Media Moves… TheMediaOnline’s weekly round up. Aegis Media’s Dawn Rowlands on the MTN Nigeria account; Greg Marinovich joins iMaverick. Edcon’s Legit appoints Black River FC. All the moves in media.
This week’s BIG move: Dawn Rowlands, CEO Aegis Media, Sub-Saharan Africa, on winning the MTN account in Nigeria.
- Aegis Media has made two big moves recently: The MTN account and the buying of Roundhouse. Where do both of these fit in your strategic direction for the next year?
Globally we are focussed on Digital acquisitions and growth in two areas. The first being digital full service creative(isobar) and the second being search and performance (iprospect). In SA we acquired Trigger in 2006, which has become Trigger isobar in SA. 2011 we acquired clickthinking, as our search and performance brand, I-prospect. Our strategy globally is to build or acquire best in market digital businesses. The MTN win is a massive step forward for us in Nigeria as it provides us with market leader status in terms of billings and says a great deal about our strategic competence there.
- Why do you think CARAT Nigeria got the MTN deal? What made the company’s pitch/vision different from other contenders?
We were judges as being the best strategic partner in the market for MTN. Over the last 24 months Aegis Media Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) has invested in skills transfer in West Africa to service global clients like P&G and Nokia effectively. The Carat Academy in SSA, has provided Carat MP in Nigeria with a massive skills and tools advantage. Carat is the first media agency in SSA to provide clients with integrated communications planning.
- What elements of the Nigerian MTN campaign will initially kick start the roll out of its media strategy in the country?
Confidential
- How do you think the Roundhouse acquisition will impact on the African market?
No, we have our own highly successful digital businesses here and will drive those.
- What are the biggest challenges facing media agencies operating in Africa?
Limited data, skills and capability, compliance.
- Is the digital space starting to take shape in Africa, and how do you see it playing out over the next few years?
In some respects we are ahead of Europe. Africa is a mobile first market and this area we are driving global change and providing a great deal of firsts. The only thing holding this continent back is the high cost of data via mobile. This is changing rapidly in every market as demand grows. Handset and hardware costs are declining with the introduction of affordable smart phones and tablets. There is no shortage of content and the continent has the ability to repurpose content effectively. Google and Facebook have made great strides in both Kenya and Nigeria already.
Who’s moved where
Greg Marinovich joins iMaverick
Pultizer Prize-winning photojournalist and Bang Bang Club author Greg Marinovich has joined South Africa’s iMaverick and Daily Maverick, as associate editor.
Marinovich has spent 18 years doing conflict, documentary and news photography around the globe in countries like Angola, Bosnia, Croatia, Somalia, South Africa and Yugoslavia. His photographs have appeared in top international publications such as Time, Newsweek, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, The Guardian of London, among others. He is chair of the World Press master Class nominating committee for Africa, and was a World Press Photo judge in 1994, as well as convenor of the FujiFilm awards in 2000.
iMaverick editor Branko Brkic says, “Greg is true talent of global scale and adds massive value to our growing talent pool. From my early days in SA publishing I always hoped to one-day work with such a leading light. Working with Greg is any editor’s dream.”
Marinovich’s work will be showcased in iMaverick, the iPad daily newspaper for ‘people with brains and money’. Selected sections of Marinovich’s work will appear on Daily Maverick, but the photos will truly come into their own in iMaverick.
As from Friday, February 24, iMaverick readers can expect original, magazine-length, quality articles in which Greg will shed new light on realities in South Africa as well as the world.
New business and digital development manager for Mazole Holdings
Nicholas McDowell has been appointed as the new business and digital development manager at Mazole Holdings and its subsidiaries, HMC Seswa Corporate Communications and the Independent Agency Search & Selection company (IAS).
Mazole Holdings (Pty) Ltd is a black-owned marketing services group founded in 1997, and whose shareholders are Johanna McDowell and Dan Moyane.
“I have big innovative plans for Mazole Holdings in terms of it is digital development and business growth, plans that will give Mazole an edge over its competitors in the industry.” says McDowell. .
FusionDesign hires creative designer
Kim Davids has joined FusionDesign, an integrated branding and design agency based in Cape Town, as a creative designer.
Davids has a four-year degree in graphic design from the Cape Peninsula University of Technology and will be specialising in both online and offline design at FusionDesign which offers marketing solutions and creative design across the board.
Who’s won what
Edcon’s Legit appoints Black River FC as new advertising agency
Leading youth female fashion retailer, Legit today announced the appointment of Black River FC as its new communications partner. Female youth fashion brand, Legit is part of Edcon’s stable, southern Africa’s leading clothing, footwear and textiles group.
Following a rigorous selection process, the Legit account was awarded to Black River FC, a medium sized, dynamic agency established in 2005. The agency has received numerous creative awards for its work on brands like Nando’s, 1st for Women and Virgin Mobile.
“We are thankful to our previous agency, The Jupiter Drawing Room, for years of dedicated service,” said Garth Napier, marketing executive for Edcon’s Discount Division. “We now look forward to joining forces with the team at Black River FC to grow and enhance Legit’s brand in the market.”
Fresh Brand Activation awarded Daly’s campaign
Fresh Brand Activation is excited to count Daly’s of the Ceres Beverage Company among their clients. Fresh Brand Activation will roll out a targeted national campaign in the coming months, which will include brand activation at selected shopping centres in KZN. The campaign aims to educate and remind consumers about Daly’s delicious dilutable range of juices and includes an aspirational lifestyle approach.
With a 130 year history in dilutable juices, Daly’s have recently revamped their brand image with a more contemporary look. Ariadne Salvarto, creative director at Fresh Brand Activation, says “Daly’s recent brand overhaul leaves them perfectly positioned for a fresh promotional campaign which will ensure volume growth.”
Who’s making moves
Lighthouse Digital @ Initiative Media extends services
“Over the last few years, digital media has shown to be deepening its reach and is emerging as a vital component to the marketing strategies of many leading South African brands,” says Aaron Van Schaik, MD of Lighthouse Digital.
This widespread recognition of digital media has allowed Lighthouse Digital @ Initiative Media to further expand its service offering with the addition of a dedicated resource to head up its digital arm in the Johannesburg office.
“As head of digital, Kerry Karslake will certainly enrich the partnership between Lighthouse Digital and Initiative Media, further integrating the work we do and provide a full media solution to our clients,” says Marc Taback, CEO of Initiative.
Lighthouse Digital @ Initiative Media provide a 360-degree digital media solution to all of Initiative Media’s clients including SAB, Investec and AdCock Ingram to name a few.
NXT\ Digital Innovation moves for Jane Goodall Institute
Little Mowgli is an infant chimpanzee living at The Jane Goodall Institute of South Africa’s Chimpanzee Eden in Mpumalanga. Originally rescued from Central Africa as a victim of the Bushmeat Trade, Mowgli can usually be seen swinging carefree among the trees with other chimpanzees, but not today. Today, Mowgli underwent an important operation to fix a broken femur bone – the result of falling from one of his favourite trees.
As a globally renowned non-profit organisation, the Jane Goodall Institute relies heavily on public support to help rescue and rehabilitate chimpanzees like Mowgli and train communities though its Roots and Shoots Programmes.
In partnership with NXT\ Digital Innovation, the Institute has established a dedicated SMS Donation Service through which animal enthusiasts and the general public can easily and inexpensively contribute towards the Institute’s Primate Care programme and Community Education Programmes.
To donate, simply SMS the keyword JGI to 38270 (R10 per SMS). SMS donations are only available in South Africa for MTN, Vodacom and Cell C and cost R10.00.
For more information on The Jane Goodall Institute of South Africa visit www.janegoodall.co.za or join JGI SA on Facebook at www.facebook.com/JGISA
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