The Media Online’s weekly round up of people, account and business moves in media.
This week’s BIG move: 15 new funded places for African participants at UCLAN’s Journalism Innovation & Leadership Programme
Applications are open for places and scholarships to join the University of Central Lancashire’s Journalism Innovation & Leadership Programme in January 2023. UCLAN has 15 new funded places for African participants – and that will include support for travel to an intensive study block in Cape Town.
Current participant Jenna Verster, night news editor at News24, said: This programme has boosted my confidence and equipped me with very practical skills needed for any media organisation, such as compiling position papers and case studies, and identifying areas for innovation. I have applied all my assignments in my workplace. More than that, I have gained a network of inspiring media professionals around the world who are dedicated to tackling challenges around the future of journalism.”
And she added, “If you feel intimidated or scared after reading about the programme, then you have even more reason to apply! This course will help you identify your strengths, build new skills and show that you can do anything you set your mind to. Think about all the challenges you would like to tackle in your newsroom and/or media company and use the programme to help you solve them.”
The Journalism Innovation and Leadership programme aims to foster the next generation of diverse leaders and innovators the industry needs to thrive.
Read more here.
People moves
Koo Govender takes helm at Publicis Groupe (Africa)
Publicis Groupe has announced that Koo Govender will join as the new chief executive officer of Publicis Groupe Africa on 1 February 2023. She will take over from John Dixon, who will stay on in the capacity of chairman once Govender takes the reins.
Govender will be responsible for all the operations of Publicis Groupe in South Africa and across the continent including creative, media, PR and influencer, production, commerce, data and technology. Her priority will be to drive impact for clients by helping them win in a platform world. She will be based in Johannesburg, reporting to Loris Nold, CEO APAC, Middle East and Africa.
Govender is one the most accomplished and inspiring leaders in the region. Her career started at the MultiChoice Group where she spent 22 years, she then moved to VWV group where she was the first female CEO and currently she is the CEO of dentsu South Africa, responsible for Cape Town and Johannesburg as well as specialist divisions and scaled services.
She is an accomplished executive and exceptionally well-rounded leader with strong experience in people leadership, client management and business operations in both start-up and growth organizations.
Hook, Line & Sinker recruits two news reporters
The always-on news team at Hook, Line& Sinker just got bigger with the addition of former e-TV news reporter, Anelisa Tuswa and ex-Daily Maverick general news journalist, Karabo Mafolo.
Tuswa joins as junior account director while Mafolo comes aboard as account executive, enhancing the creative team of digital natives, graphic designers, media relations specialists, social media fundis, and seasoned copywriters at one of South Africa’s brightest up-and-coming integrated PR and marketing agencies.
Tuswa, who has close to a decade of experience on the business beats at CNBC Africa, Forbes Africa and eNCA, will work with the HLS B2B team across communications, marketing, social media, employee communications and corporate social responsibility (CSR). She will manage power clients such as SAP Global with campaign footprints throughout Africa, USA, Europe, and the Middle East.
Mafolo first started her career as a researcher for the Gender and Action Project (GAP) where she was responsible for compiling reports on sexual reproductive health, gender and sexuality using information gleaned from workshops, which she both organised and facilitated. Having honed her research and writing skills, she was appointed as an intern by Daily Maverick in 2019 and was later promoted to general news reporter.
Matt Flax joins 947 Drive with Thando
Primedia has welcomed Matt Flax to the 947 Drive with Thando Thabethe in the 3 to 7pm slot. This will come into effect on 3 October as part of the 947 refresh. Flax joins 947 from YFM where he was co-host and executive producer of #HomeRunWithAyandaMVP and before that, he was host and producer of Weekend Lunch. He keeps himself busy with freelance voice work and had some on-campus experience at Voice of Wits for five years.
Flax also has a degree in psychology and media studies as well as additional qualifications in social media and radio station management. Station manager Ravi Naidoo said, “Change is inevitable in life and in broadcasting and we view this as part of the dynamic nature of 947 as a station and Primedia Broadcasting as a whole.”
Flax added, “As a lover of great radio, I have always been in awe of the projects, on-air moments and personalities that 947 is known for. It is an honour to be joining a station that is actively pushing what is possible within the media landscape.”
OFM introduces new At Lunch presenter
From Monday 3 October 2022, lunchtime on OFM will sound a little different… That’s because Pulane Nel-Sekepe, previously known to OFM audiences as a presenter on The Real Good Weekend on OFM on Saturday afternoons, steps into the role of At Lunch presenter from 12:00 to 15:00, Mondays to Fridays.
Current At Lunch presenter, Cyril Viljoen, moves OFM Stasie2, OFM’s all-Afrikaans streaming music station.
With the new voice comes some changes to the programme, such as ‘Motivation Mondays’, ‘Boereraat Tuesdays’ and ‘Frivolous Fridays’.
OFM programme manager Tim Thabethe says: “Pulane relocated to Bethlehem a year ago and fell in love with Central South Africa. While she continues her television career, it’s a privilege to feature Pulane on At Lunch on OFM with VKB. This will be a fun and exciting programme, complemented by a bubbly personality, with much to look forward to.”
According to Nel-Sekepe: “I’m incredibly excited for the wonderful opportunity OFM has given me. I cannot wait to hang out with Central South Africa every afternoon! I moved from Pretoria to Bethlehem, and from Bethlehem to Bloemfontein, and I must say, since I have been in Central South Africa, it feels like it has been my home all along.”
The actress, singer, voice artist and television presenter rose to fame co-presenting the SABC3 Afrikaans-language lifestyle and magazine programme NAweek.
Nel-Sekepe has also starred in SABC 1, 2 and 3 television series like Generations, High Rollers and the sitcom Die Vlieënde Springbokkie. In 2018, she had a starring role as sarcastic domestic worker Cecilia in the kykNET sitcom Die Kasteel. She’s also moved on to a part-time guest role on the channel as Sersant Molefe in Binnelanders.
Most recently, she hosted Geldhelde on Via and you can currently catch her on eTV alongside Bobby van Jaarsveld as the co-presenter of SA’s no. 1 Afrikaans singing competition, Die Kontrak.
Business moves
ISUZU picks Avatar Agency Group as its Agency of Record in Africa
In a bold move, ISUZU Motors South Africa (IMSAF) this week appointed Avatar as its Agency of Record (AoR) following a competitive pitch.
As ISUZU’s Through-the-Line (TTL) partner, the group agency will support Isuzu Motors in maintaining its pole position in the commercial vehicle market. Using its group suite of services, the account will be handled by the group’s specialist agencies led by Avatar Johannesburg who will steer the strategic direction of the brand while generating creative, digital, and social media impetus. The commercial and B2B marketing aspects will be looked after by Resilience at Avatar while product communications, influencer relations and event support will be handled by Avatar PR. All media buying activities will be executed by Avatar Media Agency.
Ziphindiwe Ngubane, senior manager: brand strategy and field marketing at ISUZU South Africa, said, “We’re confident that we’ve teamed up with the Agency that will help us bring ISUZU’s BOLD goals to life. Coming from three agencies and amalgamating it into one, we are quite intentional about how we want to build our brand and we look forward to working with Avatar in making our mark.”
“We are delighted and proud to have been appointed as ISUZU’s full-service agency partner. Avatar will provide all of our group services under one roof, employing a powerful combination of strategy, creativity, as well as digital and media services in servicing the account,” said Mzamo Xala, Group CEO of Avatar Agency. “We understand that while ISUZU wants to retain a long-held reputation for producing sturdy, long-lasting “workhorse” vehicles, it is now ready to gain the attention of consumers seeking everyday vehicles that double up for commuting and leisure.”
Red & Yellow Creative School of Business continues Pan African expansion into Tunisia
The Red & Yellow Creative School of Businesshas extended its critical skills training to Tunisia-based Honoris Educational Network, Université Centrale Business School. This expansion marks the third new African market that Red & Yellow has successfully extended its highly sought-after digital marketing training into, with Mauritius and Nigeria going live in May and August respectively.
In addition to offering digital marketing and design training, the school will also offer a French version of the popular Design Thinking online short course that prioritises customer centricity in creative problem solving to the next generation of creative thinkers and leaders in the country from as early as October 2022. This will be the first foreign language course offered by Red & Yellow, with more translated versions of the School’s popular English programme offering to follow in the months ahead.
“This collaboration is testament to Honoris’s commitment in driving relevant skills in digital marketing across the African continent. By uniting institutions across markets in Africa, this partnership will provide future-proof skills to the world’s largest growing workforce to solve the continent’s most pressing challenges,” said Andrew Allison, chief commercial officer, Red & Yellow Creative School of Business.
“At Red & Yellow, we pride ourselves on teaching the great creators, inventors, leaders and entrepreneurs for the 21st century. We believe that this short course will be hugely beneficial to those who need a competitive advantage and want to solve business challenges, and we want to encourage a culture of innovation.”
OFM signs on as Knights media partner for another year
OFM, the Sound of Your Life in Central South Africa, has again signed as a media partner and sponsor of Central South Africa’s domestic cricket team, the Knights, for the 2022-23 South African domestic season.
According to the terms of the agreement, the deal will include all T20 and limited-over format games up to the end of the season in 2023. As a media partner, OFM will continue to bring the Knights cricket players into the homes and daily lives of Central South Africans through interviews and more.
Said OFM CEO Nick Efstathiou: “Cricket and family. That is the Knights to OFM. We are always excited by the continued relationship between these two great Central South African institutions”.
BET Africa now available to more viewers via DStv Access Package
Paramount has announced that BET Africa would be available to DStv Access viewers during the DStv open window, starting 26 September 2022.
Subscribers of DStv Access now have the opportunity to enjoy their favourite and world renowned TV shows from BET Africa (channel 129), as the channel will be included in the bouquet. This move will also mean audiences on the DStv Access package will join Premium and Compact package viewers in experiencing the best of BET Africa programming.
Most importantly, DStv Access subscribers now have the opportunity to witness the premier of the much-anticipated daily drama, Redemption, at 18:00 on 26 September 2022.
“This move is one of the many ways Paramount Africa aims to provide access to authentic African stories and fresh local and international content. We also aim to reach as many diverse audiences as possible, and this will increase the number of eyeballs on our original and exclusive content. We are thrilled to include DStv Access viewers in the premier of our biggest and best original daily drama yet!” said Monde Twala, senior vice president and general manager Paramount Africa and peer lead, BET International.
Outdoor Network boosts digital presence in Johannesburg with new large format full-motion digital site
Providing advertisers with impactful ways to engage with audiences, Outdoor Network, a division of Provantage, has added a fourth large format LED to their digital billboard network. Located on the main arterial Beyers Naude Drive, this signature digital site is in a prime location to target an affluent and professional audience with a unique reach of 319 255 and an impression of 1 530 260 (ROAD 17/18/19).
Measuring 4.5m x 18m, this large fully animated screen, is optimally placed to attract the attention of audiences travelling from N1 on Beyers Naude off-ramp and incoming traffic from Randpark Ridge and Honeydew areas. Situated between two large shopping centres, Cresta and Heathway shopping centres, other key points of interest on route include convenience retail centres, schools, automotive dealerships, and fitness centres. By capturing audiences on their daily journey to work, school, shopping and home, this site allows for creative impact that are contextually relevant along the audience journey.
“With this new high-resolution digital billboard, advertisers and brands have an opportunity to showcase their creativity and increase the potential for highly targeted advertising campaigns,” said Wil Vlok, group sales executive for Provantage. “Our new full-motion affords advertisers creative impact to engage high income customers at a prime location.”
Ogilvy PR Launches Global Business Influence Offer
Ogilvy PR has launched a new business influence offering that will enable clients to access the burgeoning influence business economy at the B2B level. The new offer, led by global head of influence Rahul Titus, will help clients access and leverage credible industry authorities to help build brand awareness and reputation, facilitate relationships and improve employee engagement. Ogilvy PR is already using the new offer with clients including IBM, Samsung Business and Vodafone Business to build their Business Influence campaigns globally.
“Using Influence in Business is not new; but many businesses have only been utilising a small portion of its potential and focused on the conversion stage. Extending Business Influence impact across an end-to-end business landscape unlocks exponential value that companies can’t always access through other channels,” said James Baldwin, business influence director.
Business influencer marketing is predicted to generate $11.7-billion in revenue by the end of 2022. This represents a shift in brand mindset – by using credible industry individuals with a proven track record, businesses can address issues from face-value sales and reputation management to fully integrated business builds and employee advocacy.
New tech series Decoded launches on CNN International
As the world continues to change at an accelerated pace, the impact that technology can have on economies, communities, and livelihoods has never been more apparent. In a brand-new series, CNN explores these impacts, the tech breakthroughs powering them, and why they matter.
Hosted by CNN reporter Anna Stewart, Decoded meets the people shaping the fourth industrial revolution, travelling around the world to tell the biggest tech stories.
Each 30-minute show will demonstrate how technology unites the world. Throughout the six-episode series, CNN will highlight topics including: AI machine learning, 3D printing and crypto currency.
The first episode examines the metaverse, with Stewart visiting Dubai’s Museum of the Future, speaking to Meta’s CTO Andrew Bosworth and Philip Rosedale, founder of Second Life.
Host Anna Stewart said, “Filming Decoded has been a fascinating experience. It’s been exciting to see the innovation and creativity in the tech industry and get to try all these breakthroughs myself. Wearing VR headsets and entering the metaverse has converted me from a cynic to a firm believer that this technology is the future.”
Wunderman Thompson SA gives back by supporting Youth@worK
While the youth are resilient, the biggest issues they face are access to quality education and meaningful employment, and in South Africa, Statistics SA reports that unemployment among young graduates aged 15-24 sits at a bleak 32,6%.
Youth@worK, an implementor of the YES programme, a joint initiative by the private sector and government, helps South African youth gain invaluable work experience through employment placements. As an NGO, however, marketing and communications budgets are tight.
Wunderman Thompson South Africa runs annual internship and learnership programmes, but the business wanted to offer its services to an initiative such as Youth@worK so that it could extend its influence to a much broader pool of recipients. The agency partnered with Youth@worK in September 2021 in a pro bono capacity to help the NGO build awareness as a brand that has massive potential to impact the macro and socio-economic challenges the country faces. The team prioritised developing a positioning and communication strategy.
Erica Kempken, Director at Youth@worK, said, “Wunderman Thompson SA opened our eyes to the processes needed to develop brand awareness and the depth of understanding required to see how best to translate this into a positioning strategy and communication strategy. As an NGO, we focus on getting more young people into employment, but WTSA has shown us how best to speak about our ‘Why’ to various stakeholders and beneficiaries. Their dedication and patience in this process have been humbling and are much appreciated, as well as their openness to incorporating different operating approaches into their largely corporate world. I believe this journey has been truly transformational for both parties.”
Making moves
Wunderman Thompson brings back and expands industry-defining recruitment programme The Catalyst Academy
Wunderman Thompson has launched its second year of the Catalyst Academy, an industry-defining programme that aims to bring together talent from different backgrounds to build brilliant experiences for consumers and B2B audiences.
The future of communications is changing rapidly. For brands to succeed they need to have access to a range of experts and a diverse meeting of minds. Integrated marketing agency Wunderman Thompson offers clients the full range of disciplines, from strategy and creative, to production, consulting, data strategies and analytics, and customer experience.
The hope is to develop a new breed of future marketeers who can understand, communicate and deliver across the entire range of capabilities. The Catalyst Academy is designed to do exactly that – develop future integrated marketers who’re equipped with the experience and skills to thrive in a converging and competitive industry.
During this exciting rotational programme with exposure to some of its offices around the world, 29 catalysts candidates from across the region will train together, develop a range of important new skills, build camaraderie, and have fun doing so.
The Catalyst Academy is designed to accelerate development; catalysts rapidly take on real client responsibilities and can expect fast career progression. During their 12 months with the agency, they will rotate through different specialisms and be assigned a mentor who will be there to support, guide and advise throughout. Catalysts will also gain essential industry qualifications from the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA) and the global WPP AI Academy.
Meta Africa hosts Creator Day in South Africa to support creators
Following the launch of its ‘Creators of Tomorrow’ campaign, Meta hosted its first Creator Day on 27 September at The Forum Conference Venue in Bryanston attended by over 40 creators across lifestyle, entertainment, travel, beauty and fashion creator territories.
The event Included a series of workshops aimed at empowering creators with skills and knowledge to establish and grow their brand, reach their audience and earn a living while doing what they love.
Creators learned how to use Reels in new and creative ways, getting future ready by utilising the latest tools and features on the platforms, how to stay safe online, how to monetise their content on Facebook and Instagram and how to establish real relationships with brands.
Moon Baz, head of creator partnerships, Middle East, Africa and Turkey said, “Our goal is to be the best place for creators to tell their story, grow their audience and earn a living. At Meta we place huge importance on creators and we continue to invest in building a suite of tools to support creators’ various needs and ambitions, no matter where you are in your journey. We’re proud to have a local partnerships team who work hand in hand with creators to guide them on their journey, and we carry out events, such as the Meta Creators day, to connect with as many of our creators as possible. ”
Referring to the metaverse and upcoming products, Baz added, “We’re looking at what creators are already doing across our technologies to improve the experience, and we’re investing in a suite of monetization tools and features to help creators earn money like NFTs. We recently expanded access to digital collectibles – bringing the benefits of NFT ownership to even more creators and collectors and making the NFT space more inclusive.”
OFM lends voice to One Festival, Many Stories
OFM, the sound of your life, lends its voice to One Festival, Many Stories by coming on board as a media partner of Central South Africa’s premier arts festival, the Vrystaat Arts Festival.
This arts festival takes place on the University of the Free State’s Bloemfontein campus from Sunday, 2 October to Saturday, 8 October 2022.
The festival will present theatre, dance and music productions in Afrikaans, English and Sesotho, as well as literature, sound art, and visual and experimental art. The much-loved arts, crafts and food market will start on Tuesday, 4 October and be open daily from 09.00 to 19.00.
The festival programme can be viewed at vrystaatkunstefees.co.za. Entry tickets to the festival grounds as well as tickets to the productions can be bought at webtickets.co.za.
OFM will also broadcast live from the Vrystaat Arts Festival on Friday, 7 October, with The Joyride from 15:00 to 18:00, and on Saturday 8 October, from 12:00 to 16:00, with The Real Good Weekend.
African Investigative Journalism Conference 2022
This year’s 18th African Investigative Journalism Conference (AIJC2022) takes place between 31 October and 2 November at. Wits. It will the first in-person conference in three years and it promises to be the biggest and best ever: three days packed with great stories, issues that affect the work, new skills and techniques and networking with Africa’s finest journalists.
It is a celebration of the evidence that there is great and important journalism happening across the continent, and a chance to tackle the many issues we are facing.
There will be over 80 session and 140 speakers from more than 30 countries covering online investigative tools, using technology for better reporting, surviving as a freelancer, four aspects of journalists’ safety, undercover reporting, women in investigative reporting, TikTok for journalists, investigative podcasting, and tackling health, environment, corruption, human trafficking …
See the programme here.
Sanef is offering discounts for members, freelancers, non-profit organisations and groups of more than five. Please contact either me (anton@harber.co.za) or Shireen at aijc@journalism.co.za for details.
