The Media Online’s weekly round up of people, account and business moves in media.
This week’s BIG move: The Good Things Guy celebrates six years of sharing good news
Six years ago, one South African citizen turned a reckless challenge into a random act of kindness. Fast forward a few years and today the Good Things Guy platform reaches over four million people every month sharing good news stories about South Africa and ordinary South Africans.
“What I didn’t know at the time is how much this little concept would change my entire life in the process. It would help me find my purpose and give me the best job title in the world,” said Good Things Guy founder Brent Lindeque.
Today the platform employs a team of writers who capture every day good news that constantly streams into Lindeque’s inbox and social media platforms. “There’s a LOT,” he said. “The amount of feel-good news about our country coupled with the good deeds and initiatives from every day South Africans humbles our team on a daily basis.”
Lindeque has over the years proved the misconception that good news doesn’t sell – an average social media post reaches over 500 000 people with close on 400 000 loyal followers across the Good Things Guys Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube platforms on a daily basis. The site’s top five stories are also displayed on various outdoor and indoor digital screens across South Africa.
“Just looking at the last year… this pandemic, the lockdown, the anger, the sadness, the trauma and the pain. We have all been through the most. But even through all of that, in all that tragedy, every single day, something good happens, and I got to report on it every day,” he said.
“I really do have the best job title in the world, but Good Things Guy is so much more than just me. It’s become a real business, with real writers, winning real awards, creating real change by finding real joy and sharing it with others.”
People moves
Google Cloud announces the appointment of Niral Patel as Regional Director, Sub-Saharan Africa
Google Cloud has announced the appointment of Niral Patel as regional director, Sub-Saharan Africa.
Based in Johannesburg, Patel will be responsible for leading Google Cloud’s business across Sub-Saharan Africa. He will have overall responsibility for the company’s sales strategy and continued development of its go-to-market sales operations. Patel will be focused on supporting the growth and scale of Google Cloud customers across a variety of industries.
He brings more than 20 years of tech sales leadership to this role and joins Google Cloud from Oracle, where he was the managing director for South Africa.
“We have been seeing strong customer momentum in Africa, and companies ranging from digital natives to large corporations are coming to us to help them digitally transform and reinvent their business models,” said Abdul Rahman Al Thehaiban, managing director, Turkey, Middle East and Africa at Google Cloud. “We are thrilled to have Niral join us as we accelerate the next stage of growth with our local teams, partners and customers. He brings a wealth of experience to the Google Cloud family.”
CSI Agency MAMAS Alliance appoints new MD
MAMAS Alliance, the CSI agency with a network of 37 NGOs across the country, has appointed Kabelo Mosate as their new MD. Mosate has worked in the NGO sector for the past seven years, having previously been the education manager for the National Education Collaboration Trust.
“What drove me to the sector is seeing a need to develop our country. I have realised that government cannot do development work on its own – collaboration and working with partners are required for projects to be implemented at scale,” she said. “NGOs do a lot for the community, and no matter how small they are, the change they bring to individuals and the community is amazing”.
Mosate’s passion for helping communities started while studying at Rhodes University, where she volunteered for a local NGO, mentoring young girls and teaching them life skills, before volunteering for The Cancer Association of South Africa in Soweto after graduating.
What makes MAMAS Alliance different is that it provides a platform for companies who might not have the capacity to manage their CSI spend in-house, to partner with the Alliance, who can manage the whole CSI process from start to finish.
This service is provided at no cost, with a guarantee to all companies that 100% of the funds invested in a CSI project go directly to the intended NGO, and subsequently the intended beneficiary.
Business moves
Conversation LAB and Unilever form deep partnership on SEO and content
Conversation LAB, an independent, black women-owned and run digital agency, has won an impressive number of Unilever brands in the organic search and content space.
The agency has been appointed by Unilever after a rigorous multi-stage pitch process to manage a range of the group’s Foods and Personal Care brands. The agency will work on 13 brands, including global household names like Knorr, Hellmann’s, Lifebuoy, TRESemmé and Axe as well as local jewels Joko, Robertsons, Dawn and Organics. The engagement includes full SEO strategy, technical direction and consultation as well as strategic content development focusing on product and utility, as well as critical brand purpose messaging.
Said Unilever Food & Refreshment Digital Marketing Manager South Africa, Laureen Nonhlanhla Mxoli: “Conversation LAB demonstrated both technical and impressive content development capabilities, as well as deep strategic and brand communication understanding which is what really appealed to us.”
Uyanda Manana, managing director South Africa, Conversation LAB, said: “It is a great honour to be trusted with such iconic Unilever brands and we don’t take this responsibility lightly. We have been set very aggressive performance targets, which we intend to exceed as we forge a long-standing relationship with the Unilever teams. It is refreshing working with a client that is as inspired by data as much as we are, and that really understands the role of search across the purchase funnel.”
Conversation LAB has moved to a 100% work-from-home model, but with a significant base in Durban next to Unilever’s head office, ensuring seamless servicing of the account going forward.
TikTok takes user-generated content to the next level with Spark Ads
Having recently launched TikTok For Business in South Africa, the popular entertainment platform is now taking its offerings a step further with the introduction of Spark Ads.
Adding weight to the current belief that creator content is one of the biggest draws for consumers today, TikTok is empowering brands to effortlessly team up with TikTok content that is already trending. In a game-changing move, advertisers can now directly seek creators’ approvals to sponsor their videos.
“We’re excited to officially launch Spark Ads,” said Scott Thwaites, head of emerging markets, TikTok Global Business Solutions, “so that we can further enable brands to grow through real connections with our community, by elevating and sharing relevant, native content.”
Thwaites added that Spark Ads was created with a one-of-a-kind solution in mind, the ultimate goal being for brands to cement their presence with the community in a seamless, authentic way.
Essentially, the new ad option gives brands the power to sponsor already trending, organic user-generated content that fits in with or is about their offering. The goal here is for brands to garner an association push without having to create the content themselves or task a creator to do so.
Via Spark Ads, brands can pinpoint existing organic videos that complement their campaign, reach out to the creators behind the content and repurpose their clips for paid campaigns. They can convert the user-generated clips into In-Feed or TopView Ads and benefit from boosting already solid performing content, thereby maximising brand reach.
Help is on the way for growing small businesses, thanks to CDI Capital Growth Fund’s aim of creating 600 new jobs by 2023
Despite the impact of the coronavirus pandemic and other shocks to the economy, there are green shoots of growth in some sectors – this includes, for example, small businesses who have focused on ecommerce and digital services. Capitalising on and funding this growth potential will be key to rebuilding the local economy.
With this in mind, the CDI Capital Growth
Fund has opened for grant funding applications. Small businesses that are
experiencing growth or are poised for expansion in any sector and can create
jobs are encouraged to apply.
CDI Capital is a niche emerging impact
funder, and subsidiary of the Craft + Design Institute (CDI) non-profit, which has a 20-year track record of success in supporting small
businesses in South Africa. As an impact funder, CDI Capital is committed to
creating positive social and economic impact in the SMME sector and the South
African economy.
The CDI Capital Growth Fund provides grant funding to unlock barriers to growth for SMMEs and this growth leads to the creation of new permanent jobs. To further support these SMMEs, CDI Capital also provides mentorship and access to working capital loans of up to R500 000 to help fund purchase orders and working capital needs linked to their growth.
Funding applications can only be made online, via https://cdicapital.co.za/growthfund/. For further information, please visit https://cdicapital.co.za or contact Ryan Rode via ryan.rode@thecdi.org.za.
World Out of Home Organization steps up Africa initiatives
The World Out of Home Organization has held its first Africa video call, bringing together nearly 30 attendees from sub-Saharan Africa including South Africa, Ghana, Angola, Nigeria, and Mozambique plus the Nigerian and South African out of home trade associations. Global players JC Decaux and Dentsu were also represented.
On the call WOO confirmed its intention to hold an Africa Forum in late January 2022, which will be Episode 3 of the WOO World Tour, which began in Europe in May, moves on to Asia in October and then puts the spotlight on Africa in January. The intention is that the Africa Forum will be live with additional video link access for WOO members across the world.
WOO President Tom Goddard said: “While WOO is now truly a global organisation, we are a little under-represented on the African Continent. That’s why we are launching this series of initiatives, to highlight the importance and immense potential of OOH in Africa.”
For further information: contact Richard Saturley at richard@worldooh.org
Making moves
Univation founder launches Brand ThinkWeek to help businesses excel
Univation’s Simone Berger has launched a virtual Brand ThinkWeek package, with the aim to stimulate business traction within challenging times. This will act as support for business owners and entrepreneurs on how to utilise the powerful, yet sometimes underrated, tool of strategic thought to ignite sales, delight customers, and become an authority within one’s industry.
The first takes place from 23-27 August, and the second from 6-10 September 6 to 10.
Berger started Univation in 2009 out of a deep passion for creative thinking and brand strategy, which she uses to navigate leaders and brands to their fullest potential. She believes perception is one the most important business assets available to ensure ongoing success.
“Your role, as a business owner, is to inspire your customer to invest in a better future, and include all stakeholders in this experience of success.”
Who should attend: Business owners, department heads, executive c-suite members, solopreneurs or sales and marketing teams.
For more information or to book, email bookings@univation.co.za or WhatsApp +27 84 777 8870. Visit www.univation.co.za to learn more.
SABC removes 2008 clause on interception of employee communication
The SABC has noted concerns raised by various stakeholders regarding a 2008 clause in the SABC employment contracts dealing with the Corporation’s right to intercept, monitor and read any communications of employees.
While this is a standard clause that has been included in all employment contracts since 2008, it is not intended to violate the rights of journalists or their sources of information. Journalists and their sources of information are adequately protected by the SABC’s Editorial Policies of 2020.
However, the SABC appreciates how this clause may be misunderstood and has therefore decided to remove it from all employment contracts with immediate effect. This will be effective for all new contracts and will be retrospectively implemented as well.
For the avoidance of doubt, the clause will not be applicable for all contracts, existing and new.
SA gamer Thabo Moloi documentary released by Red Bull Media House
Emmy Award-winning Red Bull Media House has released a brand new episode of their esports documentary series, Unfold, featuring VS Gaming Festival 2018 FIFA champion and Africa’s first Red Bull pro-gameresports Athlete, Thabo ‘Yvng Savage’ Moloi.
In the newest episode of the series that uncovers stories behind some of the biggest names in esports and gaming, Yvng Savage shares exclusive insights into his incredible journey from learning and practising on a second-hand copy of FIFA to winning his first tournament, at only 16 years of age.
Moloi is a 19-year-old professional FIFA player who is based in South Africa. In his Unfold episode, Yvng Savage opens up about being introduced and practising FIFA on a borrowed copy of the game, to winning the first competition he entered (still without owning his own copy of FIFA), VS Gaming FIFA Festival 2018. The episode features interviews with special guests including Goliath Gaming co-founder and team manager, Michele Brondani.
Unfold by Red Bull Media House is a Red Bull series providing an inside look at the lives and stories of the world’s most prominent esports personalities.
