The Media Online’s weekly round up of moves in media. Dual energy as Kagiso Rabada is announced as latest Red Bull athlete. Philani Dlamini takes the helm at Consulta. Sarah Buitendach appointed as acting editor of Wanted Magazine. Debbie McIntyre promoted to head of Integrated Media Solutions. Destiny Man has new editor… sort of. Dumisani Hlophe new political editor of SABC News. Launch of Audi e-Tron to broadcast around world. AFest 2018 line-up announced
This week’s BIG move: Dual energy as Kagiso Rabada is announced as latest Red Bull athlete
Superstar bowler, Kagiso Rabada, is the latest athlete to join Red Bull’s team of celebrated and watched sports stars after signing a sponsorship deal with the iconic energy drink brand.
Rabada is thrilled to part of the Red Bull family of athletes. “I’m really excited to be joining the Red Bull team. Red Bull is a high performing brand that is represented by some of the greatest international sports figures of our time, so this is a great recognition and honour for me,” Rabada said.
The 23 year old Proteas star is the first South African cricketer and the world’s first fast-bowler to join Red Bull’s list of athletes. He will make his first appearance as a Red Bull athlete next month when he joins the panel of judges at the Red Bull Box Cart Race in Sandton, Johannesburg.
“Red Bull South Africa is ecstatic to be in partnership with Kagiso Rabada. We have been involved in and supported Cricket in South Africa over the last couple years and having KG as a Red Bull Athlete in this sporting code is an awesome wicket for our brand. We look forward to this partnership ahead!” added Josh Enslin, athlete manager for Red Bull South Africa.
People moves
Philani Dlamini takes the helm at Consulta
Market research and managing consultancy firm, Consulta, has appointed Philani Dlamini as its new chief executive officer.
Dlamini assumes his role as CEO from Consulta’s founder, co-shareholder and longstanding chief executive, Professor Adré Schreuder, who will take on a strategic advisory role as chief visionary officer (CVO) in the Consulta executive team.
“Having started Consulta over 20 years ago with the vision of building a strong, proudly South African consultancy, I am excited to support Philani to lead the newly transformed company into the new chapter of our journey. At the same time it affords me the opportunity to do what I truly love – help clients to become world-class in customer experience,” said Schreuder.
In 2017, Bonang Mohale’s Serialong Trust increased its shareholding in Consulta (Pty) Ltd to 60% in partnership with Prof Schreuder Family Trust with 40% as part of the company’s transformation strategy.
“We are excited to further the process of transformation at an executive level with Philani leading our BEE Level 2 business in its broad range of consulting services to a myriad of South African industries,” Schreuder added.
“Consulta’s innovative approach to customer experience management as a consultancy, and the tangible results that our partners can derive from the insights, is at the top of its game,” said Dlamini. Heholds chartered accounting (CA) and certified internal auditor (CIA) qualifications and has more than 16 years’ experience working in finance.
Sarah Buitendach appointed acting editor of Wanted Magazine
Tiso Blackstar has appointed Sarah Buitendach acting editor of Wanted, Business Day’s flagship luxury magazine.
Current Wanted editor, Jacquie Myburgh, will be stepping down from the day-to-day editorial to focus on Wanted’s special editions including Watches and Jewellery, as well as other client facing projects for the Wanted stable. October will be Myburgh’s last monthly edition.
Aspasia Karras, publisher of magazine supplements and lifestyle at Tiso Blackstar Group, said: “Jacquie has been such a marvellous editorial boon to Wanted and we thank her for her excellent work on our beloved magazine. We look forward to our continued collaboration on special projects. We are delighted that Sarah will be stepping into the role in an acting capacity for the next few months.”
Buitendach has worked in media since her university years, starting out in magazines that included Style, House and Leisure and Elle. She was the launch editor for both the Sunday Times Home and Fashion sections and then, the newspaper’s Digital Editor.
Destiny Man has new editor… sort of
Men’s business and lifestyle brand Destiny Man has welcomed back Kojo Baffoe, the editor who grew the magazine into a leading men’s media brand during his four years at the helm. Baffoe has continued to work within the media and content space and, as a result, is able to bring all his learnings and newly refined perspectives to Destiny Man.
“It made sense when we started discussing the possibility. It is a space that I understand and would like to think I was an integral part of. I always considered myself vested because I worked on the mag in the early years,” said Baffoe.
During his time away from Destiny Man, Baffoe has been producing and presenting on radio, developing podcasts, and creating content strategies. His show Life with Kojo Baffoe on Kaya FM, is focused on a variety of topics and helps brands understand this changing world of media.
Ndalo Media CEO Khanyi Dhlomo said Baffoe was “one of those people who never stops growing, never stops learning, never stops evolving. He considers himself to be both a practitioner and a student of media, and apart from his obvious career achievements and his qualifications as an editor, writer and content architect, Kojo embodies a deep wisdom that will enlighten every Destiny man. He is the whole package and we look forward to the continuous evolution and growth of Destiny Man with Kojo back at the helm.”
Dhlomo also takes this opportunity to wish departing Destiny Man editor Thabiso Tema well on his future endeavours. Tema will continue his broadcasting engagements with Power 98.7 and SuperSport, and promises to reveal his next project soon.
Debbie McIntyre promoted to head of Integrated Media Solutions
After a lot of listening and interpreting of client’s needs, SPARK Media has appointed Debbie McIntyre to a newly created role as head of Integrated Media Solutions. This will enable her to offer clients access to all Caxton Magazines and SPARK Media platforms, focusing on a cross platform approach and making sure that this is a simple, streamlined process for clients. She has also been welcomed as an EXCO member at SPARK Media.
“Debbie’s role will involve her identifying strategic opportunities for clients across our platforms,” said Gill Randall, Joint CEO SPARK Media.
“She is the ideal candidate based on her vast and relevant experience within our Group,” says Gill. “We’re all excited about this new position and believe that we have a very powerful and varied media, audience as well as conceptual content offerings for bespoke client campaigns. We are geared to implement, measure and optimise campaign performance too.”
Dumisani Hlophe new political editor of SABC News
The South African Broadcasting Corporation has appointed announced the appointment of Dumisani Hlophe as a political editor: SABC
His new role at the SABC News and Current Affairs Division will include managing and guiding the news political team in ensuring a high level of authoritative, accurate, engaging and fair political journalism; the values SABC News treasures in ensuring constant fulfilment of its mandate and in providing content in a balanced and unrestrained manner.
SABC News and Current Affairs group executive, Phathiswa Magopeni she was confident that with the experience and political expertise he brings, Hlophe would add value to SABC’s political coverage, especially with general elections coming in 2019.
Mazars appoints co-CEOs
Michelle Olckers and Anoop Ninan have been appointed as the new joint Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of Mazars South Africa, effective 1 September 2018.
The co-CEOs were elected by all Mazars South Africa’s partners in an independent process based on manifestos indicating their strategic vision for the company. With over 1b000 staff, 76 partners and 17 directors operating out of 12 offices within South Africa, Mazars has achieved significant growth within the firm.
The newly appointed co-CEOs will take over from current Mazars SA chairman, Hilton Saven, who is retiring after 43 years of service to Mazars, having led the business for 24 years. Hilton will stay on at the firm as a consultant.
Business moves
The end of an era: Muscle Evolution publishes final edition
After 15 years of publishing South Africa’s only dedicated and locally produced bodybuilding magazine, Maverick Publishing Corporation has announced the discontinuation of Muscle Evolution in its printed format.
The company’s co-publishers also announced plans to pursue various business opportunities, as they pivot the traditional publishing model through new digital ventures, and unbundle the remaining titles held within the Maverick Publishing stable.
Due to the impact of significant shifts in advertising budget allocations across the board by the brand’s loyal clients, the title is no longer financially viable as a printed publication. Content consumption patterns are also changing, which is why editor-in-chief and founder, Andrew Carruthers has decided to call time on the magazine’s illustrious run, after 91 memorable issues.
“Digital technology is evolving at pace and I intend to run with it, instead of against it. Through Unorthodox, my new digital media company, I intend to create some of the best online bodybuilding and fitness content in the SA market,” explained Carruthers.
The implication is that the current issue on sale – the September-October 2018 edition – will be the last edition of Muscle Evolution. The brand will, however, live on in the digital realm at www.muscleevolution.co.za.
The other titles in the Maverick Publishing stable will be unbundled and taken over by Io Media, a new cross-platform content creator and publisher launched by Maverick Publishing Corporation co-publisher, Tanja Schmitz.
This follows a shareholder buy-out agreement between Carruthers and Schmitz for the fitness magazine brand and its associated products, which include fatloss magazine, fitnessmag.co.za, the Fitness Online shop, the FitAffair event series, and the Face of Fitness cover model search.
Hoorah Digital opens Jozi office, lands Flight Centre, Sanofi as clients
Digital media consultancy Hoorah Digital has opened up a Johannesburg office as it looks to better service its growing pool of clients. The office, which currently houses a dozen employees, is headed up by Hoorah Digital CEO Shaune Jordaan, with strategy handled by head of media, Tasmin Kingma. The office has been opened primarily with the aim of helping the consultancy better serve its growing list of Joburg-based clients.
That Hoorah Digital is able to open the new office is indicative of the high growth levels the company has seen since its launch earlier this year.
Prior to officially launching, the digital media consultancy already had several clients, most notably the World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF) in South Africa and Rawson Properties.
Since then, it’s landed a number of high-profile clients, including Flight Centre and global pharmaceutical giant Sanofi, which includes brands such as Essentiale, Pharmaton, and Pharmachoice in its stable.
Acting as a digital consultant, Hoorah Digital will help these and other brands with digital research and auditing.
Start of production of the Audi e-tron
Audi is to broadcast the world premiere of the Audi e-tron in San Francisco live on 17 September at 8.30 p.m. (on September at 5:30 a.m. CEST) at www.e-tron.audi.
Audi Brussels has begun mass production of the Audi e-tron, the brand’s first all-electric SUV which has a range suitable for everyday use. With a charging capacity of up to 150 kW at quick-charging stations, it is ready for the next long-distance stage in about 30 minutes. Audi will present the unveiled electric car for the first time at its world premiere in San Francisco on 17 September.
“The Audi e-tron is a genuine pioneer,” said Peter Kössler, member of the board of management for production and logistics at AUDI AG. “It features innovative technologies such as virtual exterior mirrors and combines traditional Audi qualities in handling and dynamics with technical Vorsprung that goes far beyond the car. Our Brussels plant was comprehensively modernized for the production of the electric car. This is the world’s first certified CO2-neutral mass production in the premium segment.” Audi Brussels offsets all emissions produced in production and at the site, primarily by using energy from renewable sources, but also through environmental projects.”
Making moves
AFest 2018 line-up announced
Powered by Deezer and UMG Live, AFest is AfricaCom’s official stellar networking event, and will bring thousands of industry leaders together in one of Cape Town’s hottest venues, Shimmy Beach Club at the V&A Waterfront, Cape Town, on Tuesday, 13 November 2018.
AFest, now in its third year, is always a popular event on the AfricaCom agenda. 2018 will be even more so with the announcement of a partnership with Internet-based music streaming service, Deezer.
In the wake of last year’s AFest headliners – AKA, Black Motion and Mr Silk – along with celebrating AfricaCom’s 21st show and now with a turbo boost Powered by Deezer and UMG Live, AFest 2018 is set to make a splash. The phenomenal line-up will include TRESOR, The Muses and Swing City, with more acts to be announced.
