The Media Online’s weekly round up of people, account and business moves in media.
This week’s BIG move: Carbon1 and SeenThis announce partnership to revolutionise digital advertising in South Africa
SeenThis, the adaptive streaming technology specialist, and Carbon1 in South Africa have inked a partnership deal. This collaboration aims to empower South African brands by delivering faster, high-quality digital advertising while significantly minimising carbon emissions.
Together, Carbon1 and SeenThis are paving the way for more sustainable media practices, prioritising both the user experience and overall advertising performance.
“We are extremely excited to collaborate with SeenThis and leverage its ground-breaking creative technology. Not only does it provide brands and agencies with a remarkable solution to minimise their carbon footprint from digital advertising and become more sustainable, but it also increases campaign performance and audience attention,” said Joe Steyn-Begley, managing director of Carbon1.
SeenThis’ proprietary streaming technology allows advertisers to stream high-resolution, bandwidth-friendly video content replacing the traditional, more cumbersome ad serving methods. This results in reduced data usage and energy consumption, leading to a smaller carbon footprint when compared to the use of conventional advertising technology. As a result, a growing number of advertisers are seeing the benefits of more carbon-efficient campaigns at a time when there is increasing focus on the need to deliver digital experiences in more sustainable and efficient ways.
SeenThis is also fully compatible with all of the existing ad serving and programmatic platforms and supply sources in South Africa, so it can be instantly deployed by agencies and advertisers currently buying and serving digital media.
Energy efficiency and the rapid loading of data are particularly relevant in South Africa, where an ongoing energy crisis, known as ‘load shedding’, regularly results in widespread national blackouts. Alongside this, the high cost of data for users is also a challenge which SeenThis technology helps to address through bandwidth-efficient streaming.
This partnership represents a significant step forward in the digital advertising landscape, emphasising the importance of sustainability and a more environmentally-conscious industry. By partnering with SeenThis, Carbon1 is at the forefront of driving positive change; demonstrating that brands can achieve outstanding results and minimise their environmental impact.
People moves
Duma Collective appoints Lindiwe Maduna as managing director
Duma Collective has announced the promotion of Lindiwe Maduna to the position of managing director. With the agency’s remarkable growth within five years of existence, employing over 47 talented youngsters, and the recent acquisition of a building in Randburg, Maduna’s appointment further solidifies Duma Collective’s commitment to excellence and visionary leadership.
Maduna previously served as the general manager of Duma Collective, and has been an integral part of the agency’s success story. Her promotion to MD is a testament to her exceptional leadership and ability to drive strategic direction.
Founder of Duma Collective, Sibu Mabena, said, “Lindiwe’s promotion is a natural progression for her exceptional leadership and dedication. Her expertise and commitment to our agency’s vision and values make her the ideal leader to guide us into the future.”
Maduna’s remarkable career journey includes managing integrated accounts for renowned brands such as Fiat, Alfa Romeo, Edcon, SKYY Vodka, Heineken SA and Revlon. She has successfully led teams in executing large-scale campaigns, including the iconic 2010 MTN and FIFA World Cup AYOBA campaign.
“I am honoured to be taking up the role of Managing Director and I look forward to leading our talented Dumarians to even greater heights. Together, we will build an Oasis for African creativity to flourish. We are committed to providing innovative solutions that surpass our clients’ expectations and drive impactful growth,” said Maduna
Spotify announces Amapiano’s Khanyisa as its EQUAL Africa ambassador
Growing up in a deeply musical family, Khanyisa’s childhood was filled with joyous singing sessions, where the family would gather to share their love for music. This laid the foundation for Khanyisa’s journey as an artist, inspiring her to build a career that uplifts, inspires, and motivates others.
For the month of July, audio streaming platform Spotify has announced South African artist Khanyisa as its EQUAL Africa ambassador. She joins fellow South Africans Tyla, Sio and Elaine who have previously headlined the programme.
EQUAL Africa seeks to spotlight and amplify the voices of African female artists breaking down barriers and making waves in music. In addition, it amplifies their music by exposing their catalogue to global listenership.
Khanyisa’s music has taken her on a journey, spreading love and positive energy wherever she goes. Her dedication, determination, and unwavering courage have been pivotal in breaking barriers in the music industry.
RISE fm line-up change and presenter search
RISE fm, Mpumalanga’s hottest radio station, is pleased to announce its exciting new line-up for 2023.
“We believe it is important to keep the sound of the station fresh while at the same time not being disruptive to the listener,” said RISE fm General Manager Lance Claasen.
“We have accomplished that by introducing some fantastic new talent. We are excited to introduce Carol Hobbs, the 2023 winner in the TV and Radio category of M&G 200 young people under 35, to the afternoon drive to be paired with Bonginkosi Zulu (Thebigzill Onair). We have also added the talented Khutso Mamabolo (Vibe) on Saturday afternoons.”
The hot new shows officially kicked off on 1 July 2023, and Claasen thanked the staff that left the station, wishing them well in their new endeavours.
Claasen also announced the station’s ongoing hunt for up-and-coming talent. “For listeners with ambitions of being a presenter on RISE fm, go to the myRISEfm app and send a voice message with your best radio link. Spots are still available in the RISE fm line-up for Mpumalanga’s hidden talents, and you could be the next big thing!”
Business moves
South Africa’s marketing and advertising agencies welcome Petal Ads Solution
Advertising agencies are increasingly turning to digital advertising platforms to reach target customers. With various channels and tools for agencies to create and distribute ads online, agencies are exploring various methods for digital advertising and exploring new ways to run campaigns.
HUAWEI’S digital advertising platform, Petal Ads, is increasing in popularity among agencies. Its unique offering allows partners more control over their advertising campaigns, enabling them to set budgets, track performance metrics in real time and ultimately, deliver tangible results for their clients.
For the past few months, Huawei has actively engaged with agencies on its Petal Ads roadshow, showcasing the premium solution with highly competitive benchmarks.
Amongst the top agencies who have signed up for the 2024 Petal Ads offer are: GroupM, Wavemaker, King James and more. Each of these agencies will have access to Huawei’s extensive ecosystem, guaranteed enhanced brand exposure, increased website traffic and promoted app downloads for respective campaigns.
“As a media investment group, we are constantly seeking innovative ways to reach our client’s target audience and deliver impactful messaging and campaigns. We are excited to partner with Petal Ads, which is set to maximise the way we connect with consumers,” says Julian Mountain, digital director at GroupM.
GroupM is the world’s leading media investment company and is dedicated to creating a competitive advantage for advertisers through its worldwide organisation of media experts who deliver powerful insights on consumers and media platforms. Using Petal Ads, the agency will further be empowered to reinforce their mission of being front line to a new era of media strategy and innovation.
Human8 empowers employees to collaborate with generative AI
Human8 (previously known as InSites Consulting), the new human-driven consultancy, has announced the launch of an employee AI prompt school supported by the introduction of a proprietary Square AI research assistant. Led by chief platform officer, Annelies Verhaeghe, the global agency is embracing the AI revolution to ‘supercharge’ humans.
“Just like with the internet and social media revolution, as an agency we’ve always embraced tech and innovation, investing in discovery to accelerate success. However, to safely and creatively experiment with AI, we first needed to overcome the data privacy obstacle,” said Verhaeghe.
OpenAI systems are designed to continually collect data to learn and improve, which obviously raises concerns about data ownership and the impact on confidential research data and PI information. Therefore, earlier this year, the global agency developed a proprietary AI research assistant, using the ChatGPT algorithm to conduct a series of experiments with real research data, putting generative AI to the test.
Expanding tech brand teams up with distributor Prima Interactive
Rapoo, an Asian tech giant known for its innovative and high-quality wireless peripherals and manufacturing, has announced an exciting partnership with Prima Interactive, a leading South African video game and peripheral distributor.
This strategic collaboration aims to lead the South African gaming peripheral market with high-end products and competitive pricing, while expanding Rapoo’s brand presence in the retail space.
Founded in 2002, Rapoo made a long-term commitment to developing and producing innovative and high-quality wireless peripherals. By 2005, the brand revolutionised the industry by unveiling wireless equipment that used the 2.4 GHz frequency band, establishing a groundbreaking new benchmark for others to follow.
“At Rapoo we value the power of partnerships, seeking value and performance for our customers, suppliers, and partners. That’s why I firmly believe that Prima Interactive is the ideal match for us,” expressed Rob Anderson, Rapoo’s Regional Manager. “We have dedicated considerable time to selecting the perfect distribution partner, and with the upcoming launch of our flagship wireless gaming range, the timing couldn’t be more perfect. We are absolutely delighted.”
When asked about the new signing, CEO of Prima Interactive, Ian Hepplewhite mentioned that they are excited to be partnering with Rapoo in South Africa. Prima believes that Rapoo products offer the best value for money, providing exceptional quality and technology. “The V Gaming products are tried and tested by the best in competition, we are thrilled to be able to offer these products to South Africans,” said Hepplewhite.
Rapoo is now planning to increase its presence in South Africa with some soon-to-be-announced products for local release, catering to gamers, office users and everyone in between.
Ericsson Consumer & IndustryLab: Flexibility and technology change how people work in Africa.
A new report, Future of Work Life – Africa Edition, from Ericsson Consumer & IndustryLab examines how employees and employers in Africa navigate the current work environment and their views on the future of work shaped by the pandemic, digitalisation, and the fluctuating labor market.
The way people spend their work hours has been the same for a long time. The pandemic has significantly impacted work life, and the changes it has sparked will impact how we work, view work, and use technology in the foreseeable future. Work has changed and will continue to change going forward.
Almost half (51 percent) of the employees in the study say that they enjoy increased flexibility at work. 56 percent consider flexible work hours or locations as key requirements, and 19 percent say that flexibility is the top priority if they would start to look for a new job. Doing work rather than going to work is seen as central in this new way of thinking about work life.
Employers should be aware that employees will approach the future of work differently and should endeavor to reconcile their needs with the company. To accomplish this, decision-makers must understand employees’ preferred paths, consider their input, communicate openly and consistently, and have an inclusive mindset when making decisions regarding the future of work.
CMC Networks launches international business continuity solution during South Africa’s energy crisis
CMC Networks has launched its international business continuity solution to mitigate risks during the South Africa energy crisis. The solution enables businesses in South Africa and across the world to maintain their operations and optimise applications and services, even during extended power outages.
South Africa regularly experiences severe electricity blackouts due to ageing coal power plants. This loadshedding is estimated to cost the economy $51 million a day according to the country’s central bank estimates. CMC Networks’ business continuity solution combines satellite technology, software-defined wide-area networking (SD-WAN), and customised cross-border and data centre connectivity options to keep businesses functioning during extended power cuts.
“The energy crisis is no doubt causing concerns for all kinds of businesses in South Africa, but we want to take this stress away,” said Marisa Trisolino, CEO at CMC Networks. “Both local and global businesses can rely on us to closely monitor their network and ensure uptime, even during unforeseen events. We’re helping businesses to maintain revenues, reputation and trust from their customers, instead of shutting down during a crisis.”
ACDC Dynamics puts brand purpose into action with latest power partner campaign
ACDC Dynamics has launched its new Power Partner campaign, collaborating with well-known local personalities to educate audiences about the Power Partner initiative and ACDC’s expertise and extensive offerings.
Actor and motivational speaker, Hykie Berg, and media personality and comedian, Themba Robin, have partnered with ACDC Dynamics on this campaign because they recognise ACDC Dynamics’ authenticity as a brand. They also recognise that ACDC Dynamics has a strong brand purpose of giving back and helping to grow the economy and small businesses, and that this campaign sees the company putting this purpose into action.
The Power Partner initiative aims to uplift businesses in need of solar and backup power solutions, ensuring that these businesses can go on to be successful, return to profitability and ultimately serve the communities in which they operate. ACDC Dynamics will select deserving businesses and contribute towards their power infrastructure.
Making moves
Massive growth in Comrades Marathon TV viewership – Nielsen
Pay-TV broadcaster SuperSport has grown its Comrades Marathon viewership, with approximately 49% more fans of the iconic South African ultra-marathon tuning into the 2023 broadcast of the race – a Down Run between Pietermaritzburg and Durban on 11 June.
That’s according to data and analytics provider Nielsen Sports South Africa – the local market’s leading source of sports measurement and analytics.
One of the factors behind the increase in SuperSport numbers compared with 2022’s viewership was the large increase in broadcast output, with SuperSport increasing the size of its production and number of channels simulcasting the live race day.The additional broadcast output included coverage across all of the DStv packages and on multiple SuperSport channels, including Grandstand and Action.
“As always, the data tells a story and these numbers are impressive, as most industry experts will agree that a nearly 50% increase in viewership is a significant bump,” says Tumelo Selikane, Managing Director of Nielsen Sports South Africa. “There’s no doubt that the increased output played a role, with a higher number of live and repeat broadcasts reaching more viewers and increasing the opportunity for viewers to see additional content related to this year’s Comrades Marathon.”
Africa’s economic reputation focus of first Africa PR and Communications report
BHM Research and Intelligence (BR&I) in partnership with Magna Carta Reputation Management Consultants, has launched the maiden edition of the Africa PR and Communications report, a comprehensive exposition on PR and communications practice and its role in fostering sustainable development on the continent.
The APCR — a first-ever of its kind in Africa — represents an exclusive primer to understand the challenges and opportunities new realities present to practitioners, stakeholders and investors within Africa’s PR & Communications industry, and actionable approaches required to maximise the continent’s widely documented growth potential using real data and professional insights.
“We are highly pleased to create yet another world-class funnel for the growth of PR and communications practice, this time in Africa. With interesting happenings across various sectors, there is not a better time for PR professionals to proudly wear the badge and understand our role in helping to drive the continent to a place we can all be proud of,” said Ayeni Adekunle, BHM founder and APCR committee chair.
He added, “This is the first step in rallying all practitioners and stakeholders on the continent to understand what is possible and actions to embark upon, but we must first acknowledge that no significant influence can be achieved without key data and information. We are enthused about the new insights provided in the APCR and how they’ll shape PR and communication practice in Africa as we know it, for the benefit of the continent and its one-billion-strong people.”
Africa has been widely tipped for global dominance. The continent boasted six of the top ten fastest-growing economies in the world until Covid-19 pandemic disrupted economic growth rates globally. Yet, foreign direct investment is rebounding, rising from $40 billion in 2020 to $47 billion in 2021, and $83 billion in 2022.
MTN calls on South African schools to rally behind the Boks
MTN is going all out to ignite the nation’s support for the Springboks as they prepare for the ultimate rugby showdown later this year. With the MTN Gwijo Challenge, they’re calling on South African schools and teen clubs to join the rallying cry and seize the chance to win a share of R1 million.
Students from every corner of the country are being urged to unleash their vocal prowess and represent their schools or teen clubs by sharing their original Gwijo or a captivating rendition of a popular Gwijo melody on the MTN South Africa website. Not only will they have a shot at winning a portion of the R1 million, but they’ll also have the opportunity to showcase their talent. The competition is open now and will close on Monday, 30 October 2023.
Leading the charge is the renowned Gwijo squad, experts in uniting sports fans through the power of song. They’ll play a pivotal role in every phase of the campaign, from inspiring and gathering entries from schools to vetting and selecting the ultimate finalists.
In addition, MTN customers and rugby enthusiasts also have a role to play in determining the champion Gwijo that will resonate across the nation in support of the Springboks. They can cast their votes for their favourite school or teen club among the shortlisted finalists and get a chance to win weekly spot prizes.
Good Hope FM keeps Cape Town warm
Good Hope FM, Cape Town’s Original, and Community Chest made winter a whole lot warmer and tummies a whole lot fuller during the official handover for the 2023 Keep Cape Town Warm campaign on Saturday.
The official handover took place during a live broadcast of The Hit 30 with Danilo Acquisto at the U-turn Homeless Service Centre in Claremont, with Good Hope FM’s presenters out in full force and representatives from Community Chest also in attendance.
More than R48 000 worth of blankets an R25 000 worth of non-perishable food items were collected. This was thanks to the warm-hearted contributions from good Samaritans in and around the Mother City who donated new blankets and non- perishable foods to this cause.
“We are humbled and extremely grateful for each and every donation received,” says Good Hope FM’s Programme Manager, Gerard Muller, “Thousands of people in need don’t have the privilege of a warm bed, hot running water or even a shelter against the elements this winter and this donation has made a massive difference. Given the bitter cold, combined with recent floods in and around Cape Town, we strongly encourage the public to continue reaching out and donating to Community Chest, as the need is absolutely immense. A couple of rands for a blanket or food items may not make much of a dent in your budget, but it could realistically save someone’s life.”
702’s Walk the Talk Event Returns
702 has announced the return of its highly anticipated event, Walk-the-Talk. This year, the event will be hosted by Gauteng in Maropeng at the Cradle of Humankind and will be taking place on Sunday, 20 August 2023.
Celebrating its 22nd instalment on the eve of 30 years of democracy, the 702 Walk-the-Talk event has become a beloved tradition in Gauteng, attracting thousands of participants each year. On its return as a live event, Walk-the-Talk offers an incredible opportunity for 702- Landers to explore the breath-taking beauty of the Cradle of Humankind, while also experiencing the warm hospitality and enterprising spirit of the local community.
“We are delighted to be able to stage a refreshed 2023 edition of 702 Walk-The-Talk after a three year hiatus. It’s the same walk you’ve come to love and enjoy over the past two decades, but this year, Walk-The-Talk takes place at a brand new venue and we look forward to a day full of fun family activity at this world heritage site,” said 702’s station manager, Mzoxolo Jojwana.
Participants of all ages and fitness levels are invited to join in this exciting event, which combines physical activity with a celebration of the rich cultural heritage of the region. Walkers will have the chance to immerse themselves in the stunning landscapes, discover the fascinating history of the Cradle of Humankind, and indulge in a wide variety of family oriented activities.
Standard Bank and Topco Media nurture a generation of powerful women through renewed partnership
In response to the growing need for unmatched support and encouragement for women in business, Topco Media and Standard Bank are pleased to announce their renewed 2023 partnership.
By continuing with this partnership, the two entities have demonstrated their commitment to gender equality. A series of EmpowHER Regional Conferences are underway. The first one launched in Cape Town in May, and the next two will take place in Durban in June, and North West in August in the build-up to the national Standard Bank Top Women Conference to be held at the Maslow Hotel in Johannesburg from 18-19 October.
The winners from each region will be entered into the 20th annual Standard Bank Top Women Awards and will attend the ceremony at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg on 7 November, where one winner will walk away with a R50 000 cash prize and the grand trophy, along with multiple other prizes, brand exposure and access to the Topco community.
“We are excited about our continued partnership with Africa’s largest bank. Standard Bank Top Women provides a unique opportunity for women in business to connect, learn and grow. We believe that by empowering women, we can create a more inclusive and prosperous society,” says Ralf Fletcher, CEO of Topco Media. “This event is a celebration of women in business who have broken the glass ceiling, and we are proud to be part of a movement that is driving change in Africa. It is Top Women’s 20th anniversary and Standard Bank has been along for the journey for more than ten of those years.”
Italia Mabula, head of brand and narketing for Standard Bank Business and Commercial Banking, said, “At Standard Bank our purpose is to drive growth on the continent. We are continuously seeking relevant ways to achieve this. Central to our strategy is supporting the businesses and communities in which we operate. The Standard Bank Top Women Conference, and Awards, have developed into a powerful platform through which to empower women across South Africa. By empowering women, we are fostering a more inclusive and prosperous society, and contributing to the growth and development of our beloved country and continent.”
