Media Moves… TheMediaOnline’s weekly round up. New head of 24.com announced. marcusbrewster launches SA’s first on-demand PR service. Alimi new MD of Clarion Events in West Africa. Stratitude wins PR account for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Joburg 2016. Lauren Shantall awarded in Emerging Entrepreneur at Cape Regional Business Achiever awards. Facebook sponsors The Loerie Student Awards. Clarion Events opens new West African office in Lagos
This week’s BIG move: New head of 24.com announced
Media24 has announced the appointment of Andreij Horn as the head of 24.com Digital Media, the country’s largest digital media company.
Horn has had a long career with Naspers and Media24, having spearheaded many innovations at the international media giant. He is currently the chief information officer at Media24 and has long been involved with Media24’s digital operations.
“Media24 is focusing all its attention on further expanding its digital media operations and Andreij’s appointment signals the fact that we’re bringing in the big guns,” says CEO Esmaré Weideman. “Andreij has that rare combination of editorial expertise, business acumen, technological know-how and entrepreneurial drive. He is exactly what we need to lead 24.com at a very exciting time in Media24’s digital expansion.”
Horn said he was looking forward to elevating the powerful 24.com brand to new heights. “This is the most challenging time in the history of digital media with the convergence of high technology, like machine learning and artificial intelligence, and a relentless demand from users for simplicity. We are focused on attracting and retaining the best talent, particularly engineers, and working with our advertising and commercial partners to find innovative ways to be really useful to our mutual markets.”
And another BIG move: marcusbrewster launches SA’s first on-demand PR service
Strategic communications firm marcusbrewster this month announced the launch of South Africa’s first on-demand public relations service.
Andre Fourie, managing director at marcusbrewster, believes it is the perfect time to disrupt the PR industry. “Current economic uncertainty and budget pressures means corporates and brands are wary of long-term retainer commitments and are looking for new ways to optimise their marketing and communications spend. By matching a client’s publicity needs to the agency’s results-oriented approach and adding a layer of convenience via an on-demand service model, we can show measurable results linked directly to PR investment.”
The on-demand economy has broadly disrupted traditional, established industries in ways not seen since the Industrial Revolution. Global companies such as Uber and Airbnb are generating huge revenues within only a few years of launching, beating more established competitors by offering convenience and accessibility while maintaining optimal cost efficiency.
A beta version of the service is available to brands, businesses and individuals through a microsite, which can be found at. According to Fourie, this is only a first step in what signals a much larger transformation of the firm’s PR services. “In South Africa, on-demand services – with the possible exception of Uber – have not yet gained the adoption they enjoy in more developed markets. As businesses and brands become more accustomed to the value and convenience of the on-demand economy, we will use this platform to build an exciting suite of modern communication tools that anyone can access with a few clicks of a button. We believe it will bring significant disruption to the local PR industry, driving competition and strengthening the sector.”
Who’s moved where
Alimi new MD of Clarion Events in West Africa
Dele Alimi has been appointed managing director of the new Clarion Events West Africa office (CEWA) that has opened in Lagos, Nigeria. Until recently Alimi was the director of rrade promotion and international relations, at the Lagos Chamber of Commerce & Industry in Lagos. Clarion Events is a global events and media company, headquartered in the UK.
“Joining an international brand like Clarion Events presents an opportunity to lead Nigeria’s foray into excellence in hosting of business events and exhibitions, which will help reposition the Nigerian economy and provide the much needed international investments by organising shows that will expose the deep potential of Africa’s largest economy,” – says Alimi.
Who’s won what
Stratitude wins PR account for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Joburg 2016
Integrated agency Stratitude has been appointed by African Fashion International (AFI) as their PR partner for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Joburg 2016 (MBFWJ). The glamorous and highly anticipated event is taking place from the 10 – 13August at Nelson Mandela Square, Sandton City.
AFI, a leading fashion and lifestyle company, owns and operates the premier fashion week platforms Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Joburg and Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Cape Town, both sponsored by Mercedes-Benz South Africa, as well as the incubator programme, Fastrack, which launches young college graduates into mainstream fashion.
“We’re absolutely thrilled to have won this account,” says Sylvia Schutte, managing director at Stratitude. “We can’t wait to roll up our sleeves and get stuck into this project as it allows us to work with the brilliant team at AFI. In addition, we get to work closely with an impressive selection of local and African designers, established and emerging models, committed sponsors and the media.”
Stratitude will be managing media relations, partnerships, hospitality, and the media centre at Nelson Mandela Square, amongst other things. The agency is looking beyond traditional communication platforms and will introduce new channels to MBFWJ, including a digital aspect as well as bloggers, vloggers and street style photographers.
Lauren Shantall awarded in Emerging Entrepreneur at Cape Regional Business Achiever awards
Lauren Shantall, director of Lauren Shantall Integrated Communications, has taken the award for the Emerging Entrepreneur category of the Cape Regional Business Achiever Awards (RBAA) 2016.
The annual awards are an initiative of the Business Women’s Association (BWA) of South Africa. Shantall was one of two regional finalists in the Emerging Entrepreneur category, which is open to businesses that have been in existence for five years or less. Other categories to honour and celebrate the success of women included Entrepreneur, Social Entrepreneur, Professional, Corporate and Government.
The final judging panel included Andrew Galloway of RSM Betty & Dicksen, Colleen Louw of Primedia, Nomzamo Kasana of Glacier, Kobus Swart of Sanlam and Jaqueline Burge of Rarity Handbags. With more than 65 nominations from members of the BWA, only 17 finalists were selected across the various categories.
The RBAA finalists and winners received various prizes sponsored in kind, including a showreel of their business produced by Dreamcatcher Productions, which was screened at the gala event.
“I am thrilled that my company, my clients and the efforts of my dedicated team have been recognized in this way – no entrepreneur exists in a vacuum,” says Shantall. Lauren Shantall (Pty) Ltd has been in existence for just on three years and currently employs 17 staff. The company specializes in integrated communications strategy and perception management within the lifestyle, décor and design industries.
Who’s making moves
Facebook supports young creative talent by sponsoring The Loerie Student Awards
Facebook will be sponsoring the Student category of The Loerie Awards for 2016 – the premier annual awards recognising creativity in the advertising industry in Africa and the Middle East. This falls in line with Facebook’s commitment to developing and promoting young creative talent.
“Our sponsorship of The Loerie Student Awards for 2016 is an opportunity to celebrate the young professionals who are telling rich, creative brand stories using our platforms.
“We really believe creativity unlocks the power of technology and young people in the creative community especially are at a very exciting place to craft beautiful and relevant work. Young creatives can play an important role in solving bigger problems by building or creating for mobile as more people become connected”, says Rob Newlan, head of Facebook Creative Shop EMEA.
“The Loerie Awards is about celebrating great ideas, and increasingly the Facebook platform is a canvas to bring great ideas to life and share it with millions of people. We want to support the young talent that is redefining the rules of creativity by exploiting mobile, the most important medium of the generation. In South Africa alone, Facebook has more than 14 million active users, 90% of them on mobile,” adds Nunu Ntshingila, head of Facebook, Africa.
Facebook will also be hosting a range of events aimed at young creatives in support of Loeries Creative Week (15-21 August, Durban) – a seven-day programme that creates connecting opportunities for the industry.
Clarion Events opens new West African office in Lagos
Global events group, Clarion Events, has opened a West African office in Lagos, Nigeria. “Clarion Events West Africa will focus exclusively on quality trade exhibitions in the local market and region. We are very excited to realise this opportunity in Lagos where the market will rapidly develop in time with the local and regional economic growth,” says Clarion’s group director for Africa, David Ashdown.
He continues: “I believe the synergy between Clarion’s vast international experience and my extensive knowledge of the Nigerian economy will break new ground and establish the brand as the number one show organiser in Africa”.
Lisa Hannant, group managing director at Clarion Events agrees. “Clarion Events is very excited to expand its footprint in West Africa. I believe our timing is perfect. Nigeria presents huge business potential for any investor and trade exhibitions have an important role to play in providing access to this market and creating networking business opportunities. With so much untapped potential, the Nigerian market is still wide open to investors.”
