The Media Online’s weekly round-up of media business moves, all in one place.
This week’s BIG move: Carat launches Difference Engineered
Carat, dentsu’s global media agency, has launched Difference Engineered, a new global positioning and brand identity aimed at creating greater differentiation and measurable advantage for clients.
The launch comes amid strong global momentum for Carat, following its recognition as 2026 Media Network of the Year at Cannes Lions, alongside continued client and new business growth.
In South Africa, the launch builds on Carat’s reputation as one of the country’s leading media agencies. The agency was named Media Agency of the Year at the 2025 Financial Mail AdFocus Awards and recognised as Media Agency of the Decade by SCOPEN in 2026. These achievements reflect the strength of its client partnerships, strategic ambition, award-winning work and, above all, its people.
Lerina Bierman, managing director of Carat South Africa, said: “Difference Engineered is more than a new positioning for us. It puts into words the way we believe great media should work. In a world where technology and automation can make it increasingly easy for brands to look and behave the same, our role is to find the opportunities to do things differently and turn those into meaningful advantage for our clients.”
Difference Engineered responds to a growing challenge across the media industry. As automation, optimisation and fragmentation increase, media risks becoming increasingly standardised. Brands can achieve greater efficiency and scale while becoming less distinctive.
People moves
Advocate Sesi Baloyi SC, is Sanef’s Keynote Speaker for its 2026 Fundraiser Gala Dinner
The South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF) has announced Advocate Sesi Baloyi SC as the keynote speaker at its annual fundraiser Gala Dinner, on Thursday, 22 October 2026, in Johannesburg.
Sponsored by Absa Bank, the gala dinner will bring together media leaders, corporate partners, civil society organisations, and other stakeholders committed to protecting media freedom, strengthening democratic institutions, and promoting accountability in South Africa.
Advocate Baloyi SC is a distinguished senior counsel who serves as a commissioner on the Madlanga Commission, a judicial commission of inquiry into criminality, political interference and corruption in the criminal justice system. She brings valuable legal expertise and insight into the fight against corruption, the rule of law and the protection of our constitutional democracy.
Her participation comes at a critical time when independent journalism, transparency and accountability remain essential to ensuring that those entrusted with public power are held to account.
Richfield appoints Dr Kiru Pillay as Dean of the Faculty of Information Technology
Richfield Graduate Institute of Technology has appointed Dr Kiru Pillay as Dean of the Faculty of Information Technology, effective 1 October 2026.
Pillay will lead the faculty’s strategic development, focusing on academic programmes, research, emerging technology capabilities and partnerships that strengthen student learning and graduate outcomes.
He brings more than 38 years of experience across the ICT sector, spanning industry, academia, research and the public sector. His career has focused on digital transformation, cybersecurity, data governance, emerging technologies, and the development of secure and interoperable digital ecosystems.
His public-sector experience includes 10 years with the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies, where he contributed to South Africa’s national cybersecurity mandate through the national Computer Security Incident Response Team. He has also supported digital transformation initiatives through the African Digital Transformation Centre.
WPP appoints Adam Gerhart as global chief client officer
WPP has appointed Adam Gerhart as global chief client officer. Based in New York, he will lead key global client relationships and oversee the company’s network of Global Client Leaders. He joins WPP’s Executive Committee and reports to chief operating officer Devika Bulchandani.
Gerhart will focus on expanding and deepening client partnerships across WPP’s integrated offerings, driving cross-agency collaboration and harnessing data, AI and creativity to address clients’ most complex growth challenges.
A seasoned WPP leader whose career has spanned roles from strategist to global CEO, Gerhart most recently served as global chief client officer for WPP Media, embedding client-centricity in strategic decision-making. He previously held global leadership positions including Global Chief Client Officer of GroupM and Global CEO of Mindshare.
WPP appoints Tyler Turnbull as CEO of WPP Creative
WPP has announced that Tyler Turnbull will join the company as CEO of WPP Creative in early 2027, succeeding Jon Cook.
Turnbull joins WPP from McCann, where he is currently global CEO. He brings experience in transforming agencies, building trusted client partnerships, developing high-performing cultures and driving creative and commercial growth.
He will lead WPP Creative into its next phase of growth, strengthening connections between its creative brands and WPP’s capabilities in media, data, production, commerce and technology to create a new kind of growth partner for the AI era.
Business moves
Taste of Cape Town brings the city’s restaurants to Green Point Cricket Club in November
On Saturday 28 and Sunday 29 November 2026, Taste of Cape Town will bring 12 of the city’s most celebrated restaurants together at Green Point Cricket Club. Guests will be able to order from the same menus at the same prices.
The festival is built around a simple idea: celebrating Cape Town’s restaurants by bringing the city to them. For one weekend, 12 kitchens that have helped put Cape Town on the world’s food map will cook side by side.
“Cape Town does not show up for menus. It shows up for the table,” said Bonnke Shipalana, group CEO of The Allure Group, which holds the exclusive IMG licence for Taste in South Africa. “The meal you remember from a Cape Town summer is not the one with the most courses. It is the one everyone was at. For two days, La Colombe, FYN and Vuur cook in the same field, and a R450 ticket gets you to every one of those tables.”
Confirmed chefs include James Gaag of La Colombe, Amori Burger of Upper Union, Vusi Ndlovu of EDGE Africa, Shaun Scrooby of Vuur and Bertus Basson of Basson & Co, alongside FYN founder Peter Tempelhoff and culinary director Ashley Moss.
“Cape Town’s food and wine are part of who we are, and they bring people to our city from every corner of the world. Taste of Cape Town puts our restaurants, our producers and our young talent in front of thousands of guests over one weekend. That means tables filled, suppliers paid and young people given a start in the kitchen. The City supports events like this because they grow our economy and celebrate the arts and culture that make Cape Town home,” said JP Smith, City of Cape Town Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security.
Tickets are available at tasteofcapetown.com and Quicket.
S3 brings Metro FM’s popular relationship feature Ask A Man to television
S3 will premiere Metro FM’s relationship feature Ask A Man on Monday 2 November 2026 at 19:00, with a simultaneous broadcast on SABC+.
Built around real stories, candid conversations and questions people often struggle to ask out loud, Ask A Man brings discussions about love, relationships and modern-day realities to S3 viewers.
The show explores love, dating, commitment and the challenges of navigating relationships. Through candid perspectives and engaging conversations, it aims to unpack issues that resonate with audiences and examine familiar relationship dilemmas from different points of view.
The move from radio to television builds on the feature’s connection with audiences, extending the conversation to a new platform where real experiences and diverse perspectives can take centre stage.
99c unveils new AI capabilities to enhance client delivery
Integrated communications agency 99c has developed more than 40 AI agents over a two-year programme aimed at addressing common, time-consuming challenges in agency operations.
Group CEO and founder Andrew Brand said the agency began exploring AI early on, but its approach went beyond the generative tools commonly associated with producing creative assets faster.
“When AI really started taking off, some of the first use cases in our industry were the obvious ones: suddenly you could generate a storyboard or create an image by typing a prompt,” says Brand. “We could see the value in this, but we felt there was a much bigger opportunity.”
“We started looking across the entire agency ecosystem and asking: ‘Where are the pressure points? Where could we save time? How can we minimise admin and maximise time to think? And what are the problems AI might genuinely help us solve?’ We believe the real opportunity in AI lies in connecting data and workflows, and finding new ways to scale expertise, rather than simply churning out creative assets. But using it intelligently also makes human insight and judgement more important, not less.”
Two years of testing, mapping and iteration have resulted in multiple AI agents and use cases connected through 99c’s agentic network.
Campaign moves
South Africans could win a share of R500 million in cash and prizes this summer
Telkom’s Datanaire campaign highlights the value of broadband connectivity, offering eligible customers the chance to win a share of R500 million in cash and prizes.
“Datanaire is the consumer expression of that thinking,” said Telkom CMO Gugu Mthembu. “We want customers to feel rich in connectivity, able to do more, experience more and get more value from the money they spend with us. The future of customer value is not simply about being connected; it is about what people can confidently and meaningfully do with that connection.”
Telkom’s summer proposition reflects the different ways customers use mobile and home broadband. It brings together offers and opportunities designed to help customers get more from their connections, whether they are on the move or at home.
Making moves
Run to fund mammograms for women in under-resourced communities
5FM is once again partnering with Breast Intentions for the annual Breast Intentions Colour Run, Ampli5d by 5FM, taking place on Saturday 17 October 2026 at Thaba Eco Trails in Johannesburg.
The family-friendly 5km walk and run aims to raise funds for 100 life-saving mammograms for women in under-resourced communities. Every ticket sold contributes to making early detection possible.
5FM will broadcast live from the event through 5 Weekend Breakfast with Mike V, Palesa Lemeke and Aaron Masemola, bringing music and the campaign’s message to listeners across Mzansi.
Tickets are available through Breast Intentions and Thaba Eco Trails. Every entry contributes to the Give Hope. Fund a Scan campaign.
Masi Mdingane, business manager for 5FM and Good Hope FM, said: “5FM is deeply committed to women’s wellbeing and to using our platform for real impact. We are proud to have formidable women on our line up, and proud of the men who stand beside them in this fight. Supporting Breast Intentions is about more than awareness. It is about making a practical, meaningful and potentially life saving difference for women who need it most.”
Let Your Voice Be Heard goes behind the scenes ahead of elections
Three decades after South Africans first queued to vote together, Let Your Voice Be Heard examines where people experience democracy in their daily lives, from the tap and the road to the staircase and the light switch.
The series airs on SABC 2 at 21:30 on Sundays and is also available on SABC+.
In the weeks before the 4 November 2026 local government elections, the series travels from the Cape Flats to QwaQwa, Giyani and the Vaal, following ordinary South Africans as they examine their wards and the services their communities depend on.
Along the way, they learn who is responsible, how the system works, how to raise an issue and follow it up, and how their ward and ballot connect to decisions that shape daily life. These are stories of everyday people, the places they call home and what it means to have a say.
MRF invites media and marketing professionals to latest MAPS release
The Marketing Research Foundation (MRF) will host a webinar on Thursday 15 October 2026, from 09:00 to 10:30, to present the latest release of the Marketing All Product Survey (MAPS®).
Covering fieldwork conducted from July 2025 to June 2026, the release is the 24th quarterly MAPS report since the survey’s launch in 2020. It will provide an overview of the latest consumer behaviour and media trends in South Africa, including topline findings, market shifts and strategic insights.
“MAPS gives the industry a single data source that connects products, services, brands, behaviour and media consumption. MAPS is a continuous study with no breaks that tracks both behavioural and seasonal shifts over time and this gives users of MAPS a unique competitive edge,” said Johann Koster, CEO of the MRF.
Event details
- Event: MAPS Webinar – Consumer Insights
- Date: Thursday 15 October 2026
- Time: 09:00–10:30
- Format: Online webinar
- Hosts: The Marketing Research Foundation (MRF) and Plus94 Research
- Register: https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/e92fffd0-6265-4acb-8af3-54cefae8b25d@54694a3e-ea56-4bf8-bd2c-83bf1d910d45
“We look forward to welcoming the industry to this session,” said Koster. “It is an opportunity to see the latest MAPS findings and to ask questions.”
