Rethinking research and reviewing Gen X - 22 May 2017

We have a plethora of post-One Show 2017 content, including interviews with some of SA's brightest stars who took the stage, like Ross Chowles, as well as those behind the scenes, in the production companies and recording studios responsible for SA's Pencil-winning work. Click through to our One Show special section for the latest updates.

Looking further ahead to the Loeries, coming to Durban this August, I elaborated on all things excellent in outdoor ad execution with Wandile Setlhodi, head of marketing SSA at JCDecaux, the Loeries' branding partner for the year and sponsor of the outdoor and out of home (OOH) category.

Keeping things cutting-edge, Jessica Tennant reports back from VIMN Africa's Thought Leadership Breakfast held last week. Christian Kurz, senior vice president of global insights for Viacom International Media Networks unpacked the media company's latest global study and uncovered some game-changing new trends amongst kids, youth and adults disrupting how you market to them. Click through to find out why you're sorely mistaken if you still see Gen X as “the rebellious, slacker youth generation”.

I also attended Samra's two-day annual conference held in Stellenbosch late last week. You can read up on Natalie Botha and Saiesh Ajudhiya of Kantar Millward Brown's research paper findings: Telling FMCG stories without getting stuck on the product shot, as well as the Kantar TNS research paper presentation on 'Throwing bones and singing praise songs, drawing inspiration from African culture to develop locally relevant projective techniques', the punch presentation by Kate Niemöller of IQ Business on fact-phobia vs credible data: The war between truth and propaganda, the research paper presentation by Bérengère Parouty and Heather Tluczek of Kantar TNS on the reality of researchers being locked out of boardrooms, Elna Pretorius, co-founder of Columinate's plea for all to do their bit to ensure market research doesn't go the way of the dinosaur, and Samra CEO Leonie Vorster's views on whether we're shifting from a research industry to an insights industry, as well as questions to help you uncover fake news.

Rounding out the thought leadership, Juanita Pienaar continues her interviews with Prisa's Prisms 2017 gold winners and also finds out more about Amri Botha and Carina Coetzee from advertising agency, ninety9cents, who were announced as the SA winners of the Ster-Kinekor Cinemark 48-hour Cannes Young Lions competition - they'll be jetting off to Cannes in a month's time with our roving reporter Ann Nurock. Keep your eyes peeled for the latest updates!