The Media Online’s weekly round up of people, account and business moves in media.
This week’s BIG move: One Profession. One Voice. Association for Communication and Advertising (ACA) announces broader, more inclusive membership.
In November 2020 the Association for Communication and Advertising (ACA), the official representative body for the communications and advertising profession in South Africa, launched its new brand identity in preparation for a new era in the broader communications sector in South Africa. The new brand identity provided the springboard along its journey of diversity and inclusiveness as an industry body. The next step on the journey, a more inclusive and accessible membership proposition has been announced by the organisation.
Critical to the operations and effectiveness of any association, particularly one such as the ACA is the inclusiveness of the membership and constituency, which it represents. When it launched its new brand identity, the ACA made a clear statement that it was in the process of overhauling the organisation, its purpose, its offering, its activities, visibility, and now, crucially, its membership.
Mathe Okaba, CEO of the ACA, said: “Our profession is undergoing a transformation. The physical make-up of our members, and non-members has changed, and change as we all know is constant, defining and redefining our profession and activities. As the profession in our country changes and evolves, so have we as an organisation.”
At its core, the ACA believes in the power of creative leadership to drive sustainable change. It promises to protect its members, promote collective benefits and set policy. Within this, the ACA champions self-regulation and promotes commercial creativity, underpinned by transformation that empowers the industry to ensure a sustainable profession.
Further, the ACA is intent on providing valuable services and information to assist in improving the service of its members, supporting the move toward a more inclusive and diverse agency employee make-up while fast-tracking diverse and previously disadvantaged population groups to take leadership roles in the profession.
The new membership offering has been the key focus area of the ACA’s Membership Committee in the past year, as it was tasked with relaxing the ‘barriers to entry’ to becoming an ACA member and enabling a broader constituency to benefit from the immense value on offer to agencies and the broader profession.
People moves
SANEF congratulates Moshoeshoe Monare on his appointment at the SABC
The South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF) has congratulated Moshoeshoe Monare on his appointment as group executive: news, at the SABC.
SANEF has confidence in the leadership capabilities of Moshoeshoe, who has held several positions in various news organisations. Moshoeshoe, a former SANEF deputy chairperson, brings a wealth of experience into this new role, and we are confident he will lead the news team ethically and professionally, ever mindful of the public broadcaster’s mandate to serve all its audiences.
As we note Moshoeshoe’s appointment, we are also mindful that his predecessor, Phathiswa Magopeni, still has an impending labour matter with the SABC that is not concluded.
We call on Moshoeshoe, as he assumes his new role on 1 June to work towards insulating the SABC newsroom from management and political interference, particularly as the governing party has an elective conference later this year.
SANEF assures Moshoeshoe of its support when it comes to defending editorial independence, from all sectors of society.
Johanna McDowell to attend the 20th AdForum Global Summit in New York City
Johanna McDowell, CEO of the Independent Agency Search and Selection (IAS), leaves shortly to attend the first post-pandemic, fully in person AdForum Global Summit, where they will celebrate the 20th anniversary of this prestigious event.
Said McDowell: “I am very excited to be attending in person once again. Traditionally the New York City forum promises the most forward facing, global offering making for exciting insights and content.”
This forum’s agenda has been built to reflect the trends of the industry in the aftermath of the pandemic and the birth of Web 3. The IAS will represent the interests of South Africa and Africa, from the 9-13 May 2022, throughout in-depth, interactive presentations from an impressive line-up of agency leaders.
McDowell will be sharing live daily updated broadcasts via LinkedIn, followed by various report backs on her return. The IAS will host another of its popular AdForum Feedback Masterclasses on the 1 June, both online and at GIBS Business School, covid protocols allowing.
New architectural curator to guide Build section at Decorex Africa’s reimagined Cape Town and Joburg shows
To help catapult Decorex Africa into its brightly reimagined future, a new architectural curator has been appointed to aid in steering the Cape Town and Joburg shows in the jaw-dropping, industry-changing direction the organisers, RX Africa, have envisaged.
Respected local architect Theo Bothma is on board to set the tone and vet exhibitors to ensure the best of the best – best in class and best practice. He joins fellow Decorex Africa curator, the trailblazing creative director, Bielle Bellingham, who is also newly appointed to helm the show’s content.
An active architect and interior designer, Bothma established Theo Bothma Architects and Design (TBAD) in 2017, and continues there as both founder and the firm’s director, bringing over 10 years of industry experience to his role. He has captured the idea of luxury design on both a national and international scale. His experience has helped create a design service that emphasises client consideration as each design is personalised and unique. He believes that design should be bespoke and allow people to experience personalised luxury.
TBAD is based in Johannesburg and has worked on several commissions, including substantial private homes in South Africa and Africa, Namily Zimbabwe, Zambia and Nigeria.
Business moves
Swiitch (with two i’s) A partnership forged in the Metaverse
Award-winning through-the-line advertising agency Happy Friday and veteran, leading digital agency Carver Media have formed an alliance to create a new kid on the digital, marketing and media block. Swiitch is a partnership between two established industry players that have come together to decode the Metaverse through creativity and technology.
According to Happy Friday co-CEO, Craig Naicker, the purpose of Swiitch is to craft immersive brand experiences that can co-exist in the real world and in the vast cosmos of the digital Metaverse. Naicker elaborates: “The two ‘i’s’ in our name represent a future state where everyone will have a presence in both the real and virtual world – a human and digital version of you that co-exist.
“Happy Friday’s partnership with Carver Media makes perfect sense in this context. As a team, we aim to create a bridge between the real world and the virtual world. Carver Media brings 19 years of mastery in the digital space, using their vast technical knowledge to create immersive digital experiences for their clients.
“Happy Friday delivers singular creative experiences in other spaces. The two companies coming from different sides complement each other perfectly. And as Swiitch, we are coming together to create experiences that live in both worlds simultaneously.”
“The Swiitch approach potentially opens brand experiences to a limitless number of people, who can immerse themselves in the event in the Metaverse and the real world all at once. Swiitch also has an established R&D team that is always watching what’s happening in the industry. The digital world is never constant. It is always changing and in a state of flux. To stay ahead of the game, we need to be paying attention all the time.”
Smile FM partners with United Stations
Smile 90.4 FM has announced an exclusive partnership with United Stations. Effective from 1 June, this partnership aims at helping agencies and advertisers engage with Smile’s audience throughout its multi-dimensional ecosystem, to maximise the value of their media buying investments.
“The expanding influence of Smile 90.4 FM is testament to the power of what they are doing. We are excited and very proud, to share that we are now working with this super talented team to create even more value for advertisers,” said Rivak Bunce, MD at United Stations.
“This alignment is all about maintaining positive momentum. We now have a strong ally in United Stations, who bring an equal amount of commitment to excellence, in-depth market understanding, and a vision for creating meaningful value for advertisers around our valuable audience,” said Lois O’Brien, managing director of Smile 90.4 FM. “This partnership extends our personal engagement with advertisers and their agencies and allows us to deliver relevant, creative and effective solutions for any challenge they might be facing.”
SA’s biggest board meeting, The Directors Event, to focus on reigniting ubuntu
Now in its eighth year and billed as‘SA’s biggest board meeting,’ The Directors Event – sponsored by BCX, and part of the Sunday Times Top 100 Companies profile – will focus on the impact of Covid-19 on business and society. This comes at a point at which the country continues to adjust to the new way of living due to the virus, and the economic impact of the KwaZulu-Natal riots and recent floods.
The Directors Event is an opportunity to evaluate the areas of society and the economy that require rehabilitation and support, from both the public and private sectors. Itis where the business community come together to unpack major issues affecting the country’s economy.
This year, three expertly moderated panel discussions will focus on reigniting the spirit of ubuntu where the public sector, business, academia and NGO’s discuss and debate the shortest and most effective paths to recovery.
The Directors Event 2022 panel discussions are titled:
- New ways of tackling inequality: How should public and private sectors work together to raise South Africa beyond being classed among the ‘fragile five’ emerging economies?
- Fixing the economy to improve livelihoods: How can Business step up to deliver real social impact, as we embark on a path to post-Covid socio-economic recovery?
- Feeding the Nation – How do we mitigate climate change, manage water resources, execute a just energy transition, and support agriculture to ensure no person goes to bed hungry?
For more insight about previous events and to stay informed about panellists and moderators, please visit: www.thedirectorsevent.co.za
East Coast Radio and The Sharks score with renewed partnership
Two forefront brands in KZN, East Coast Radio (ECR) and The Sharks, have renewed their partnership. The Sharks and East Coast Radio have signed a groundbreaking five-year partnership, ECR’s longest ever partnership agreement.
Both ECR and The Sharks have enjoyed a long-standing, mutually beneficial brand partnership, which has seen them initiate projects such as the hugely successful #HandsOfHope campaign and the #KZNFloods relief initiative. The two brands, which have shared values and objectives, continue to put KZN at the forefront of every initiative they launch.
ECR’s managing director, Boni Mchunu, expressed her excitement following the news: “East Coast Radio and The Sharks care about KZN. Our partnership is fundamentally centred around preserving the pride of the families we serve in KZN.”
Realness Institute launches AuthenticA Series Lab in partnership with The StoryBoard Collective
The Realness Institute, in partnership with The StoryBoard Collective, has launched another exciting and empowering programme for African episodic screenwriters,AuthenticA Series Lab.Realness Institute, a non-profit organisation which aims to empower Africans to tell their stories from an unapologetically African point of view, announced the open call for submissions for the first edition of AuthenticA. The programme is presented in partnership with The StoryBoard Collective, a Geneva-based philanthropic organisation that supports the development and impact outreach of transformative stories.
“We are thrilled that our new partnership with The StoryBoard Collective allows us to accept episodic submissions from all 54 African countries. Episodic storytelling across Africa affords an important opportunity for local screenwriters to strengthen their craft and showcase authentic, contemporary perspectives about a continent that is too often misrepresented in the public sphere,” said Mehret Mandefro, director of development and partnerships at Realness Institute.
AuthenticA is open to all African nationals. The six-month programme, which will consist of a combination of online and in-person sessions, is set to take place from 28 September 2022 to 7 April 2023.
Dis-Chem chooses Clickatell’s chat commerce platform to serve millions of customers over WhatsApp
Clickatell has been selected by Dis-Chem Pharmacies to enable WhatsApp as its customer communication channel to engage with its customers.
Dis-Chem customers can now quickly and easily access various services through WhatsApp by sending “Hi” to 0860 347 243. The easy to navigate menu then allows shoppers to choose which action they want to perform.
“Consumers have shown they prefer to use chat channels, and WhatsApp in particular, to engage with each other and with their favourite brands. It makes excellent sense for Dis-Chem to offer WhatsApp as a fast and cost-effective way for their customers to do business with the retailer,” said Werner Lindemann, Clickatell’s commercial senior vice president for Growth Markets. “What’s more, it provides them with a platform that is perfectly designed to administer support and time-efficient responses and new functionality anytime. We are looking forward to building the partnership with Dis-Chem over the coming months and years as we innovate and co-create new services using the chat app that will meet their customers’ growing digital expectations.”
Wilderer Distillery appoints Stratitude as new brand agency
Wilderer Distillery, producers of world-renowned Wilderer Grappa, Gin, Eaux de Vie, Liqueur and Rum, has appointed Stratitude to help define and grow its brand.
Given its rapid expansion in liquor markets both local and abroad, as well as its flourishing Pappa Grappa and La Grapperia restaurants, the award-winning distiller has identified a need to bring in brand specialists to crystallise the brand and guide it in the right direction.
‘’We are proud of our heritage and fine spirits that we have been crafting for over 27 years. We want to continue this legacy and have turned to Stratitude to help us cultivate a resilient brand that attains our long-term goals,’’ said Christian Wilderer, CEO at Wilderer Holdings.
“An effective brand strategy will clearly define who Wilderer Distillery is as a business, cultivate a strong brand, and help the business focus on long-term goals. It will also set a benchmark to measure progress and judge whether the brand is moving in the right direction,” said Sylvia Zanetti, lead strategist and managing director at Stratitude.
Positive media sentiment as banks benefit from ‘return to normal’
Higher profits, declared dividends, and economic recovery were the three most popular topics reported on by the media during the recent banking industry financial reporting season that ran from mid February to mid April. The results were framed positively as local banks began benefitting from the upswing in business activity and the reduction of lockdown restrictions.
These are some of the takeaways from a newly-released special report by media monitoring company Novus Group on how banking results were reported on in the media.
The analysis was done on 482 news clippings, a significant increase year-on-year from the 270 clips in the same period in 2021 (note that Capitec was excluded in 2021). The significant increase in the overall AVE of R46.8 million, up from R16.02 million, can be attributed to the repetitive airing of the results on broadcast media as well as several international publications like Bloomberg and Reuters covering the results. Most banks used digital platforms, 195 articles, to publicise results backed up by broadcast interviews, 194 inserts, with top executives that further added to the overall industry coverage.
Absa Group (36%), Standard Bank (18%), and Nedbank (13%) were the three financial institutions with the largest share of voice based on volume. However, it must be said that as the fastest-growing digital bank, Discovery Bank coverage increased dramatically compared to the same period last year. “South Africa is renowned for having a world class financial services industry, particularly in the retail banking space, and the media attention is reflective of this. The banks have a positive story to tell on South Africa’s behalf, and it’s clear that our media are happy to carry their news,” says Novus Group director Joe Hamman.
Please visit the website to download the full report:
One year from its launch, Eclipse Communications Mauritius keeps growing
3 May 2022 marked the first anniversary since Eclipse Communications Mauritius was officially launched. In seemingly the blink of an eye, the employee cohort grew from an individual to an adaptive and agile team of four women, who have successfully onboarded an impressive client list including Absa Bank (Mauritius), the Delegation of the European Union in Mauritius and Seychelles, and British Council.
Communications director, Aradhna Boodhoo-Laumond, has headed the Mauritius contingent from the onset, leveraging her expertise in the communication sector to guide the growth of the operations in a measured and effective manner.
Making moves
SuperSport Schools celebrates one year of the best of school sports
SuperSport Schools has celebrated 365 days of broadcasting the best of school and youth sports action in Southern Africa. The OTT channel has grown to become one of South Africa’s leading school and youth sport platforms; the go-to place for live and on demand content for the passionate school sports community. It has over 100 000 subscribers.
Since launching in April 2021, SuperSport Schools has broadcast over 5 000 live matches and 16 sporting codes to devices and screens far and wide across the globe, despite half of the year being cut short due to Covid-19.
Speaking of the achievement, SuperSport head of commercial, Rendani Ramovha, said: “The highlight for me is seeing the vision becoming a reality. It’s very easy to ideate and to have a strategy of how to launch something, but to see how the SuperSport Schools product is gaining momentum and how the public is getting behind the product, that’s the biggest milestone.”
Realness Institute announces 12 participants for the 2022 Episodic Lab & Development Executive Traineeship
After a rigorous selection process, the Realness Institute, in partnership with Netflix has announced the 12 participants selected for the 2022 Episodic Lab (EPL) and Development Executive Traineeship (DET).
Realness Institute is a non-profit organisation empowers Africans to tell their stories from an unapologetically African point of view. Each of the 12 participants (six per programme), will receive a monthly stipend of $2 000 during the incubation period. This is to cover living expenses as they focus on their concept and professional development.
For the Episodic Lab, it selected: Hussein Kurji with Bushcamp (Kenya), Khanyo Mjamba with Byline (South Africa), Mlilo Mpondo with Bayeti-Visitors (South Africa), Neo Sibiya with Ukushona Kwelanga (The Setting of The Sun) (South Africa), Sandra Madu with From Lagos with Love (Nigeria) and Voline Ogutu with Dilemma (Kenya).
For the Development Executive Traineeship (DET) it selected: Babalwa Baartman (South Africa), Khosie Dali (South Africa), Mona Ombogo (Kenya), Neiloe Whitehead (South Africa), Omotunde Akiode (Nigeria), Pedro Duarte Soulé (Cabo Verde).
These selected participants will gain a deeper understanding of the story development process, working alongside creative producers and story experts.
South African celebs and influencers walk the red carpet at special screening of Marvel Studios’ Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness
South African celebrities and influencers took a walk down the red carpet to celebrate a special screening of Marvel Studios’ Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. It opens in theatres this Friday, 6 May.
The South African special screening coincided with the world premiere in Hollywood, stars Benedict Cumberbatch, Elizabeth Olsen, Benedict Wong, Xochitl Gomez, Rachel McAdams, Jett Klyne, Julian Hilliard, Sheila Atim, Adam Hugill and Charlie Norton joined director Sam Raimi, producer Kevin Feige, executive producers Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso, Eric Carroll and Scott Derrickson, screenwriter Michael Waldron and composer Danny Elfman for a walk down the red carpet to celebrate the world premiere of Marvel Studios’ Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
M-Net Movies celebrates Africa Day with AfroCinema Pop-Up channel
The AfroCinema Pop-Up channel line-up will feature award-winning movies that have been sourced from Africa’s top film festivals and give discerning cinema lovers a curated movie experience of films that range from the critically acclaimed to hidden gems, in what’s sure to be a delightful cinematic feast.
The top movies on the channel that film lovers can look forward to include Salute (Namibia), Katutura (Namibia), In the Name of Love, Stain (Uganda), Sixteen Rounds (Uganda), I Am Not a Witch (Zambia), Fatsani: A Tale of Survival (Malawi), Nairobi Half Life (Kenya), Knuckle City (South Africa) and This Is Not a Burial, It’s a Resurrection (South Africa)
M-Net Movies AfroCinema Pop-Up will be available to DStv Premium, Compact Plus, Compact, Family and Access subscribers. Tune in for 10 days of African creativity, heart and brilliance.
Cape Flats surfers find freedom in the ocean in new Corona Studios film
Free Surfer, an original, digital content series featuring South African surfers, Cass Collier and Khanyisa Mngqibisa, is now available on YouTube. The second local production from Corona Studios, Free Surferdeals with challenging stigmas of belonging, including defying prejudices based on race and gender, in finding freedom in the ocean.
“I’ve spent my entire life in the ocean and that’s where I find my freedom. Once you experience that first wave it changes everything. I think the ocean is all about healing – and there’s no greater feeling of freedom than this. Everyone has a place in the ocean,” said Collier, the world’s first, black, big wave surfing champion.
Master of riding the barrel, winner of the Reef ISA Big Wave Championship in 1999 and one of the top surf coaches in the world, today surfers come from around the world to be taught by Cass while he also runs a surf school out of Muizenberg, from where he teaches children from disadvantaged communities how to surf.
The second episode of Free Surfer recognizes the internationally qualified lifeguard and surfing coach, Khanyisa Mngqibisa, who grew up in Khayelitsha, Cape Town, in a single parent household. She fell in love with swimming aged 12, got into lifesaving in high school and started surfing at 21.