The Media Online’s weekly round up of people, account and business moves in media.
This week’s BIG move: SportyTV acquires pay rights for the FIFA World Cup 2026 in South Africa
SportyTV has secured a historic and groundbreaking agreement with FIFA to broadcast all 104 matches of the FIFA World Cup 2026 in South Africa on a Pay TV basis, a landmark deal that positions the platform at the forefront of sports media innovation across the continent.
Just one year after launching in the market, SportyTV have moved from challenger brand to being at the forefront of media innovation. Having entered South Africa with a bold statement through the broadcast of the FIFA Club World Cup 2025, the platform now acquires the biggest sporting event on the planet. This move firmly establishes its dominance in one of Africa’s most competitive media landscapes.
All 104 matches will be available via SportyTV’s fully integrated OTT platform, distributed across all major television ecosystems, as well as through its mobile app, available on Android and App Store, delivering a seamless, premium viewing experience at scale.
The production will match the scale of the rights. SportyTV will deliver comprehensive pre- and post-match coverage from its state-of-the-art studios in Cape Town and Madrid, supported by a lineup of top-tier commentators and elite football pundits, to be unveiled shortly.
People moves
Hearts & Science launches in South Africa, appoints Amy Leibbrandt as managing director
Global data-driven marketing agency Hearts & Science has officially launched its South African operation, marking a significant expansion into the African market and reinforcing its commitment to delivering world-class, insight-led media solutions in high-growth regions.
The South African business will be led by Amy Leibbrandt, who takes on the role of managing director. With over two decades of experience in the media industry, Leibbrandt brings deep expertise in strategic media planning, client leadership, and integrated campaign delivery.
Part of the Omnicom Media network, Hearts & Science is known globally for transforming data signals into meaningful connections between brands and consumers, driving measurable business growth. The agency combines advanced analytics, technology and human insight to create personalised marketing strategies that deliver both performance and emotional resonance at scale.
“This is an incredibly exciting moment, not just for Hearts & Science, but for the South African media industry,” said Leibbrandt. “Brands today need more than reach; they need relevance, precision, and connection. Hearts & Science is uniquely built to deliver exactly that, combining data, technology and human understanding to tailor recommendations and unlock growth in a rapidly evolving media landscape.”
Stellantis appoints Sizwekazi Jekwa Mdingi as head of communication and CSR
Stellantis Middle East and Africa has appointed Sizwekazi Jekwa Mdingi as the head of communication and corporate social responsibility (CSR) for Stellantis in South Africa.
Mdingi joins Stellantis Middle East & Africa communications team with a wealth of experience in the communications field, having successfully led both internal and corporate communications functions across various environments.
Her expertise spans journalism, strategic communication, stakeholder engagement, brand positioning, and the development of impactful CSR initiatives. She has a proven track record of driving communication strategies that strengthen organisational culture, enhance reputation, and foster meaningful connections with both internal and external stakeholders.
In her new role, Mdingi will be responsible for shaping and leading the local Stellantis communication strategy, media relations with local press, ensuring alignment with organisational goals, and advancing Stellantis CSR activities to create sustainable value for the communities we serve.
Step into Nespresso’s new Vertuo world, starring global brand ambassador Dua Lipa
From iced lattes by the pool to slow morning brews at home, coffee is increasingly becoming a form of personal ritual and expression for South Africans. It’s this shift that sits at the heart of Nespresso’s latest global campaign, fronted by musician and global brand ambassador, Dua Lipa.
At the heart of the campaign is a simple yet powerful idea: every cup of coffee is an invitation
to explore. This spirit comes to life through immersive, high-impact visuals that shift between unexpected worlds, each inspired by exceptional coffee, culture, and creativity.
Dua Lipa, known for her global outlook and creative identity, embodies this sense of exploration. In a playful nod to the brand’s legacy, she reimagines the iconic “What else?” line, alongside a cameo from long-time ambassador George Clooney.
The campaign lands as more South Africans embrace café-style experiences at home, whether through experimenting with recipes, exploring new flavours, or investing in premium machines. According to Gabriel Nobre, CEO of Nespresso South Africa, this shift reflects a broader change in how consumers engage with coffee: “We’re seeing coffee become a more personal and expressive part of everyday life in South Africa, especially among younger consumers who are exploring new formats, flavours and rituals at home.”
WPP appoints Anne-Isabelle Choueiri as chief transformation officer
WPP has announced the appointment of Anne-Isabelle Choueiri as chief transformation officer.
In this newly created role, she will be responsible for designing, implementing and embedding the operations that underpin Elevate28, WPP’s three-year growth plan unveiled in February 2026. She will spearhead initiatives that foster innovation and efficiency to transform WPP’s integrated offer to clients – aligned with the company’s mission to become the trusted growth partner for the world’s leading brands – ensuring that the company shows up differently with agile, outcome-driven solutions that deliver measurable growth.
She will lead organisational transformation across WPP, working closely with the company’s product and enterprise tech teams to harness AI, technology and data to unlock new capabilities and drive operational excellence. Choueiri will also partner with the company’s people function to make culture a strategic lever for transformation, building an agile, high-performance mindset across the organisation that accelerates change, embeds new ways of working and attracts world-class talent.
She joins WPP from The Estée Lauder Companies, where she led enterprise-wide strategic initiatives.
Business moves
Africa Creator Festival 2026 officially launched in Cape Town
The future of Africa’s creator economy took centre stage in Cape Town as industry leaders, media, creators and brands gathered for the official launch of the Africa Creator Festival (ACF) 2026. Hosted at Durbanville Hills wine farm, the launch marked a significant moment for the continent’s leading platform dedicated to creators, signalling both growth and a bold new direction for the industry.
Now entering its fourth edition, the Africa Creator Festival has evolved from a local gathering into one of the continent’s most influential platforms connecting creators, brands and industry stakeholders. With a strong focus on economic impact, innovation and storytelling, the 2026 edition aims to further position African creators not just as influencers, but as entrepreneurs building sustainable businesses that contribute to the broader economy.
This year also marks the second consecutive year of partnership between the Africa Creator Festival and Heineken, further strengthening their shared commitment to supporting and elevating the creator economy.
The 2026 festival introduces an exciting evolution, with the addition of two standalone events focused on key high-growth sectors: travel and sport. These include the Sports Creator Summit taking place in Johannesburg on 23 April 2026, as well as the flagship Africa Creator Festival, set to take place on 4 and 5 September 2026 in Johannesburg.
Nyama Battle returns to e.tv sponsored by Boxer
South Africa’s favourite street food competition, Nyama Battle, is back for a bold and flavour-packed season. Set against the vibrant backdrop of Cape Town and its surrounding areas, Nyama Battle: The Mother City premieres on 10 May on e.tv, bringing viewers high stakes, real stories, and unforgettable culinary battles.
In partnership with Boxer, the discount supermarket, the new season celebrates the heart of South African street food culture while shining a spotlight on entrepreneurship, ambition, and the everyday grind of building something from nothing.
At its core, Nyama Battle is more than a cooking show. It is a platform for real people with real dreams. From local street food inspiration to modern culinary creativity, contestants compete not only for the title but for the opportunity to turn their passion into sustainable businesses.
In an exciting evolution, Nyama Battle puts the power directly into the hands of South Africans. Following a nationwide call for entries, aspiring food entrepreneurs submitted their dishes, stories, and journeys to be part of the competition. The public then stepped in, voting for their favourites and helping shape the final lineup.
This public voting phase ensured that the Top 12 contestants are selected by the audience, bringing real support, relatability, and national pride into the competition from day one.
Set in Cape Town and its surrounding areas, the season captures the essence of the Mother City’s diverse food identity while celebrating the people behind the food.
TEDxCapeTown partners with Chilled to reimagine event catering through purpose-led, plant-based innovation
TEDxCapeTown has announced a new partnership with purpose-driven plant-based food brand Chilled, marking a bold step in aligning its event experience with its long-standing food ethos centred on sustainability, health, and ethical consumption.
At the heart of this collaboration is a shared belief: that the choices we make about food are deeply connected to the future we are collectively shaping.
“Through this partnership, we’re inviting our audience to engage not just intellectually, but physically and emotionally with the idea of more resilient, conscious futures. Chilled’s approach to food aligns seamlessly with the kind of thinking we aim to spark on the TEDx stage,” says Alexandryna Raubenheimer, TEDxCapeTown curator.
“At Chilled Lifestyle, we’re driven by purpose: making healthy, mindful food accessible to more people. TEDxCapeTown is a platform for ideas that shape a better future, and we’re proud to support conversations that align with how we think about food, wellbeing, and impact,” says Yaron Assabi, founder of Chilled.
Taylorleds sponsor commercial screens & display sector at Mediatech Africa
Mediatech Africa has announced Taylorleds as an official sponsor of the commercial screens & display technology sector at the 2026 expo, taking place from 30 June to 2 July at the Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit in Johannesburg.
Taylorleds, distributed in Sub Saharan Africa by Peripheral Vision, supplies a wide range of LED display solutions across corporate boardrooms, auditoriums, lecture theatres, indoor retail displays, immersive rooms, mission critical control rooms, outdoor digital signage solutions and public space environments.
Their portfolio includes fine pitch indoor displays, outdoor commercial LED solutions, high-resolution COB technology, and customised configurations designed for long-term, fixed installations.
The commercial screens & display technology sector at Mediatech Africa focuses on fixed installation display solutions used in boardrooms, retail environments, corporate headquarters, control rooms, hospitality spaces, education campuses and digital signage networks.
Mangomolo enhances its end-to-end multimedia platform for broadcasters
Mangomolo’s solution has been strengthened in response to evolving local content consumption. Demand for regional news and media is pushing broadcasters to deliver high-quality digital experiences while maintaining operational efficiency. These updates place the user experience at the centre, delivering a unified, intuitive journey across multi-platform OTT environments while boosting operational agility.
“Our platform lets audiences move seamlessly between news, video, and audio, while editorial and production teams retain control over their own workflows,” said Wissam Sabbagh, CEO of Mangomolo. “The close integration of these systems ensures a smooth experience for viewers and simplifies the way teams manage content.”
For broadcasters, this unified approach translates into faster time-to-market, reduced operational complexity, and the ability to launch fully integrated digital hubs that better serve local communities. For audiences, it means easier access to relevant content, fewer barriers between formats, and a more cohesive and engaging viewing experience.
Omnicom and Volkswagen launch dedicated global agency, Bernbach
Omnicom is establishing a new global agency model for Volkswagen with Bernbach. Bernbach represents integrated collaboration, international scalability, and an unwavering commitment to creative excellence. The name pays homage to legendary advertising executive Bill Bernbach, co-founder of DDB.
Bernbach will operate under a unified name worldwide and unites global leadership with local insights to drive impactful brand experiences.
Bernbach expands the long-standing collaboration between Volkswagen and Omnicom, adding transformation consulting as a third key pillar alongside creative services and global collaboration. Damir Maric, who has held various leadership positions at Mercedes-Benz over the past 20 years, most recently as Head of Global Brand Creative and Head of Brand Strategy & Corporate Identity, leads the new unit as CEO.
The global creative team is led by Frank Hahn, an experienced international creative leader who has previously worked at Anomaly, 72andSunny, and other Omnicom agencies.
Vaseline takes on counterfeits with a real Nigerian Prince for campaign by Leo Singapore
Vaseline has created a new authentication tool and enlisted the help of a Nigerian Prince to launch a fight back against fake versions of Vaseline Body Oils in Nigeria through a campaign created by Leo Singapore of Publicis Groupe.
With the global trade in fake goods estimated at USD 467 billion[1], Nigeria’s skincare market has not been spared. Consumers are increasingly at risk of using products made with unregulated, untested and potentially harmful ingredients that can lead to adverse reactions and health risks.
While Unilever already works with local authorities, the effects of enforcement action against fakes rarely reach consumers fast enough. This initiative makes it possible for consumers to shop with peace of mind and protect themselves from fakes.
First launched in Nigeria, the innovation behind the campaign is the Vaseline Authenticator – a free, WhatsApp-based tool that allows consumers to confirm the authenticity of their Vaseline Body Oils in seconds.
World Out of Home Organization to shine a light on four main themes for its 2026 Annual Congress
The World Out of Home Organization’s 2026 Annual Congress in London is shaping up to be the most important gathering in WOO’s recent history — the first return to London since 1990 but also an opportunity to highlight the importance of creativity, sustainability and the AdNetZero carbon calculator, the increasing importance of data and measurement , as well as the global challenge of regulation creep.
Tim Bleakley, chairman of Ocean Outdoor will head up the creativity workstream, Katrin Robertson, CEO at blowUP media leads on sustainability, Charles Parry-Okenden of Australia’s OMA will focus on data and measurement whilst Kai-Marcus Thaesler of B|A|M the German OOH Association will lead WOO’s monitoring and action plan on Regulation.
Key initiatives in these areas will be announced at the London Congress.
AI Diagnostics raises R85 million to accelerate AI-powered TB screening
AI Diagnostics, a South African medtech company, has raised R85 million in a pre-Series A funding round to accelerate deployment of its AI-powered Ostium digital stethoscope, enabling early tuberculosis (TB) screening without specialist equipment or infrastructure.
“We back technical entrepreneurs who are closest to the problems they’re solving, and AI Diagnostics is a clear example of why that matters,” says Joe Exner, CEO of The Steele Foundation for Hope. “They’ve built novel hardware: an AI-enabled digital stethoscope that detects TB through lung sound analysis with point-of-care accuracy that simply wasn’t possible before. In communities without X-ray infrastructure or specialist clinicians, this puts real diagnostic capability in the hands of nurses and community health workers.”
