The Media Online’s weekly round up of people, account and business moves in media.
This week’s BIG move: Turning everyday bus shelter infrastructure into visible brand impact
South Africa’s urban commuters represent one of the country’s most consistent daily audiences. The question is how to matter to them. In a landscape where credibility is under constant scrutiny, brands are under increasing pressure to demonstrate real, visible impact in the communities they serve.
Through Leap by Provantage, Street Network, in partnership with the City of Tshwane, is enabling brands to do exactly that by transforming everyday public infrastructure into a platform for visible, community-based sustainability.
A first-of-its-kind South African initiative, 150 bus shelter rooftops across Tshwane are being converted into living urban gardens, repurposing street furniture infrastructure into green spaces that bring shade and ecological benefits into the heart of the city.
Rolled out across key commuter routes including Menlyn, Lynnwood, Centurion, Brooklyn, Wierdapark, Montana, Lyttelton and Equestria, the network reaches hundreds of thousands of people every day. These are not passive impressions. They are repeated, lived experiences in spaces where people move, wait, and engage with their surroundings.
Each shelter incorporates Spekboom (Portulacaria afra), a resilient indigenous plant known for its carbon absorption properties and minimal water requirements. The structures introduce greenery into dense urban areas, support pollinators, and create natural cooling through shaded environments. This enhances the commuter experience while contributing to greener urban spaces.
For brands, this creates something more meaningful than traditional advertising exposure. It enables a visible, ongoing presence that communities can see, experience, and associate directly with the brand supporting it.
“Customers are no longer moved by what brands promise. They are moved by what brands do visibly, in the communities where they work, live and play. This initiative changes that, not through reports or promises, but through visible infrastructure embedded in the communities a brand serves every day,” said Vaughan Berry, executive director.
People moves
WPP appoints Peter Agnefjäll to the Board
WPP has appointed Peter Agnefjäll to its board as non-executive director, with effect from 11 May 2026.
Agnefjäll began his career at IKEA as a graduate trainee back in 1995 and held a number of senior positions before serving as CEO and president of the IKEA Group (Ingka Holding B.V.) from 2013 to 2017. During this period, he led the company’s growth agenda and move into omnichannel retail, new shopping and distribution formats. He holds an M.Sc. in Business Administration from Linköping University.
Our City News looking for digital editor
The Henry Nxumalo Foundation NPC has built a virtual non-profit newsroom focused on Johannesburg, Our City News (OCN). Our City News is a non-profit Joburg-focused newsroom. It plans to develop its website with a number of features to serve and attract City residents.
Our City News is looking for a new team member to take responsibility for the website’s development, daily updating and upkeep, working with technical support. Time commitment: 14h00-17h00, Monday to Friday, 01 June 2026 to 31 July 2027.
Click here for more details and to apply by 17 November.
Business moves
Carling Black Label launches limited edition packs that could be a ticket to The FIFA Soccer World Cup
Carling Black Label, the official beer of the FIFA World Cup 2026 in Africa, has opened a once in a lifetime competition that gives Champion fans an opportunity to experience the semi-finals LIVE.
To enter, Champions Fans can sign-up on www.carlingpredictor.com. You can also purchase a limited-edition promotional pack, available in store now in 750ml returnable bottles and 500ml cans, and follow the directions to register on www.carlingpredictor.com or by dialling *120*660#.
The grand prize is a FIFA World Cup 2026 semi-final experience: a seat at one of the most unforgettable occasions in world football, where the last four teams will battle for a place in the final. Instant prizes, including cash and airtime, are also available throughout the entry period. Entries opened on the 6th of April 2026 and will remain open until May 2026.
HOT 102.7FM hits No.1 again in media & telecoms in Growth Champions 2026
HOT 102.7FM has secured the top position in the Media & Telecommunications sector of South Africa’s Growth Champions 2026 report for the second year running. This result reflects a business built to deliver value at every level, from loyal, engaged audiences to real returns for advertisers, and consistent, organic growth.
The ranking recognises companies with the strongest verified revenue performance over a three-year period, with only businesses that have scaled meaningfully and grown organically over time making the list.
For HOT 102.7FM, back-to-back appearances in this ranking are not coincidental. They are the measurable output of a business model built on clarity of positioning, disciplined execution, and a refusal to chase trends at the expense of fundamentals.
From the outset, HOT 102.7FM was built around a clear, strategic vision. That focus has paid off, particularly with Gauteng’s upper income demographic. According to the latest BrandMapp research released earlier this year, 46% of HOT 102.7FM listeners earned between R40k and R100k per month in 2025. BrandMapp also revealed that HOT 102.7FM has enjoyed 122% growth in just 3 years, increasing listenership from 320 000 in 2022 to 710 000 in 2025.
The station’s strategic focus translates directly into commercial value. Advertisers seeking access to high-income consumers have a precisely targeted vehicle. The station’s revenue model is built on delivering a return on investment, something founder and managing director Lloyd Madurai describes as non-negotiable.
Cape-Town based digital innovation agency evolves to become Africa’s leading product consultancy firm
Building software is only getting cheaper. Building the wrong thing at scale has never been more expensive. That tension sits at the centre of Specno’s evolution from award-winning digital agency to product consultancy.
The deliberate repositioning by the Cape-Town-based firm was the result of careful consideration, after noticing a significant gap in the local market. No one else is delivering specialist support to business professionals in the moment most growth-stage companies get wrong: when making decisions for business cases, which must later hold up in reality, and generate revenue.
“Across the South African tech landscape, a pattern has emerged. Companies with strong engineering teams are shipping on time, but the business case collapses after launch. Users aren’t converting. Daily active usage drops off. Features go live that nobody asked for. Revenue assumptions that looked solid in a deck don’t hold in reality,” shares Joshua Harvey, CEO at Specno.
Specno’s new model is built to intervene at that exact point. The company embeds senior product, UX, and engineering specialists directly into client teams during the delivery windows where the margin for error is smallest: platform builds, product launches, critical integrations, and architecture commitments that are hard to reverse.
Walmart and Google partner with Fluence Africa for YouTube-First creator training
In a powerful signal of where content, commerce and community are headed, Walmart and Google have partnered with Fluence Africa to host a first-of-its-kind YouTube Creator Training Session in South Africa. The hands-on initiative marks a bold step forward in how global brands are investing in the future of the African creator economy.
The full-day session brought together both emerging and established creators for an immersive experience designed to equip them with the skills, tools and confidence needed to succeed in an increasingly competitive digital landscape. More than just a workshop, it represents a new model of collaboration between retail, technology and the creator community.
At its core, the initiative reflects a shared vision between Walmart and Google: to empower creators not only as storytellers, but as entrepreneurs capable of driving meaningful engagement, influence and economic impact.
This collaboration signals a clear shift away from traditional retail marketing approaches, embracing a “YouTube-first” strategy that prioritises authentic, long-form storytelling, short-form video and live engagement. By hosting the training inside the Walmart Fourways store (a working retail environment) Walmart and Google created a unique opportunity for creators to bridge the gap between digital content and physical commerce.
From bidorbuy to ‘shopaygo’: how Bob is reshaping its brand narrative across channels
As South Africa’s ecommerce market continues its rapid growth, Bob is rolling out a nationwide awareness campaign built around a simple idea: shopaygo.
The campaign, which launched earlier this month and will run throughout the year, is designed to reshape how consumers see and understand the platform – reinforcing Bob’s role as a connected ecommerce ecosystem where users can shop, pay and send more easily.
While Bob has strong legacy recognition, having evolved from bidorbuy, the business is now focused on making its broader ecosystem more visible, intuitive and easier to use.
“This campaign comes at an important moment for both Bob and the broader South African market,” says Nondumiso Mabece, chief marketing officer at Bob. “We’re seeing more entrepreneurs, small businesses and everyday consumers participating in digital commerce than ever before, but many still experience it as fragmented or complex.
Bob has evolved into a platform that brings together buying, payments and logistics into one ecosystem, but that isn’t always fully understood. Shopaygo simplifies that story – helping people see how Bob fits into their lives or businesses.”
Next-Gen RGB gaming experience showcase in Brazil confirms Hisense partnership with Phantom Blade
Hisense has confirmed its renewed partnership with Phantom Blade Zero, serving as the global official partner across both TV and monitor categories for the upcoming title developed by S-GAME.
The companies will bring this partnership to life at Gamescom LATAM 2026, which is Latin America’s largest gaming event, featuring major publisher showcases, indie games, and esports.
For South African gamers, this partnership signals a growing commitment by Hisense SA to bring world-class gaming experiences closer to home. With the local gaming market continuing to expand, and more players investing in high-performance setups, the demand for advanced display technology that can support competitive and immersive gameplay has never been higher.
South Africa’s gaming community has seen significant growth in recent years, driven by increased access to high-speed connectivity, the rise of esports, and a new generation of players seeking console and PC experiences that rival global standards.
Africa Rising Music Conference returns to South Africa
As African music continues its rapid ascent on the global stage, the Africa Rising Music Conference (ARMC) returns to Constitution Hill in Johannesburg on 22 and 23 May 2026 with a bold, future-focused agenda, bringing together influential voices, unlocking international markets and tackling some of the industry’s most urgent conversations.
Now in its sixth year, ARMC is fast becoming a critical meeting point between Africa and the global music business. This year’s edition signals a step-change in scale and ambition, anchored by a new strategic partnership with the Southern African Music Rights Organisation, expanded international participation, and the launch of their groundbreaking Community Access Pledge initiative aimed at reshaping who gets to be in the room.
Leading this year’s speaker lineup is Grammy Recording Academy-recognised artist and producer TRESOR, whose cross-continental success continues to position African talent within global music conversations. He is joined by Janesh and Hitboss SA, key architects behind the fast-emerging Lekompo sound, one of South Africa’s most exciting new genre exports.
Adding a critical human lens to the programme, acclaimed vocalist Brenda Mtambo will spotlight mental health in the music industry, an often overlooked but increasingly urgent topic as the pressures of global success intensifies.
STUDIOCANAL announces The Road Home, a distinctly South African story, to be filmed in Cape Town
STUDIOCANAL, the in-house studio of CANAL+, in partnership with Flora Films, is proud to announce the production of feature film The Road Home. The film brings a uniquely South African story to a global audience, and is set against the backdrop of Paul Simon’s 1986 album Graceland. Principal photography starts in Cape Town in June.
Following exile from his native South Africa, trumpeter Hugh Masekela (Rametsi) is pulled between two worlds when the Anti-Apartheid Movement, led by his mentor Archbishop Trevor Huddleston (Pearce), launches a boycott against Paul Simon, over his groundbreaking township music-inspired album “Graceland”, accusing Simon of violating the United Nation’s Cultural Boycott.
Africa Automation Indaba 2026 puts the continent’s industrial future in focus
he conversation around automation has changed in Africa. What was once framed as a future ambition is now a present-day requirement for industries under pressure to improve productivity and remain competitive in a volatile global economy.
This will take centre stage at Africa Automation Indaba 2026, which will take place on 13–14 May at the Radisson Collection Hotel, Waterfront in Cape Town. As the continent’s leading executive forum on automation and industrial digitalisation, the Indaba brings together decision-makers, engineers, policymakers, and technology innovators to examine how quickly Africa can turn automation into real industrial progress.
Advances in artificial intelligence, robotics, industrial IoT, and digital manufacturing are already reshaping sectors such as mining, manufacturing, energy, and logistics. While the opportunities are clear, the challenge lies in translating that potential into a scalable, practical implementation across diverse and often constrained operating environments.
WPP expands Henkel consumer brands remit, deepening integrated partnership
WPP has been awarded the consolidated global creative and production business for Henkel Consumer Brands, encompassing iconic brands such as Persil, Schwarzkopf and Syoss. This significant expansion builds on the successful consolidated media business awarded to WPP last year across Europe, reinforcing WPP’s role as a trusted growth partner for Henkel.
The win follows a competitive global pitch spanning over 12 months, where Henkel sought a partner to deliver integrated end-to-end solutions from creative to marketing technology capable of accelerating growth across its extensive global brand portfolio. WPP Open, the company’s agentic marketing platform, will serve as the strategic backbone for Henkel’s modern marketing structure, unifying teams, accelerating global solutions, and driving a seamless, more integrated approach.
CMC Networks and AVANT Communications partner
OG Ventures Welcomes The Marketing Mill Under Its Umbrella to Enhance Digital Resilience
OG Ventures has announced that, since the beginning of 2026, it has brought The Marketing Mill under its roof. This strategic move is designed to consolidate resources and expand digital marketing capabilities in response to increasingly volatile global economic and digital conditions.
The Marketing Mill was founded in 2020 during the peak of the coronavirus pandemic, emerging as a necessary pivot for a travel marketing agency facing unprecedented industry pressure. Over the past six years, the agency has built a reputation for high-quality content strategy and SEO, leveraging a specialised team of educated and affordable creators from across the African continent.
As digital markets mature and economic conditions continue to impact global service delivery, the integration into OG Ventures provides a robust framework for long-term sustainability. OG Ventures is a strategic growth firm that specializes in helping established businesses achieve digital success through comprehensive, creative, and effective marketing strategies that prioritize lasting growth over short-term gains.
The absorption allows for a more seamless delivery of full-service digital marketing solutions.
