The Media Online’s weekly round up of moves in media. WPP wins Distell account. Kagiso Rabada bowls his way into Instagram story GIFs. Havas South Africa appoints Sameetha Muthen as HR and transformation director. Clickatell expands its board with industry heavyweights to bolster growth. Ogilvy’s Mariana O’Kelly to take up international role. Press Room wins Cape Union Mart. M&C Saatchi Abel starts new year with a bang. Decorex SA announces bold new partnership with Olympic Paints. Bloomable partners with Ge:Skenk.
This week’s BIG move: Distell awards its communications business to WPP with Team Liquid in lead
WPP has won the pitch for Distell’s business, with Team Liquid in Johannesburg taking the lead on the account in South Africa. WPP will be responsible for Distell’s Tier 1 brands, including Savanna, Hunter’s, Hunter’s Edge, Amarula, Scottish Leader, Bain’s and Viceroy.
Led by Paul Jackson, CEO of Team Liquid, the team will be based in Johannesburg and draw on expertise from across WPP’s global network as Distell continues to build its international consumer base.
“I’m immensely proud of the WPP team here in Africa who have demonstrated that we’re the ideal partner for expanding Distell’s brands globally,” Jackson said. “Team Liquid is honoured to be selected as their communications agency, helping them to transform their business to meet the future needs of their consumers.”
Mark Read, CEO of WPP, said: “We are delighted to have been appointed Distell’s lead creative partner in Africa and key international markets as they look to reshape their marketing strategy. Ideally placed to deliver on Distell’s global growth ambitions, WPP’s Team Liquid is an integrated, bespoke solution that brings together the very best talent from across our agencies, markets and disciplines.”
People moves
Kagiso Rabada bowls his way into Instagram story GIFs
If you’re a big fan of GIFs and a big fan of Kagiso Rabada, you’ll be happy to hear that you can now add ‘KG’ to your own Instagram stories. Instagram users now have access to GIF stickers of the fast-bowler as he has been added to the collection of world-class stars and athletes on the Instagram story feature.
“I’m really excited about my Instagram story GIFs, I feel privileged to be recognised in this way and I hope my supporters will have a lot of fun with it, especially as 2019 is an exciting year for myself and for the game,” Rabada said.
Rabada, who has partnered with some of the world’s most iconic brands, is the first South African cricketer to receive his own Instagram story GIF after he joined Red Bull’s roster of sport’s most watched and celebrated stars last year. The Kagiso Rabada GIF stickers have been released just in time for the South Africa vs Sri Lanka series beginning on the14 February and fans can search for them by keyword on the Instagram app.
Havas South Africa appoints Sameetha Muthen as HR and transformation director
Havas has announced the appointment of Sameeha Muthen as its new human resources and transformation director. Muthen will be based in Johannesburg, working across the Havas Village, leading with people management, talent development and transformation.
Muthen has been in the advertising space for over 19 years, with 14 years’ experience in HR and recruitment. Among other functions, Muthen will work closely with Lynn Madeley, CEO of Havas Southern Africa and newly appointed chief creative officer, John Davenport, in running the Havas Academy, a professional development institution within Havas whose mandate is to empower black women keen on entering the marketing and communications sector.
Madeley said on the appointment, “I’ve always maintained that businesses, especially marketing and communications agencies, ought to be microcosms of the societies within which they exist, that way they are better poised to understand their clients’ audiences. Not only is this good for business but it is also the right thing to do as corporate citizens in South Africa. Now, getting there requires active effort at transformation and Sameeha’s role will be to guide Havas through continuous impactful, and sincere change. Her track record speaks for itself and we are excited to have her on board.”
Clickatell expands its board with industry heavyweights to bolster growth
South African–born and Silicon Valley-based global customer engagement company, Clickatell, has made three new appointments to its board as it enters its next phase of growth and global expansion.
Michael Jordaan, respected financial services expert, venture capitalist and serial entrepreneur, joins Clickatell as the chairman of the board. Jordaan was previously the CEO at FNB, and now heads up Montegray Capital, a private investment company and lends a strategic hand to various businesses, including as chairman of credit bureau CompuScan, director and shareholder of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, and as director and shareholder of the listed data network, RAIN.
Jordaan is joined by non-executive directors, Willem van Biljon and Ryno Blignaut. Van Biljon, co-founded Mosaic Software that developed the Postilion payment system, the first high-end payment transaction switch for commodity hardware and operating systems.
Blignaut currently serves as president, chief financial and administrative officer at Restoration Hardware (RH).
Ogilvy’s Mariana O’Kelly to take up international role
Executive creative director Mariana O’Kelly from Ogilvy Johannesburg will be leaving the South African agency in June to take up a new position in Ogilvy’s global operations in Chicago.
O’Kelly will move to one of the largest offices in the Ogilvy network, where she will serve as global executive creative director on all work for SC Johnson, the agency’s largest global client.
O’Kelly has long been acknowledged as a leading creative in South Africa and on the world stage. She recently won the Industry Leader of the Year Award, at the Financial Mail Adfocus Awards 2018.
“We’re so proud of Mariana’s latest achievement,” said Alistair Mokoena, CEO of Ogilvy South Africa. “We’re sad to see her go, but we wish her well on this next stage of her stellar creative career. Her absence will be felt, but we know we have the people to fill her shoes – largely because Mariana has done so much to develop talent at our agency.”
Business moves
Atmosphere adds four power global brands to its national portfolio of clients
Atmosphere Communications has announce the addition of four international brands to its portfolio. 2019 successfully kicked off with the signing of worldwide aviation company, Lufthansa.
Atmosphere will work alongside achtung! agency, the group’s global agency, to manage the brand’s PR activities locally. Household and personal FMCG giant Procter & Gamble, awarded its brand’s external and internal communications as well as the promotion of its CSI initiatives to the agency’s corporate division.
The consumer and lifestyle division of Atmosphere secured the award-winning British brand, Childs Farm. Using naturally derived ingredients and essential oils to produce a range of mild and kind skincare products for babies and children, the brand’s ‘skincare revolution’ will now be reaching SA shores.
Also joining the agency was iconic Dutch urban clothing brand, G-Star RAW, for whom Atmosphere successfully localised and launched the global ‘Uniform of the Free’ brand campaign, in September 2018.
Commenting on the significant wins, Nicola Nel, (above) said, “At the core of our DNA is creative and strategic solves that stand out, and our starting point is our clients’ business goals. We use our expertise, insights and deep understanding of the South Africa consumer and media landscape to tailor dynamic campaigns to achieve these business results.”
Press Room takes over PR for Cape Union Mart Leisure Brands
Press Room has landed the Cape Union Mart Leisure Brand account- overseeing the PR for Old Khaki, Poetry and Tread+Miller.
“We are absolutely thrilled to be working with fashion brands of this calibre” says Lorraine Maisel, MD of Styling Concepts and Press Room PR Agencies.
Decorex SA announces bold new partnership with Olympic Paints
Adding another layer to this year’s ‘Designing for Africa – feels like home’ theme, Decorex SA will be partnering with proudly South African paint manufacturer, Olympic Paints, for all three of its 2019 exhibitions – Decorex Durban, Decorex Cape Town and Decorex Joburg.
“We are so thrilled to welcome Olympic Paints as the exclusive paint partner for Decorex SA this year,” said Sian Cullingworth, portfolio director at Reed Exhibitions. “As a South African-based organisation, Olympic Paints® has real insight into the décor trends and preferences of the local market and will be able to tap into this year’s Afrocentric theme.”
M&C Saatchi Abel starts new year with a bang
The always ambitious M&C Saatchi Abel has begun 2019 with a bang by adding several big name brands including the likes of Tafel Radler and Continental Tyres to its ever-expanding client list.
The agency’s founding partner and head of new business, Jacques Burger, said the brands not only have great historic equity, “but also bold growth ambitions, which is something that excites us”.
These wins follow on the solid growth experienced by the company in 2018 and continue its trajectory over the past nine years since its inception.
Bloomable partners with Ge:Skenk
South Africa’s online marketplace of happiness, Bloomable, has partnered with Ge:Skenk to provide customers with a conscious gifting option, give the gift that keeps on giving.
Ge:Skenk is a female owned and managed business duo, is headed up by creative director and entrepreneur Vicki Scheffel and seasoned marketer Flora Maloka.
“We want to plough back a large percentage of the approximately R9 billion spent per annum on corporate gifts, most of which are imported goods – into social projects and local small businesses throughout South Africa,” said Scheffel. “We’ve now expanded this to provide Conscious Gift Boxes that are perfect for any gifting occasion”
Making moves
Caxton Digital introduces travel offering with Safari.com
Caxton has expanded its digital lifestyle offering for readers and advertisers alike by introducing their newest partner, Safari.com.
“Safari.com joins our other digital properties including online retail aggregator Guzzle, Private Property, All4Women and Autodealer among others,” said Nyle McKee, head of group commercial partnerships at Caxton Digital. “We’re so excited to have Safari.com on board. In the short time the partnership has been live we’ve had tremendous interest on the site from users across South Africa. It seems that South African consumers are in the market for a holiday all year round!”
IncuBeta teams up with Red & Yellow to boost performance-based digital media skills
Digital marketing holding company, IncuBeta, is partnering with Red & Yellow Creative School of Business to offer a new performance-based digital media course, Digital Paid Media, for both the South African and global markets. The online course aims to narrow the gap between local and international paid media skills, ensuring South African agencies and companies can compete with even the biggest global players.
“Since 2003, Incubeta, through its agency brand, NMPi, and technology brand, DQ&A, has been servicing all of the group’s global performance marketing campaigns out of the Cape Town offices. NMPi in particular has faced a real challenge sourcing skilled performance-based resources, both in the commercial, client facing space as well as on the campaign management side,” said Jonathan Gluckman, CEO of IncuBeta Africa and AsiaPac. “Most of South Africa’s skills are still in the early development stages of paid media management and are sometimes up to five years behind the more mature markets. We see this partnership as a practical means to close that gap and allow South Africa to position itself as a hub of excellence in the global paid media market.”
Tour of Good Hope backs Children’s Foundation
The Takealot Tour of Good Hope road race will throw its weight behind the Olive Children’s Foundation this year, using its status to raise awareness of young children who suffer from rare and life-threatening diseases.
South Africa’s premier road cycling tour takes place in the Cape Winelands from 4 to 8 March and ASG Events chief executive Erick Oosthuizen said supporting a charity was a key element of the whole operation.
OCF advertising and public relations manager Megan Schumann said they were extremely proud to be involved with the Tour of Good Hope.
“This connection to the professional cycling industry and endurance racing sparked an interesting relationship with the local cycling community resulting in a wonderful response and commitment to the OCF,” she said.
For the Diary
AMASA WORKSHOP 2019 promises to be the best ever
The AMASA Workshop, which has been presented to sold-out audiences since 2016, promises to deliver the best-ever programme in 2019 – and bookings are now open.
Last year, AMASA introduced an entirely new format, which was a huge success. Featuring 40 top industry experts, the workshop took the form of a series of speed-networking, panel-style discussions rather than traditional classroom-style lectures, engaging delegates in a way that reflects the fast-moving communications environment we live in today.
The 2019 workshop will take the same form, comprising two jam-packed days of intensive learning that will provide a snapshot of the media landscape and delve into the inner workings of disciplines such as strategy and media planning, followed by a third day of assessment and feedback.
COSTS: Three-day Workshop
AMASA Members: R5 499 per person sharing
Non Members: R5 999 per person sharing
PLEASE NOTE:
All bookings and confirmations need to be finalised by 21 March 2019.
