Media Moves… TheMediaOnline’s weekly round up. Melissa Attree joins Cerebra. President Zuma appoints chair and deputy chair for Brand SA. Ireland/Davenport scores Boardmans, RedSquare accounts. Nine Mile Media gives brands the EDGE. All the moves in media.
Who’s moved where
This week’s BIG move
Cerebra announced this week that the winner of the 2011 Bookmark award for social media marketer of the year, Melissa Attree, will be joining the company from April. Cerebra is an established social media agency that has worked with leading brands, while Attree is renowned for her innovative work with big names such as 5FM and Nandos. TheMediaOnline caught up with Attree to find out more.
- What are some of the ‘critical digital opportunities in the future’ that you’ll be looking at?
I don’t believe that we’ve tapped into all the possible markets with regards to digital; there is scope to go deeper than campaign work and focus on how brands and customers interact.
Customer service and public relations via digital channels needs to become more deeply entrenched within company culture.
‘Charity starts at home’ and there is an opportunity to go back to basics and explore the role of social media in company culture.
- What in your view are the three biggest challenges faced by digital marketers/agencies in South Africa?
For the most part we’re still scrapping for a share of the bigger marketing budget, and this can be disheartening. BUT small wins breed trust and bigger responsibility.
There is still scope to produce good content in SA, content that people REALLY want to engage with and share.
Differentiation: in an industry where much of the campaigns we see seem formulaic, the innovators will be those who challenge the norm and focus on creating real communities who can ultimately provide solid brand intelligence.
- What scares you? What excites you?
Not much….. Oh wait, Spiders? Spiders scare me – LOL. I’m excited by the potential that South Africa offers to do good work and to innovate.
- What are the social media creative initiatives you are most proud of and why?
I’ve been lucky to be part of cool social media campaigns for Nando’s, SAB and 5FM – those are probably the most notable.
- How do you measure success in your industry, and personally?
I just want to do good work, challenge myself, learn new ‘stuff’ and have happy clients. Success for me is about having good work/life balance.
- Where would you like to be in five years time?
I really don’t know….I’m not a huge fan of this question. Five years ago I spent a year learning about the digital space; who knows what opportunities the next five hold. I hope I’m still busy, inspired and excited!
President Zuma appoints new chair and deputy for Brand SA
President Jacob Zuma has, in terms of article 7 (1) (1) of Brand South Africa Trust Deed, appointed a new chairperson and deputy chairperson of the Board of Trustees of Brand South Africa, formerly known as the International Marketing Council.
The President has appointed leading businesswoman Ms Charlotte Chichi Maponya as chairperson and renowned marketer and PR guru, CEO of Supersport, Mr Happy Ntshingila, as the deputy chairperson.
Ms Maponya replaces Ms Anitha Soni who has chaired the Board since 2009.
The President conveyed his gratitude and appreciation to Ms Soni for steering Brand SA during the past two and half years, including the exciting and challenging period of marketing the 2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup.
“Ms Soni and the Board have done extremely well in promoting the SA Brand, making it instantly recognisable world-wide especially during the World Cup tournament and huge marketing opportunities such as the World Economic Forum meetings in Davos. We are happy that Ms Soni will remain on the Board as a Trustee, sharing her expertise and experience’’, said the President.
The President wished Ms Maponya and Mr Ntshingila well in their new positions of marketing the country locally and abroad.
“Given their track record and business acumen, the SA brand is in good hands. They will have our support all the way,’’ said President Zuma.
Who’s won what
Boardmans & Red Square appoints Ireland Davenport as communications agency
Boardmans and Red Square have confirmed that Ireland / Davenport has been appointed as the new communications and advertising partner for both brands.
Susan Napier, MD of Ireland / Davenport, said the agency is thrilled with the appointment for two brands the stature of Red Square and Boardmans, not to mention to have the opportunity to work with Edcon – an ambition of the agency.
“We are so proud and honoured to have been awarded these two amazing brands. We are in a new era of retail marketing where it is about connecting with shoppers as people, rather than consumers.”
The Independent Agency Search & Selection company facilitated the tender process on behalf of Boardmans and Red Square.
Edcon appoints Promise as communications agency for cellular operations
Edcon has appointed Promise as the through-the-line communications partner for the group’s cellular operations. Edcon Group Cellular operates through Edgars, CNA and Jet.
Following a rigorous selection process, Edcon’s Group Cellular account was awarded to Promise, a full service brand development, advertising and design agency. Promise will be responsible for implementing the group’s retail strategy and providing effective brand solutions through-the-line.
“We look forward to working with Promise to grow and enhance Edcon’s already strong cellular offering,” said Farishta Singh, category marketing manager for Group Cellular, CNA Entertainment and Hi Tech.
VWV appointed by Samsung for Africa Activations
The VWV Group’s reputation of working with blue chip brands was reconfirmed when it was appointed by Cheil to produce and manage three activations for Samsung. A significant appointment for the Group, Samsung recently overtook Apple as the world’s top-selling smartphone manufacturer.
The appointment came hot off the heels of VWV’s successful launch of Bharti Airtel LTD in 15 African countries, proving its clear understanding of cross-cultural markets and its robust capacity to successfully project manage local ground networks. The countries in which the Samsung activations have been rolled out include Senegal, Nigeria, Botswana, Kenya, Ghana, Mali, Mozambique, Angola and Zambia.
Who’s making moves
Global PR network increases presence in Africa
Eurocom Worldwide, the Global PR Network, is expanding its global presence through a new regional network arrangement in Sub-Saharan Africa, significantly increasing the network’s market presence in the African continent. Eurocom Worldwide already operates successful regional networks in Latin America, Asia, and Europe.
Integrated marketing and communications agency Watt Communications, in South Africa, is now the network’s regional lead agency for Sub-Saharan Africa. Alongside existing network market coverage in South Africa, Kenya and Angola, Watt Communications recently appointed SY&T Communications as a Eurocom Worldwide member agency, adding market presence in Nigeria and coverage in Ghana. Based in Lagos, Nigeria, SY&T Communications offers public relations services across a diverse range of industries with a special focus on tourism, aviation and the oil and gas sectors.
Samantha Watt, owner and MD of Watt Communications, said that the appointment of a Nigerian member agency is a critical step in terms of bolstering Eurocom Worldwide in the region, and for the growth of Watt Communications. “Increasingly, we are seeing demand from our existing client base – and also new clients – to have a functional network across both East and West Africa. We looked long and hard for the right agency on the ground in Nigeria, and SY&T Communications stood out as the ideal representative for both Eurocom Worldwide and Watt Communications.”
Nine Mile Media gives brands the EDGE
Nine Mile Media, owner of the consumer engaging Billads bill folder advertising platform, has expanded its offering by formalising its innovative activations division and branding it with the name EDGE.
“Nine Mile Media has always been about giving brands the edge over their competitors,” says Craig Segal, the managing director of Nine Mile Media. “EDGE complements our Billads bill folder advertising and sampling platforms and adds to our bouquet of marketing and advertising services.”
EDGE was conceptualised to offer both existing and potential clients a larger array of experiential marketing components, all from one service provider. Experiential gaming, coupled with prizes, is just one of the available marketing options on offer from the company.
Interactive gaming will enable our clients’ brands to interact with consumers in a fun and unique way, ensuring an experience which helps them to remember the brand concerned,” says Segal.
EDGE has partnered with an industrial design agency to ensure that together, they can create revolutionary advertising concepts.
Note: TheMediaOnline has a job advertising service. The site is read by media professionals across South Africa. A job posting on the Media Online Costs R342 (incl VAT) and appears for 30 days. It appears both on the Media Online site and Memejobs.com.
https://themediaonline.co.za/jobs/
