Media Moves: Publicis Media makes key senior appointments, URC and Castle Lager join forces to elevate fan experience, 5FM to ‘Ampli5’ Breast Intentions Colour Run

The Media Online’s weekly round up of people, account and business moves in media.

This week’s BIG move: Publicis Media bolsters leadership team with key senior appointments

Publicis Media has announced three senior appointments that reinforce its commitment to delivering market-leading strategy and investment capabilities.

Brian Muguto joins as head of strategy, bringing more than a decade of experience in driving integrated communications and business growth. Most recently, he led PHD as managing director, where he guided the agency through a period of strategic transformation and innovation.

Kevin Ndinguri takes on the role of chief investment officer, with over 15 years of experience in media, marketing, and business leadership. He previously served as Chief Client Officer of IPG Mediabrands, where he led high-performing teams and delivered strong results for clients across diverse industries.

Finally, Kershnee Pillay has been promoted to the role of managing director of Starcom. She has an impressive reputation in the advertising and media branches of the industry and is particularly adept at weaving brand narratives and showcasing creativity across the full ‘through-the-line’ communications spectrum – most recently within the Middle Eastern and African regions.

People moves

Kaizer Chiefs’ Jessica Motaung joins all-star line-up at MANCOSA Jacaranda FM business breakfast

The MANCOSA Jacaranda FM Business Breakfast has confirmed Jessica Motaung, the commercial and marketing director of Kaizer Chiefs, will be joining its prestigious list of speakers.

Motaung will delve into Kaizer Chiefs’ strategic expansion and engagement plans, unpacking how the club is positioning itself as a leading African football brand. She will also share practical advice with business leaders on how to leverage their brand power, build resilience, and navigate spaces where tradition and innovation intersect.

As the commercial and marketing director for one of the most recognised brands in Africa, Motaung’s participation offers an pportunity for business owners and entrepreneurs to learn how to leverage a robust legacy to create new opportunities. Her experience spans the club’s diverse commercial initiatives, from its flourishing merchandising division to innovative FMCG products

Surveillance experience brings an eye for detail to the new marketing operations manager

Born in East London and raised in Cape Town and Kimberley, Kim Cader has built a decade-long career at Sun International’s Flamingo Casino. Since joining in 2015, she has worked across marketing and surveillance before stepping into her new role as marketing operations manager, effective August 2025.

Cader is also presently the Flamingo ambassador for SunTalk, the internal company app to keep staff updated about what’s happening at the casino and the group. Part of the requirements of this position is to keep Flamingo relevant and seen on SunTalk.

Cader’s passion is creating, strategy, people, customer service, “and bringing fun into everything we do,” she says, making sure the energy flows from the team to the gaming floor and right to Flamingo’s guests. She is excited to be back in marketing, where her Btech Marketing Degree will be put to good use, as well as her BCom (Hons) Marketing Management, which she is currently completing. Additional certifications include project management, digital marketing, digital copywriting and content creation, all making Cader eminently qualified for her new post.

Business moves

Publicis Groupe Africa expands commerce capability 

Publicis Groupe Africa has expanded its commerce division, Publicis Commerce, to give brands stronger, more integrated support as shopping habits continue to shift across digital and physical channels.

The move means clients will now have access to a broader set of connected commerce services, spanning media, creative, data, experiential, and platform expertise – all designed to help brands reach shoppers wherever they are and to measure the impact more effectively.

Publicis Commerce focuses on solving real client challenges, from optimising product visibility on digital shelves to linking media investment directly to sales. The expansion brings together global best practices with local market insights to create practical, results-driven solutions.

Paula Hulley, Publicis Commerce Lead in South Africa, explains: “What excites me most is that we’re creating a space where brands can connect more meaningfully with their customers. Our job is to cut through the complexity and help clients grow, whether that’s through better use of data, sharper creative or making sure their products are seen and bought in the right places.”

URC and Castle Lager join forces to elevate the fan experience

The URC has teamed up with Castle Lager as the official beer sponsor of the Championship in South Africa.

The URC has shown remarkable growth since the South African franchises officially joined the competition in 2021. Over the next three editions of the URC, Castle Lager will bring fans together to enjoy the action from South Africa’s greatest rugby cathedrals to the comfort of their local pub or in front of the braai, tongs at the ready.

“Castle Lager has a legacy in South African sport,” said Thomas Lawrence, Castle Lager’s brand manager. “We have long-standing relationships with the country’s three major sporting codes — Bafana Bafana, the Proteas and the Springboks — and the URC sponsorship is a natural extension of that. Rugby is part of the DNA of South Africans. Fans have rallied together in recent years to make the URC the country’s best expression of the sport.

“Castle Lager exists to bring fans together around the things they love most; and for South Africans, that’s braai, good times, and rugby. This partnership with the URC is about uniting South Africans through the sport.”

Martin Anayi, CEO of the United Rugby Championship, said: “Rugby in South Africa is not just a sport — it’s a way of life. That’s why we are so proud to welcome Castle Lager as our official partner in South Africa. Their legacy in uniting fans through sport perfectly complements our mission to connect teams, players, and supporters across borders.”

MRI Software partners with Fatti Location to deliver advanced retail analytics to South African shopping centres

In a strategic effort to enhance retail performance through data-driven insights, MRI Software, a global leader in real estate solutions and services, has joined forces with Pretoria-based location analytics specialist Fatti Location to offer comprehensive retail footfall analytics for the South African market.

This partnership combines complementary technologies to bring advanced footfall analytics to local shopping and retail destinations, helping landlords and asset managers gain deeper visibility into visitor behaviour and centre performance.

Already used across the UK and other global markets, MRI OnLocation Footfall Analytics provides real-time foot traffic data, journey mapping, and behavioural insights that support informed decision-making in complex retail environments.

“OnLocation Footfall Analytics provides landlords and centre managers with the ability to understand how their spaces are being used. Not just how many people visit but how they move, where they dwell, and how that changes over time,” said Mark Fairweather, managing director Africa at MRI Software. “By bringing this level of insight into the hands of South African retail leaders, we’re enabling them to make more strategic, data-informed decisions.”

Castle Milk Stout introduces Songs to Savour for Heritage Month

Across South Africa’s urban centres, traditional ceremonies happen less often, and when they do, elders lead while young people watch. For many, this has created a cultural gap: a generation proud of its heritage, yet anxious about not knowing the songs that carry its wisdom.

Castle Milk Stout is addressing this dissonance with the launch of Songs to Savour — a campaign designed to turn cultural pressure into cultural pride. The platform invites South Africans to rediscover traditional songs through simple sing-alongs, making it possible for anyone to learn, practise and share music once reserved for weddings, funerals, initiations and family gatherings.

Castle Milk Stout brand manager, Hetisani said: “These songs are not just about the past — they are about connection. A campaign like this gives young people a way to make heritage part of their daily rhythm, in a format that feels modern and accessible.” He further adds that: “Traditional songs are living archives. They carry knowledge systems that are not always found in textbooks. By placing them on a platform where anyone can sing along, Songs to Savour ensures that cultural education remains open and shared.”

The campaign builds on Castle Milk Stout’s ongoing role as a brand which believes in the celebration and preservation of African heritage.

As South Africa marks Heritage Month, and SAB celebrates its 130 year anniversary Castle Milk Stout invites all South Africans to visit the Songs to Savour platform, learn the songs, and sing them proudly into the future.

SABC appoints specialist advertising partners

The SABC has appointed Arise/365 Digital, Media North and Mediamark as specialist digital sales partners following a rigorous and competitive procurement process.

“These partnerships are about unlocking greater value for our clients,” said Nomsa Chabeli, group chief executive officer.

“By collaborating with trusted specialist partners, we are strengthening our ability to deliver innovative, multi-platform solutions across radio, television and digital. This ensures that advertisers can reach audiences in more impactful ways while benefitting from the growth of our digital platforms and the comprehensive opportunities they provide.”

Read more here.

Making moves

Jacaranda FM’s Good Morning Angels helps hardworking matriculant overcome financial barrier

For many students, matric year is the culmination of years of hard work, dedication, and dreams of a brighter future. For Njabulo Muthanti, a bright and hardworking student at Prestige College in Hammanskraal, her final year brought not only academic challenges but also a financial hurdle that threatened to derail her dreams. When her mother lost her job, the family struggled to cover the R41 000 registration fee required for Njabulo to sit her Cambridge matric finals, a barrier that could have stopped her from completing her education and pursuing university next year.

Recognised by her teachers as a star student for her dedication, integrity, and tireless work ethic, she continued to work toward her goals while her teachers, Helé and Liaan Lategan, mobilised a fundraiser to help. With the registration deadline of 13 September fast approaching, additional support was urgently needed.

Hearing Njabulo’s inspiring story, Jacaranda FM’s Good Morning Angels stepped in to assist. The Fund has donated R50 000, covering the R41 000 needed for her final exam registration and providing additional support for school-related expenses during this critical period.

“Education is one of the most powerful tools a young person can have to change their life,” says Martin Bester, host of Jacaranda FM’s flagship breakfast show ‘Breakfast With Martin Bester’. “Good Morning Angels is proud to assist a hardworking and dedicated young woman like Njabulo. It would be a tragedy to see her dreams slip away due to financial barriers beyond her control. We are happy to help provide the funds she needs to write her final matric exams and continue on her path to success. Her dedication, resilience, and determination to succeed are truly inspiring, and we are honoured to play a role in helping her achieve her dreams.”

5FM to ‘Ampli5’ Breast Intentions Colour Run

Apartheid Museum exposes the unfinished business of the TRC

A new exhibition at the Apartheid Museum titled: ‘Grave Injustice: The Unfinished Business of the TRC’, will open to the public on 24 September and highlights the ongoing struggle for justice and reparations since the conclusion of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) in 2003.

Curated by the Apartheid Museum in partnership with the Foundation for Human Rights, the exhibition sheds light on the enduring legacy of impunity and the urgent need for truth by sharing the powerful stories of the families and survivors who have led this decades-long fight for accountability.

In January 2025, twenty-five families of apartheid-era victims filed a lawsuit against the South African government, seeking R167 million in constitutional damages for its failure to pursue justice after the TRC ended in 2003. They also urged President Cyril Ramaphosa to establish a commission of inquiry into longstanding allegations of political interference in these cases.

In May 2025, President Ramaphosa announced the formation of an independent judicial commission of inquiry, led by former Constitutional Court Judge Sisi Kamphepe, to investigate alleged political obstruction of apartheid-era prosecutions handed to the NPA since 2003.

The Commission of Inquiry into Criminality, Political Interference and Corruption in the Criminal Justice System will begin its hearings later this year, and is to complete its work in six months. Survivors, families and civil society organisations have welcomed the establishment of the commission, expressing hope that it will finally uncover who was responsible – and why – for obstructing investigations and prosecutions related to TRC cases.