afrikaans edition, Goeie Huishouding. The local edition, like its market-leading international counterparts, brings women practical and inspiring tips and tricks via the seven easy-to-navigate sections in the magazine: Good Buys, Good (Enough) Housekeeping, Good Health, Good Food, Good Looks, Good Advice and Good Buzz.

Ogilvy executes glamorous M-Net birthday campaign

Ogilvy Johannesburg this month celebrated M-Net’s 25^th Birthday with a campaign that salutes the stars that have helped the brand become synonymous with ‘magic’.

The campaign, ‘Forever Magic’, rolls out in print and outdoor media during the month of October, and features the likes of Derek Watts, Ashley Hayden, Shaleen Surtie-Richards and Proverb in glamorous poses – Vanity Fair style.

Watts has been with M-Net for 23 years, during which time he says he has met ‘the most interesting, revolting and wonderful’ people. Hayden, decked out in Marianne Fassler, fresh off the Cape Town Fashion Week runway, credits the channel – with whom she has been since its second birthday – with launching her long and illustrious TV career.

The two stars were joined by 22 of their colleagues for the shoot, which took place in Johannesburg’s classic Old Park Station – the perfect stark backdrop to the beautiful designs that the celebs wore courtesy of some of South Africa’s top designer.

“Gathering all this talent together was quite a challenge,” explains Robyn Bergman, creative director at Ogilvy Johannesburg. “We had people flying in from all over the world, and the clothes delivered straight from the Cape Town Fashion Week runway…I imagine that this is probably as glamorous as some of our male stars have ever been seen! It was difficult to co-ordinate everyone’s diaries and to choreograph the whole ensemble of stars and outfits, but everyone was so professional and looked so gorgeous that it made our job easy. ”

Ogilvy Johannesburg has been working with M-Net and its holding company DStv for over 17 years now, and has worked on iconic campaigns that include Loerie 2011 winners Firefly, Ladybug and Cat.

Open Day at AAA School of Advertising

The days of having to study for a boring and unrewarding desk job are long gone, and with South Africa having one of the most influential Advertising Industries in the world, there are loads of opportunities at The AAA School Of Advertising for young and talented guys and girls who crave the creativity, energy and satisfaction that comes with a career in advertising and marketing.

AAA teaches fields such as graphic design, art direction, copywriting, account management, strategic planning and media planning, or become a top marketing or business manager – the opportunities are limitless.

AAA School of Advertising’s Open Day on Saturday, October 8 will give school leavers the chance to explore opportunities in these fields, as well as giving the chance to participate in an exclusive psychometrics test for only R250 each. These tests are conducted by experts and are exceptionally accurate in terms of giving you guidance into your personal strengths and weaknesses, assisting you in making an informed decision when choosing your new career.

There will be two sessions on the day, from 10h00 to 12h00 to get to know AAA and from 12h00 to 13h00 for the psychometrics testing, so please book your slot in advance by contacting Pascalle on 011 781 2772, or email openday@aaaschooljhb.co.za

What: AAA Open Day

When: Saturday 08 October 2011

Time: 09h30

Where: Bond Street Centre, c/o Bond and Bram Fischer, Kensington B Randburg

Final quarter’s lessons by Writers Write

You will learn how to apply the lessons learned in Writers Write 1 and turn that theory into a publishable manuscript, in fiction or non-fiction.

Course Dates:

Sandton, Johannesburg: 5 November (Four Saturday Mornings) / 14 -17 November 2011 (Four Weekday Mornings)

Bantry Bay, Cape Town: 29 October (Four Saturday Mornings)

Berea, Durban: 12–15 December (Four Weekday Mornings)

Time: 09:00 – 13:00

Cost: R6 000, 00 ex VAT