The Media Online’s weekly round up of people, account and business moves in media.
This week’s BIG move: Novus Group launches sponsorship monitoring
With the global sports sponsorship market expected to hit $190 billion by 2030, there has never been a more opportune time to tap into its potential from a brand positioning perspective. However, understanding the value that comes from any sponsorship opportunity requires detailed analysis using a complex ecosystem of data points. To help local companies with this undertaking, Novus Group has launched its integrated sports sponsorship monitoring service.
“As a company that celebrates its 10th anniversary, Novus is excited to continually bring its clients innovative solutions designed to unlock the value of data in a way that delivers business value. Our comprehensive service offering includes online monitoring as well as social media, print, and broadcast. This new sports sponsorship service adds further impetus to the need to empower businesses with insights on how to optimise brand management,” said Joe Hamman, Director of Novus Group.
One of the challenges when it comes to sponsoring a sports team is measuring the return on investment and analysing coverage. Getting access to sentiment, whether positive or negative, is essential if a business is to avoid or respond to a crisis. Because the monitoring service integrates with the other Novus solutions, companies can easily gain an understanding of how their involvement with a team benefits their brand.
Unlike many other competitive products that feature dollar pricing, the Novus service is available in Rands. Clients receive email alerts and access to an online dashboard featuring all the insights at no additional charge. Furthermore, Novus provides monthly reports early the following month. As part of this, Novus provides event reports within two weeks following the completion of an event.
“We deliver tailor-made solutions that meet each client’s objectives and requirements. Our 24-hour helpdesk and dedicated account manager deliver the impeccable service support our clients have come to expect from us,” adds Hamman.
People moves
Nielsen Sports SA appoints Duncan Stead as business development and client services lead
Nielsen Sports South Africa has appointed Duncan Stead, formerly operations team lead at Naked Financial Technology, as business development and client services lead. He brings with him a strong foundation in performance and data analytics, having begun his career at a rugby academy before transitioning into the fintech sector.
Stead’s journey started with a postgraduate degree from the University of Cape Town, where he developed a keen interest in how data can drive decision-making in sports. His role at the rugby academy provided valuable insights into using data to inform strategies for teams, brands and sponsors. This experience expanded exponentially as he transitioned into the fintech industry with a focus on short-term insurance.
In his new role at Nielsen Sports SA, Stead will be integral to the commercial team, supporting business development and managing client relationships. His commercial expertise will be applied to identifying potential clients, reimagining sales collateral, strategically maintaining the sales pipeline, customer relationship management and internal communications strategy.
Business moves
TDMC enters financial services sector and makes waves in four months
The Digital Media Collective (TDMC) has announced their recent appointment as digital agency for SA Home Loans. The bond originator company’s replacement of their former suppliers with the award-winning Durban-based specialist digital media agency marks a sharpening of their data-driven customer acquisition and learning processes. Harnessing TDMC’s accredited Google Premier Partners and Meta Business Partners status has proved invaluable to SA Home Loans’ sales force, showing positive results since the partnership was set up in May.
In just a few months, thanks to the appointment of TDMC and the implementation of several targeted paid media campaigns, there has been a steep upswing of closed deals. Some of the immediate wins include better understanding of customer silos, improved customer journey processes, and enhanced sales force engagement through concentrated retargeting measures.
The SA Home Loans Smart Application web process and data capture allows for the creation of a considered retargeting campaign. “Arming sales agents with real-time customer information is invaluable, and having access to the data resulting from TDMC’s targeted campaigns enables us to make informed strategic decisions around our marketing efforts,” says Carmen Hockey, who heads up SA Home Loans’ marketing division.
GlobalCom PR Network Welcomes South African Agency, Paddington Station Inc
The award-winning communications agency, Paddington Station Inc., has officially joined the prestigious GlobalCom PR Network, making it the only South African agency within this global alliance of public relations firms. This achievement places Paddington Station Inc. among 80 independent agencies worldwide, giving global brands access to local expertise and international reach across various industries.
GlobalCom PR Network is a worldwide network of independent public relations firms with a proven track record in delivering integrated campaigns across over 100 countries. Paddington Station’s inclusion in the network not only gives GlobalCom PR Network representation in Southern and Eastern Africa, but also grants Paddington Station access to global research and data, such as the CleanTech Forum.
Over the years, Paddington Station Inc. has consistently been recognised for its impactful work and campaigns in the communications landscape. In recent years, the agency received the prestigious Gold Presidential PRISM Award for PR and Communication Advancement, as well as the 2023 Gold PRISM Award for Best Small Agency of the Year. The agency was also the most awarded small agency of 2023.
“We invested a lot of time and resources in finding the right global network that aligned with our values and needs,” said Paul Reynell, Paddington Station founder and managing director. “For our agency to remain independent was important for our clients as it meant our value chain and service levels were maintained, but now we can also offer all the benefits of a network agency, if not better.”
With the recent expansion of the agency’s News Desk into Eastern Africa and Nigeria and the opening of a satellite office in Gauteng, Paddington Station Inc. certainly seems to be positioning itself as the agency ready to take its clients on a brand journey to success
Creative giants: Iconic gantries captivate audiences
With an extensive network of sites spread across South Africa, Outdoor Network’s gantries are high-impact, super-sized, dominant and iconic out-of-home advertising solutions, stretching across busy conversion nodes close to South Africa’s highways. These unmissable, innovative large-format branded powerhouses are designed to capture and captivate viewers’ attention, offering brands a powerful advertising opportunity to boost brand awareness and equity.
Outdoor Network’s gantry network delivers a total VAC of 41 387 543 (Source: OMC 2024), over 84 sites, providing extensive brand coverage in key locations across five provinces – Gauteng, North West, Eastern Cape, Limpopo and Mpumalanga.
These larger-than-life billboards are positioned across multiple lanes on key main roads, driving high engagement among millions of South Africans, reaching consumers ranging from middle market to upper-middle and high-net-worth individuals.
Adding an innovative element, coupled with creative execution and intelligent messaging for further enhanced impact, the larger jumbo gantries are uniquely positioned to convey powerful, eye-catching and memorable campaigns for forward-thinking brands.
Shamy Naidu, Director at Outdoor Network, elaborates: “Our gantries bring the best of OOH directly into South Africa’s most active consumers’ eyelines, driving action and recall in key commuter nodes. Gantries are not just about size. One of the standout benefits of gantries is their ability to deliver impactful creative executions. With extensions and innovative designs, gantries bring brands to life visually, making them more memorable and likely to drive purchase intent.”
OOH is among the top three platforms that provide the most advertising equity in the market, delivering maximum impact and high recall among audiences. (Source Kantar Media Reactions, SA, 2022).
Paramount Africa spearheads industry development initiative
The SHOWTIME/MTV Entertainment Studios Storytellers Lab, a pioneering initiative designed to create impactful partnerships with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in America to cultivate diverse creator pipelines within the entertainment industry, on Friday 13 September, hosted a conference with students from Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa from AFDA and the MultiChoice Talent Factory to lead a global discussion about the future of Black content creation in the entertainment industry around the world.
Dometi Pongo moderated from Atlanta, GA, guiding an engaging conversation that connected talent and executives from both the US andAfrica. Joining him as co-moderator was Lerai, who participated from Johannesburg.
Nick Cannon, multi-hyphenate entertainer and entrepreneur, joined the conversation from Atlanta in front of a live audience, engaging with students and the industry leaders in a conversation that addressed centering the Black experience in storytelling, uplifting fresh voices that reflect the diversity of the BIPOC culture in the entertainment industry and how Black narratives are resonating with a global audience.
Additional industry leaders from the U.S. and Africa who participated in the conversation included U.S. based: Sheila Ducksworth, President of CBS Studios NAACP Ventures and Tolani Holmes, SVP of Unscripted Development at SHOWTIME/MTV Entertainment Studios and Africa based (virtual): Jerry Mofokeng, Actor and Director (Tsotsi and Cry, the Beloved Country, the series Shaka Zulu), Ferry Jele, Director and Producer, (Rockville, The Queen) and Desireé Markgraaff, a leading figure in South African film and TV (Isibaya, Jacob’s Cross, The Road, as well as the film Shaka Zulu).
“We were delighted to have this important conversation with Paramount Africa to explore how telling stories rooted in culture and sharing global experiences is important for creating meaningful content,” said Ti-Shea Meadows, VP of Operations, Channel Planning and Culture,SHOWTIME/MTV Entertainment Studios & Paramount Media Networks and Head of theStorytellers Lab. “In today’s interconnected world, learning from one another and exchanging skills and knowledge helps keep our storytelling relevant and reflect our diverse identities. By embracing each other’s perspectives, we can craft stories that resonate universally while staying true to who we are.”
Mr D’s aHead Start
aHead Marketing Services has announced a new partnership with Mr D, South Africa’s one-stop app designed to deliver a seamless ordering experience whenever you need it. This strategic alliance will see aHead Marketing Services taking care of some of Mr D’s marketing needs, including creative ideation, media strategy, and PR services.
“We are thrilled to partner with Mr D,” said Brad Knowles, CEO of aHead Marketing Services. “Our unique approach, where each marketing service is led by an industry head in collaboration with a former Marketing Director, sets us apart. This ‘two heads are better than one’ strategy ensures that every project benefits from deep industry knowledge and thorough review, guaranteeing exceptional results that align perfectly with our clients’ goals.”
CMO Su-lise Tessendorf-Louw expressed enthusiasm for the partnership, stating, “We are thrilled to collaborate with aHead. Their revolutionary approach to creative solutions, forward-thinking media strategies, and skilled PR campaigns sets them apart from the traditional agency playbook. In a rapidly evolving industry, thinking differently is essential for success, and we are confident that this partnership will not only elevate our brand but also deliver unparalleled value to our customers.”
Lucky Hustle celebrates major client wins with Xiaomi, OTT Voucher and Vita 24
Lucky Hustle has announced a series of major client wins, further solidifying its position as a results-driven and agile creative outfit in the advertising and digital media space.
“We’re thrilled to continue expanding our partnerships with such incredible brands like Xiaomi, OTT Voucher, and Vita 24. These collaborations speak to the trust our clients have in Lucky Hustle’s ability to deliver bold, innovative solutions that connect with audiences on a global scale. As we take on these exciting new projects, we remain committed to pushing the boundaries of creativity while ensuring our clients achieve tangible results, “ said Darren Morris, CEO of Lucky Hustle.
Following the success of Lucky Hustle’s globally recognised ad for the Xiaomi Redmi Note 13, which garnered significant acclaim, the agency has been selected once again to collaborate with Xiaomi. This time, Lucky Hustle will produce three ads for Xiaomi’s upcoming flagship device, the Xiaomi 14T. With production kicking off this month, the ads are slated for release in October 2024.
Flow’s ultimate shopping season webinar
The ultimate ‘shopping season’ is fast approaching and iron-clad media planning is essential to ensure brands get their share of the pie.
Join Flow’s exclusive webinar and discover firsthand insights into current trends and strategies shaping the retail, digital marketing and data strategy industries, as well as exploring how brands are leveraging first-party data to compete during high-demand shopping seasons. Gain a deeper understanding of trends like the retail media boom, consumer buying behaviour during peak shopping periods, and the role of data-driven strategies in shaping marketing efforts.
Date and time: Thursday, 26 September at 11:00 (CAT)
Join the panel of experts and get insights on:
- The retail media boom and buying behaviour during high retail periods.
- How to supercharge your campaigns and compete with massive media budgets using first-party data.
- Audience data tools and strategies you can implement immediately.
- Early access to Flow’s First-Party Data Playbook.
- Sign up here
Making moves
Jacaranda FM’s 2024 Good Morning Angels Golf Day raises R4,85-million to keep changing lives for good
The 2024 Good Morning Angels Golf Day, held on Thursday, 5 September at Centurion Irene Country Club, was an outstanding success, raising an impressive R4.85 million to support and uplift those in need.
With the help, contribution, effort, creativity, and generosity of participants and sponsors, the station managed to surpass their fundraising goals and secure much-needed funds to change lives for good. Over 60 companies participated in the event, demonstrating incredible support for the Good Morning Angels initiative.
“This year’s Good Morning Angels Golf Day was next level on every single front. The tee box sponsors made it so much fun and entertaining and the generosity from our sponsors made this year’s Good Morning Angels Golf Day the biggest one yet,” Martin Bester shared.
“After raising R4 million last year, I didn’t want to get my hopes up and expect more, but our listeners, advertisers, partners and new friends helped make it so much bigger this year. We raised an enormous amount of money and got an enormous amount of support from the Jacaranda FM family. It puts us in such a great position to change more lives and I am so proud to have been a part of such an incredible day.”
Managing director Deirdre King added, “We are overwhelmed by the incredible generosity and commitment shown by our participants and sponsors this year.”
Boston Media House students unite to raise funds for SADAG
A dynamic and heartfelt campus initiative, spearheaded by passionate third-year public relations students from Boston Media House (BMH) in Sandton, recently ignited a wave of support, raising over R4000 for the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG), making a real impact in the fight for mental health awareness!
Turning passion into purpose, the ‘Your Mind Matters’ campaign gave PR students the perfect stage to showcase their media skills in a real-world setting. Far beyond an academic task, this initiative united students around a powerful cause—raising awareness and funds for the incredible work SADAG does through the country’s only 24/7 suicide crisis helpline and other valuable mental health support initiatives.
The campaign kicked off at the end of August with a vital Wellness Wednesday online workshop, led by a SADAG Senior Counsellor and attended by students from Sandton, Arcadia, and Durban campuses. The session focused on mental health check-ins, distinguishing between depression, stress, and anxiety, recognising key symptoms, and knowing when and how to seek help and the services offered by SADAG.
As one of the campaign’s goals was to raise funds to contribute to SADAG, the PR students sold raffle tickets and conceptualised and hosted a vibrant Feel Good Day Campus Experience. At the on-campus event, where students could unwind and recharge before assignment deadlines, the PR student team of 5 successfully raised funds and highlighted mental health awareness, proving that together, they can make a tangible difference.
Burson Africa inspires future PR leaders at career acceleration workshop
Burson, the global communications agency purpose built to create value for clients through reputation, recently hosted a “Career Acceleration” workshop attracting final-year PR students from across Africa. Leveraging the agency’s experience and expertise, it provided practical advice and tips to help springboard their career in the PR Industry.
This event, a perfect complement to Burson Africa’s Starting Blocks internship programme which has trained over 280 up-and-coming PR professionals in 27 countries in Africa, underscores Burson’s commitment to nurturing the next generation of PR professionals.
The workshop, attended by close to 70 participants, including an entire graduating class from a leading Academic Institution, featured sessions on personal branding and how to best showcase strengths. In addition, top marketing and communications recruiter Joanne Barret led a session on decoding the PR job market.
Participants also learnt how to navigate tough interview questions and confidently engaged in mock interviews, receiving feedback from industry experts including Karl Haechler, Burson Africa co-CEO and Lerato Songelwa, Managing Director of Burson South Africa.\
Xperience the glitz and the glam when The Kardashians experience returns to Gauteng
Today, Disney+ announced that in celebration of the success of all five seasons of The Kardashianson the platform, the streaming service from The Walt Disney Company will return to Gauteng this spring with #TheKardashian Experience.
‘“The Kardashians” Experience’ is a unique, free pop-up experience that offers fans an exclusive opportunity to experience a taste of the famous family’s lifestyle firsthand. Visitors will be able to enter a specially branded airstream and stop by the iconic glam station before creating their own “konfessional” to camera, which they will then be able to share on social media.
The iconic “konfessional” is a staple part of the series, where the famous family share their own views and thoughts on the latest drama and intrigue – and now fans can get a glimpse into the world of reality TV and create their own shareable social content to become a part of #TheKardashian story.
Fans who have been following the Kardashian family’s journey, from the early days to the present-day drama would not want to miss out on this unique chance to engage with the show’s most iconic elements.
The #TheKardashianExperience will kick off at Menlyn Park Shopping Centre (20-22 September), followed by a stops at the Fourways Farmers Market (29 September), Serengeti Sunset Market (4 October), Horwoods Market (6 October), Prison Break Market (12-13 October) and Eastgate Shopping Centre (18-20 October). These venues have been carefully selected to bring fans an up-close and personal taste of the Kardashian lifestyle in some of Gauteng’s most vibrant locations. Be sure to follow @DisneyPlusZA for updates on the airstream’s route and location stops that will include exact dates and times at each venue. Fans are encouraged to share their excitement using #TheKardashians Experience.
