The Media Online’s weekly round up of moves in media.
This week’s BIG move: HaveYouHeard combines content and production in one department
Cape Town-based agency, HaveYouHeard, has launched a content production department to improve turnaround times, reduce costs and add value during the creative process for clients like Old Mutual, Martell, Cape Town Tourism and YouTube.
Comprising an in-house video content studio with camera, lighting and audio equipment and a green-screen facility, as well as an in-house audio recording studio for podcasting and voice-over recording, the new division is jointly headed by Carl Booysen and Jon Savage.
It will produce the television commercials, branded videos, pieces of audio and stills content that HaveYouHeard utilises to satisfy its clients’ briefs.
According to co-founder Jason Stewart (left), specialised production companies have historically been the custodians of the production process, while agencies have focused on the concept but didn’t develop or produce it. In the fast-moving digital space, however, content specialists are a vital part of any team. Combining the two into one powerful team is a ‘no-brainer’ for agencies seeking to move quickly on behalf of their clients.
“Previously content work would only be outsourced to a production company after all the creative work like scripting and approach had been signed off and approved by the client,” said Stewart. “Having started our in-house production division, the team can be involved in the process from the very start. This ensures we are able to add value from the outset, deliver the best possible quality content within the client’s budget, and without needing to be scheduled into a production company’s workflow.”
People moves
BBC Studios appoints Pierre Cloete as commercial director for branded services, Sub- Saharan Africa
BBC Studios has appointed Pierre Cloete as commercial director for branded services, Sub-Saharan Africa. The appointment follows the recent reorganisation of CEMA from general market management to a focus on specialist lines of business.
Based in Johannesburg and reporting to Louise La Grange, SVP branded services commercial, Cloete will take up his new position from 1 September 2019 and be responsible for delivering branded services revenue and profit across Sub-Saharan Africa in line with targets and growth ambitions and through expert client management and new business development.
He has extensive experience in the television industry and joins BBC Studios from Kwesé. As managing director for Kwesé General Entertainment, he was responsible for the launch of its pay TV service and most recently served as head of Kwesé Sports Digital Content and acting CEO for Kwesé Sports.
Business moves
Riverbed wins Sasol Business
Through-the-line creative communications agency, Riverbed, has been selected as the corporate communications agency for Sasol following a recent pitch. Riverbed’s PR division has seen significant growth against the back of the agency’s ideas-lead approach to PR.
“As the shift in focus and budgets towards public relations has grown in recent times, we’ve seen a spike in the number of integrated agencies pitching for and winning public relations campaign work,” said agency CEO and founder, Monalisa Sibongile Zwambila.
“Sasol partnered with us based on our content development competency across all disciplines. We were also able to demonstrate our strategic skills and our ability to take advantage of tactical time-sensitive opportunities.”
Wunderman Thompson SA appointed lead agency for BMW Group SA
To partner with them on their future-proofing journey, BMW Group SA has turned to creative transformation agency, Wunderman Thompson for its breadth and depth of offering.
This will allow the BMW and MINI brand to pivot towards the future with an agency that is sufficiently proficient in ATL as it is in digital, social and direct, leaving no need to compromise on any part of the mix.
“The effect of adding a powerhouse like BMW Group SA to our stable is incalculable in terms of the energy it releases within the agency. This is not only because of its global iconic status, but also because its brands match our vision,” said Haydn Townsend, Group CEO, Wunderman Thompson. “This is a company that is constantly reinventing its brands and taking the future head-on. This could just as easily be me talking about us. This is one of those times I am delighted that you are judged by the company you keep.”
Flume appointed digital marketing partner to Ascendis Health
Flume Digital marketing and PR agency has landed a coveted spot as a supplier to Ascendis Health – the agency’s first pharma client and a proudly South African health and wellness company, founded in 2008.
Responding late last year to a call announced via the Independent Agency Search and Selection Company (IAS), Flume landed the account following a pitching process that saw the young agency going up against several other strong independent contenders.
FNB and Disney Africa collaborate to bring to SA a series of live events
FNB and Disney Africa have announced a collaboration to bring a series of family-oriented Disney LIVE events over the course of the next year to South African audiences. As part of this, FNB customers will have access to a special pre-sale ticket purchasing window, as well as access to specials and surprise perks. The first of these events will be Disney’s The Lion King LIVE In Concert that will play to Gauteng audiences this festive season.
This family entertainment experience will combine the screening of Disney’s The Lion King directed by Jon Favreau with the epic live orchestral performance of Oscar® and GRAMMY®-winning composer Hans Zimmer’s original motion picture soundtrack that also features South African legend Lebo M.
Tribeca appointed as Nupen Staude de Vries Inc. PR Partner
Nupen Staude de Vries Incorporated (NSdV), a boutique law firm specialising in mining, construction and environmental law, has appointed Tribeca Public Relations (Tribeca) as its PR partner to build and communicate the firm’s reputation and credibility as a specialist law firm.
Tribeca began working with NSdV in February 2019 on a project basis, which has now grown into an ongoing partnership for 2019 with increased scope including media relations, internal and external stakeholder communications and content development.
“In a time of ‘digital PR’ and increased work with influencers and social media platforms, we love the opportunity to work with clients who understand the power that traditional PR activities can have on their business,” said Kelly Mossop, team leader at Tribeca.
Facebook partners with The Loeries Awards 2019 to nurture South Africa’s young creative talent
For the fourth consecutive year, Facebook is sponsoring the annual Facebook Challenge as part of the Student Category at The Loeries Awards 2019. During the Loeries Creative Week (19-25 August), Facebook will also host a series of workshops, activations and a Student Hackathon for the creative community – including advertising students.
This year, Facebook and the Loeries have partnered with UN Women to raise awareness around the HeForShe campaign. HeForShe is a solidarity movement for gender equality that brings together one half of humanity, in support of the other half of humanity for the entirety of humanity. Students were challenged to create a powerful, mobile-first Stories Ad campaign for HeForShe to help further the cause of gender equality.
The winner will be announced on stage at the awards ceremony on Friday, 23 August.
Making moves
JET8 and UEFA Foundation launch social commerce app
The JET8 Foundation and UEFA Foundation for Children have announced the launch of the new UEFA Foundation4Kids social commerce App.
The UEFA Foundation4Kids App incorporates JET8’s Fintech technology to reward users for in-app engagement through JETPoints, a social currency users can use to make contributions to the UEFA Foundation for Children. Users of the app receive access to exclusive UEFA Foundation for Children geo-stickers and geo-frames.
The JET8 Foundation aims to enable important organisations like the UEFA Foundation for Children to succeed digitally. The use of JET8 social technology allows the UEFA Foundation4Kids App to build a digital community, a community that engages and creates memorable moments.
Download the UEFA Foundation4Kids App from the Google Play Store and the iOS App Store here.
