The Media Online’s weekly round up of people, account and business moves in media.
Advertising decision makers now have access to Covid-era modelled media research
The Publisher Research Council (PRC), Broadcast Research Council (BRC) and research partner Nielsen provide the FUSION media research dataset to advertising media planners and decision makers to show readership behaviour across platforms, whether print or online.
Due to the impact of Covid-era lockdowns on consumer media behaviour, the original FUSION data has been updated via an interim modelled set of data to show how lockdowns affected media consumption patterns. This research is called FUSION2021 Interim Modelled Update (IMU) and is now available for planning purposes.
“During a challenging era for media research, brought about by Covid, the innovative solution of modelling data provides a useful and appropriate set of data for relevant media advertising media decision making now,” explained Josephine Buys, CEO of PRC.
The new, interim FUSION2021 research includes updated data modelled to the latest South African 2020 population provided by GTI. PAMS 2019 readership figures have also been updated to more accurately reflect the effect of lockdown through the modelling of first quarter 2021 ABC circulation figures. For relevant digital media usage patterns, IAB SA’s Q1 2021 Narratiive data was used in the modelling.
The new FUSION2021 IMU data set thus provides a more realistic view of print and digital readership in 2021 for media planning purposes. “It’s clear that readers remain, irrespective of whether they read in print or digital form, the most valuable consumer group to reach with advertising,” said PRC research consultant Peter Langschmidt.
“FUSION2021 IMU shows average issue readership of all PAMS titles has decreased from 55% to 50% of all adults. Importantly, however, it’s also clear that remaining readers are an essential audience of brand influencers, with incomes that are now 90% higher than their non-reading counterparts.”
People moves
Ogilvy UK promotes Rahul Titus to head of influence across UK & EMEA
Ogilvy UK has promoted Rahul Titus to head of influence across UK and EMEA. As well as his existing responsibilities as head of influence in the UK, Titus will now lead Ogilvy’s influence offering across EMEA – one of the fastest growing offerings in the region. He will report into Joanna Oosthuizen, CEO, PR & Influence, EMEA and is tasked with helping strengthen Ogilvy’s offering across the region.
In his new role, Titus will be in charge of setting the strategic direction of the Ogilvy influence proposition across the UK and EMEA. He will help unlock the best of Ogilvy’s talent through creative-first, data-driven influencer campaigns covering the full spectrum from celebrities all the way to micro-influencers.
“This is a crucial time for Ogilvy’s influencer offering in EMEA, and Rahul has shown himself to be the best choice to lead the growing EMEA programme,” said Oosthuizen. “Rahul’s success driving Ogilvy’s influence offering in the UK speaks for itself, and I am looking forward to watching and supporting Rahul as he builds upon his current success.”
Titus will also be rolling out Ogilvy’s inclusive influence initiative across the EMEA region to help move the needle on diversity inclusion and belonging.
Bateleur appoints Nadia van Dyk
Market research company, Bateleur Brand Planning, has appointed of Nadia van Dyk as data assistant. Van Dyk joined this month, having previously worked in IT, marketing and branding, and HR/IR.
Van Dyk will focus on qualitative data collection projects, face-to-face/traditional research, graphic design, transcribing, briefing, and communicating with supervisors and interviewers, booking focus groups, and booking and/or moderating in-depth interviews.
Smile Foundation appoints new leader
Smile Foundation, a non-profit organisation assisting children suffering from facial conditions, has a new leader on board. Kim Robertson Smith has been appointed the role of general manager as of 1 August 2021.
Co-founder and executive chairman, Marc Lubner, said: “Having known Kim to be the compassionate, creative and driven leader that she is, there’s no better fit for this role.Welcome Kim, Smile Foundation looks forward to transforming many more lives, under your leadership.”
DA calls for ICASA Council nomination process to be extended to 30 days
The Democratic Alliance has called on the chairperson of the portfolio committee on communications, Boyce Maneli, to open the nomination process to fill four vacancies on the Council of the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) for at least 30 days.
In a statement released on Tuesday, Maneli gave notice for the public and organisations to nominate suitably qualified individuals by no later than Friday, 23 July 2021 – three days after the nominations were opened.
“Not only is this Friday deadline ridiculous, but it also raises very concerning questions about whether the selection process, outcome and allocation of positions has already been predetermined,” said MP Zakhele Mbhele. “The extension of the nomination process by at least another 27 days will be a reasonable and fair time window to give all interested parties enough time to finalise and submit their nominations.”
He said the the DA would “not be party to a rubber-stamping exercise of what appears to be another brazen attempt by the ANC to install politically connected persons in another organ of state. We will object to filling these key positions if they are not done in an open, reasonable, procedurally fair and transparent manner”.
Business moves
Revving it up for small business
An organisation that supports fast-food delivery entrepreneurs in the course of its business has saddled up with a corporate assisting small businesses to get back on their feet during the Covid-19 pandemic, creating a win-win-win situation for all.
When pioneering small business MotionAds, which supports food-delivery motorbike owners by securing advertising on their vehicles, came across Hollard’s Big Ads for Small Business campaign to share its “big” advertising spaces with promising small businesses, it approached the insurer about a partnership to extend its own reach, as well as to support this innovative campaign to help SMMEs survive and thrive.
Through the Big Ads initiative, Hollard has provided 12 SMMEs across the country with their own customised advertising campaigns, including television, radio and street-pole advertising, press ads, billboards and promoted social media content, as well as business training, public relations help and more. The returns are being ploughed back into the small businesses.
The partnership with MotionAds to brand 10 delivery bikes in four areas – 40 in all – was a match made in heaven, resulting in a joint effort to support food-delivery micro-enterprises across four regions of the country, while at the same time giving exposure to four small businesses.
The SMMEs that are benefiting are Journey Leather, a Western Cape SMME that creates customised leather products; Busanimen, a custom suit and tailoring business based in Maboneng, Johannesburg; SchoolHub, an innovative app operating from Durban that offers parents a cashless solution to school spending; and Haircelerate, an online hair-treatment products company that sells nationwide.
Flow Communications to join acclaimed Stanford Seed Transformation Programme
Flow Communications has been accepted to join the prestigious Stanford Seed Transformation Program, an initiative of the Stanford Graduate School of Business that aims to support high-potential entrepreneurs to grow and scale their businesses.
The Stanford Institute for Innovation in Developing Economies (Seed) works towards building thriving, socially conscious enterprises through partnerships with the entrepreneurs it selects in emerging markets, to uplift economies and transform people’s lives. Ultimately, Stanford Seed strives to help end the cycle of global poverty through these partnerships. The highly competitive programme is largely subsidised by funders, so the participating companies pay a fraction of what it would normally cost to attend Stanford, one of the world’s top business schools. Based in Silicon Valley, Stanford is world renowned for its focus on entrepreneurship.
“During these dark times we are facing as a nation, Flow is incredibly honoured and grateful for this opportunity that will allow us to substantially increase our impact by joining a global network with the goal of alleviating poverty. Through this programme, we will be guided in growing and scaling our business, creating further employment and fuelling the South African economy,” said Tara Turkington, CEO of Flow Communications.
Tara leads Flow in partnership with her sister, Tiffany Turkington-Palmer, who is the company’s managing director. Flow currently employs over 50 professional staff and boasts many well-known clients. Some of the company’s purpose-led clients include the Nelson Mandela Foundation, the Desmond and Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation, the Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation in Nigeria, the Ford Foundation and the Foundation for Professional Development.
Telkom reveals its new music streaming app powered by JOOX
Telkom Music Powered by JOOX is the newest addition to Telkom Mobile’s product offering. The telecommunications company in South Africa revealed its new music streaming platform, in partnership with Tencent-owned JOOX, available from the Huawei AppGallery and Google Play Store.
“In true Telkom style, our mission is to leave no man behind and we are thrilled to introduce this offering. We’ve introduced a bouquet of products recently to cater to the content needs of our customers, including a video on-demand and gaming services; and this closes the loop neatly for us from a content viewpoint,” commented Wanda Mkhize – Telkom executive smarthome and content.
“The future of music streaming will include shared, social experiences,” says Tencent Africa Services CEO Brett Loubser. “With lockdown changing the way we connect, Telkom Music Powered by JOOX will include ‘Mods’ focused on sharing one’s music experience.”
SAMRO calls on identified members to resubmit their banking details to receive their share of R30m in pending royalties
The Southern African Music Rights Organisation (SAMRO) is currently sitting with an amount of more than R30 million in pending royalties and has identified about 6 500 members who need to resubmit their banking details in order to receive payment.
SAMRO CEO Mark Rosin explained that the current situation resulted from the organisation having received incorrect or outdated banking details from members.
“While SAMRO has the money, it can’t pay it over at this stage, simply because the bank account details furnished by the affected members are outdated, or incorrect in one form or another. When payment is made, it bounces back and future payments will subsequently be stopped until the member details are corrected or updated.”
He noted that the royalty amounts due to members from the R30 million will differ from member to member, depending on the usage of their creations. These royalty payments range from as little as R100 to R250 000.
End of an era: Ticketpro Dome to close
RX Venue Management has confirmed that after 20 years of being the management company of South Africa’s largest multipurpose indoor arena, The Ticketpro Dome has now been sold by the owners, Sasol Pension Fund, to a third party which does not operate in the event space.
This is another devasting blow for the exhibitions, events, and entertainment industry due to Covid-19. The ban on public gatherings has meant that during 2020 and now 2021, the Ticketpro Dome has been unable to operate.
Carol Weaving, MD of RX Africa said: “The selling of the Ticketpro Dome, is extremely disappointing and heartbreaking for our industry. The Ticketpro Dome has been home to many international concerts and events in South Africa, and this will undoubtedly leave a huge void. Unfortunately, as we are only the managing company, we were unable to change the outcome of Sasol Pension Fund selling the venue due to force majeure.”
The Dome opened on 8 April 1998 with a concert by Diana Ross attended by over 15 000 people with a special guest appearance by the late former President Nelson Mandela. Over the years, the venue has played host to top international and South African music artists.
World Out of Home Organisation extends global reach with six new members
The World Out of Home Organization has added new members in Iceland, Malta, Canada, China and Indonesia, as well as Wales in the UK.
Outside the UK the new members are OOH media owner Billboard ehf in Iceland, bus advertising specialist Moving Ads in Malta, location data platform Spotzi in Canada, Shanghai airport’s JCD Momentum in China and digital OOH media owner, AMG, PT Alternative Media in Indonesia.
In the UK, Emerge Advertising, with over 100 sites in south Wales has also joined.
WOO has recruited 16 new members this year, bringing WOO full membership levels to well ahead of 2019, a year which saw the last year of pre-pandemic trading and the global trade association rebrand to the World Out of Home Organization.
WOO COO Mark Flys said: “The worldwide out of home industry has come together in the pandemic, and we’re delighted that so many companies are choosing to join WOO.
“Out of home, with its strong digital element, has a great opportunity to challenge and even overtake traditional media like TV and print and by working together we can accelerate this game-changing opportunity.”
Making moves
Top South African artist’s work graces this week’s Financial Mail cover
The Financial Mail collaborated with acclaimed South African artist, Blessing Ngobeni, for this week’s edition. The cover carries Ngobeni’s brand-new work – a piece of art he created in response to the unrest of the past two weeks.
Working with Ngobeni is something of a coup for Financial Mail. He is the recipient of the prestigious Standard Bank Young Artist Award for 2020, who enjoys regular appearances at art fairs around the country. His work has featured at the EXPO Chicago in 2017 and 2018 and Pulse Miami Beach in 2018 in the United States of America.
According to Rob Rose, editor of the Financial Mail, the whole edition is a must-buy. It is hugely comprehensive and is packed with strong analysis from our own team of writers, top political economy analysts, political scientists and governance experts. Rose has assembled the best team to explain what the events that unfolded in KwaZulu Natal and Gauteng really mean.
The team write and explain why this was a seminal moment in our democracy, and what this means for SA’s future. From Justice Malala providing the anatomy of this insurrection, and what caused it; to William Gumede on why this is the end of the ANC. We also have Bruce Whitfield on how the claims could break state disaster insurer SASRIA; Natasha Marrian on the “clowns” in President Cyril Ramaphosa’s cabinet circus; Simthandile Ntobela, Adele Shevel and Katharine Child on the small businesses and individuals who lost the most; Claire Bisseker on what this means for the economy; and Chris Roper and Toby Shapshak on how the unrest was stoked on social media.
The collaboration with Ngobeni continues a strong tradition of working with and giving opportunities to some of South Africa’s finest artists and designers on the cover. If you read one thing this week, make it the Financial Mail.
67 Logos Designathon hosted today – what it has meant for South African in this difficult time
Hosted by Over The Rainbow, the 2021 67 Logos Designathon was held on 19 July and saw professionally designed logos being handed over to 69 entrepreneurial businesses and SMEs – at no cost to the businesses. In celebration of Mandela Day, designers dedicated their valuable time to create unique logos for small businesses in need of a professional logo. Havas Creative also supported this year’s initiative by committing 67 taglines to the small businesses participating in the campaign. This fantastic initiative has successfully been helping SMEs for the past three years. Due to the pandemic, this year’s event was hosted online.
“Covid and the recent unrest has had an undeniable negative impact on businesses, leaving many people unemployed and many businesses hit hard. The reality is that entrepreneurs and small businesses are struggling right now. This campaign gives small business owners the boost they need to help kickstart their businesses and allows them to stand out and get noticed, despite the difficult times that we are currently experiencing,” says Lesley Waterkeyn, the brainchild behind the initiative, founder and executive director at Over The Rainbow.
Calling all female entrepreneurs: It’s time for yet another inspiring thriving women entrepreneurs summit
Women’s Month is around the corner, and after receiving raving reviews from the 2020 event, it was a no-brainer for business coaching firm ActionCOACH Southern Africa to host yet another fantastic virtual Thriving Women Entrepreneurs Summit.
This year’s event will take place on Friday 13 August 2021 from 9 – 12 pm, and has an unbelievable panel of local female entrepreneurs all ready to inspire you. These ladies have experienced their fair share of successes, as well as challenges along their entrepreneurial journey, and they will share their expert business advice with you at the summit.
ActionCOACH Business Coaching sees this event as an opportunity to honour all businesswomen who chose to step out of the norm and start something for themselves. #EmpoweredWomenEmpowerWomen
It is a free event and is open to all the wonderful women entrepreneurs who make up the nation and who are looking to connect with like-minded women in the business and entrepreneurial industry.
Johannita Eksteen, co-founder of the renowned spice company Funky Ouma, will be one of the amazing guest speakers at the summit. She will share the brand’s success story from Wellington to the World.
Other topics that will be covered include how to completely redefine recruitment, showcasing leadership in the workplace, marketing as the lifeblood of any business and reasons why women are born leaders.
Seats are limited and filling up quickly. Click here to register.
