Media Moves… TheMediaOnline’s weekly round up. Omar Essack now group deputy CEO of Kagiso Media. Added Value appoints new managing director. Zizo Beda joins Umhlobo Wenene. Habari Media adds to its digital know-how with some new staff. Mark Elliott MasterCard’s new man in South Africa. AIGS appoints sales and marketing director. New senior strategist for Yellowwood. Midgley and Tanner join Blast Brand Catalysts. Experienced PR manager required at HWB Communications. Gumtree chooses Trafrica as mobile advertising representative. Continental Outdoor is re-awarded Suburban Sign contract in Ekurhuleni. LEFTFIELD appointed by Careers 24 in Nigeria. Kagiso Digital: content provider to new MSN portal. Nokia Asha 503 found in the washroom. Viacom International Media Networks Africa partners with MultiChoice to expand TV portfolio. Tsogo Sun backs the Boks. Hero launches a new business entity, Hero Film a video production studio. Where marketing and behavioural science meet – #ogilvychange lands in South Africa. MTN Business partners with City Lodge Hotel Group. Dimension Data in new sponsorship deal with MAD CHARITY. SMG relocates to larger offices
Who’s moved where
Omar Essack now group deputy CEO of Kagiso Media
Kagiso Media has announced the promotion of Omar Essack, the group’s current executive director and CEO of broadcasting, to the position of deputy group chief executive officer. Essack will take on this new role with immediate effect, reporting to the group CEO, Mark Harris.
Essack, who is the longest serving member of the Kagiso Media group executive, has headed up Kagiso Media’s radio broadcasting assets since 2004. Harris says of Essack’s appointment, “He has provided consistency in the leadership of Kagiso Media and continues to maintain the legacy on which Kagiso Media has been built. As deputy group CEO, Essack will play a critical role in developing new media businesses in both linear and non-linear video. The deputy CEO will also build a new business in content and channels.”
Reporting directly to Kagiso Media’s Deputy Group CEO will be the CE Radio: Nick Grubb, CE Channels (to be appointed) and CE Content (to be appointed). He will also have Urban Brew Studios in his portfolio. Essack will also provide business direction and guidance to the chief innovation officer, Vincent Maher.
Added Value appoints new managing director
Lynne Gordon has been appointed to run Added Value, a brand consultancy in Johannesburg, and work with leading brands in South Africa and around the world to unlock growth through strategic marketing grounded in world-class consumer insight.
Having started her career at Procter & Gamble, Gordon spent most of her working life across South Africa, Africa, the Middle East and Eastern Europe, leading marketing teams on brands as diverse as Pantene, Vicks and Nokia.
Prior to joining Added Value, she ran a mobile engagement start-up for four years introducing mobile marketing to brands such as Omo and Carling Black Label, and working on award-winning campaigns such as ‘Carling Black Label Be the Champion Coach’.
Habari Media adds to its digital know-how with some new staff
Habari Media has announced the expansion of its team. The added muscle and expertise is a result of extra hands needed for the company’s ever expanding list of digital partners.
“Visitors to the Habari Media offices may have noticed a few new faces! We’d like to welcome Catherine Robson, Allurelle Healing and Ayanda Mbatha,” says Wayne Bischoff, managing director at Habari Media. “We’re especially excited to welcome our Amasa intern Madzanga Nebaimoro who shone during her Amasa Learnership Programme (ALP) interview. We’re more than happy to assist and grow the progress of her chosen career path.”
Healing and Robson join Habari Media from the exceptionally experienced and talented pool of digital people in South Africa. Before recognising Habari Media as the place to be, Healing spent 17 years in the media industry, with the last eight dedicated to digital. Robson, amongst other achievements, has worked for a company representing Yahoo and more recently was the digital account director at TBWA\Tequila working on an international fast food franchise.
Mbatha is a self confessed newbie to the industry and has always had a great interest in the conceptualisation of brands and brand building. She is fresh out of university and is currently pursuing a BA Honours degree in Brand Leadership at the Vega School of Brand Leadership. Nebaimoro plans to bring creativity and innovative thinking to Habari Media and would like to learn more about sales support, strategy and marketing as a whole, especially in this digital age that we live in.
Mark Elliott MasterCard’s new man in South Africa
MasterCard, a technology company in the global payments industry, has appointed Mark Elliott as division president for South Africa. Based in Johannesburg, Elliott will oversee the performance, strategic direction and brand development of MasterCard in South Africa. He will also ensure that MasterCard continues to deliver innovative and secure electronic payment solutions to South African cardholders and customers to achieve its vision of a world beyond cash.
“Although there has been a steady increase in the use and acceptance of electronic payments in South Africa, cash is still king. According to a 2013 MasterCard study, only six percent of consumer transactions that were made in South Africa used non-cash methods,” says Elliott.
AIGS appoints sales and marketing director
AIGS has appointed Gustav Piater as sales and marketing director. With a wealth of experience within the sales and marketing arena in the ICT sector, Piater will be responsible for marketing and sales team leadership, as well as driving positive revenue growth.
Previously, Piater was employed as sales director at Qbcon for the past 15 years, and in this role he built the sales team and enhanced sales processes at the organisation.
His extensive knowledge of the BI market, as well as his technical expertise in the software arena make him a great fit for AIGS’s product portfolio, and his understanding of business needs, together with his experience with premium clients like Denel and the Namibian and Zambian Inland Revenue Authorities, make Piater a valuable addition to the AIGS team, says Premie Naicker, MD of AIGS.
Zizo Beda joins Umhlobo Wenene
Zizo Beda has joined Umhlobo Wenene. She will be a contributor in the entertainment feature of Afternoon Drive show (Masigoduke) on Mondays and Fridays. This particular feature focuses on what will be happening over the weekend and then on a Monday it will be reviews on the latter.
Born and raised in eDutywa in the Eastern Cape, Beda is a strong willed, adventurous and determined young woman. After her reign as Miss SA Teen in 2006, she was offered the opportunity to represent and celebrate her culture and community on the long running, successful television programme, Selimathunzi.
She is currently studying towards a Journalism Degree and is a spokesperson for international cosmetic brand L’Oreal Garnier.
In short
New senior strategist for Yellowwood
Yellowwood Future Architects has welcomed Gerhard Reinecke to its ranks as a senior strategist. Reinecke’s background is varied, having spent time in advertising (account management and strategic planning) as well as in the research industry where he managed his own research agency. A move to Yellowwood has him once again doing what he is truly passionate about – strategic marketing and brand development.
Midgley and Tanner join Blast Brand Catalysts
Blast Brand Catalysts has welcomed Chris Midgley and Emma Tanner as strategist and designer respectively, into their team. Midgley holds an honours degree in marketing Ccmmunications (Cum Laude) and has previously worked in the agency environment on clients such as Continental Tyres, Wits University and De Beers among others. Tanner has worked at some of Johannesburg’s top design agencies, on a number of big brands.
Chris Vermeulen joins Rogerwilco
Rogerwilco (previously 2Stroke) has appointed Chris Vermeulen to the role of chief innovation officer.
What’s out there
Experienced PR manager required at HWB Communications
HWB Communications, a Cape-Town based public relations agency with national and provincial financial, government and corporate clients, is looking to appoint a senior accounts manager. The candidate will report to an account director, have at least four to five years PR agency/in-house communications experience, be enthusiastic about interacting independently with clients, as well as be familiar with the public relations aspects of business growth strategies.
Writing experience [strategies, press releases, media pitches etc.] will be deemed as advantageous. Candidates with a good general knowledge of marketing, advertising, the media (traditional and social), the business and political landscape in South Africa will be favoured. Apply with CV to info@hwb.co.za
Who’s won what
Gumtree chooses Trafrica as mobile advertising representative
Gumtree has recently appointed leading media sales company, Trafrica, as its mobile advertising partner. With a core focus on premium mobile media planning and buying, Trafrica has connected advertisers with an exclusive network of premium publishers and brands throughout Africa since since 2003.
Gumtree country manager Johan Nel said he is extremely pleased with the results thus far. “We know that South African Internet traffic is largely mobile-based, and we felt that Trafrica had both the experience and the knowledge needed to represent us,” says Nel. “We are confident that this partnership will draw even more advertisers to our platform, and that they will be completely satisfied with the results.”
“As we can see from the latest Effective Measures results, Gumtree draws close to 8 million South Africans to the site every month,” says Russell Atkins of Trafrica. “Which means it is a significant platform for advertisers in terms of traffic.”
Continental Outdoor is re-awarded Suburban Sign contract in Ekurhuleni
Continental Outdoor Media has been re-awarded the contractual rights for Suburban Signs in Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality for a further three years. The award allows Continental Outdoor to continue and to grow its existing Suburban Signs business in Ekurhuleni, which includes the areas of Alberton, Bedfordview, Benoni, Brakpan, Boksburg, Daveyton, Duduza, Edenvale, Germiston, Katlehong, Kwa-Thema, Kempton Park, Nigel, Springs, Tsakane, Tembisa, Thokoza and Vosloorus.
“We are looking forward to growing our existing street furniture base and also our association and relationship with Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality,” says Shane Thompson, development director. “Suburban signage provides a key service to both communities, and marketers, providing relevant information within the suburban environment.”
LEFTFIELD appointed by Careers 24 in Nigeria
Careers24 have appointed integrated advertising agency, LEFTFIELD to support South Africa’s leading online job portal’s launch in Nigeria. Leftfield, operating from Cape Town and Lagos, has its roots in Nigeria having been founded upon that West African county’s leading dairy account, FrieslandCampina some seven years ago. Since then the agency has consistently delivered impactful integrated campaigns based on local consumer insights and bold ideas that aim to deliver best results.
“We’re thrilled to have been given this exciting opportunity to work with the Careers24 marketing team here and in Lagos. We have our sights set on some big targets and we’re confident that we will achieve these – we are talking about Africa’s biggest economy after all!” said Jason Cumming, MD and partner at Leftfield.
According to Nadia Boucher Coombe, dead of marketing at 24.com, “Our expansion into Nigeria required a partner with a proactive and creative approach to help promote the Careers24 brand in that region. “
Kagiso Digital content provider to new MSN portal
With effect from 1 October, Kagiso Digital’s role within Howzit MSN is shifting in line with Microsoft’s recent announcement that it will redesign the news and entertainment portal globally. Kagiso Digital, a division of Kagiso Media Limited, will focus on content provision to the local arm of MSN. Kagiso Media, via their sales house Mediamark, will also retain the sales responsibility for MSN, Skype and Outlook.
Since May 2010, Kagiso Digital has been operating Howzit MSN in partnership with Microsoft and been responsible for the creation, management and delivery of content into the MSN portal. Kagiso New Media’s general manager of publishing, Marcus Stephens, says, “The new MSN product offering will be fundamentally different and Kagiso Digital is excited to be involved in this revamp. We will, via NOW.co.za, be providing content into the new MSN product. NOW.co.za brings users the latest breaking news in an easy-to-access format and so our partnership with Microsoft on the new MSN makes sense.”
Nokia Asha 503 found in the washroom
Primedia Unlimited’s indoor advertising specialists TLC were selected as the Out of Home (OOH) media owner of choice to launch Nokia’s Asha 503 smart phone.
“The creative for Nokia’s Asha 503 campaign entitled ‘swipe, snap, share’ is very distinct and lends itself perfectly to our multiple platforms,” says Cara Leigh Woods, account manager for TLC. “The tag line ‘swipe, snap, share’ illustrates the simplicity of accessing the phone’s 5 mega pixel camera, taking a quality picture and sharing it to social media, all with minimal fuss.”
Who’s making moves
#ogilvychange lands in South Africa
#ogilvychange, Ogilvy & Mather’s behavioural sciences practice, launches in the country this week, offering clients a new perspective on building their brands with the latest thinking in cognitive and social psychology combined with Ogilvy’s communications expertise
A frenetic consumer culture has caused brands to market their products with little regard given to the number of decisions customers make on a continuous basis in today’s modern world.
Since launching in London, in 2012, #ogilvychange has striven to restore the balance, combining the gravitas of leading research in cognitive psychology and behavioural economics with the communication expertise of the Ogilvy & Mather Group (O&M). #ogilvychange melds a team of creative marketing architects with an active community of behavioural science experts, including leading academics. The result is a duo that makes for valuable and actionable insights that can translate into the real world, to real people and to real behavioural change — influencing people’s behaviors and, finally, their purchasing decisions.
The company will be led by long time behavioural economics champion, co-founder of #ogilvychange and Vice Chairman of O&M UK, Rory Sutherland.
Hero launches a new business entity, Hero Film a video production studio
Hero, an integrated marketing agency with offices in Cape Town and Johannesburg, has officially launched Hero Film. The recent rebirth of video production and the revolutionary change from single medium communication channels becoming integrated campaigns, with video the brand story-telling Hero, was a deciding factor in the formation of an independent digital Hero Film production studio.
Headed up by Brendan Stein as newly appointed managing creative director alongside technical director, Pierre Steytler, they will be working closely with existing and new clients to steer them through these technologically and economically changing times.
“The evolution of video has seen a plethora of brand communication opportunities open up for marketers with social media platforms like YouTube necessitating clever and strategic use of video content to potentially attract massive audiences,” says Stein. “We look forward to driving this trend with a full service digital offering from strategy, creative through to production that can be tailored to solve a client’s brand challenge.”
Viacom International Media Networks Africa partners with MultiChoice to expand TV portfolio
Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN) Africa will broaden its entertainment offering on DStv across Africa with the launch of two new 24-hour kids and family channels from Nickelodeon, while also extending the reach of general entertainment channel BET International in South Africa.
With the launch of Nick Jr, Nicktoons and BET International on 30 September, VIMN Africa now delivers more TV channels than any other international media company on the continent, with a total of eight distinct entertainment brands. This expansion of its portfolio, which also includes MTV, MTV Base, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon and VH1 Classic, increases VIMN Africa’s offering of high quality content to audiences across all key age demographics.
“We are delighted to partner with MultiChoice to strengthen our kids and family, and general entertainment offering in Africa. Nick Jr., Nicktoons and BET International provide the perfect complement to our existing entertainment, music, comedy, and kids and family channels,” says Alex Okosi, Senior VP and MD of VIMN Africa.
2Stroke, the digital marketing agency, is changing its name to Rogerwilco.
The name is derived from the classic two-way communication to confirm that a message has been received, understood (Roger) and will be complied with (Wilco), and is in accordance with the agency’s repositioning as a more creative, strategic and engaging business.
In addition, the name creates a persona around a digital marketing agency which has long held the belief that fostering excellent client relationships is the key to success in a highly competitive marketing environment.
“The digital industry is going through tremendous change, and now, more than ever, brands need to know that their existing agencies will be there for them and continue to deliver a standard of work that has grown their businesses to what they are today. Trust is vital in this field, and we believe we have gained this trust. Now is the perfect time to build on that and take our clients to the next level through even more innovative work,” says Rogerwilco CEO Charlie Stewart.
Tsogo Sun backs the Boks
A long-time accommodation sponsor of the majority of South Africa’s national sporting teams, Tsogo Sun has expanded its sponsorship agreement with the Springboks in a partnership that dates back to 1995 and has evolved into one in which Tsogo Sun is now the team’s official accommodation and experience partner.
“Tsogo Sun has a long history of supporting the men and women who carry the flag for South Africa on the international sporting stage, and we have been the home of the Springboks since the Rugby World Cup in 1995. We take great pride in our association with the Springboks, which we believe is the coming together of two great leaders. This formidable partnership epitomises our brand values of leadership, charisma, passion and energy,” says Neil Fraser, group director of sales for Tsogo Sun.
Tsogo Sun’s sponsorship of sport dates back to its inception over 40 years ago and has seen the group partnering with national sporting bodies to become the official accommodation provider to, amongst others, the South African national rugby, soccer, cricket and netball teams, along with many provincial sporting teams including the Lions, Sharks, Bulls, Western Province, Eastern Province, Griquas and Cheetahs.
Dimension Data in new sponsorship deal with MAD CHARITY™
Global informational technology group Dimension Data has joined MAD CHARITYᵀᴹ as an official supporting sponsor. MAD (Make A Difference) was founded in 2003 by former Springbok captain Francois Pienaar, whose goal it was to identify academically talented South African learners from financially less fortunate backgrounds and support their education and lifeskills development until they are ready to enter the job market.
Dimension Data’s three-year sponsorship will support MAD’s annual national golf days in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban and will be pivotal in growing the charity’s support programmes through various hosted events.
All proceeds go towards giving academically talented but economically disadvantaged youth in South Africa the opportunity to reach their full potential as leaders and role models by providing opportunities through the MAD Individual Education Programme.
“We are immensely grateful to long-term sponsorships from corporates such as Dimension Data. This commitment to MAD assists us in keeping event costs to a minimum, which in turn allows us to fulfill our 9-year commitment to even more deserving learners. We are looking forward to welcoming Dimension Data as a supporter and friend to the MAD team as we embark on the next three years together,” says Pienaar.
SMG relocates to larger offices
The Starcom MediaVest Group, previously based in Sunninghill Johannesburg, has relocated to larger offices in Bryanston due to an increase in staff and client commitments.
”With the inclusion of Lighthouse Digital under our banner, we needed more space to accommodate our current growth phase,” explains Aaron van Schaik, CEO of SMG South Africa. “The new offices will house the Starcom, MediaVest and Lighthouse Digital teams, and offer our media owner partners a rejuvenated and fresh space in which to engage with our collective staff.”
SMG’s new address is the Silver Stream Office Park on Muswell Road, Bryanston. The telephone numbers remain unchanged; the switchboard can be reached on T: 011 235 4000 or 010 020 1851.
MTN Business partners with City Lodge Hotel Group
MTN Business has signed a partnership deal with the City Lodge Hotel Group to be the group’s connectivity and telecommunications support. This will significantly improve ICT services at the group’s 51 existing hotels in South Africa and one in Botswana, and future hotels that the group develops in South Africa.
Utilising MTN’s high speed next generation fibre optic network and their ability to self-provide last mile connectivity, MTN will enable the hotel group to upgrade to carrier-grade WiFi internet and voice services for its guests, enhance its internal network, and optimise systems stability.
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