The Media Online’s weekly round up of people, account and business moves in media.
This week’s BIG move: Digital Ad Expert by Aleph joins UNESCO’s Global Education Coalition
Digital Ad Expert, Aleph Group, Inc’s social initiative to create economic opportunities through digital advertising education, has joined UNESCO’s Global Education Coalition.
Formed in March 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic, the Global Education Coalition was established by UNESCO – the United Nations agency dedicated to bringing people together through education and science – to bring together multi-sector partners to mobilise local, national, regional and global responses to ensure the continuity of learning. In 2023 and beyond, the Coalition has moved from pandemic response to focus on the transformation agenda, and aims to help realise the power of digital transformation, close the global educational gap, and support actions and investments for pilot projects that can be brought to scale at a national level in a sustainable way.
Joining more than 200+ partners, Aleph’s Digital Ad Expert initiative – a skills-based education platform that provides students with the fundamentals they need to manage digital advertising channels and campaigns – will specifically support UNESCO’s Global Skills Academy, an initiative that aims to help ten million young people build skills for employability and resilience by 2029.
Commenting on the partnership, Gaston Taratuta, CEO & Founder at Aleph Group, Inc, said: “As CEO & Founder of Aleph, I am incredibly proud to join this initiative to align with UNESCO’s ambitious plans to upskill 10 million people by 2029. At Aleph, we believe that the provision of digital literacy is a fast track to helping local communities and economies unlock huge economic opportunities.
“Combining the experience of UNESCO – one of the world’s leading global authorities on digital literacy – with Aleph’s industry leading expertise in digital advertising, the agreement will ensure people can confidently navigate the digital landscape, access greater employment opportunities, and help shape sustainable growth for generations to come. The learnings from this initiative will also aid the continued evolution of Digital Ad Expert, which we believe has the potential to become the world’s leading skills-based digital advertising education platform.”
People moves
Tuks FM welcomes Lwazi Mpofu as new station manager
Tuks FM 107.2 has welcomed a new station manager. Lwazi Mpofu has joined the campus radio station based at University of Pretoria. Mpofu, who was awarded the 2017 Radio Awards Bright Star Award, brings with with him a wealth of valuable experience and an outstanding track record in the field of radio broadcasting.
Having grown up in East London, Mpofu completed BA (Media & Communication) and BA Hons (Media Studies) at Nelson Mandela University in Gqeberha before taking on the broadcast world. Today, he is an emerging researcher, with a keen scholarly focus on the advancement and growth of community radio in South Africa. Mpofu is currently busy with his post graduate diploma in Media Management at Rhodes University on a part time basis.
After working at both Trufm and Good Hope FM, he lectured radio production at NEMISA. However, it was during his tenure at Stellenbosch University’s campus radio station, MFM 92.6, that his passion for mentoring and nurturing emerging radio talent was ignited and he found his true passion. He is now delighted to have joined Tuks FM 107.2 where he can take this further, and continue to develop young broadcasters.
“Over the next few years, I would love to see Tuks FM 107.2 become the station of choice not only for students at the University of Pretoria, but also for the youth in our broadcast area. My vision includes expanding the station’s position from traditional broadcasting into a multimedia platform that is able to compete in the digital environment. I also plan to create a distinctive musical identity for Tuks FM 107.2, characterised by diversity and originality, underpinned by a deep resonance with our audience, while empowering the next generation of radio professionals.”
Tuks FM 107.2 was recently nominated for 27 South African Radio Awards.
Nick Liatos joins next-gen innovation agency, Midnight as associate partner, creative innovation
Midnight, the next-generation business innovation agency, has announced the appointment of industry veteran Nick Liatos as its first associate partner, creative innovation.
“With nearly three decades of experience in the creative sector, Nick brings a wealth of creative leadership to this exciting role, where he will blend creative thinking with business innovation to help Midnight’s clients participate and win in the digital economy,” said Naeem Seedat, managing partner at Midnight.
Liatos kick-started his remarkable career at McCann Ericsson and spent the next 28 years making an enduring impact on both global and local creative landscapes. He has led creative thinking on a global scale, working on campaigns and strategies spanning various industry segments.
His journey includes instrumental roles in launching some of South Africa’s most successful agencies, including the prestigious Financial Mail – Ad Agency of The Year 2015, M&C Saatchi Abel, where he co-founded the Johannesburg operation and eventually assumed the role of Executive Creative Director in 2014.
He most recently served as the ECD of Wunderman Thompson, overseeing JWT and Global Team Blue, the holistic offering for Ford South Africa, before embarking on his journey as ECD of Publicis Communications SA within the Publicis Groupe.
EssenceMediacom makes two strategic appointments to accelerate product innovation and drive client growth
At the start of 2023, EssenceMediacom was launched as GroupM’s newest and largest agency. Central to delivering the innovative and breakthrough solutions for this inspired new agency is its talent.
Brian Muguto’s appointment as chief strategy and product innovation officer and Michelle Fourie as managing partner of client growth speak to the agency’s dedication to providing innovation, value, and growth for clients.
People have always been at the heart of what MediaCom was about prior to the rebranding, and this principle still rings true today for EssenceMediacom. With access to a rare pool of specialists who have the natural ability to disrupt old models across creative, data, and technology, clients receive truly integrated media solutions. This is achieved by the critical thinking of the agency’s people, which balances a deep-rooted understanding of the unique continent that is Africa with a global, forward-looking mindset.
“What excites me the most about this role is the opportunity to accelerate our new Breakthrough Planning proposition, which enables clients to leverage the explosion of opportunities the new communications economy has created, within and beyond advertising,” said Mugato.
Fourie has amassed 18 years of media agency experience, working with multiple local and global brands across the full spectrum of capabilities – from campaign inception to final execution, steering creative, digital, and PR teams towards award-winning work.
“The agency has seen accelerated growth over the past few years, and I believe this reflects our passion to pioneer this new communications economy,” said Fourie.
Reebok announces partnership with college basketball champion and fashion superstar, Angel Reese
Reebok has announced an official partnership with college basketball champion and fashion superstar, Angel Reese, its first signing under the direction of Reebok’s newly-appointed President of Basketball, Shaquille O’Neal.
The newest addition to an expanding athlete roster driving the brand’s re-emergence and expansion in basketball, Reese will be positioned at the forefront of Reebok lifestyle, fashion and performance product stories beginning Fall 2023.
Angel Reese has established herself as one of the most prolific college hoopers of all time. Known for her charismatic, unapologetic personality paired with unmatched tenacity and explosiveness on the court, Reese had a standout year during the 2022-2023 season, leading her team to its first-ever women’s basketball national championship, while earning Most Outstanding Player honors. Off the court, Reese has grown into a fashion sensation with nods from top fashion outlets, while showcasing her own personal style on and off the court and across social media (@angelreese10) .
Hytec SA appoints new KwaZulu-Natal Regional Sales Manager
Hytec South Africa (Hytec SA) has announced the appointment and promotion of Kane Herbert as the new regional sales manager in KwaZulu-Natal, effective 1 October 2023.
Previously the branch manager of Hytec SA in Pretoria, Herbert’s journey with the Group began in August 2018. He joined Bosch Rexroth Africa as a technical sales representative responsible for sales and service at the Hytec SA distributor in the West Rand, Gauteng. Recognised for his exceptional skills and dedication, Herbert swiftly climbed the corporate ladder, earning the position of Branch Manager at the Hytec SA Pretoria branch in January 2022.
Business moves
Bloomberg Africa Business Media Innovators Forum 2023 to convene leaders from across Africa and internationally.
Media, business, government, technology, and community leaders from across Africa, the USA and beyond will convene in Cape Town, South Africa to participate in the annual Africa Business Media Innovators (ABMI) forum on 30 October to 1 November.
Co-hosted by M. Scott Havens, CEO, Bloomberg Media and Matthew Winkler, editor-in-chief Emeritus, Bloomberg News, and Erana Stennett, corporate philanthropy Middle East and Africa, Bloomberg. This year’s convening returns to South Africa, which was the inaugural host of ABMI in 2015.
Leaders at this year’s convening will examine innovative business solutions re-shaping and contributing to the future of media and journalism both in Africa and globally. The gathering will provide a unique, forward-looking platform for actionable dialogue and peer-learning as media leaders in Africa prepare for journalism in the digital age.
Dialogue Communications celebrates three new client wins
Award-winning agency, Dialogue, has secured three new client accounts across the sports, education and the financial services industries.
Dialogue has been awarded an integrated, consumer campaign for SA Rugby leading up to and including the Rugby World Cup 2023. The project aims to generate public support for the Springboks via #bokfriday on their mission to defend their World Cup title.
In the education sector, Dialogue has been chosen by the prestigious Ruta Sechaba Foundation to create meaningful awareness about their work supporting brilliant scholars across the country.
Building on their robust and growing financial services portfolio, Prescient Holdings have appointed the highly experienced team at Dialogue to support their marketing efforts. As a prominent player in the financial services industry, Dialogue is set to take Prescient brand to new heights.
Dialogue founder and MD, Tracy Jones added, “To add iconic brands like SA Rugby, Ruta Sechaba and Prescient to our growing stable is an absolute honour. We’ve worked hard at building the Dialogue brand over the past 18 years. We pride ourselves on always having punched above our weight to work with some of SA’s top brands.”
To add a wonderful bookend to this growth period, Operations & PR Director, Cherná Lutta has been appointed to the board of the PRCA NextGen (Africa) where she’ll be responsible for growing future talent across the region.
Meta Media launches Curious Conversations Podcast
Meta Media, a dynamic full-service media agency, has launched Curious Conversations. This is an all-new podcast that challenges assumptions, and sparks meaningful discussions by diving into the most debated topics in the media and marketing industry.
Hosted by Kagiso Musi, group managing director at Meta Media, Curious Conversations features interviews with eclectic group of industry experts, thought leaders, business professionals, marketers and creatives who share their expertise, wisdom, and insights on topics such as procurement, innovation, and creativity; diversity and inclusion; ethics and accountability.
“We are thrilled to introduce Curious Conversations to marketers around the world. In this unique period of change, Curious Conversations is timely and relevant because the media and marketing industry is facing unprecedented changes due to technological, social and economic factors,” said Musi.
Poised to become an essential resource for marketers, Curious Conversations will help listeners to navigate the complexities and opportunities that these changes create, as well as the best practices and strategies needed to succeed and grow in this dynamic environment.
Podcast is available on www.metamedia.co.za, Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
UBER eats and Adoozy Power introduce power bank delivery service
Online food ordering and delivery platform, Uber Eats, and mobile rental network, Adoozy Power, have partnered up to enable South Africans to rent power banks and have them delivered to their doorstep. Facilitated by Uber Direct, which is Uber Eats’ last mile white-label delivery solution, the process aims to solve power problems for citizens.
With the ‘Adoozy Collect’ in-app feature, any consumer in need of power to charge their smartphone, and even other devices like air pods, can place an order through the app, and a power bank will be delivered by an Uber Direct driver within 30-40 minutes. The user can then make a request for the return of the power bank within 24 hours, and a driver will collect.
The award-winning rental network service has been offering power banks for rent in strategic locations across SA cities since 2020, to keep people who are ‘on-the-go’ powered up.
Whisky Live returns to celebrate whisky culture
Whisky Live, the ultimate celebration of whisky culture, made a splendid return, marked by a grand media launch at The Firs. The launch was a big hint of what’s to come at the exciting Whisky Live Festival happening from 1-3 November, celebrating 21 years of enjoying whisky.
Capturing the essence of the celebration, Whisky Live CEO, Ken Varejes remarked, “Bringing the World of Whisky to You has always been our mission at Whisky Live. This year, we’re diving headlong into our rich heritage since 2002, honing in on the mystique and allure that surrounds this timeless golden liquid.”
He went on to emphasize, “We invite you to gear up for an immersive journey, weaving fascinating tales, unmatched tastings, and indelible moments into a tapestry of pure taste delight.”
In sync with the digital era, the Whisky Live Festival has unveiled a groundbreaking e-commerce avenue. Brands now have the independence to steer their sales, offering attendees the liberty to discover and secure their favoured whiskies effortlessly. The festival has partnered with The Whisky Shop to provide streamlined delivery options, including direct delivery to doorsteps or convenient pick-up at the exit from the onsite whisky shop.
Dates: November 1, 2, and 3, 2023
Time: 6pm to 10pm each day
Venue: The Firs, Rosebank
General Access Ticket Price: R495 (incl. VAT) Ticket Sales: Book your tickets here
Miss World South Africa to be broadcast on SABC3
S3 has announced a partnership with the Miss World South Africa, which is taking place at the State Theatre in Pretoria on the 28 October 2023. The beauty contest which will be hosted by media personality Minnie Dlamini will be broadcast live on S3 from 17:30 to 20:00.
Miss World South Africa will join contestants from over 130 countries in India to showcase her unique talents, intelligence, and compassion in the 71st Miss World edition which promises to be an extraordinary platform that celebrates the essence of beauty, diversity, and empowerment.
Moving Tactics announced winning bidder as Famous Brands’ digital menu board software partner
Famous Brands recently announced Moving Tactics as the winning bidder for its digital menu board software partner. The contract includes software designed to manage content on the digital menu boards, delivered through a Software as a Service (SaaS) model with a license fee that covers updates, maintenance, and support.
Moving Tactics will also manage content and oversee the operation of the software platform. The current commercial-grade equipment will remain unchanged, with new hardware allocated solely to new stores or those with expanded screen arrays.
The solution will be rolled out in all existing and future branded franchised outlets of the Famous Brands Group across Casual-Dining Restaurants (CDR) and Quick-Service Restaurant (QSR) formats in South Africa and the AME region. The roll-out, which commenced in August 2023, is expected to span three years.
Nedbank expands its partnership with SAA Voyager and Avo tie-up.
Nedbank and SAA Voyager have announced an expansion to their partnership. You can now convert your SAA Voyager Miles to AvoPoints and use them to shop on the Avo SuperShop. Here, you can enjoy all the brands you love in one place with quick, seamless delivery.
‘We are pleased to take our long-standing partnership with SAA Voyager to the next logical progression. It has been well received by SAA Voyager clients, who converted so many Miles that Avo became the number one non-flight redemption partner for SAA Voyager in the space of 1 month’, said Privesan Naidoo, Nedbank executive in trading products.
Avo SuperShop is home to over 22 000 businesses that sell their products and services to over two million registered customers on a single, easy-to-use platform.
South African design agency unveils trailblazing design at global packaging expo
A South African graphic design agency was among 20 illustrious design agencies – and the sole African representative – who unveiled their “trailblazing new packaging designs” as part of the Make a Mark showcase at Luxe Pack Monaco in October.
Bravo Design (Bravo), a graphic design agency based in Cape Town, used the Mark a Mark exhibition platform created to accelerate creative packaging innovation in Wines and Spirits, Beauty and Fragrance, and Gourmet Food sector, to showcase the transformative potential of artificial intelligence (AI). The selected agencies – from Switzerland, USA, Italy, Thailand, India, Demark, Mexico, Spain, UK France and others – were given creative freedom and tasked with submitting a prototype design to be presented at Luxe Pack Monaco 2023, a premier trade show for creative packaging.
The Make a Mark project annually selects a group of leading packaging design firms to present their projects based on materials provided by project partners, ESTAL, Avery Dennison, and Leonhard KURZ, and are keyed to three principle themes: sustainability, luxury and innovation.
Seeking to create a product authentically rooted in South African culture, Bravo drew inspiration from the folklore of ‘Karoo Mermaid’ to unveil their packaging prototype for a Blue Agave spirit, made from the indigenous plants which grow in the semi-arid Karoo landscape.
Among the notable innovations in ‘Karoo Mermaid’ is the bottle’s base, provided by ESTAL, which ingeniously mirrors the tranquil pools of the Karoo, mythical congregations for the mermaids. Adding a layer of ingenuity, the design incorporates a colour-changing foil that mimics the mesmerising play of light on mermaid scales. This exclusive foil was engineered especially for the project by globally acclaimed packaging company Leonhard Kurz. Multiple embossing and foil applications were included as a single print run by German-based print company, Vollherbst.
Feature Story News joins Association for International Broadcasting
The Association for International Broadcasting (AIB) has announced that Feature Story News (FSN), a global leader in providing high-quality news coverage and connectivity services to broadcasters and media outlets, is joining the organisation.
The AIB is the leading trade association for international broadcasters, content providers, and technology companies. It plays an important role in promoting the highest standards in international broadcasting, journalism, and content production, as well as sharing knowledge and expertise on key issues ranging from artificial intelligence to media freedom.
Simon Spanswick, Chief Executive of the Association for International Broadcasting, expressed his enthusiasm for Feature Story News becoming a member: “We are thrilled to welcome Feature Story News to the AIB community. FSN’s commitment to delivering timely, accurate, and engaging news stories aligns perfectly with the AIB’s mission to promote excellence in international journalism. Through their membership, FSN will have the opportunity to collaborate with other leading media organisations, access valuable industry insights, and contribute to the ongoing dialogue surrounding the future of international broadcasting.”
Feastables are now available in SA – exclusive to Game and Makro
This week, Massmart’s Game and Makro will become the first retailers in South Africa to stock and sell the incredibly popular Feastables Chocolate Bars – created by the world’s most successful Youtuber, MrBeast.
Racking up over $10 million in sales in the first few months of their launch, the 5-ingredient chocolate bars are taking the world by storm. Katherine Madley, Massmart’s vice president of marketing, said the retailers were excited to launch Feastables to the South African market.
“The future of retail is about innovation and ensuring you are keeping up with trends and demand. Since Feastables are hugely popular overseas, we saw the opportunity to be the first to launch them in the local market and expect that our younger customers will be excited about the launch
Making moves
NAB celebrates 30 years of self-regulation while looking to the future of the broadcasting industry
The NAB celebrated 30 years of its existence – and of self-regulation through the Broadcasting Complaints Commission of South Africa (BCCSA) – on 6 October 2023, in Johannesburg with its members and various stakeholders. A range of local and international speakers participated in the event, sharing their thoughts on the last three decades of broadcasting in South Africa as well as globally, and the future of this dynamic sector.
The international speakers that participated virtually in the celebrations included the African Telecommunications Union Secretary-General John Omo, Christian Schalt (Chief Digital Officer, RTL Radio Germany), Larry Rosin (President, Edison Research), Tammy Greenberg (Senior Vice- President, RAB-USA) and Emily Davidson (Head of Policy & Public Affairs, Channel 4 UK). The day’s programme was opened by the NAB Chairperson, Thabo Makenete, and included three panel discussions that focused on the achievements of the sector and the future of broadcasting.
BCCSA Chairperson, Dr Sunette Lötter, shared with the audience just how far industry self- regulation has come since 1993 and commended the BCCSA for its contribution to broadcasting. “The fact that the BCCSA has stood the test of time proves that it has not only gained the trust of people, but it also meets the real needs of society,” she said.
Cape Talk Classics: A celebration of South African music and culture
CapeTalk has announced CapeTalk Classics, an exclusive seaside concert celebrating the station’s 26th anniversary. This extraordinary event will take place on 22 October 2023, at the Cabo Beach Club, offering Capetonians a unique opportunity to enjoy their favourite local artists performing their favourite sing-along songs.
CapeTalk turned 26 on the 14 October! That’s 26 years of insightful conversations, informative guests, local voices and life-changing radio. To celebrate this milestone, CapeTalk is championing all the South African hits and songs that their audiences have come to love at CapeTalk Classics.
CapeTalk Classics will feature performances by some of South Africa’s favourite performers including Loyiso Bala, Vicky Sampson, Karin Kortje, and the CapeTalk Classics Band, who will perform nostalgic Mzansi melodies.
“We are thrilled to present CapeTalk Classics, a celebration of our 26 years of bringing exceptional content to our listeners,” says Tessa van Stadden, CapeTalk’s station manager.
HOT 102.7FM and Sani-touch Invest in Future of Women’s Rugby with Boots Handover
HOT 102.7FM through Hot Cares has ensured that a group of rugby-playing youngsters get their own boots for the very first time, through a feel-good partnership with Sani-touch, the makers of the legendary ‘braai lappies’.
To celebrate the Rugby World Cup, Sani-touch decided to launch a limited-edition green and gold ‘braai canister’ for their pre-saturated, biodegradable cloth wipes that burn in the fire after use and are ideal for the cleaning of hands, faces, and tongs.
The goal was to donate a percentage of the proceeds of the sale of these canisters to the two Golden Lions Rugby Union junior girls’ teams participating in this year’s inter-provincial tournament and in the process play a role in the promotion and development of women’s rugby in South Africa.
Upon hearing of this initiative, HOT 102.7FM through Hot Cares immediately jumped on board to contribute, which resulted in 46 girls being given a pair of brand-new rugby boots at the team’s capping ceremony at Emirates Airline Park.
“Most of these girls come from underprivileged backgrounds and we applaud Sani-touch for driving this initiative,” said Lloyd Madurai, managing director of HOT 102.7FM. “What also resonated with us was the goal of empowering these kids to play with confidence and comfort and giving them the best opportunity to reach their full potential on the field, which has great synergy with what Hot Cares does on a daily basis – that is, making a meaningful difference to the lives of those around us.”
Media’s next chapter: join global experts to address the industry’s key innovation challenge
The Journalism Innovation and Leadership Programme at the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) and the Google News Initiative (GNI) are inviting news media decision-makers and thought leaders to participate in an afternoon of in-depth discussions with global experts, addressing the industry’s primary innovation challenge: balancing relevance and environmental responsibility in the era of Artificial Intelligence (AI).
The forum, on Tuesday 31 October, will be hosted by Media24 in Cape Town in association with the University of Stellenbosch. People can participate online from 12 noon to 3:00pm GMT (South African time zone is CAT, GMT+2) or attend in-person, followed by a networking reception.
‘The Media’s Next Chapter: Relevance, A.I. and Impact’ will be opened by Ishmet Davidson, CEO of Media24, and Dr François Nel, Reader in Media Innovation at UCLan, and include speakers from across the African continent as well as Jordan, Turkey and the UK.
Also speaking are Lisa MacLeod, Director of FT Strategies, and Dmitry Skishkin, an expert consultant and evangelist of the User Needs Model, who are also both Leaders in Residence at UCLan. The panels will be chaired by UCLan visiting faculty Jeremy Clifford of the A.I. Collective and Sarah Hartley of The Northern Eco. Herman Wasserman, Chair of the Department of Journalism at Stellenbosch University, is the forum rapporteur and will close the discussions. The full programme is available on the Media Innovation Studio website.
Grow Educare Centres changes to Grow ECD
Grow ECD is the new name for what was, until very recently, Grow Educare Centres, an organisation that helps ECD Centres deliver 5-star education to the next generation. The new name comes with a fresh new logo, while the organisation’s core commitment of seeing 5-star early learning happening in every neighbourhood remains exactly the same.
Grow ECD’s work has evolved from an exclusively centre-focused organisation to an ECD sector-focused organisation. Grow ECD’s National Marketing Manager Helene Brand says, “The name ‘Grow Educare Centres’ implies that we operate centres or work exclusively with centres. We have moved away from our franchise model of ‘running centres’, to working with any independent centre and growing the ECD sector as a whole. We wanted to update our brand identity to reflect this move and position our organisation as professional, future-forwards but still fun.”