Media Moves… TheMediaOnline’s weekly round up. Omnicom Media Group adds South Africa to its Mercedes-Benz basket. JCDecaux SSA rationalises HR structure for growth. Cheryl Reddy to lead Ogilvy Public Relations Johannesburg corporate practice. New account manager appointed at Creative Zoo Advertising. Ogilvy Public Relations appoints new senior HR consultant. Hopwood appointed group head of marketing at Bolton Footwear. Airport Ads acquires rights to regional airports. Conversation Lab hits series of big runs. Red Carpet Concepts acquires EventRoom account; Tribeca welcomes HCV to the fold. Revlon chooses Edgars and Fashion Media for launch. WGSN opens Cape Town office. 25AM adds SharpSpring marketing automation software to product portfolio
This week’s BIG move: Omnicom Media Group adds South Africa to its Mercedes-Benz basket
International media services specialist Omnicom Media Group has added South Africa to its existing portfolio of Daimler’s Mercedes-Benz business in Canada, Australia and New Zealand. To handle the business, OMG took the step of assembling a tight seven-member bespoke professional unit, Team Daimler OMG, which has been drawn from the media group’s six worldwide specialist divisions.
“To fully satisfy the brief from Mercedes-Benz South Africa, we also decided to form a multi-skilled team from a number of our local operating companies,” says Josh Dovey, CEO of OMG SA. “We had examples of how our networks interact with Mercedes-Benz in other countries to help us understand the dynamics. It’s a very fresh approach.”
The dedicated team will be client facing, and will give the client immediate accountability and dedicated attention. “The team will provide the dedicated strategic leadership, actionable insights and digital activation for our Mercedes-Benz accounts,” says team leader Deborah Schepers.The entire media process for Mercedes-Benz is data-driven. “We are fanatical about data,” she says. “It will be harnessed to drive fresh insights and next-level digital solutions across the client’s various media platforms.” The merging of the Mercedes-Benz media portfolio of Canada, Australia, New Zealand and now South Africa into a single media region is aimed to ensure greater efficiencies over a combined spend of $75 million.
Who’s moved where
JCDecaux SSA rationalises HR structure for growth
JCDecaux in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) has rationalised and streamlined its structure to optimise the integration of the JCDecaux Group’s international procedures, and accommodate the new growth strategies across the continent. This follows the finalisation of the integration of Continental Outdoor Media into the JCDecaux Group after the acquisition by JCDecaux SA (Euronext Paris: DEC) in partnership with Royal Bafokeng Holdings (RBH), with a shareholding split of 70/30 of the company on 18 June 2015.
The executive committee, led by Jean-Sébastien Decaux and supported by Bazil Lauryssen, CEO SSA, is operationally structured to focus in all the key areas of the organisation. James Scott is the chief financial officer, Mark Cooper the chief operations officer, Adelaide McKelvey the sales and marketing director SSA, with Kamil Senhaji continuing in his role as business development director Africa.
Other structural enhancements include the assumption by Ryan Neyt in a development manager role for SSA with Garth Dibb responsible for asset management, patrimony and special projects in African countries outside of South Africa. The appointment of Alexandre Simacourbe as airports manager sub-Saharan Africa will complement the operational and developmental changes within the business.
The sales and marketing departments, led by Adelaide McKelvey throughout SSA (including South Africa), have been realigned to capitalise on JCDecaux Group’s global strategy. Lelanie Butler has assumed the role of futures and content manager sub-Saharan Africa, with Lyn Jones supporting the business as marketing and research manager SSA.
In South Africa, Darren McKinon will assume the role of head of sales responsible for agencies, and Michael Chisnall will assume the role of head of sales for the direct and StreetTalk business. Alasdair Muller will continue in his role as head of sales for the balance of the business into Africa.
Cheryl Reddy to lead Ogilvy Public Relations Johannesburg corporate practice
Ogilvy Public Relations Johannesburg has named Cheryl Reddy as business director: corporate. Reddy’s promotion will see her becoming responsible for the development and provision of strategic guidance to the entire corporate practice, as well as managing the corporate team to ensure that the business objectives of each client are met. She joins Ogilvy PR’s Johannesburg exco.
“Cheryl joined the OPR team less than five years ago as a senior account manager and has since risen swiftly through the ranks to become a business director,” said Ogilvy PR national managing director, Joanna Oosthuizen. “She has always represented OPR’s values and work ethic which was further evidenced in her being awarded the Freedom of Ogilvy Award in 2013”.
New account manager appointed at Creative Zoo Advertising
Creative Zoo Advertising has announced the appointment of Lynnette Fourie as a new account manager. Fourie, who has held varied account management positions within the industry, brings with her new energy and strong organisational skills.
Fourie is originally from the Western Cape and is a real people person, who is calm and level headed when tough situations arise. Director at Creative Zoo Advertising, Brigitta Annegarn, says, “Lynnette has exceptional client service skills and is proactive to their clients’ needs. Small agencies require account managers to be agile and adaptable and Lynnette is definitely proving to be well suited to this role.”
Ogilvy Public Relations appoints new senior HR consultant
Ogilvy Public Relations recently announced the appointment of Natisha Sewram as senior human resource consultant. Sewram has over 12 years of leadership experience, overseeing the acquisition of new talent, providing high-level human resource management advice and consultancy to staff.
“We are excited to welcome Natisha to the OPR stable. Her broad range of experience puts her in what we believe to be an ideal position to provide strategic HR leadership and to lead and mentor the team in the best HR practises,” says Joanne Oosthuizen, national managing director of Ogilvy Public Relations South Africa.
With over a decade worth of experience in both agency and trade human resource, Sewram possesses a robust background in leading human resources for trading and advertising agencies.
Hopwood appointed group head of marketing at Bolton Footwear
Former brand president of Speedo, Stuart Hopwood, has been appointed as group head of marketing of Bolton Footwear. Hopwood will be responsible for all marketing related activities for the respective brands in the Jordan & Co, Watson and Barker Shoes divisions. He will also oversee the marketing of the group itself.
A born and bred Capetonian, Hopwood holds a Diploma in Marketing Management (Dip Mkt. Man) from the Cape Peninsula University of Technology and a professional qualification of Chartered Marketer, CM (SA), which he obtained in 2000. “I’ve gained excellent knowledge and insight into the industry over the last three decades. Some of the key highlights of my career include eight years in various marketing management roles at Yardley, twelve years as Marketing Director for Triumph International (lingerie) and more recently six years as Brand President and GM for Speedo.”
Who’s won what
Airport Ads acquires rights to regional airports
Airport Ads has announced the acquisition of sole concessionaire rights to all the interior inventory advertising opportunities at ACSA’s six regional airports. These include coastal and inland airports namely Port Elizabeth, George, East London, Upington, Bloemfontein and Kimberley.
“We now have exclusive rights for Lanseria, Kruger Mpumalanga and now the regional airports. What this means is that we are able to develop comprehensive solutions in all the top airports in South Africa,” says Mzukisi Deliwe, director of Airport Ads.
The strategic partnership will bring a bias towards regional and local advertising, enabling advertisers to showcase localised messaging to a well-heeled audience of upper LSM household decision-makers.
Conversation Lab hits series of big runs
Durban-based creative agency Conversation LAB has won three major accounts. Laager Tea4Kidz, the market leader in children’s tea, has been added to the digital agency’s growing stable of FMCG clients. Conversation LAB will work in close partnership with lead creative agency Y&R Durban, to deliver digital strategy that fully integrates with ATL activity.
The agency has picked up one of the big players in the hair colour market by adding Renew (part of the Godrej Group) to its client list.
The agency will be responsible for the development and management of all content across a range of social media platforms, search engine optimisation of both mobile and desktop and an always-on influencer outreach programme.
Conversation LAB has also been appointed as the digital agency of record across the full range of Inecto Hair Products which include Inecto Originals, Inecto Colours and Inecto Plus.
Red Carpet Concepts acquires EventRoom account
Red Carpet Concepts will be implementing all public relations, marketing, social media and events for the tech start-up EventRoom as well as coming on board as an event planner service provider.
EventRoom, an online venue hire solution, was established in May 2015 and has, since inception, listed over 450 unique South African venues ranging from private residences, to warehouses, to restaurants and yachts – you name it, they list it!
Co-founder and CEO, Moira Johnston, wanted to create an online platform that listed as many different kinds of venues as possible in one place, making it easy to search and compare venues, and through which bookings and payments could also be made (a feature that is coming soon).
Tribeca welcomes HCV to the fold
Tribeca Public Relations has added Heavy Commercial Vehicle Underwriting Managers (HCV) to its diverse client portfolio.
HCV is one of South Africa’s heavy, medium and light commercial vehicle underwriting managers that takes particular care for and interest in its policyholders. Tribeca will be assisting HCV in building its reputation among brokers and policyholders, and creating awareness about the issues affecting this specific sector of the transport industry.
“Adding a business-to-business insurance account to our diverse portfolio affirms Tribeca’s position as an agency that specialises in public relations, rather than being an agency that specialises in one particular vertical,” says Cian Mac Eochaidh, co-owner of Tribeca Public Relations
Revlon chooses Edgars and Fashion Media for launch
To launch its newest range of mascaras, Revlon turned to Primedia Unlimited subsidiary Fashion Media to create the necessary awareness and brand attraction within Edgars stores nationwide.
The creative featured the global face of Revlon, Olivia Wilde, an immediately recognisable face to many women around the world. The new Revlon ultimate all-in-one mascara range offers women ‘everything they’ve ever wanted in one mascara’.
“The two week campaign highlighted the salient points of five different mascaras. Some of these included offering consumers volume, length, definition, lift and intensive colour. These messages were clearly communicated through the creative and emphasised through strategic and creative window displays and in store marketing elements,” says Sean Reed, CEO of Fashion Media.
In store marketing elements within Edgars included branding on sensomatics at the stores’ entrances, premium posters, and strategically placed ‘hotspots’ used as effective engagement points with shoppers.
Who’s making moves
WGSN opens Cape Town office
Trend authority, WGSN, has opened a Cape Town office. Founded 18 years ago, it has 14 offices globally and has already been operational in Africa for the past ten years with over 70 clients, including leading retailers and suppliers in South Africa.
The global trend authority provides fashion and lifestyle forecasting, data analytics and expert consultation to their broad client database all across the globe. WGSN is relied upon by more than 6,000 clients, including 95% of Fortune 500 apparel companies, as well as some of the world’s most creative and innovative businesses from multinational brands to independent designers.
WGSN Regional Director for Africa, Hannari Slabbert said, “We are ecstatic to have opened our offices in Cape Town. Africa, with its unique people and creative minds, is an emerging market and the logical next step for WGSN to expand our services. Fashion and creative minds from the continent are already creating a buzz in the industry with designers and brands featured all over the world.”
25AM adds SharpSpring marketing automation software to product portfolio
Online media agency 25AM has been appointed as a reseller for the SharpSpring marketing automation software in South Africa, offering brands and agencies a simple and affordable solution that enables them to drive more leads, capture more sales and optimise their marketing.
SharpSpring is a secure, cloud-based marketing automation suite that helps brands and agencies track customers, understand their online behaviour and where they’ve been online, and build powerful automation rules to send them dynamic content or targeted emails based on their interests.
“SharpSpring is a powerful marketing automation solution that is affordable even to smaller brands and agencies. It offers brands and agencies increased efficiency and visibility across their marketing efforts and tracks all marketing actions right through to return on investment,” says 25AM CEO, Andre Steenekamp.
