The Media Online’s weekly round up of people, account and business moves in media.
This week’s BIG move: RAPT Creative’s CEO Garreth van Vuuren makes it to the top at the 2023 M&G’s 200 Young South Africans
The coveted Mail & Guardian’s top 200 Young South Africans for 2023 has been unveiled, and making it to the list is RAPT Creative’s CEO and founder, Garreth van Vuuren, who trailblazed his way in the Business Category.
Recognising those who champion the cause of improving South Africa’s economy and contributing towards its growth despite being tethered with many challenges, Van Vuuren was recognised for his bold and audacious approach at the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic by founding his advertising agency – RAPT Creative.
“Being recognised in this category is a true honour and achievement, and I know I would not have been noted without the commitment and support of my team. Fuelled by a determination to make the advertising industry a better place through creativity and strategic intelligence, our commitment and hard work have led to us being one of the leading disrupting agencies,” said Van Vuuren.
RAPT, which opened its doors just before the global pandemic spiked, pivoted and provide brand solutions to its clients during lockdown to ensure they continue to stay top of mind and grow revenue. This was a rarity when many were seeing major retrenchments and shutdowns.
“What brings me joy at the end of each day is knowing that I have contributed towards the betterment of others and creating opportunities for South African youth to thrive and truly be a success in an industry that is so often hard to break into,” said Van Vuuren.
He added that being a business leader in this tough climate has meant challenging his own perceptions of people and business, allowing him to champion an agency that is about allowing his people to come as they are to bring the best solutions for the many clients they serve.
He has brought a team together that includes seasoned professionals who proudly represent the LGBTQQIAAP+ (20%), Female (60%), and Black (50%) communities and is what he says brings the magic of RAPT Creative to life.
People moves
Leadership change at Nielsen Sports South Africa
There’s a new senior leadership team at the helm of Nielsen Sports South Africa, following the announcement that managing director Jean Willers will be leaving the business.
Willers will be taking up the position of managing director of leading South African agency T&W.
T+W is a specialist sports and entertainment storytelling agency that crafts content and creative campaigns for broadcasters, events, team, athletes and fans. Their offering covers concept, research, scripting, development, rights acquisition, production, key art, editing, mixing, sound and visual effects.
Stepping up to the role of managing director of Nielsen Sports South Africa will be Tumelo Selikane, who joined the business as senior client services manager in January of 2022 and was promoted to commercial director in December. He will be joined in the senior leadership team by Amy Daley, who has been promoted to chief operations officer.
“I’ve come to intimately understand the business of sport in which Nielsen Sports plays in South African sport and its role within the broader ecosystem, and I’m looking forward to utilising this understanding to put my own mark on the business and ensure it maintains its market-leading position, whilst continually engaging with our clients regarding their changing needs,” said Selikane.
Nielsen Sports is the market’s leading source of sports measurement and analytics, with solutions spanning cross-platform media valuation, fan insights, and digital media analysis.
Iconic Star Wars character heading to ComicCon Africa
Comic Con Africa has announced the special guest appearance of the iconic Anthony Daniels, who is renowned for his unforgettable portrayal of the beloved protocol droid C-3PO in the Star Wars saga.
Daniels’ portrayal of the golden protocol droid, C-3PO, in the Star Wars franchise has made him a household name worldwide. Comic Con Africa takes place at the Johannesburg Expo Centre, from 22 to 25 September 2023 with an impressive lineup of local and international celebrities, comic book artists, gaming, and family fun. The event promises an unforgettable experience for pop culture aficionados and entertainment enthusiasts alike, fans are encouraged to purchase their tickets soon as the festival is approaching the end of its first phase of ticket sales, where fans will see prices increase from 1 July.
Business moves
Ogilvy launches specialised hub to help brands harness the power of TikTok.
Ogilvy South Africa has launched TK.Lab, a centralised end-to-end offering aimed at helping brands make a significant impact and reach new audiences on the dynamic platform of TikTok. This collaboration represents the first of its kind, leveraging an exclusive and data-led approach to sourcing data and insights to better serve brands.
As part of Ogilvy’s Social Lab business, the TK.Lab will be responsible for developing organic, paid, and creator-led TikTok strategies tailored to both local and global brands operating on the network. Ogilvy’s commitment to embracing modern practices ensures that clients gain relevance beyond the day-to-day trends, establishing a strong presence for brand awareness and commerce.
“Most marketers are aware of TikTok’s massive potential and are keen to engage with its highly engaged audience and active communities, launching or scaling their brand presence on the platform,” said TK. Lab Lead at Ogilvy South Africa Modieyi Motholo. “We have the know-how and want to help our clients master the specific codes of TikTok, find true cultural resonance and create impact.”
Anzu Completes $48 million Series B funding round led by Emmis to accelerate in-game advertising
Anzu, the most advanced intrinsic in-game advertising solution, announced a $48 million Series B funding round, significantly increasing its valuation and adding several new high-profile investors. The new round will also include converting the SAFE notes and investors exiting with a 10x valuation increase.
The funding round was led by Emmis Corporation, one of America’s most respected media, sports, and entertainment companies, with additional investments from PayPal Ventures, Evolution, Simon Equity Partners, and Bandai Namco Entertainment 021 Fund, a corporate venture arm of a Japanese multinational entertainment company, Bandai Namco Entertainment. Existing Anzu investors include Sony Innovation Fund, NBCUniversal, WPP, Bitkraft, Samsung Next, Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment (HBSE) Ventures, Axel Springer and Marquee Ventures — the venture capital fund anchored by the parent company of the Chicago Cubs.
In-game advertising continues to grow as more advertisers and developers become aware of the enormous opportunity it presents to reach a new market of gamers. On the heels of Anzu’s recent hire of Nerissa MacDonald, EVP Global Sales, the company will use the funding to continue to build out its global leadership team. Anzu will also seek to grow its U.S. footprint by developing teams across the country. The funding will allow Anzu to remain independent and fully focused on its mission to make advertising in games better.
Isipo goes live, brings the “experience economy” to life
South Africa’s innovative experience-based e-gifting site, Isipo, is now live. The concept was launched at Micros South Africa’s Hospitality TechConnect 22 event in October 2022, and is a joint project with Singapore-based CPR Vision Management.
Reginald Sibeko, managing director at Micros SA, said Isipo is designed to help hospitality companies increase direct and repeat business, acquire new customers, and reward and win back existing customers.
“The days when you simply sell a room or a meal are now over—consumers are looking for curated experiences, and the trend has accelerated since the Covid-19 lockdowns,” he says. “Isipo provides a unique platform on which members of the hospitality industry can offer a range of tempting experiences to existing and prospective customers.”
Travelling remains the most sought-after experience, with people prepared to spend more on luxury travel experiences. Guided cultural activities and wellness tourism are two segments that are showing considerable growth, while special dining experiences are also increasingly popular, all according to data from the Microsoft Advertising Network.
Making moves
See the world through the eyes of the youth
The annual Sunday Times GenNext, in partnership with Yellowwood, is an opportunity for marketers to see the world through the eyes of the youth. The 2023 Sunday Times GenNext youth marketing conference takes place on 28 September.
This year’s theme, Ready Player 1, takes inspiration from a world that has moved towards virtual connection as the primary means of interaction — from online gaming to Zoom meetings and the metaverse, where virtual personas are an extension of ourselves.
The Sunday Times GenNext survey, independently conducted and audited, is considered the leading barometer of what South Africa’s young people find on-trend and inspirational, delivering insights that are valued by brand management, advertising and marketing professionals.
“The report highlights the opportunity for brands to better understand how the youth engage with the world around them, empowering them to shape experiences that will connect with young people and drive choice,” said Refilwe Maluleke, MD at Yellowwood, the company responsible for conducting the annual Sunday Times GenNext research. She adds that this year’s report has a strong focus on the youth’s point of view and how they are championing their own destinies.
Upcoming Sunday Times GenNext events:
- 7 September 2023: Sunday Times GenNext Brand Interactive Showcase
- 20 September: Sunday Times GenNext Awards
- 24 September: Publication of the Sunday Times GenNext Supplement
Comic Con Cape Town wows fans as Joburg prepares for Comic Con Africa in September
As #ComicConCapeTown hash-tagged a trail through Twitter on opening day, 27 April 2023, in Cape Town, Comic Con Africa, the largest pop culture event in Africa and the first of its kind on the continent – is revving up its offering to bring fans the experience that they love in September.
The must-attend multi-genre entertainment and comic convention saw workshops and Masterclass events that included the Cape Town International Animation Festival (CTIAF) workshops.
All classes were sold out before the opening of the show, with night-time delight events such as Star Wars Quiz Night and Drink and Tag at Cause Effect giving ticket holders the opportunity to win great prizes and mingle with Comic Con Africa’s Local Street Artists.
Said Comic Con Africa content manager Rene Staack: “Comic Con Africa features a variety of activities like cosplay competitions, panel discussions and gaming tournaments. It also hosts numerous exhibitors including comic book creators, collectable companies, pop-culture merchandise and video game activities and outlets to a huge fan base of all ages.
“Known proudly among fans as the epicentre of community, the event has grown from a three-day event, with its last live show in 2022 welcoming a reported 69 000 visitors over four epic days.”
As South Africa enjoys spring, Joburg will see Comic Con Africa bring its magic to the City of Gold from 22 – 25 September.
Billed as “the ultimate pop culture and gaming festival in Africa”, the event will be held at the Johannesburg Expo Centre and Comic Con
The ‘up-close’ or the ‘personal’? The two types of attention and their implications for advertising effectiveness at Nedbank IMC
Attention is often described as the new currency in marketing, but it’s a complex currency to master and deal in – understanding the different facets of attention and how best to maximise on them in your creative campaigns can be tricky.
Orlando Wood, Chief Innovation Officer at System1 Group has been doing just this. In partnership with Joe Public, Orlando will be sharing his insights virtually at Nedbank Integrated Marketing Council (IMC) Conference on 15 September.
Laurent Marty, group chief strategic officer at Joe Public, will facilitate a question-and-answer session with Orlando following his virtual presentation. Laurent, a leading strategist with more than 20 years’ experience, has worked on both sides of the creativity coin – as client, and as agency. This has honed his ability of dual thinking: on the one side considering strategic implications beyond the remit of advertising; on the other, acting as a rational advocate for creativity and right-brain thinking among clients.
Within this year’s conference theme of UpClose&Personal, Orlando will delve into the challenges of a technology-driven advertising world that has narrowed consumer attention and jeopardised our sense of emotional connection with each other. He’ll explain just how we can regain this connection by focusing on building brands that capture the broad-beam attention of consumers – and sync with the emotional, curious and exuberant nature of people.
Dale Hefer, Nedbank IMC CEO, said, “Orlando’s award-winning work continues to influence thinking and practice in research, marketing and advertising, and will doubtless have a strong impact on Nedbank IMC conference-goers. The Q&A also promises to provide great insights for African marketers and creatives.”
Nedbank IMC takes place in person at Urban Brew Studios in Johannesburg on the 15 September 2023 – are almost sold out. The good news is that an online option is also available.
