The Media Online’s weekly round up of people, account and business moves in media.
This week’s BIG move: New MMA SSA/SA Academy to upskill marketers with the AI-knowledge that is needed now
The world is a very different place to where it was even four or five years ago. The rate and pace of change is intense, and AI is a driving force behind the evolutions of myriad industries, importantly including marketing. It is rapidly affecting commercial competitiveness and brands’ abilities to keep up.
Addressing this urgent skills and knowledge gap is the MMA Global, the international marketing body that is built by and for the future. It recently launched the ground-breaking educational programme for professionals, the MMA Academy.
With its origins in Turkey, where the programme is up and running already, the MMA Academy has expanded in the Sub-Saharan Africa region, including South Africa. It gives members – be they undergrads, or members of the C-Suite – access to the virtual programmes and lessons to provide them with current intelligence which they need now – as part of their memberships.
“The speed at which AI is changing the marketing industry is significant. From Google AI Search to using AI to develop hyper-targeted audience segments, and let’s not forget GenAI that is used to help create compelling digital content for social media, online video, gaming etc., marketers everywhere need to be on the front foot of the marketing industry to ensure they keep abreast of these wildly changing times, and especially younger demographics,” said Sarah Utermark, country director, MMA SA.
The content that will be available to MMA members will consist of formats like workshops, webinars, lunch-break sessions, guest lecturers, online training catalogues to a technology bootcamp specifically for the C-Suite.
The MMA Academy’s curriculum is designed to address the rapidly evolving digital marketing landscape. As AI technologies continue to reshape the industry, the Academy’s programs offer unparalleled opportunities for marketers to gain deep insights into customer behaviour and preferences through advanced data analysis and predictive analytics. By harnessing the power of AI, marketers can create highly personalized campaigns, optimize spending, and enhance customer experiences, leading to substantial business growth.
MMA Academy showcases real-world case studies of successful AI implementations in marketing, demonstrating measurable improvements in performance and ROI. These examples serve as a testament to the transformative potential of AI in marketing strategies.
MMA SA members can access and sign up for the various programmes here.
People moves
TikTok announces industry-first Sub-Saharan Africa Safety Advisory Council
TikTok is taking major steps to boost safety on its platform across Sub-Saharan Africa with the launch of its inaugural Safety Advisory Council and the expansion of its #SaferTogether community education campaign. By partnering with key stakeholders, including policymakers, members from academia, NGOs, and community leaders, TikTok aims to foster a collaborative approach to ensuring a secure and positive platform environment. This announcement was made at TikTok’s Safety Summit held in Nairobi, Kenya.
The newly launched Sub-Saharan Africa Safety Advisory Council will further this effort by bringing together local experts who will collaborate with TikTok to develop forward-looking policies and address regional safety concerns. Their input will help TikTok manage current issues and anticipate future challenges, reinforcing the platform’s commitment to user safety and fostering a positive online environment.
Members of the Sub-Saharan Africa Safety Advisory Council are:
- Prof Guy Berger, Rhodes University (South Africa)
- Dennis Coffie, Content creator (Ghana)
- Peter Cunliffe-Jones, University of Westminster Visiting Research Fellow (UK)
- Aisha Dabo, Co-Founder and coordinator of AfricTivistes (Senegal)
- Lillian Kariuki, Founder and Executive Director of Watoto Watch Network (Kenya)
- Dr Akinola Olojo, Expert on preventing and countering violent extremism (Nigeria)
- Prof Medhane Tadesse, Policy academic on peace and security issues (Ethiopia)
- Berhan Taye, Independent Researcher (Ethiopia)
“With the launch of the Sub-Saharan Africa Safety Advisory Council, we are demonstrating our commitment to including expert African voices in our Trust and Safety work. This group of leaders was chosen for their broad range of expertise and experience, and we look forward to working with them over the coming years,” said Valiant Richey, global head of outreach and partnerships, trust and safety, TikTok.
Home-grown visionary takes the helm as Simply Black’s new COO, leading bold evolution
Africa’s largest independently owned media agency network, Simply Black Media, has announced the appointment of Stephanie Thomas as its first COO.
“Thomas’s decade-long dedication to Simply Black Media equips her with unparalleled experience and insight, making her the ideal choice for COO,” said Carine Haffejee, CEO.
Thomas says her focus will be on enhancing the already robust operations of the agency and driving the consistent adoption of Simply Black’s unique operating culture and ways of working. This is no easy task given the extremely diverse markets the company services across the continent: it has some 250 people in 37 wholly-owned offices in Africa.
“One of the big challenges when it comes to media campaigns in African markets relates to confirming that the placements are made as planned,” Thomas said. “Thanks to our network, we can do this – it’s just another unique part of our offering to ambitious clients wanting to win on the continent.”
Business moves
Primedia Studios shines the spotlight on superb television at FAME Week Africa and MIP Africa 2024
Primedia Studios, Primedia’s trailblazing television content creation and distribution arm, will showcase its world-class offering at FAME Week Africa and MIP Africa, taking place from 1-7 September 2024 at the CTICC in Cape Town.
The studio’s presence at the prestigious event underscores its role as a pivotal player in shaping the future of African media, elevating African storytelling onto the global stage and bringing together the continent’s rich cultural heritage with cutting-edge productions.
FAME Week Africa and MIP Africa attendees visiting the Primedia Studios stand will be offered an exclusive look at the vivid array of Primedia Studios shows, behind-the-scenes insights, and an opportunity to meet and engage with some of the industry’s leading producers and creators.
Jan du Plessis, President of Primedia Studios, expressed his excitement about being part of this leading-edge industry event: “At Primedia Studios, we believe in the power of authentic African stories and talent, and our slate of productions is a testament to our commitment to excellence and diversity in content creation. FAME Week Africa and MIP Africa provide an unparalleled platform to shine the spotlight on our groundbreaking content, establish new relationships and explore industry collaborations.”
Business Partners Limited appoints Hook, Line & Sinker
Business Partners Limited, a small and medium enterprise (SME) financier, has appointed integrated marketing and public relations agency, Hook, Line & Sinker (HLS) to support with PR, content creation and social media services for two of its prestigious initiatives.
With a vested interest in empowering entrepreneurs to build sustainable businesses in South Africa, Business Partners Limited has financed more than R23 billion in capital, skills and knowledge over the last three decades towards building and supporting the country’s small and medium sized business start-ups. The company has also been instrumental in shaping the entrepreneurial ambitions and growth of some of the country’s greatest success stories through its renowned awards and competitions.
HLS will support Business Partners Limited across two initiatives simultaneously over the next year, namely the 36th annual Entrepreneur of the Year competition and the invaluable SME Toolkit Business Plan Competition.
“Much like the Protea, South Africa’s national flower, our nation’s entrepreneurs flourish in difficult conditions,” says David Morobe, executive general manager for Impact Investing at Business Partners Limited. “We look forward to partnering with HLS to heighten awareness and showcase the crucial role of SMEs in the economy while inspiring a new generation of business leaders.”
Making moves
National Children’s Theatre to bring Disney’s THE LION KING Jr. Stage show to Gauteng
The timeless story of Disney’s The Lion King – which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year- will roar to life in Gauteng in 2024 as part of a new collaboration between National Children’s Theatre (NCT) and Disney Theatrical Group (DTG).
NCT will stage The Lion King Jr, Disney’s Junior production of the internationally celebrated musical, with a cast of 50 young people aged 13 and under. This will be the first time the Junior production, which is specially created for use in schools, is performed in South Africa.
The performance will be the culmination of NCT’s education initiative Musical Theatre in Schools.
Towards September, a selection of pupils from each of the five schools will come together to form a new youth theatre company at NCT. They will rehearse and perform The Lion King Jr which will premiere at the NCT campus in Parktown, Johannesburg in early November 2024. In addition, NCT’s young performers will learn a wide range of new theatrical skills, including mask-making and puppetry, widening their exposure to the world of musical theatre.
