Media Moves… TheMediaOnline’s weekly round up that looks at who’s moved where, which companies have scored what accounts and how to find out what opportunities are out there through our jobs site, powered by Memburn. All the moves in media.
Who’s moved where
This week’s BIG move: Natasha Joseph takes on City Press
City Press has a new news editor. Natasha Joseph, currently running the news desk at The Argus in Cape Town, takes on the role as of February 1.
This is a completely new challenge for me – I’ve never worked on a weekend newspaper before, and have been based only in the Western Cape, so it’s a big change and an exciting one. The chance to work with an extremely well-respected editorial team is also fantastic,” she told TheMediaOnline.
Joseph, who won Rising Star recognition at The Media’s 2010 Women in Media awards, says she has “no real fears – some trepidation about all the big changes, but I love newspapers and I love new challenges. With a GPS in my car and my sense of humour always at the ready, I’m excited rather than afraid,” she says.
She’ll be handling a staff of nine full-time reporters, with a newsroom in Joburg and then individuals in other areas and provinces.
She finds it difficult to describe her newsroom management style. “I’m not a dictator, but I’m not a pushover,” she says. “I like bringing out the best in people and making the job as fun for them as it is for me by collaborating, briefing, debriefing, mulling over intros with reporters and being very hands-on.”
Joseph says winning the Rising Star Women in Media award was “a great profile-booster, obviousl, since news editors tend to be behind-the-scenes characters, it was a way to remind people about me since my byline had dropped out of sight”.
And where does she see herself in 10 years time? “Still working in newspapers. I like to kid myself and pretend that I’ll retire at 35 to write books, spend hours cooking and pottering around the house and playing with my dog, but the reality is that newspapers and I are in a long-term relationship. I’d really like to study further at some point in the next decade, to keep learning and boosting my skills, and I’d love to find a way to juggle news editing with a bit of my own writing – I miss that particular thrill of pulling together a great story and seeing it in the paper.”
November 1 takes on two new key personnel
Nulanie Lopes – B-Tech Industrial Designer – has been working in the POP industry locally and abroad since leaving University. (UJ). She boasts numerous accolades and awards: 2002 Winner of the provincial sculpture award (GDE SA); 2003 Winner of the Wim Botha Sculpture award (PAAP); 2007 Merit Award Student Design (ARMSA); and 2007 Finalist in the Mr. Price House and Leisure Awards for her stool design.
Taryn Laas – marketing manager – has a BCom Honours student from the University of the North West (PUKKE) and has spent the last four years within the industrial and retail advertising sector.
NXT|Digital Innovation makes some moves
Award-winning full-service digital solutions agency, NXT\ Digital Innovation, has appointed digital guru, Sheldon White, as a mobile marketing and digital CRM specialist.
NXT\ Digital Innovation has also appointed Anna Ptasinski as a social media content and community administrator.
Who’s won what
The MediaShop wins Famous Brands account
Hot on the heels of being named Agency of the Year at the MOST Awards and being announced AdFocus Media Agency of the Year, The MediaShop has been awarded the prominent Famous Brands account. The full service media agency will handle all strategy, buying and planning for brands such as Steers, Wimpy, Debonairs Pizza, Mugg & Bean, Milky Lane, Fishaways, House of Coffees and KEG restaurants and pubs.
“With the media landscape having evolved so dramatically over the past few years, it is incumbent on us to ensure that our brands are always one step ahead in delivering “break-through” campaigns across all media platforms. We firmly believe that this will be successfully achieved through our partnership with The MediaShop,” says Linda Thomas, Group marketing executive, Famous Brands.
“We look forward to working with some of South Africa’s most iconic and authentic brands,” says Chris Botha, Group MD at The MediaShop. “The pitch was a massive team effort. We are super excited about growing together with Famous Brands as business partners.”
The shoe definitely fits for Primall Media
The House of Busby has selected Primall Media to create ‘only the best’ brand awareness for its new Steve Madden stores and range of fashion footwear at select shopping malls across the country.
Making the most use of an initial teaser campaign with the “soon to rock Jozi” strapline, the creative message is being upgraded to “Now Open” to indicate imminent store openings in these two premium shopping centres.
“It is essential to establish Steve Madden within the local context, and through Primall’s media platforms, the brand is able to reach South Africans in an environment where they not only spend extended dwell time, but spend money as well,” says Primall’s executive head of sales and marketing, Lee Curtis.
VWV lands Nestle Conference
For the second consecutive year, VWV, one of SA’s leading brand experience agencies, has been appointed by Nestle to conceptualise, design and produce its annual conference.
Who’s making moves
Going continental: Chillibush Africa launches
Through-the-line communications agency Chillibush Communications has partnered with The Phoenix Group to create Chillibush Africa (Pty) Ltd. The new company will build on the existing experience and expertise of the agencies to offer excellent strategic, media and creative and PR services throughout Africa.
The Phoenix Group, based in Cape Town, focuses predominantly on providing branding and design business strategy and HR consulting to the financial services sector in West Africa. Phoenix Group director Paul Cape says, “Through consulting for clients in Africa, we noticed increasing demand for an expanded range of top level marketing services and realised that we needed a strong partner to be able to service these opportunities.
“We’ve found the perfect fit with award-winning agency Chillibush Communications and look forward to creating more of a foothold and reputation for good service within these territories.”
Glen Jordan, a founding director of activation and media business Provantage and a former MD of Chillibush Communications, will bring his extensive experience in emerging markets to bear as MD of Chillibush Africa. Paul and Leanne Cape of the Phoenix Group, Chillibush founding director, Dale Hefer, and Chillibush creative director Felix Calitz will form an experienced leadership team for Chillibush Africa.
New Year’s merger sees events and PR firms join forces
Event production and décor business StarFX and communication consultancy RedStar merged, effective 1 January 2012. Both brands will continue trading individually while StarFX will also be the holding company for all future ventures. The company will be based at StarFX headquarters in Wynberg, Sandton.
“It is a new chapter for both brands,” says StarFX’s Nicci Hards. “Strategically an in-house supply chain capability has prompted both parties to consider the joint venture,” she says. Hards says the company plans to accelerate growth through the development of additional resources within the supply chain. “This will occur through owned resources as well as close, strategic partnerships.”
RedStar’s Hein Kaiser shares Hards’ sentiment, saying that the parties have worked together for over a half-decade in various guises. “I have worked with StarFX in various relationship incarnations and the merger seemed the next logical step given the absolute synergy in philosophy, strategic intent and ambition between the brands.” He says that further talks are underway to structure an independent, international network of likeminded companies in various markets. “Our strategy is clear and implementation will be aggressively focused on growth.”
The merged entity will adopt a shared philosophy of value. “Return on investment along with affordability form the cornerstone of our business,” says Kaiser.
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