Media Moves… TheMediaOnline’s weekly round up. A chat with new CaratSA Johannesburg MD, Sean Donnelly. New editor for heat magazine. Red Ribbon makes moves with Global PR Tech Group. AMASA calls for nominations for 2012 committee. All the moves in media.
Who’s moved where
This week’s BIG move
CaratSA recently announced that it had appointed Sean Donnelly to lead its Joburg office as of April 1, a move it believes will “add a new dimension to Carat’s leadership, and ensure continuous innovation in line with the changing demands of the industry”. Donelly joins CaratSA from digital marketing specialists Aqua Online. TheMediaOnline asked him a few leading questions.
What skills do you bring from Aqua Online that would be different from skills already in-house at Carat?
I have a good understanding of the challenges facing an agency during periods of high growth and experience in meeting these challenges. In addition, I have experience in building and leading high performance teams, contributing to business strategies and business process engineering and organisational development initiatives. My years in the digital sphere have provided me with a thorough understanding of multi-channel digital marketing, from strategy to production, working with both local and international brands.
Do you believe in the integration of traditional media and digital media skills or should they be kept separate?
I believe that integration is required but initially more so at a strategic level than at a media buying level. Media and communication strategies must work across both traditional and digital media channels meaning that the current separation of media strategy skills is no longer appropriate. The need for cross-channel or channel agnostic strategies is being driven by the change in the way consumers interact with media and brands, and the rise in the consumption of digital media as a whole. Five key changes are afoot:
1. Consumers are engaging with brands across multiple channels and when doing so do not think in terms of channels or media types, be they owned, earned or bought, but care rather about the overall brand experience.
2. Consumers are significantly more empowered to make purchasing decisions facilitated by the plethora of information available via the internet.
3. Consumers are not only considering what a brand has to say but are increasingly reliant on their friends and online communities for brand opinions, recommendations and product information.
4. Consumers expect two-way engagement with a brand and this is driven primarily through the availability of various social media platforms. Outbound-only marketing is no longer relevant.
5. Consumers expect highly personalised and appropriate messages from brands. We are now in the age of mass customisation.
When it comes to media buying and campaign management I believe specialist skills are still required, for now. This is due to the difference in the commercial terms of media buys, return on investment metrics, deployment and campaign management processes, tools and reporting.
What do you see as the biggest challenges facing media agencies in SA – and globally – at the moment?
I see three key challenges facing agencies:
Firstly, showing increased return on investment. Given the tough economic conditions marketers are expecting more bang for their buck and with the need to move marketing beyond a cost center to a profit center requires agencies to unlock greater value and efficiencies in their clients’ media spend.
Secondly, adding owned and earned media to the traditional bought media offering. As such, agencies need to acquire and develop agency staff to offer strategies and media buys in spaces with which they are not familiar. With earned and owned media in the mix, the management of campaigns is more intensive and the work really begins when a campaign is live. Agencies have to develop new processes, use new tools and work with and report on data that they previously were not accustomed with to meet this challenge.
Finally, and related to the second point, is talent management. Due to the demand in digital skills outstripping supply, I believe this to be media agencies’ most significant challenge. Whether trying to attract digital staff or develop existing staff, investment is required at both ends, at the same time ensuring a balance between acquisition and development. I say this, inasmuch as there is a need for more skills in the online realm, the reality is that a significant portion of media budgets are still committed, sometimes appropriately so, to traditional media.
What is SA’s digital advertising trajectory, in your view? Digital ad spend is said to be just under 3%. Where is it going?
Ad spend in digital channels will most definitely continue to grow, but at what rate is hard to predict. Spend figures are not definitive, ranging from 3% to 5% depending on the source. The point is that digital ad spend will grow and we need to be prepared for it.
Where would you like to be in 10 years time?
I am passionate about the media and communications sector so career wise I will be in this sector for a long time to come. Exactly what I will be doing in 10 years’ time is hard to say. My focus right now is rising to the opportunity afforded me with Carat and watching my three beautiful daughters grow up.
André Neveling now editor of heat magazine
Media24 Weeklies has announced André Neveling’s official appointment as editor of heat magazine, effective April 1, 2012.
“It’s not every day that one can say a dream has come true, but this opportunity is exactly that for me. After working at the magazine for four years in the past, and being privileged to have Melinda Shaw as my mentor, I am ready for the challenge,” says Neveling. “I am beyond passionate about the heat brand, and I’m thrilled about exciting changes that lie ahead, which I believe will take the magazine to new heights. Everything I have ever achieved has prepared me for this moment, and I hope to make an enormous impact on South African celebrity culture.”
Neveling’s editorship has already had a massively positive impact at tvplus. His in-depth familiarity with the celebrity scene makes him the ideal person to bring readers closer to the entertainment world with heat magazine.
“As editor of tvplus for the past year, André has truly proven his ability and passion. We are very proud to make this appointment official,” says Willem Breytenbach, general manager of Media24 Weekly Magazines.
New leading man at Mediamark
Elton Ollerhead has been appointed new managing director at Mediamark. Hailing from the UK, where he filled the role of digital & publications media sales director at dunnhumby, the leader in personalising the world’s experience of retailers and brands, he comes to South Africa with a wealth of knowledge and skills.
“Having started out his career in direct radio sales and evolving into heading up a division that sells internet media for a retailer makes Ollerhead the perfect candidate for Mediamark,” explains Omar Essack, CEO of Kagiso Broadcasting.
According to Essack, Mediamark is on a journey that aims to make it famous for insights, results and converging media spaces. With his significant understanding of consumer data and insights, even prior to his arrival, Ollerhead hopes to take Mediamark to new heights of understanding its customers and their audiences better.
Essack makes it clear that, in his search for the correct person to lead Mediamark, he was looking for someone who would bring new ways of doing business. “We have enough radio experts in the group,” he says.
His vision for Mediamark is to become a business driven by superior insights with offers to media buyers that will empower them to make better decisions, giving a better ROI to their clients. Elton confirms that the biggest change he foresees for the company is that of becoming a leader in the environment of offering best of breed solutions to marketers and media buyer alike.
New appointment at NXT\ Digital Innovation
Coralie Branco has been appointed as a graduate Intern at the award winning digital convergence agency, NXT\ Digital Innovation.
Who’s making moves
Global Tech PR Group expands into Africa
Global Tech PR Group has partnered with Red Ribbon Communications, a Johannesburg and Cape Town based technology PR agency. The Tech PR Group now features 11 partners and covers most of the globe.
“Red Ribbon has been looking to partner with a global PR network for some time, and we are thrilled to now be part of the Global Tech PR Group,” says Ronelle Bester, owner of Red Ribbon Communications. “The African continent holds enormous growth opportunities for multi-national companies and we are perfectly positioned to offer PR services in South Africa and beyond.”
The Tech PR Group features the following world-class agencies:
· Profil Marketing (Germany, Austria and Switzerland)
· NewsEngine PR (Belgium, Netherlands)
· Réflexion Publique (France)
· Ranieri Communications (United Kingdom)
· CORYLUS PR (Italy)
· K2 (Scandinavia)
· NEKO PR (Spain and Portugal)
· Max Borges Agency (North, South & Central America)
· East Side Consulting (Eastern Europe)
· WordStorm PR (Australia)
· Red Ribbon Communications (South Africa)
Global Tech PR Group was founded to provide global public relations and social media services to multi-national organizations across the globe. Since inception, the group has nearly quadrupled in size and features an exceptional client roster. Collectively the group has worked with some of the largest organizations in the world and continues to grow in terms of revenue, experience and geographical coverage areas
AMASA AGM elects 2012/13 committee, calls for nominations
On the April 4, the Advertising Media Association of South Africa will host its annual AGM. The industry is invited to attend and have their say by voting in the 2012/13 committee. In addition, AMASA will host a briefing on the upcoming Roger Garlick Awards.
“AMASA is always looking for strong committee members who can make a difference in our industry,” says Lyn Jones, chairperson. “If you would like to nominate yourself to stand please send a brief motivation to chirene@owlhurst.com. Elected members will need to manage a dedicated portfolio and be available for monthly committee meetings.”
Should a member of the communications, media or advertising industry wish to nominate a colleague, please ensure they have agreed to stand. In addition to reporting back on each of AMASA’s portfolios and voting in the new committee, a briefing will be held on the Roger Garlick Awards detailing the entry requirements, previous judges comments and a review of past winners.
This year, the Roger Garlick Award is once again sponsored by DStv Media Sales but for the first time, will be integrated into the annual MOST Awards. Further information on the Awards can be obtained from the AMASA website – www.amasa.org.za
AGM details
Date: Wednesday 4 April 2012, Venue: Cinemark, SterKinekor, Preview Theatre, Primovie Park, 185 Katherine Street, Sandton
PenQuin revitalises and moves
PenQuin has moved from Bedfordview and relocated in Bramley, just off the M1 national motorway. Coupled with the company’s new ‘listen.think.converse’ ethos, payoff line and positioning, PenQuin is taking 360 degree marketing to new levels.
“While we are still the same company as before, attitudes have shifted,” says Grant Leishman, CEO at PenQuin, “the new offices have injected fresh energy into everyone. There was a clear need for more efficient office space that would be conducive to creative thinking and live up to our new positioning. The new space and office layout demonstrates this thought process and enables us to serve our clients better while the dynamic building reflects our innovative nature.”
Contact details: General email – info@penquin.co.za, Telephone – 011 879 1900 or 087 151 3870. New address: Waverly Office Park, 125 Corlett Drive, Bramley
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