Solly MOENG commented on Rebranding SAPS key to 2010 successGreat case story! The lesson that I believe Commissioner Cele should draw from this is that much of the work must be done from within. There are many factors that seem to take away the pride that many members of the SAPS could, indeed should, be demonstrating in the work that they do. Many are said to be under paid (perceptions rule here), scared of the tsotsis roaming the street, to easy to bribe, too fat / physically unfit and generally uncaring. Specialists in various fields need to be brought in to help make a turn around. It will not be an overnight strategy but something like 3 yrs seem realistic in order for the public to start seeing the difference. Corrupt police must be punished and be seen to be punished and good ones similarly rewarded. Members of the public who try to bribe the police must be punished and the cops must be firm in refusing bribes. Externally, the changes must be effectively communicated and public support solicited. Finally, no one must be afraid of reporting corrupt cops or act of crime. The SAPS must be taught to serve and to be seen to be serving! | |
MARKETING & MEDIA Rebranding SAPS key to 2010 success[Dr Nikolaus Eberl] Shortly after having been appointed National Police Commissioner, Bheki Cele stated that he wants to create a country "where people aren't told they're safe, but actually feel safe", and that he is on a mission to change the image of the police and boost their morale. As history has shown, high levels of morale are a precondition for peak performance that is required for ensuring the safety of visitors and locals alike, especially at times of hosting a major international event. | |
Arthur Charlez commented on Grandpa commercial is the real dealand Ogilvy.. the reputable Ogilvy.. exactly one month later.. decides to launch a TV ad for Grandpa headache tablets.. after they try and convince us that we should buy headache powders because it goes straight to work in powder form. I feel insulted as a consumer who actually use these products.. | |
Kate Elphick commented on Facebook has a big forking problemDefinitely food for thought. One other trend I am seeing is a lot more activity on FB since the economic crisis. People seem to have a lot more time on their hands. | |
MARKETING & MEDIA Is it advertising or advertainment?[Chris Moerdyk] Am I living in hope that, unlike in previous recessions, this time round the advertising industry will give some thought to what needs to be done to bring relevance, accountability and return on investment to what they do? | |
MARKETING & MEDIA Facebook has a big forking problem[Roger Hislop] Over at Facebook central, you can only imagine the anguish in the conference rooms. The good news so often comes with a disastrous implication. User numbers are just climbing, and climbing, and climbing. Revenues are climbing as well (apparently), but Facebook is privately held, so who knows whether they're even breaking even. Those who know don't tell; those who tell don't know. | |
Marion Scher | [Marketing & Media] |
LIFESTYLE & ENTERTAINMENT Return of the F1 King?[Marcello-Calvin Adams] Yes he might be coming back, I don't know if the heading would give it away but if you guessed somewhere along the lines of Michael Schumacher, then you would be right. The seven times World Champion will be subject to physical tests on his “slight” neck injury he sustained in a motorcycle accident last February, the outcome of which will no doubt influence his and others decision of his return. | |
AUTOMOTIVE July was dismal new vehicle sales[Henrie Geyser] The horror story of new vehicle sales in South Africa continued in July with yet another dismal 27,4% decline - 30 731 units compared to 42 337 units during the corresponding month last year. | |
MARKETING & MEDIA Are you speaking their language?[Issa Sikiti da Silva] When it comes to home languages and mobile marketing, are we matchmakers or moving towards a head-on collusion? | |
MARKETING & MEDIA Climate change reporting: keep it simple[Issa Sikiti da Silva] Environmental journalists, like financial journalists, have sometimes been accused of being ‘in disharmony' with their audiences for using purely scientific and ‘sophisticated' language when reporting on issues related to their respective fields. Some observers now believe that could be one of the main reasons why the message of climate change awareness has never been received adequately. | |
Vivienne Gordon-Turner commented on Invest in training to recession-proof your businessThis is such a good article by Sandy Pullinger and pertinent beyond the more obvious ATL advertising theme. I work in the specialist recruitment space and have been interested to see how different companies react to the current recession and concomittant downturn in the job market. | |
MARKETING & MEDIA For results, see search; for hype, see social media[Katharina Scholtz] Is an investment in social media more important than one in SEM? The short answer is: probably not. Search engine marketing (SEM) and social media marketing have different results, but SEM more reliably drives business and sales. | |
Derick Poremba-Brumer commented on What will it take to “Celebrate Africa's Humanity”?I agree with Sharon. The Soccer World Cup will come ... and go 'in the blink of an eye'. On the one hand it will provide SA with some state-of-the-art infrastructure (which is inanimate). Hopefully I'm wrong - apparently all the new buildings have to make some provisions to benefit People With Disabilities ... like broader corridoors (that actually benefits everybody). | |
Terry Levin | [Marketing & Media] |
MARKETING & MEDIA What will it take to “Celebrate Africa's Humanity”?[Dr Nikolaus Eberl] When the Local Organising Committee announced the 2010 brand bromise to be “Ke nako (it is time) - Celebrate Africa's Humanity” at the preliminary FIFA Draw held in Durban, pundits were quick at writing off this slogan as full of hyperbole and devoid of substance. | |
MARKETING & MEDIA White-owned media companies still call the shots - report[Issa Sikiti da Silva] Fifteen years after the dawn of democracy in South Africa, the ownership and control of print media is still largely concentrated in the hands of the white-owned ‘Fantastic Four', Naspers (through Media24), Caxton, Avusa and foreign-owned Independent Newspapers, claims a report released yesterday, Thursday 30 July 2009, by the Media Development and Diversity Agency (MDDA). | |
Gwen Watkins commented on Demise of a 'free' press in SA?The concept of ‘pure’ journalism untainted by advertising influence hasn’t existed in the media since the last century. Ultimately newspapers have to make profit (ask O’Reilly) and special features have always been driven by advertising support – after all you don’t bite the hand that feeds you. However, PR is hardly driven by editorial purity either. You comment, “The cornerstone of democracy is knowledgeable citizens and we rely heavily on the media to deliver this information.” Do readers know that most of it comes from PR consultants who are hardly giving an unbiased view? As a journalist I regularly get PR that speaks of “exceptional, magnificent, fantastic, best in the country, awesome, one of a kind (when clearly not),” and my favourite, “absolutely unique, completely unique and almost unique.” Democracy and marketing are fairly far apart and whereas readers may want the ‘truth’ about political news, they expect and discount marketing hype when it comes to goods and services. Trading editorial for advertising is hardly an unfair business practice. | |
Derick Poremba-Brumer commented on Demise of a 'free' press in SA?I don't think that this demise is new in any way. I'm in contact with an academic who states that her mother was treated as a naughty child in her class because she didn't listen to the teachers. Only when she was 12 did a teacher 'discover' that she was deaf in one ear! I don't think that the press was free enough in those days either! | |
Tiffany Markman commented on The ‘recession discount' and other fairytalesSo there you have it, from the client's mouth. |