Media Moves… TheMediaOnline’s weekly round up. Meet the SPARK Agency! Jam Media to manage publicity for Claire Allen. Moving Tactics’ custom touchscreen kiosks bring UNISA’s history to life. Integrated digital strategies delivering unexpected results for DUO’s clients. Brand journalism at core of World Class communication strategy
This week’s BIG move: Meet the SPARK Agency!
SPARK Agency is the latest creative division of SPARK Media, the resulting fusion between NAB and Habari Media. SPARK Agency is modelled on the old fashioned advertising agency, but with a relevant and modern twist.
“SPARK Agency offers cross-platform ideas and campaigns that are grounded in the science of consumer behaviour and current media principles,” says Gill Randall, CEO of SPARK Media. “We now have the ability to translate our research and insights into workable creative solutions and ideas for clients.”
The team is small but packs a massive punch and is headed up by Kirsten Dugmore, The Campaigner. Dugmore holds a post-graduate marketing degree and boasts more than ten years in the industry. She is supported by an art director, graphic designer, copywriter and a production and traffic manager.
“Our creative is backed by research and facts, which will help clients establish more effective campaigns that deliver on Marketing Return On Investment,” says Dugmore. “Over and above this, we are very close to our audiences and understand what they want. We are also very well placed to understand the nature of our platforms; in many cases the media is creating trends and influencing culture, so we bring great insight from this perspective.”
It’s not only about using in-house SPARK Media platforms. Should a campaign lend itself to other media platforms, they will certainly be considered and recommended. It is all about what is best for the campaign using market insights and knowledge regarding both traditional and digital media.
The big idea, whether for current clients, new pitches or even internal briefs usually starts with the insights department. They research the category and the client so that when the brainstorm and strategies begin, SPARK Agency has in-depth knowledge of the client and their market environment.
Who’s won what
Jam Media to manage publicity for Claire Allen
360 degree communication agency, Jam Media, has been selected to manage the publicity for MasterChef Season 3 Finalist, Claire Allen.
Launching her foodie career after proceeding to being one of the the Top 10 finalists of MasterChef South Africa in 2014, Allen has married her knack for entertaining events – gained through running her own events business for a decade – with her passion for cooking.
With the launching of her upcoming series of food events, which are aimed to be both educating and stimulating, both Jam Media and Allen are optimistic about the coming actvities.
The first of these events include Cooking with Claire Consciously hosted by Wellness Warehouse from 3 October 2015 and the second being Short Chef Skinny Chef to be launched at Good Food and Wine Show in Durban at the end of October 2015.
Jam Media will manage all areas of event management, publicity and digital marketing for all of Claire Allen’s brands.
Movepretty account awarded to Butter Knife PR
The athleisure brand that launched in South Africa in June 2014 has signed on Butter Knife PR to manage their communications, generating awareness around their local active and leisurewear ranges.
Subsequent to an international demand for stylish womens apparel, movepretty was established by Stellenbosch locals and friends, fashion designer Annelize Kotze and professional SA triathlete Mari Rabie. The founding duo created the range with the strong, fit and healthy woman in mind, making their offering fit for all kinds of women, from top athletes to ladies of leisure of all ages, shapes and sizes.
“We are looking forward to working with the inspiring South African brand and highlighting their beautiful offering through both traditional and proactive PR,” says Butter Knife PR director, Marisa Logan.
Since inception in March 2013, Butter Knife PR has secured a wide range of lifestyle and consumer clients including Glenfiddich, Grant’s, James Bensen Eyewear, Sir Fruit, Striped Horse, Zang, Uber Flavour, Piper-Heidsieck, Cointreau, Moonbean and iFix.
Moving Tactics’ custom touchscreen kiosks bring UNISA’s history to life
As part of refurbishments taking place at the University of South Africa’s (UNISA) Kgorong Building at their Main Campus in Pretoria, Moving Tactics joined forces with Urban Brew Studios to blend print and digital creative messaging for this enriching initiative. Each of the three custom-designed touch screens were constructed out of African mahogany veneer and stainless steel to fit in with the existing finishes of the building.
The 32-inch angled kiosk overlooks a photo gallery of some of UNISA’s most distinguished and prominent students such as Nelson Mandela and Oliver Tambo. The content displayed on the touchscreen offers users the opportunity to gain insightful information about the well-known personalities whose photographs adorn the walls around them.
A large 46-inch standing touch table is positioned in front of the UNISA timeline, which provides a window into the history of tertiary education set against some of the most noteworthy achievements in modern history. Once again, the content on the touch interface adds depth and colour to the information on the wall graphics.
Finally, the 40-inch vertical touch interface with integrated webcam is part of the “My UNISA Story”. The hardware and software provided on this unit gives users the opportunity to record and submit their own custom video messages about the academic experience with UNISA.
Each touchscreen is equipped with a 12-hour, full HD display, and an industrial grade PC and are secured with hidden fixings to complete the slick aesthetic of the unit.
Moving Tactics Digital Impact is a new addition to the Moving Tactics stable and specialises in short-term, rental and campaign-based digital activation solutions.
Who’s making moves
Integrated digital strategies delivering unexpected results for DUO’s clients
Specialist B2B PR, marketing and digital consultancy, DUO Marketing + Communications, recently delivered another successful integrated digital campaign for one of its long-standing clients that has not only provided tangible sales, but has exceeded the client’s sales target by almost tenfold, and has achieved a strong brand sentiment score too.
“Digital is a hyped buzzword and which, up until recently, we have not fully trusted in terms of the myriad of promises it proclaims to deliver. In many instances we report to FDs and so promise without measurable delivery is just never going to cut it at DUO. Our team has truly understood that the real value of a digital campaign in the B2B space is when it increases trust, value with customers and shows commercial results,” says CEO Judith Middleton.
DUO has increased its digital product stack considerably over the last couple of months. “At the very core of our business is content development which, traditionally used in media, is now being enhanced by fully integrated digital campaigns to create a new level of success. This is very exciting for us as PR and marketing professionals as it finally closes the loop on the commercials with irrefutable results in sales and brand sentiment,” she says.
Services such as website development, and with it SEO and Google AdWords, social media content development and community management, blog writing and video, have formed part of the consultancy’s traditional digital offering. “We’ve now expanded on these services and have delivered effective brand and executive LinkedIn profile set-up and management projects, webinars and fully integrated online, social, PR and marketing campaigns for our clients,” says Middleton.
LinkedIn is a valuable prospecting and social-led sales tool that enhances the credibility of a brand or the profile of a member of the executive team among potential clients and partners. “Few of our customers are truly harvesting the potential of LinkedIn,” she says.
Brand journalism at core of World Class communication strategy
When South Africa was announced as the host nation of Diageo Reserve’s World Class Bartender of the Year Global Final 2015 – the biggest and most prestigious event of its kind in the world – Cape Town-based communications firm CSA was chosen as the lead global PR agency to handle all press and promotions around the event.
Fifty-four bartenders from over 50 countries took part in the event held in Johannesburg and Cape Town from August 30 to September 4, accompanied by international media as well as the master distillers and global brand ambassadors of the finest luxury spirits brands in the world.
To support the 53 global markets (including South Africa) involved in World Class, CSA established a news bureau to supply them with daily news reports and photo galleries as well as media releases covering the major events of the competition – similar to a newsroom.
“The idea of a news bureau lies at the heart of CSA and is close to one of our core values – the art of brand journalism, which is all about building meaningful, engaging and newsworthy content around brands while constructing a relevant narrative,” says CSA executive director communications Davin Phillips.
“The news bureau – staffed by experienced journalists and designers – is a new product offering that has evolved beyond simple PR to news creation, offering clients and their brands authentic and immediate immersion into the media universe.”
By framing the events of WORLD CLASS and its associated brands (from the Diageo Reserve luxury portfolio) as an unfolding story focusing on the bartenders and their accomplishments, CSA was able to generate coverage that steered clear of “advertorial” territory, avoiding the “brand-centric” reputation similar communications are often pigeon-holed into.
Using both traditional and digital media, CSA generated significant exposure before and during the competition, securing TV and radio spots and published articles online and in print, focused on WORLD CLASS and its associated brands.
