The Media Online’s weekly round up of people, account and business moves in media.
This week’s BIG move: Litha Vimbi appointed general manager of OMD South Africa
OMD South Africa has appointed Litha Vimbi as its new general manager, effective 1 September 2022, where she will work closely with SA MD Julio Rodrigues and be responsible for the strategic direction, business growth and talent retention of the media business in JHB.
Vimbi, who started at OMD in January 2017 as a media strategist, has worked her way up through the company and gained extensive experience in the media industry. As a black female in a senior position with OMD she is an empowering role model for others this Women’s Month.
Her transition from a business unit director to a general manager is a natural step in Vimbi’s career, which began with an internship in media followed by marketing roles at Unilever where she worked in both local and global teams. She regards winning business and industry awards as some of her major successes.
“My success has been gained by interest, enthusiasm and active involvement – and being part of a global media group has definitely been an advantage”, says Vimbi. “During my time at OMD, I’ve been in a fortunate position of leading some of South Africa’s most-loved brands in the financial, alcohol and consumer sectors. I currently head-up the Diageo Brand account, one of the pieces of business that I pitched on and won, with a dynamic team of experts”.
“Diageo operates from 132 sites worldwide, and different dynamics obviously apply to different markets. But, when a single performance standard applies across markets, there can also be reasonable expectations about what success should look like,” says Litha..
Says Julio Rodrigues, managing director at OMD: “Litha has been an industry colleague of mine for over a decade, as such I’ve been one of the people in the front row seats of her career development and successes. Her being appointed to this position is not only exciting for the business but makes me proud at a personal level too. I have no doubt, with Litha’s work ethic and commitment, only better milestones will come, not just for her but for the business and her team as well”.
People moves
Danny Painter announced as host M-Net’s official My Kitchen Rules digital after-show
My Kitchen Rules South Africa (MKRSA) is back for a fourth season and this time viewers can expect even more culinary and drama with M-net launching an accompanying digital after-show.
The aftershow, hosted by media personality and Jacaranda FM host Danny Painter, airs every Sunday evening directly after the main show’s episodes on all M-net’s digital platforms (Facebook, YouTube, and for podcast lovers on ionoFM).
Painter, a foodie and home cook in her own right, has a wealth of experience in the local media arena, creating content for numerous traditional and digital platforms.
“This is a wonderful opportunity to create even more buzz around an already massive show/franchise. The after-show promises to be extremely candid and fun and I’ll get into what’s really happening in those fiery kitchens… The drama, the tension, and everything in between!” Painter explains.
Watch the first after-show here:
Sanlam appoints Abel Sakhau as chief sustainability officer
The Sanlam Group, Africa’s largest non-banking financial services group, has announced the appointment of Abel Sakhau as chief sustainability officer (CSO). The appointment took effect on 1 August. With over two decades in the industry, Sakhua brings to the group knowledge and experience in leading business units in sustainability, safety, health and environmental matters.
Sustainability, a core element of Sanlam’s business strategy, is a key business imperative and crucial to achieving the brand’s purpose of empowering generations of Africans to live with confidence. Sakhau will be responsible for driving Sanlam’s groupwide sustainability efforts and will play a critical role in the strategic execution of the group’s ESG and sustainability strategy.
Commenting on the appointment, Group Executive: Market Development and Sustainability, Karl Socikwa, said that he has full confidence in the new appointee. “With his wealth of industry knowledge, Abel Sakhau will lead our group to new heights and further develop the sustainability function in the Group through the execution of our sustainability priorities.”
Sakhau adds, “Sustainability excellence is not about who gets to the top first, it is about working collectively in partnership towards creating sustainable environmental, social, and economic impact for the benefit of future generations. I am excited to join the largest non-banking financial services group on the African continent to drive sustainability excellence and performance across the Group.”
Sakhau holds an MBA as well as qualifications in leadership, environmental, atmospheric, and business sciences. He is also passionate about volunteering to empower the youth and impart the power of ethical leadership.
Meenakshi Menon joins icogz as chairperson
Meenakshi Menon, is synonymous with the world of Marketing Audit & Analytics in India. Meenakshi has now joined the board of icogz, a business intelligence platform, as chairperson.
Founded by Amit Tripathi, icogz® helps businesses improve profitability through better performance. The vision is to support business leader decision making through synthesis of fragmented data, something that business owners find extremely difficult to cope with. icogz captures data from disparate platforms, harmonises the data, and provides a real-time unified view of the entire brand footprint thereby aiding brand leaders take meaningful steps in growing the business or managing better margins.
Business moves
Heineken announces partnership with Big Concerts
For decades, Heineken has dedicated itself to creating memorable experiences for its consumers and customers. As a proud sponsor of the likes of Formula 1, Formula E, Rugby World Cup, UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Women’s Champions League, Heineken® South Africa is proud to announce a multi-year partnership with Big Concerts as an official partner and beverage & experience sponsor.
“Heineken represents a premium lifestyle – something which we see in Big Concerts too. We are looking forward to creating many memorable moments and elevated experiences for fans across the country. This partnership was a no-brainer for us as Big Concerts are the leading concert creators and Heineken is stepping up and taking the lead in content creation in South Africa,” said Marcel Swain, head of marketing: premium at Heineken South Africa.
From Justin Bieber to Imagine Dragons, The Lumineers, David Gray, Foreigner and One Republic, fans get to experience the best in music while enjoying the full range of Heineken.
“This partnership signals the return to normality after the two-year period of the Covid-19 pandemic, and we will undoubtedly be creating unforgettable live moments. Heineken is a household name in the industry, and it’s important for us to work with a brand where premium experiences are at the forefront for any event they work on,” said Justin Van Wyk, CEO of Big Concerts.
Through its partnership with Big Concerts, Heineken South Africa will be launching a Red Star Access experience, which will give event-goers premium access to a VIP Heineken experience at several of the biggest live music events this summer and beyond.
OFM partners with NAMPO ALFA
OFM is the official media partner of the NAMPO ALFA Livestock, Hunting and Outdoor Expo.
The two biggest role players in the livestock industry, Grain SA and ALFA, will host NAMPO ALFA Livestock, Hunting and Outdoor Expo for the very first time at NAMPO Park, just outside Bothaville, from 29 September to 1 October 2022.
This hunting and outdoor lifestyle expo will incorporate experiences. Visitors will be able to enjoy a fully-fledged shooting range with demonstrations, drive 4×4 vehicles on a practical route, and watch the national off-road race with famous off-road racers in action.
Anchen Lintvelt, OFM sales manager, says, “OFM is proud to be part of the first NAMPO ALFA at NAMPO Park. It is a privilege to be able to take hands once again and as a media partner, OFM will ensure our listeners are informed of everything that will take place at this expo.’’
The organisers have also stated that, as responsible players in the livestock industry, they will comply with all rules and regulations as promulgated by the minister of agriculture, Thoko Didiza.
Outdoor Network grows 3 x 6 digital network with the latest addition of the first high-quality rotator billboard in Rustenburg.
As a leader in the industry, Outdoor Network, a division of Provantage, continues to grow its national footprint and digital-focused development strategy with the latest accomplishment of adding another rotating digital billboard to its offering. The new, high-definition, rotating digital billboard measures 3m x 6m and is strategically located in R24 Waterval East, Rustenburg, Northwest – a highly sought-after, key high-traffic location.
This digital billboard is the first high-quality roadside installation in Rustenburg and is set to target an upmarket audience with a unique reach of 134 300 and 2 284 318 impressions (ROAD2017/18/19). “We are committed to developing high quality installations that at the same time offer audience and contextual relevance for advertisers” says Thulani Dumakude, general manager for Outdoor Network. “Rustenburg was a natural expansion selection for us as this secondary city offers great exposure for marketers in bustling areas where little digital advertising opportunity are in place” he added.
Rustenburg is one of the fastest growing municipalities in South Africa and the 7th largest city economy in the county. From high-rise landmark buildings to skyscrapers in the plan, Rustenburg is a bustling and growing city, perfectly positioned for brands as a target geographic location offering:
Making moves
National Geographic channels go HD
The Walt Disney Company Africa today announced the upcoming content slate for both National Geographic and National Geographic Wild for Spring/Summer 2022. With a promise to ignite the explorer in all of us, and with a 133-year legacy, viewers across the continent will also be able to immerse themselves in the very latest and ground-breaking storytelling in stunning high definition for the very first time, taking them further than ever before.
Featuring the best and brightest scientists, explorers, photographers and filmmakers in the world, the coming months’ content highlights offer something for everyone, as several new natural history series, feature documentaries, and programming stunts will showcase the wonder of the natural world, take them on exhilarating adventures and illuminate historical figures who epitomize the strength and triumphs of humankind.
Meta launches ‘Creators of Tomorrow’ campaign celebrating emerging talents from across SSA
Meta has announced the launch of Creators of Tomorrow, a new campaign that celebrates emerging talents from around the world who are inspiring a new movement of creative content online. The campaign spotlights creators in Sub- Saharan Africa from East Africa, Southern Africa and Francophone Africa.
The selected Creators of Tomorrow are breaking out among their communities online, and are showcasing a best-in-class approach to video formats, technology and interactive entertainment. The global campaign is the first of its kind,starting in Europe, The Middle East and Africa, and expanding to more countries around the world in the coming months. Meta will be working closely with these creators over the next year, as they continue to grow their audience and turn their passions into professions across Meta technologies.
Commenting on the campaign, Moon Baz, creator partnerships lead, Middle East, Africa and Turkey, Meta said, “With this campaign, we aim to highlight creators who are innovating through tools such as Reels and short-form video content formats, as well as those who are leveraging, exploring new content formats such as AR/VR. We are excited to work closely with these creators, and we’re committed to help them grow their audience, build a business and unlock new possibilities for the future as we build for the metaverse.”
Meta will be hosting exclusive events across the region to celebrate the Creators of Tomorrow, sharing the latest news, tips as well as tools and resources across Meta technologies. In Kenya, Creators including Creator featured in the campaign will attend an exclusive brunch consisting of a Reels School, and in South Africa over 50 Creators will attend a Creator Day filled with dedicated tailored workshops and training to help them thrive in this evolving digital and creator economy .
The 10 identified Creators of Tomorrow from Africa include:
- Kwambox, Kenya: A radio presenter who entertains her followers with her dance moves and bubbly personality. She is also a renowned MC and event host.
- Crazy Kennar, Kenya: An award winning Nairobi based comedian whose content is centred around comedy addressing everyday experiences of young people.
- Nadia Matovu, Uganda: An influencer, wife and business woman based in Kampala who uses her day to day life to create content that inspires her followers.
- Pamela Mtanga, South Africa: An award winning multimedia entrepreneur. She’s a fashion and beauty content creator whose brand is rooted in authenticity, relatability and empowerment.
- Ruth Ronnie, Zambia: An award winning recording artist, live performer and content creator. She’s a versatile creative who is best known for her musical genres such dancehall, reggae, afropop, Rnb, afrosoul and trapsoul.
- Ruvarashe Hapaguti, Zimbabwe: An up and coming actress and content creator. Her content ranges from comedic skits to make-up tutorials which she showcases in an engaging way that her audiences enjoy.
- Mishaa, Ivory Coast: A dance enthusiast who shares her love for dance art and performances with her followers on social media. Ambassador of Trace music and Universal music Africa, Mishaa dances on African urban rhythms such as coupé-décalé, afro-beat, RN’B and many others, and shares her choreographies in Reels on Instagram and Facebook.
- Saraï D’Hologne, Ivory Coast: An artist painter who’s the head of an artistic universe dedicated to the interior and exterior wall decoration of the house called SARTAÏ. In Ivory Coast, Saraï is the torchbearer of natural hair that she proudly advertises on her social media accounts.
- Fatou Jupiter Touré, Senegal: An actress, producer, UN ambassador, entrepreneur, and founder of the film festival Les Teranga. She has been named for the second time among the 700 most impactful Africans by the South African magazine Tropics. Her talent and love for theatre and cinema allowed Fatou to turn her passion into a profession.
- Ngorbatchev Niang, Senegal: a fashion stylist, producer, and film director. He is the owner of “Ngorbatchev Maison de Couture” and “Ngorbatchev Nprod”. M. Niang is passionate about what make life more beautiful and aims to reflect this beauty through his clothes collections that he sells and showcases via Instagram and Facebook.
In November 2022, the Creators of Tomorrow will get the opportunity to attend the EMEA Creator Week being hosted in London at the iconic Tate Britain for the first time. There, Creators of Tomorrow will be joined by other regional Creators at various stages of their careers to collaborate, learn from each other, and continue to find inspiration in the future of content creation on our platforms.
