The Media Online’s weekly round-up of media business moves, all in one place.
The week’s BIG move
Jacaranda FM refreshes brand identity and visual direction
Jacaranda FM has unveiled a refreshed brand identity, featuring a simplified logo, an expanded purple colour palette and a new typeface as it evolves its feel-good positioning across platforms.
The refresh is informed by findings from Time Out South Africa’s 2025 The Joy Revolution research, which explored what brings people happiness and fulfilment. The study found that 81% of respondents feel energised by spending time with people they like, while the same percentage said they are happiest spending time with loved ones. A further 74% identified rest as a source of satisfaction.
Vuyani Dombo, managing director of Jacaranda FM, says the findings reinforce the station’s focus on everyday moments of connection and happiness.
The updated identity reflects the broadcaster’s growth beyond traditional radio into digital content, social media, live experiences and brand partnerships, while retaining broadcasting at the centre of its offering.
Dombo says the aim is to create a consistent brand experience across all audience touchpoints while preserving the personality and connection that have defined Jacaranda FM.
Business moves
ACA MAC graduate programme opens fourth cohort in February 2027
The Association for Communication and Advertising (ACA) will launch the fourth cohort of its Marketing, Advertising and Communications (MAC) Graduate Programme on 15 February 2027.
Launched in 2024 with support from Publicis and Dentsu, the 12-month industry-wide programme introduces interns and entry-level talent to the MAC sector and its core disciplines, including account management, creative, media, digital, strategy, research and data.
Participants learn from industry leaders and experienced facilitators about how creative, digital, media and communications agencies operate and collaborate. The programme also covers project management, agency finance, ethical and responsible advertising, work readiness, personal branding and career development.
Previous contributors include Roxanna Ravjee, Jonty Fisher, Gail Schimmel, Nkanyezi Masango, Pete Little, Graham Deneys, Lerina Bierman and Derek Coles. The 2027 cohort will hear from a new group of industry leaders.
The ACA is inviting agencies to consider the programme as an addition to, or alternative to developing, their own graduate and internship initiatives.
IAB South Africa publishes retail media playbook
IAB South Africa’s Connected Commerce Committee has developed a Retail Media Playbook to provide brands, agencies, retailers and technology partners with practical frameworks and shared standards for planning, activating and measuring retail media.
The guide addresses the rapid growth of the sector in South Africa, where market development has outpaced common approaches to measurement, standards and collaboration.
Taking a local perspective, the playbook considers the country’s formal retail sector, informal trade, mobile-first and price-sensitive consumers, and the role of channels such as WhatsApp.
It covers retail media formats and opportunities, planning frameworks, on-site, off-site and in-store activation, measurement, attribution and incrementality, supported by local case studies and use cases. A shared retail media glossary is also included.
The committee says the aim is to improve consistency, interoperability and confidence as the market matures, rather than prescribe a single approach.
Key themes from the playbook will be explored at the IAB Insight Series in-person event on 6 November, where a Connected Commerce workshop will examine their practical implications for the industry.
WAN-IFRA to host African publishers’ briefing on AI content licensing
The World Association of News Publishers (WAN-IFRA) will host an executive briefing on 10 November to help African news publishers understand how to protect and commercialise their journalism and editorial archives in the artificial intelligence (AI) ecosystem.
The online session, scheduled for 13:00 CAT, will examine developments in the AI licensing market and how publishers can establish terms of use and compensation for their content.
Topics will include communicating licensing terms to AI companies, structuring editorial archives to make them machine-readable, and exploring existing and emerging content marketplaces and business models.
The briefing will feature Kevin Anderson, director of WAN-IFRA’s Digital Revenue Network, and Elena Perotti, executive director of media policy and public affairs.
WAN-IFRA says the session aims to equip publishing executives with practical strategies to turn editorial content into commercial assets and negotiate licensing arrangements with AI platforms.
Click on the image to register.
99c wins lead agency account for BUCO and Timbercity
Ninety9Cents (99c) has been appointed lead advertising and creative agency for The Building Company (TBCo), taking responsibility for its corporate brand and retail brands BUCO and Timbercity.
The appointment follows a competitive pitch process, with 99c’s integrated capabilities and nearly 20 years of retail experience contributing to the win. A key differentiator was its “Bretail” philosophy, which combines long-term brand building with driving sales.
Andrew Brand, group CEO and founder of 99c, says the agency will help BUCO strengthen its position in the competitive building materials market and appeal to both trade customers and build-it-yourself consumers.
The agency’s integrated operating model, which brings strategy, creative, media and execution together, was another factor in the appointment.
Johan Spies, marketing executive at TBCo, says 99c demonstrated an understanding of the group’s commercial priorities and the needs of its customers, alongside an ability to connect brand development with business returns.
He adds that the agency’s flexibility and capacity to provide strategic leadership while collaborating with existing partners also influenced the decision.
Samsung backs young athletes at Dakar 2026
Samsung Electronics is bringing Galaxy technology and athlete-focused initiatives to the Youth Olympic Games Dakar 2026, reinforcing its commitment to young athletes and the Olympic Movement.
Taking place in Senegal from 31 October to 13 November, the Games bring together more than 2,700 athletes from 207 countries across 25 sports. Dakar 2026 marks the first Olympic event of any kind to be hosted on the African continent.
As a Worldwide Olympic and Paralympic Partner, Samsung is drawing on nearly four decades of involvement in the Olympic Movement. Its support for the Youth Olympic Games dates back to the inaugural event in Singapore in 2010.
For the first time at the Youth Olympic Games, Galaxy S26 Ultra smartphones are being integrated into sports coverage, with devices used alongside traditional broadcast cameras in skateboarding and taekwondo to capture close-up, handheld and vertical perspectives.
The Olympic Victory Selfie initiative is also making its Youth Olympic Games debut, extending the athlete-focused programme first introduced at Paris 2024.
World Out of Home Organization adds 13 members
The World Out of Home Organization (WOO) has added 13 members across five continents, expanding its global representation following its largest-ever annual congress in London in June, which attracted more than 800 delegates.
The new members include eight national media owners, three OOH service providers, one national media agency and one national OOH association, representing the UK, US, South Korea, Oman, Qatar, New Zealand, Croatia, Monaco, Pakistan and the UAE.
The new media owners are Yeoul Ad (South Korea), ONEIC Media-Seraj (Oman), Inova Media (Qatar), SkyBlue Group (UAE), Vertex (Monaco), Mobile Media (UK), Anic Media (Croatia) and London International Exhibition Centre (Excel).
Service providers include ClearLED (US), Mortal (New Zealand) and Bri Signs (UAE). Pakistan is represented by the All Pakistan Outdoor Advertising Association (APOAA) and media agency Hart Communications.
WOO chief operating officer Mark Flys says the diversity of new members demonstrates the value of global industry representation. He also welcomed APOAA’s membership ahead of the organisation’s Pakistan Country Forum in Karachi on 5 November.
South African PR measurement webinar set for November
The 2026 South African PR Measurement Landscape Webinar will take place on 26 November, from 10:00 to 11:00 SAST, examining how the industry measures and demonstrates the value and impact of public relations.
The session will unpack findings from the 2026 landscape report and explore how the sector can strengthen its approach to PR measurement.
Click here to register.
Registration opens for World News Media Congress 2027
Registration is open for the World News Media Congress 2027, taking place at Folkets hus in Stockholm, Sweden, from 7 to 9 June.
Hosted by the World Association of News Publishers (WAN-IFRA), the annual congress brings together media leaders from around the world to discuss developments and challenges facing the news industry.
The 2027 event follows the Marseille congress, which attracted 1,300 media leaders from more than 65 countries. An early registration offer is available.
Click on image to register.
Campaign moves
KFC and Ogilvy serve up family drama in latest Streetwise campaign
KFC has launched its latest Streetwise Family campaign, created by Ogilvy South Africa and produced by Darling Films, using the familiar drama and humour of South African television storytelling to explore the meaning of family.
Directed by Slim, the film stars S’dumo Mtshali and Zikhona Sodlaka, alongside Katlego Kagje, Angela Linda and Grace Molele. Bongeziwe Mabandla’s Zama provides the soundtrack.
Under the platform Make Room for More. It’s a Family Thing, the campaign explores the tensions, awkward silences and everyday moments that bring families together, recognising that family comes in different forms.
Hloni Mohope, chief marketing officer of KFC Africa, says the intention was to tell a story that audiences would recognise and relate to.
The campaign has attracted strong audience reactions on social media, with comments including “This is ADVERTISING!” and “First of my bloodline to cry watching an ad.”
The integrated campaign is rolling out across television, radio, out-of-home, social media and experiential channels.
Making moves
Algoa FM Big Walk for Cancer attracts 22 700 participants
The 28th Algoa FM Big Walk for Cancer, presented by Isuzu Motors South Africa, attracted a record 22 700 participants across Gqeberha, George and Buffalo City on 31 October, with additional virtual walkers joining from across South Africa and abroad.
George recorded 30% year-on-year growth in participation, while Buffalo City saw a 20% increase.
Algoa FM managing director Alfie Jay says the event continues to unite communities behind a common cause, with participants walking in support of loved ones affected by cancer.
The 2026 beneficiaries are the Prostate Cancer Foundation of South Africa and CHOC, the Childhood Cancer Foundation. Funds raised will support the purchase of prostate diagnostic equipment for Frere Hospital in Buffalo City, Provincial Hospital in Nelson Mandela Bay and George Hospital, as well as a twin-cab vehicle for CHOC.
Jay says the focus on prostate cancer contributed to a record turnout of male participants this year.
Isuzu Motors South Africa senior manager for corporate communications Sharné Woods says the event demonstrates the power of communities coming together to support those affected by cancer.
Temba Bavuma Foundation marks 10 years of youth development
The Temba Bavuma Foundation is marking its 10th anniversary, reflecting on a decade of initiatives supporting young people through education, sport and community development.
Founded by cricketer Temba Bavuma, the foundation’s work includes academic support at secondary and tertiary levels, school cricket development, professional mentorship and grassroots social welfare programmes, including food support and school lunchbox campaigns.
Recent initiatives include the participation of its Temba Tigers U12 team in the St David’s Marist Inanda cricket festival and a youth entrepreneurship programme at the school’s Alexandra Campus.
Delivered in partnership with Empowered Futures, the entrepreneurship initiative introduces learners to business development and financial literacy. Its Future Founders Challenge: Soap-to-Startup Build a Business in a Box culminated in teams presenting their products and business concepts to a panel of judges.
Bavuma says the foundation’s first decade has demonstrated the importance of creating meaningful opportunities for young people.
Engen launches WhatsApp loyalty programme for mechanics
Engen has launched Engen Xtreme Rewards, a WhatsApp-based loyalty programme rewarding mechanics for purchasing qualifying Engen Xtreme lubricants.
Members earn points by uploading till slips for eligible purchases via WhatsApp and can redeem their rewards as cashback vouchers at Engen Quickshop stores nationwide.
The programme awards 50 points per litre on the Xtreme S15 Prestige range, 20 points on the S10 Premium range and 10 points on the S8 Standard range. New members will earn double points on qualifying purchases during their first two months.
Every 10 points converts to R1 in cashback rewards.
Melissa Graham, Engen lubricants marketing manager, says the programme recognises mechanics’ support for and recommendation of the brand.
