The Media Online’s weekly round up of people, account and business moves in media.
This week’s BIG move: MultiChoice to support creatives in the music industry through the launch of Sound Factory
MultiChoice South Africa has developed Sound Factory, an initiative that aims to identify, empower, and support young music creatives by exposing them to opportunities and people who will be pivotal in their careers.
“At MultiChoice, our purpose it to enrich lives, and we do this by creating initiatives that have scalable social impact, broaden economic participation, and ensure diversity and inclusion. We see ourselves as an integral part of our communities and are constantly working with partners to find solutions to tomorrow’s issues today. Sound Factory is another such endeavour by MultiChoice to nurture the next generation of the country’s music producers,” said Collen Dlamini, group executive of corporate affairs at MultiChoice.
Supported by the MultiChoice Talent Factory South Africa (MTFza) and Channel O, the Sound Factory will play a key role in uplifting youth in a way that will create jobs and contribute to the economy.
This will be done by developing a panel of producers whose work will be used for campaigns and brand projects by MultiChoice and its various business units.
These producers will be commissioned for projects such as developing jingles and the production of new music which will be paid for through commissioning and licensing fees.
Successful candidates will get the opportunity to work with musicians such as Uncle Waffles, Zeus Omega, Sthembiso, Chimurenga Mamphaga and Kai IntheKut among others. These prolific musicians form part of the current panel whose work will be used for MultiChoice campaigns; they will also help identify new talent for the programme.
“South Africa has an amazing music industry that continues to dominate the continent. It is also one of the most competitive, meaning it can be extremely difficult for talented youth to showcase their work. Sound Factory aims to address this gap by ensuring that we not only identify talent but create avenues for them to make a living from their craft,” said David Molotlhanyi, music programming manager for Local Entertainment Channels at M-Net.
The panel of producers will not only benefit from having their work exposed to over 21 million MultiChoice subscribers across the continent, but they will also be part of masterclasses, mentorship, event attendance and profiling.
People moves
Bright financial future forecast for Primedia with top appointments
Jonathan Procter, Group CEO of Primedia has announced the appointment of Lindile Xoko as Chief Revenue Officer for the Primedia Group.
Procter said, “As chief revenue officer for the Primedia Broadcasting Division, Lindile successfully expanded our revenue base and deepened our stakeholder relationships. His exceptional business acumen and entrepreneurial approach to sales and marketing spearheaded the stellar results the company posted for 2021/2022.”
Xoko is an international executive and has led businesses in South Africa, the UK, France, and Portugal. Locally he has held senior sales and marketing posts at Netstar, Cisco, MTN and Gijima. He is a business development and entrepreneurship guru and also the author of ‘The Young Entrepreneurs Playbook’.
Procter has announced that Cindy Diamond will be the new chief revenue officer for Primedia Broadcasting.
Well known for her extensive sales and management experience within the media industry, Diamond has a strong track record of meeting and exceeding revenue targets.
Over the course of her 25 year career in the media industry, she has developed sales and marketing solutions for multi-channel businesses. Diamond is an inspiring leader and has built diverse and highly talented teams.
Her enormous contribution to the industry is widely recognised and she has received numerous sales, creative media, marketing and trade awards.
ACA announces 2022/2023 Board of Directors
The incoming Board of Directors of the Association for Communication and Advertising (ACA) for 2022/2023 was announced at the association’s 75th Annual General Meeting.
| Karabo Songo: Chair | The Brave Group | Non-Executive Director |
| Monalisa Zwambila: Vice Chair | The Riverbed Agency | Chief Executive Officer |
| Mathe Okaba: Exco | Association for Communication & Advertising | Chief Executive Officer |
| Sharleen James: Exco | King James Group | Group Managing Director |
| Thabang Skwambane: Exco | FCB Africa | Group CEO |
| Adeshia Singh | Singh & Sons | Managing Director |
| Alison Deeb | Metropolitan Republic | Group Chief Executive Officer |
| Andrew Brand | Ninety9cents | Chief Executive Officer |
| Brenda Khumalo | Lobengula Advertising | Co-Founder & Managing Director |
| Colett Naidu | Wunderman Thompson SA | Managing Director Integration |
| Gareth Leck | Joe Public United | Group Chief Executive Officer |
| Graham Vivian | Nahana Communications Group | Chief Operating Officer |
| Haydn Townsend | Accenture Song | Country Lead |
| James Barty | King James Group | Co-Founder King James: MD Accenture Song |
| Jarred Cinman | VML South Africa | Chief Executive Officer |
| John Dixon | Publicis Groupe Africa | Chief Executive Officer |
| Karabo Denalane | TBWA Hunt Lascaris Johannesburg | Chief Executive Officer |
| Lebogang Sethole | The Brave Group | Human Capital Executive |
| Leo Manne | Net#work BBDO | Managing Director |
| Louise Johnston | Grey Africa Advertising | Managing Director |
| Luca Gallarelli | TBWA South Africa | Group Chief Executive Officer |
| Mpume Ngobese | Joe Public United | Co-Managing Director |
| Pete Case | Ogilvy South Africa | CEO & Creative Chairman |
| Sarah Dexter | MullenLowe South Africa | Chief Executive Officer |
| Wayne Naidoo | Duke | Founder and Group CEO |
| Zanele Zwane | Duke | Managing Director |
Karabo Songo was elected to the position of chair, and Monalisa Zwambila to that of vice chair. The executive committee for the 2022/23 fiscal includes Mathe Okaba, Sharleen James and Thabang Skwambane.
Business moves
RAZOR PR joins SERMO Network to increase global reach
PR and communication firm Razor PR has joined SERMO, an independent global communications network founded by its sister agency M&C Saatchi Talk in 2009. By doing so, Razor joins and contributes to a highly influential worldwide partnership of 11 independent communication agencies with a reach of 15 countries based on shared values, relationships, and attitudes.
Razor, part of the M&C Saatchi Group of Companies in South Africa, opened its doors in 2020 and quickly earned the trust of clients across multiple industries. These include the likes of BDO, Investec, Tiger Brands, Audi and Virgin Active. It challenged the industry to produce work that was more effective, more measurable, and more culturally connected.
“Since we started this business, we’ve committed to being a better place for our people and our clients,” said partner and managing director Dustin Chick. “That means thinking and doing PR in a deliberately different way, foregrounding creativity, and ensuring there’s deep collaboration with and between our clients and the larger M&C Saatchi Group.”
The results have paid off. In three years, Razor has become the most awarded PR agency in Africa, winning key accolades like Best New Global Consultancy and Best New Consultancy EMEA at the Provoke Sabre Awards in 2021, as well as Africa PR Agency of the year in 2022. It was also awarded PR Agency of Year at the Financial Mail Adfocus Awards.
KARAN BEEF’s Making The Cut brand campaign makes an impression
KARAN BEEF, the largest beef producer in Africa, recently launched an innovative brand campaign, Making The Cut. The comedy talk show is aimed at all South Africans and is hosted by their brand mascot, BEEF, who ‘grills’ South African celebrities in a studio environment.
A series of spots, launched across social media, take a humorous approach to each celebrity’s career, shining the spotlight on their achievements, personalities, and behind-the-scenes anecdotes. The campaign started in March and has featured such celebrities as rugby legend and coffee entrepreneur Kobus Wiese, singing sensation Kurt Darren, TV and movie star Desmond Dube, standup comedy star Joey Rasdien, radio star Poppy Ntshongwana, rap legend Jack Parow, and singing sensation Refentse Morake getting up-close and personal with South Africa’s beefiest and most fearless talk show host.
Over the last four months, Making The Cut has taken off, with over 35 million impressions nationwide. The campaign continues to grow, with new episodes and snippets being released regularly.
“We wanted a unique way to share our message of quality beef products for all,” said Matthew Karan, marketing and sales director at KARAN BEEF. “So, we decided to launch Making The Cut, a comedy show that appeals to all South Africans. The idea of bringing this character to life appealed to us, as BEEF drives the show, putting celebrities in the hot seat.”
rlaxx TV Expands Into South Africa and Poland
The free ad-based video-on-demand (AVoD) service rlaxx TV, which is based in Germany, has further expanded its global presence with the launch in South Africa and Poland. These new markets join the existing availability in countries such as Germany, Spain and the UK – making rlaxx TV now available in two entirely new territories: Eastern Europe and Africa.
rlaxx TV features both linear as well as video-on-demand (VoD) catalogs, thereby combining the best of both viewing options: high-quality content, along with the enhanced feature to stop, fast-forward or rewind the selected program at any time. Additionally, users can enjoy the content of the premium niche channels whenever they want in rlaxx TV’s video-on- demand library.
rlaxx TV relies on its global network of content providers with custom-fit content across many categories – from fringe sports to international feature films. Viewers in the newly added countries will therefore be able to choose from a wide range of international channels such as Comedy Dynamics, Thrill One and Gusto TV as well as some channels, that are more specific to certain regions. In South Africa for example, viewers will also have access to channels like TidPix, Nollywood Capital TV and Afroland TV, which focus on local African content.
Award-winning Profitroom appoints Tribeca Public Relations
Profitroom, an award-winning premium hospitality booking, marketing and CRM solutions provider, has appointed Tribeca Public Relations (Tribeca) to provide strategic communications support as the global brand embarks on a major drive into South Africa. This will include traditional PR activity and content development, along with digital strategy development to grow the company’s online and social media presence and engagement.
With a strong business-to-business focus and prominent clients such as Sun International and Dream Hotels & Resorts, Profitroom aims to be the leading provider of innovative hospitality solutions as it expands its business into South Africa and the Sub-Saharan and Indian Ocean regions.
“Tribeca has a wealth of travel and tourism communication experience having worked extensively with clients such as Cathay Pacific, The Capital Hotels & Apartments, Fastjet and Minor Hotels. I strongly believe that this places us in a favourable position to provide industry-leading insights and effective communications support to meet Profitroom’s unique needs from a South African standpoint,” said Davina Malan, business unit director at Tribeca.
Sojern brings digital travel narketing technology to South Africa
Sojern, a provider of digital marketing solutions for the travel industry, has announced its expansion into South Africa to better serve partners and capitalise on the growing post-pandemic tourism boom.
Stewart Smith, Sojern’s managing director for the Middle East and Africa, will oversee the launch having successfully rolled out Sojern’s solutions in other regions across the past eight years.
“South Africa was hit harder than many countries by Covid-19, the travel industry in particular across the country was brought to its knees. In the aftermath of the Omicron variant in late 2021, the country is now in a fantastic position to capitalise on global travel recovery and Sojern is launching at a brilliant time to help travel marketers remind travellers why South Africa is one of the greatest countries on earth,” said Smith.
boards understand travel behaviour and plan for recovery.
Making moves
Irvine Partners launches international office exchange programme
Integrated marketing agency Irvine Partners has announced the launch of its international office exchange programme.
Founded in 2010 in Cape Town, the company has since expanded across the continent and internationally. In addition to its Cape Town offices, it has a presence in Johannesburg, Nairobi, Lagos, Accra, and London. While some team members specialise in specific markets, most work across geographies.
“While we’ve always had cross-geographic teams, they really came into their own over the past couple of years,” says company founder and CEO Rachel Irvine. “Covid-19 was a great leveller when it came to seamless international collaboration.”
“Through the course of the pandemic, a lot of strong bonds were formed within those teams,” she adds. “By giving those team members the chance to work together in person, we know that those bonds will only be further cemented.”
The programme also gives participants a chance to broaden their professional horizons, taking lessons from other markets and bringing them back to their home countries.
The office exchange initiative is the latest addition to a well-established employee happiness programme, which also includes a dedicated anonymous mental health counselling service, skills development courses, and an extended leave policy.
“The pandemic highlighted to us exactly how valuable a committed and engaged team is,” said Irvine. “We’re committed to ensuring that our employees are given every opportunity to grow and thrive as professionals and individuals.”
Machine_67 x Blackboard: A Mandela Day Campaign Supports SA’s Creative Youth
South African creative solutions agency, Machine_ has launched its 2022 Mandela Day campaign, Machine_67 x Blackboard, offering incredible artworks in an online raffle to those who donate to the cause, in turn supporting future creative talent.
Machine_ has always been a keen supporter of Mandela Day. “In the past, Machine_ used to donate 67 minutes of our collective time to good causes, but when the pandemic hit, we had to think of new ways to make sure everyone could participate, no matter where they were working or living, to support those in need,” said Robyn Campbell, Machine_ managing director in Cape Town.
Key creative staff members at Machine_ then volunteered their time to create unique artworks, inspired by Mandela. These artworks were put into an online raffle, whereafter the proceeds were donated to a good cause. This year is the third staging of the Machine_67 campaign and the second time that Machine_ is partnering with Blackboard Community.
“Last year we raised over R10 000 for Blackboard, which is a non-profit that is committed to transforming the creative industry from the ground up,” explained Lindsey Rayner, Machine_ managing director in Johannesburg. “After the raffle closed and we had tallied the donations, we also invited Blackboard school goers to spend the day in office with us, learning about the world of advertising and interacting with key players in the industry. It was a great success.”
New podcast aimed at empowering Mzansi’s youth launches
An exciting new podcast focused on self-discovery for South African youth has launched. Jacaranda FM’s JacPod and East Coast Radio will host the first-of-its-kind podcast and provide access to the inspirational audio series – ‘Don’t hold back – say it loud’ – for as many of Mzansi’s youth as possible.
After more than 20+ hours of in-depth interviews with South African youth, ‘Don’t hold back – say it loud’ addresses their most concerning needs by employing a user-centred approach – from battling debts and suffering gender-based violence, to toxic relationships and fighting depression.
“The data collected to produce the podcast really highlighted that urban South African youth often feel isolated in their issues. ‘Don’t hold back – say it loud’ was crafted as an audio companion to help Mzansi’s youth find their own path, but with real-world anecdotes and advice that they can put into practice every month.” Says Deirdre King, Managing Director at Jacaranda FM.
“The target audience interviews revealed a youth demographic and psychographic that all marketers could be creating solutions for,” added King.
Local ‘How to Die’ podcast helps people discuss the inevitable
“My mission is to help people talk about death,” said Sean O’Connor, host and producer of the ‘How To Die’ podcast, “because talking about death is good for life. After all, we were designed for it. But it’s often difficult. How To Die helps people revalue death for what it is, instead of avoiding it.”
The podcast, which devoted listeners refer to as ‘endlessly fascinating’ and ‘life-affirming’ is already halfway through its second season, and available for free download from www.howtodie.co.za or popular podcasting apps including Google podcasts, Apple podcasts and Spotify.
Each episode features an in-depth interview with someone “who dances on the edges of death, to learn what death can teach us about life.” There are sixteen episodes available now, dating back to November 2020, each about half an hour to fifty minutes. Guests include a tombstone maker, a forensic pathologist, a biker and ex-traffic cop, a palliative care nurse, a funeral consultant, a spiritual counsellor, a Hindu priest, a sangoma and many others.
O’Connor has hosted countless Death Cafes in and around Cape Town, where he realised that although people crave these conversations, they seldom have them. “When you break the taboo about speaking about death,” he said, “there’s a mischievous element at play, it becomes light-hearted, the very opposite of morbid.” He has trained as an end-of-life carer and works as part of a palliative team, in addition to providing supportive services to families experiencing grief and assisting as a celebrant for memorial services.
Diary
Invitation to a Media Training Workshop on Climate Change
Date: 22 July 2022
Deadline for applications: 14 July 2022
The UN Information Centre (UNIC) in Pretoria, in collaboration with the South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF), is inviting South African journalists to participate in a half-day free media training workshop for writers on climate change issues as part of an ongoing communications campaign on world oceans.
The objective of the workshop is to impart the latest information on climate change to local South African journalists who write on environmental issues. This will include providing them with the skills needed to break down the climate change terminology (or jargon) into journalistic language that is not only accessible to the public but also capable of convincing decision-makers to develop and implement policies required to address the challenges posed by climate change.
Venue: Radisson Blu Hotel in Sandton, Johannesburg
Date: Friday, 22 July 2022
Time: 08:00hrs to 13:00hrs.
Interested journalists from registered media houses are invited to apply using this email address: dzudzie@sanef.org.za with a copy to: namugwe@un.org. Applicants should attach copies of their qualification (s) with one or two sample stories they have written on issues related to climate change.
The deadline for the submission of applications is Thursday, 14 July 2022.
INMA Africa News Media Summit 28-29 July
How African news media companies are adapting to the new landscape of news media is the focus of a free INMA Africa News Media Summit July 28-29.
Here’s how to join us:
- Dates: Thursday, July 28
- Friday, July 29
- Time: 1:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. (Cape Town time)
- Cost: Free
| This two-day virtual summit will showcase cutting-edge best practices, strategies, newsroom transformation, and stories from the media scene that are shaping the future of news publishing in Africa. | ||
Women Entrepreneurs Summit is back
The popular Thriving Women Entrepreneurs Summit, hosted by renowned Business Coaching company, ActionCOACH Southern Africa, is back in Women’s Month. This year’s virtual summit, taking place on Friday 12 August 2022 from 9 am – 12.30 pm, and has a powerful panel of seven influential female entrepreneurs ready to inspire you to run thriving businesses.
Reigning Mrs South Africa Jo Judnick-Wilson is opening the summit with the topic Being a THRIVING woman, wife, mom, entrepreneur and Mrs South Africa. Wealth specialist Jodi Suchard will share her top financial tips to ensure financial independence, and Singer Group’s marketing director Lee-Anne Singer will tell us how she managed to boost sales during the pandemic by applying her extensive hotel industry knowledge of over 18 years.
Further topics of the day include Thriving Leadership, Digital Marketing, Build a thriving business that serves you as the owner and Self-Management. View the full summit agenda here.
