The Media Online’s weekly round up. marcusbrewster inks empowerment deal. A Power-ful duo formed at Conversation LAB. ABC elects Andre van Tonder and Paul Peters as president and vice president. Algoa FM’s Gordon Graham swaps radio for the road. Sihle Masuku appointed sales manager at Bolton Footwear. Mediamark ramps up its digital strategy with AdJoin partnership and new head of digital. Times Media and Backbone Studios score a winning goal with Supa Strikas. John Brown Media bags two Golds at the Pearl Awards in New York. MFDAN launches Consumer Connection System. Integrated Media Research Centre launched.
This week’s BIG move: marcusbrewster makes empowerment deal with 100% black-owned Media Revolution
PR firm marcusbrewster has announced a deal with a Johannesburg-based empowerment partner, Media Revolution. The partnership merges marcusbrewster’s 25-year SA-focused PR pedigree with Media Revolution’s 360-degree marketing and media services for clients across sub-Saharan Africa.
Brewster, who assumes the role of chairman emeritus of Media Revolution, says the strategic alliance will unlock new commercial opportunities for both firms and their blue-chip clients across sub-Saharan Africa.
“After an exhaustive search for suitably qualified equity partners, I am excited to begin a new chapter for the business. Not only does the new partnership transform our agency’s BEE credentials, but Media Revolution’s full suite of services – including design, web and social media – naturally complements marcusbrewster’s long-standing strategic communication expertise.”
Brewster adds that the new marketing, advertising and communications (MAC) sector charter codes place more stringent requirements on agency owners within this sector. “The MAC sector codes published in April this year set binding transformation targets with a March 2018 deadline. Through our alliance with Media Revolution, we are able to offer our clients not only market-leading strategic communications support, but a highly advantageous Level 1 BBBEE rating.”
The announcement of the new partnership this month comes in the agency’s 25th anniversary year and follows the announcement of South Africa’s first on-demand PR service, which marcusbrewster launched in August.
“The partnership will benefit both agencies and specifically our clients,” says Dharmesh Nagar, strategy director of Media Revolution. “It will allow Media Revolution to tap into Brewster’s 30-plus years of media and industry stakeholder contacts and proven operational know-how.”
Who’s moved where
A Power-ful duo formed at Conversation LAB
SA and UK: Award winning, full service digital creative agency Conversation LAB has teamed up with consumer columnist Megan Power, author of the eponymous Power Report in the Sunday Times.
When Megan announced in her final column last month that she was moving on to start her own customer journey and brand management consultancy, Conversation LAB had already lined up the opportunity to collaborate.
The fact that Megan is the sister of Conversation LAB co-founder and managing director, Kevin Power, made it an obvious partnership choice for the pair. The collaboration will see Megan – an award winning journalist with almost 30 years media experience including investigative journalism, news management and consumer advocacy work – adding Conversation LAB’s full digital service offering to her clients. This rounds off an offering from Megan that includes customer journey audits, building best-in-class customer service, crisis and reputational management, media and corporate communications training, and navigation around the far-reaching Consumer Protection Act.
“I believe my six years of exclusively listening to and resolving consumer complaints across various industries, corporates and brands, has given me unique insights into what consumers want from the customer journey.
“Digital offers brands an unprecedented opportunity to bring integrity, honesty, and transparency back into business. It’s also a great way for brands to share news-you-can-use content with consumers to make their lives easier. Incredibly, it’s a chance many still miss,” she says.
Not missing an opportunity is Kevin Power, who will add Megan’s suite of offerings to Conversation LAB’s blue chip national clients and prospective clients.
ABC elects Andre van Tonder and Paul Peters as president and vice president
The ABC has appointed Andre van Tonder to the position of president. He is currently the head of circulation for Media 24’s daily, weekly and Sunday newspaper titles. He started his career at Die Volksblad, and went on to become marketing manager for Beeld. He was a founder member of the Daily Sun, after which he became the GM at On the Dot responsible for newspaper and magazine circulation. Prior to this appointment he held the position a Vice President. He served as a director from 2007 to 2010. He was re-appointed to the ABC Board in 2013.
Paul Peters has been elected Vice President. Peters has been involved in the newspaper industry since 1969. In 1988 he was promoted from sales director Allied Publishing to Circulation Sales Manager Argus Publishing Company. In 1992 he became circulation director at Independent Newspapers. In 2012 he moved back to Allied Publishing as MD. He has been a member of the ABC board since 1988.
Algoa FM’s Gordon Graham swaps radio for the road
Algoa FM’s Border Drive Time host for the past decade, Gordon Graham, is exchanging radio for his other love – ultra sport.
“We are extremely proud of our Ironman presenter, who has put the same energy into building our brand in East London as he has into his own training and personal development as a presenter and ultra athlete,” says Alfie Jay, operations director of Algoa FM.
He and Graham have worked together on the station for 20 years.
“Gordon has without a doubt, been one of the best radio voices I have ever had the privilege of coaching and he has grown tremendously as a business-savvy presenter since moving to East London,” says Jay.
“I will certainly miss my Algoa FM family and will forever be grateful to managing director Dave Tiltmann and Alfie Jay for giving me my break into commercial radio and their support for my growth as a presenter and a person over the years,” says Graham.
The ultra sport bug bit after he started participating in triathlon events. He has completed two Ironman events as well as “numerous” 70.3 Ironman races.
“But, we are already working on finding the right person to fill his shoes – a process that Gordon himself is helping with,” says Jay.
Graham is due to “hang up [his] radio headphones” at the end of March and will be returning to his original home province of KwaZulu-Natal.
Sihle Masuku appointed sales manager at Bolton Footwear
Sihle Masuku (34) has recently been appointed as sales manager for Men’s Formal at Bolton Footwear.
Masuku spent his early childhood in Soweto, after which he relocated to Ladysmith (KwaZulu-Natal). He obtained his Diploma in Business Management from South West Gauteng College and started his retail career in 2000, when he was employed as a casual at Edgars in the Men’s Department.
Masuku, who will be responsible for all sales related activities, says his role will include working to achieve targets set for each season. “I’ll be responsible for driving sales in the men’s formal footwear brands, provide support to agents and build strong key accounts.”
Masuku received two awards in 2012 – one for best store EBIDTA (Trading Profit) and one for Leadership, as well as a certificate for exceeding annual sales targets for the 2011/2012 fiscal year. He has more than 15 years’ experience in the industry
Who’s won what
Times Media and Backbone Studios score a winning goal with Supa Strikas
Backbone Studios – a joint venture between Times Media Group and Strika Entertainment – was recently recognised at the inaugural YouTube Sub-Saharan Africa Creator Awards for its popular, soccer-themed comic series Supa Strikas.
At the event held in Sandton, Supa Strikas was announced as joint winner in the Comic category.
Richard Morgan-Grenville, Strika Entertainment CEO, says: “Strika and Backbone Studios have worked hard to grow this channel over the past 12 months and we see this award as recognition of that. We are very proud of the diverse global audience that Supa Strikas boasts.”
Super Strikas is part of Backbone Studios’ multichannel network that focuses on producing, marketing, distributing and commercialising online video content primarily through YouTube. The network produces its own content while helping affiliate YouTube creators with product development, channel administration, funding, rights management, commercialisation and marketing in exchange for a percentage of advertising revenue.
Dan Calderwood, head of multimedia at Times Media, says of the joint venture with Strika Entertainment: “It is important for us to grow engaged audiences beyond our news content and set up relationships with video creators on these key distributed platforms.”
John Brown Media bags two Golds at the Pearl Awards in New York
Pick n Pay’s Fresh Living publishers, John Brown Media South Africa, has won three awards at the 14th Annual Pearl Awards in New York. Over and above the coveted Gold Award for Best Retail (outstanding multi-channel solutions), they were also awarded: Gold – Best Use of Email – Supper Sorted for Pick n Pay and Bronze – Best Print Magazine (Editorial) B2C – Fresh Living for Pick n Pay.
The Pearl Awards is the longest running content marketing awards programme in the United States. This year a record 87 companies including leading brands, publishers and agencies around the world submitted entries.
“We are extremely proud to have won these awards. They are a testament to both a great brand and a talented, dedicated team”, says Lani Carstens, managing director of John Brown Media, who attended the awards ceremony. “One of the criteria for the Pearl Awards is that the entries have to demonstrate not only clear strategy and beautiful execution, but also measurable effectiveness. We really believe that Fresh Living and our work with Pick ‘n Pay across all their channels tick these boxes – and this global recognition is yet more proof of this.”
Who’s making moves
Mediamark ramps up its digital strategy with AdJoin partnership and new head of digital
Mediamark has strengthened its digital division by appointing media veteran, Mark Botha, as the new head of digital as well as securing an agreement that will see it become a strategic reseller for AdJoin. The two moves signal Mediamark’s continued focus on building a powerful digital media sales capability to complement its leadership in broadcast media and events.
Adjoin provides a single programmatic buying platform that gives advertisers access to unique premium audiences across an extended network of digital publications from leading local and international publishers. Powered by New York’s Rubicon Project and Data Management Platform Krux, AdJoin is an initiative between MaxAxion and Kagiso Media.
“We’re excited to add Adjoin to our portfolio of media properties. This highly differentiated platform allows us to help our clients cut through a fragmented and cluttered digital media landscape and offer them targeted audiences using rich layered audience. By appointing someone with Mark’s skills and experience we are certain to accelerate the growth of our digital business to the next level,” says Mediamark group sales director, Cindy Diamond.
Botha joins Mediamark with more than a decade and a half of experience in media sales. He was previously Sales Director at The SpaceStation, leading a sales team offering advertising solutions across the 24.com and DSTV Online portfolio of digital properties.
MFDAN launches Consumer Connection System
Media Fuse Dentsu Aegis Network (MFDAN) has launched the Consumer Connection System (CCS), the Dentsu Aegis Network consumer, lifestyle and product survey that gives advertisers and communication experts deeper understanding of consumers and their relationship with media.
The CCS and associated tools were introduced at a launch event in the Renaissance Marriot Hotel, Lagos to a select audience of industry stakeholders including advertisers, agencies, media owners, industry associations and regulatory agencies.
CCS marks a step-change in the way consumer research is conducted within the Nigerian consumer landscape. It allows brands to find out crucial information about their consumers during the consumer journey.
Speaking about the launch, Byron John, insights and innovation director of Dentsu Aegis Network Sub Saharan Africa, said having a tool like CCS Planner in Nigeria has now put “MFDAN streets ahead of their peers in the market. Not only is it now the most sophisticated media communications planning tool in Nigeria, but it has inherently future-proofed MFDAN against any changes in the media research landscape for some time to come”.
Integrated Media Research Centre launched
WASHINGTON D.C – The Integrated Media Research Centre (IMRC), an online resource for cross-discipline marketing knowledge, has been, launched by a consortium of leading marketing agencies and professionals. The IMRC website (which houses a growing archive of objective research and case studies on best marketing practices) is designed to encourage an ongoing discussion among marketers worldwide about the most effective use of the many valuable marketing channels, including direct mail.
“Plain and simple, direct mail is an important media channel and media planners need to understand its worth for engagement and persuasion in order to have all the secret weapons in the tool box,” said Elissa Moses, CEO of Ipsos Neuro & Behavioral Science Centre and a member of the IMRC Board of Advisors.
By providing access to all these resources, the IMRC expects to help facilitate media selection decisions to maximize brand return on marketing spend.
The IMRC is an initiative developed by senior executives representing organisations involved in diverse aspects of marketing. The IMRC website will be a repository for the most recent marketing-related research, data and case studies, and will identify areas and questions that need attention. Visitors will be encouraged to contribute content as well as suggest topics for research.
