Media Moves… TheMediaOnline’s weekly round up. Unilever appoints Duba as communications director. Brand inc shows positive growth with new appointments. Webfluential has a new CEO. Zmags names new CFO. Turner appoints Rosi as channel head. Naartjie Kids signs Engage Brandcraft. Saatchi & Saatchi Synergize win four key brands. PR Expert wins FoodSure account. Game turns to Mxit to drive sales. Primall launches Burberry’s Brit Rhythm in SA’s malls. Epic win for Epic Communications. OHMSA welcomes smaller companies in the OOH industry – for free. Virseker to ensure that ‘Afrikaans is groot’ is bigger than ever.
Who’s moved where
Unilever appoints Duba as communications director
Sibonile Dube has been appointed as communications director [South and Southern Africa] for Unilever. Dube has over 15 years experience working in corporate communications. She has held various positions within multinational companies in diverse industries amongst them Ford Motor Company and Nokia.
Her knowledge of the African markets was gained during her tenure at Blue Financial Services where she was in charge of the public relations and communications portfolio of 14 countries for the micro-finance Institution.
She has a Bachelor of Science Honours degree in Sociology, a National Diploma in Journalism and is studying towards a Master of Management in Strategic Marketing at Wits Business School.
At Unilever, Dube will lead the company in the delivery of an effective communications strategy in South Africa and the Southern African region countries of Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Brand inc shows positive growth with new appointments
Integrated brand services agency Brand inc has hired three new staff to add to the growing staff compliment at its head office in Cape Town.
The company, which celebrated some big wins after winning the pitch for global brand ASICS, being given lead agency responsibility for creative to activate Vaseline’s Springbok Sponsorship and then being appointed to handle the above the line responsibilites to amplify the Dawn Day Spa campaign, is experiencing a bumper year and anticipating this growth to continue well into 2015.
Brand inc’s three new employees, Mieke Bredenkamp, Amy Stroebel and Ashley Barnes have been hired to fill positions in Brand inc’s finance, design and client service departments respectively.
Stroebel started a small studio called Absolute Zero with a colleague from Triple-Aand moved to Brand inc to branch out from graphic design into art direction.
Bredenkamp studied a BCom in Economic Analysis at Stellenbosch before doing her articles at an auditing firm in Stellenbosch where she stayed on to become the firm’s internal financial accountant.
Barnes joins Brand inc as an account director following a career that began with in ballet and saw her tour the world with various ballet companies before switching over to Lucky Strike where she worked as a brand ambassador and cut her teeth in marketing.
Webfluential has a new CEO
Webfluential, the web platform that connects brands with consumers via credible social influencers, has appointed Steven Murray as its new CEO.
In this role, Murray will be responsible for leading a team that will expand Webfluential into Africa and globally, while looking after the relationships the team has built with existing clients and influencers in South Africa.
He has over 15 years’ experience working in corporate and start-up environments – the latter being an especially strong area having launched Swish, a global mobile technology company in Hong Kong in 2012.
“Steven is the right man to take the business from a local success story to a global one,” said Murray Legg, co-founder of Webfluential.
Marco Rosi will join Turner Broadcasting System
Marco Rosi will join Turner Broadcasting System, a Time Warner Company, as head of channels of TBS Italy and Head of Kids Channels for Africa.
In his new role Rosi will report directly to Jaime Ondarza, senior vice president and general manager of Turner Broadcasting System Italy, Europe and South Africa. He will be responsible for all editorial and marketing decisions for Turner and Boing JV channels in Italy, as well as all Kids channels in Africa and the Middle East.
“We are delighted that Marco is joining us and I am sure he will contribute with his experience and expertise to the consolidation and growth of the channels in Turner Broadcasting System Italy and Africa,” Ondarza said
Zmags names new CFO
Zmags, the leader in cloud-based digital publishing software, has named David Powell as the company’s chief financial officer, effective immediately.
Powell brings nearly two decades of highly effective financial management to Zmags, and will be instrumental in guiding the company through a period of strategic growth initiated by the company’s recent acquisition by investment firm, The Gores Group.
Powell’s experience stretches across industry verticals, most recently serving as CFO at two Massachusetts-based companies; Six Red Marbles, LLC, a leading digital & print learning materials publisher, and Digilant, Inc., a leading advertising media technology company.
In short
Leo Smit has been appointed as a brand manager for the kykNET department at M-Net.
Anneke Villet has been appointed as a commissioning edditor for the kykNET department at M-Net.
Louise Marsland leaves her position as editor of The New Age’s media and marketing pages. She will continue to write columns for MarkLIves, Bizcommunity and her own site, TrendAfrica.
Kavitha Kalicharan, MD of Taurus Communications has been appointed chairperson of the Gauteng regional committee of the Public Relations Institue of SA as well as a non executive board member for the Prisa.
Who’s won what
Naartjie Kids signs Engage Brandcraft
Engage Brandcraft, a Cape Town-based branding agency focused on the origination and renovation of brands across logo creation, digital, packaging design and print, has been appointed by Naartjie Kids South Africa as their digital brand strategist. Naartjie Kids, which originally started trading at Greenmarket Square in 1989, has since expanded internationally, fast becoming synonymous with distinctive, affordable and naturally soft and functional kids’ clothing.
To ensure consistency of brand messages across all of its local digital platforms, Engage Brandcraft will be working with Naartjie Kids as their strategic digital partner. This includes the brand’s social media platforms, video production and customer communications in addition to a new Naartjie Kids e-commerce website, to be rolled out later this year.
On an international level, Engage Brandcraft will now be tasked with the strategic planning of all social media messaging across both the USA and Canadian platforms.
Saatchi & Saatchi Synergize win four key brands
Saatchi & Saatchi Synergize, Saatchi & Saatchi’s digital search marketing/digital arm, has won four key pieces of SEO and digital marketing pieces of business.
The new business wins include BetterBond, leading home loan facilitators; Clickatell, a global leader in mobile messaging and transaction services; Hi-Tec Sports, a leading global sports brand; and the Automobile Association (AA) of South Africa.
The services Saatchi & Saatchi Synergize will be delivering to the new clients include paid media campaigns to convert new customers and upsell new offerings to existing customers and SEO, for better organic visibility in Google.
PR Expert wins FoodSure account
Boutique consultancy PR Expert, headed up by industry veteran Janine Lloyd, has won the FoodSure public relations account. FoodSure is a food marketing and independent food verification company championing the Honest Brand Movement in South Africa.
“FoodSure required high level expertise in developing the communication strategy In order to build the brand’s reputation within the minds and hearts of South African shoppers and industry stakeholders. We needed an experienced PR partner that could translate the essence of the brand into an effective communication and stakeholder engagement strategy, as well as align our messaging with our through the line advertising campaign which will kick off later in the year” says Amanda Rogaly, MD of FoodSure.
The PR Expert team will be elevating awareness for FoodSure’s compelling messaging through both traditional and digital channels as well building relationships with various stakeholders including Government, marketers, associations and the food industry.
Primall launches Burberry’s Brit Rhythm in SA’s malls
Primedia Unlimited’s shopping mall advertising specialist, Primall Media, has been selected by Burberry to launch its new Burberry Brit Rhythm fragrance for men and women via its consumer-stopping digital screens inside upmarket shopping centres across the country.
The campaign, inspired by live music and youthful energy, portrays Burberry Brit Rhythm as a fusion of sound and scent that is in line with Burberry CEO Christopher Bailey’s drive to nurture the brand’s association with British music.
“Burberry is a digital company in the way in which it communicates so digital exposure for its advertising campaigns will always take first preference as a media platform,” says Primall Media’s Lee Curtis.
Game turns to Mxit to drive sales
The latest brand to switch to Mxixt’s mobile offering is Game, Africa’s largest discount retailer. Launching its ‘Game SA’ brand app to highlighting the latest in-store deals in the mobile, tech and appliances categories, Game attracted 52 808 consumers to its app via Mxit’s advertising platforms.
“Game’s move to Mxit demonstrates its confidence in mobile advertising and it’s mature understanding of consumer buying behavior,” says Mxit sales consultant Sam Billingham. “Using our Splash Screens, Game drives consumers to it’s new Mxit brand app where users can explore in-store deals of the week as well as being able to stand a chance of winning one of five R1000 shopping vouchers.”
Cell C cruises ahead with Sharks and TLC
Visitors to King Shaka Airport in Durban will have little doubt that they are in Cell C Sharks territory, thanks to full door wraps used by the leading mobile provider to leverage mileage from its sponsorship of the provincial rugby team.
When Cell C decided that the airport would be the ideal platform to communicate its sponsorship of the Durban based Sharks team, a commercially recognised sporting brand in its own right, they turned to trusted out-of-home advertising space specialist TLC.
The campaign primarily targets the upper LSM Durban community who inevitably support the Sharks, as well as rugby fans travelling in and out of the KwaZulu-Natal city for games, business or holidays.
Who’s making moves
OHMSA welcomes smaller companies in the OOH industry – for free
At the recent AGM of Out of Home Media SA NPC (OHMSA) it was unanimously decided that smaller companies in the OOH environment would be given the opportunity to join the association at no cost to themselves until April 2015.
To qualify Out of Home media owners must bill below R3 million per annum and have been trading for a minimum of six months in any sphere of Out of Home advertising.
“We realise that there are a number of smaller organisations that could benefit from the services offered by OHMSA in terms of training and workshops on various aspects of the industry, which is why the board took this decision” said Lusanda Dube, chairperson of the Association.
“The category of Temporary Membership will have representation on the OHMSA board and there will be training done on a monthly basis to increase knowledge and expertise in these smaller companies” said Ms. Dube.
Companies wishing to take advantage of this offer should contact christelle@ohmsa.co.za in the first instance.
Virseker to ensure that ‘Afrikaans is groot’ is bigger than ever
Afrikaans insurer, Virseker, has announced its sponsorship of Afrikaans is Groot – one of South Africa’s biggest and most popular celebrations of Afrikaans music.
Afrikaans is Groot is set to take place on 14, 15, 18, 19, 20, 21 and 22 November 2014 at the Moreletapark Auditorium in Pretoria and on 28 and 29 November at the Grand West Arena in Cape Town.
It features a star-studded line-up of top South African artists like Juanita Du Plessis, Theuns Jordaan, Steve Hofmeyr, Bobby Van Jaarsveld, Bok Van Blerk, Robbie Wessels, Lianie May, Karlien Van Jaarsveld, Jay, Riana Nel, Jannie Moolman, Arno Jordaan, Jak de Priester, Eden, Corlea Botha, Dewald Wasserfall and more.
“This is truly a phenomenal event and it’s a huge privilege for us to be involved”, says Carl Louw, chief marketing officer of Virseker. “Afrikaans is Groot is a natural match for Virseker. In 2014 we’re putting our weight firmly behind a show that will not only deliver nine nights of lekker entertainment, but will also provide us with a valuable opportunity to engage directly with people whose hearts ‘klop tjoklits’ for Afrikaans.”
Epic win for Epic Communications
Independent South African-based public relations firm, Epic Communications, scooped the coveted African Consultancy of the Year accolade at the 2014 Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) SABRE* Awards, held in London last week.
The EMEA SABRE awards recognise agencies at the forefront of strategic communications practices and are among the most sought-after awards in the PR field, attracting more than 2 000 entries from more than 20 countries throughout Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
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