SA Tourism unveils new Sho't Left campaign
[Tshepiso Seopa] South African Tourism unveiled its new marketing campaign for its domestic tourism initiative, Sho't Left, at the Emoyeni Estate in Parktown, Johannesburg, yesterday, Thursday, 28 August 2008. The campaign, which encourages South Africa's to travel the length and breadth of their country, is to target up-and-coming youngsters from South Africa as well as Botswana and Mozambique.

Scoring: a leading priority for marketers
[Lisa Cramer] Today, leads flow to marketing from ever-increasing online sources—email campaigns, the company website, Google AdWords and Google searches, webinars, online advertising, blogs and virtual trade shows—as well as from traditional marketing activities such as print ads, direct mail, trade shows and networking. This sheer volume of leads, or “suspects,” can be overwhelming.


Will the real heroes please stand up?
[Chris Botha] Heroes aren't made in easy times. Heroes are made when times are tough. Heroes are the people who defy the odds and do something spectacular in the face of adversity.

The 10 questions of marketing
[Lisa Steingold] As an avid reader, I recently came across a phenomenal book called The 10 Questions. Written by psychologist and life-coach Debbie Ford, the book invites readers to evaluate their life choices on the basis of 10 essential questions. The book added much value to my personal decision-making process and with my marketing manager's cap on, I began to analyse the questions from a marketing point of view.


More boom than doom - Knowledge Factory
While the South African property market is experiencing challenging times, data released by the South African Property Transfer Guide (SAPTG) indicates that the picture is not as gloomy as some of the more alarmist reports in the media might suggest.

Confederation Cups media accreditation now open
The accreditation process for media representatives wishing to attend the draw and team workshop for the FIFA Confederations Cup 2009 at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg, South Africa, 21 - 22 November 2008, was launched today, Monday 1 September, via the FIFA Media Channel. The deadline for accreditation applications is 26 September.

Resignation of 2010 OC chief competitions officer
Dennis Mumble, the chief competitions officer of the 2010 FIFA World Cup Organising Committee South Africa (OC) has resigned due to personal reasons, the OC announced yesterday, Thursday, 28 August 2008.

TV spot focuses on core values
Ad agency Hamilton's Advertising's new campaign for Fruit & Veg City aims to position this retailer as the leading fresh produce chain in the country with regards to value for money, as well as the quality of food on offer. The main focus of the campaign is a 40-second television commercial, the first in the history of the retailer to focus exclusively on the Fruit & Veg City brand [video].


Kenya Tourist Board goes global
The Kenya Tourist Board will launch its first multimedia advertising campaign on CNN International, combining traditional TV spots with an online push comprising banner advertising and video pre-roll together with a run of print advertising in CNN's bi-monthly glossy travel magazine, CNN Traveller.


Five jury presidents to chair Eurobest 2008
LONDON: Five of Europe's most distinguished advertising and communication experts will chair the 21st Eurobest Awards, which honour the best creative European advertising across all major disciplines and now form part of the first Eurobest Festival.

Creative Circle results for July 2008
The Creative Circle results for June 2008 are out and according to chairperson Vanessa Pearson, the magazine and newspaper categories were unspeakably bad and only radio and experiential had winners worth mentioning.

ACA announces 2009 board
The Association for Communication and Advertising (ACA) announced its new board of directors at the 2008 AGM held earlier this week. Reinher Behrens was re-elected the chairperson and Boniswa Pezisa, Mike Gendel and Modise Makhene were elected as vice chairpersons for the next year.


Global ad award launched for user-generated content
This week sees the launch of YGAward's call-for-entries “Quit in Style” campaign - a collaboration between Droga5 and a group of filmmakers and graphic artists from around the world. It is reportedly the first advertising award dedicated solely to rewarding the colourful world of user-generated content (UGC), an area that sits at the forefront of the industry's future yet is largely ignored on the global awards circuit.


TV grabbing adspend market share from print
Advertising mediums, and particularly the print platforms, are going to have to be far more competitive on price and innovation if they are to retain real estate clients, according to Nicky Adams, MD of Cape-based advertising agency Inspiration.

King James to paint the town red! - King James
Freeworld Coatings, the marketers of the Plascon, Earthcote, Midas, Polycell, Crown, Standox and Hamiltons brands, among others, has appointed King James to manage its communications.

Wreck and vom: The Artist's divide - Draftfcb (South Africa)
[Justin Cloete] I guess, for the frustrated bookkeeper or medical intern who becomes a copywriter, it's a kind of redemption. She gets to re-identify herself as “a Creative”, and therefore be “creative” which, to many minds, is the only real virtue.

What makes a celebrated woman? SABC 2 shows it... - Masters & Savant
As the channel for the nation, SABC 2 wanted a promo to celebrate women from all walks of life, especially during August, which has come to be known and Women's Month. But how does one describe the complexity and deep emotional standing of women?


Draftfcb works "beautifully" with Gill Shampoo - Draftfcb (South Africa)
Draftfcb Johannesburg has aiming to increase the visibility of Gill Anti-Dandruff Shampoo in a television campaign that combines humour and sport, and as the long-standing pay-off line says: "It works beautifully."


Promise delivers by its name - Promise
The entire client base of Promise Brand Specialists has just been canvassed with a client feedback assessment survey. The survey was conducted to measure client satisfaction and also to assess any potential areas where Promise's services could be further improved upon.


Tropika@Play declares Style Wars - Stimulii
Instant fashion is set to explode at this year's SA Fashion Week. Eight of South Africa's top young designers will rely on tape, scissors, staples, paper clips and large doses of creativity in the first ever Tropika@Play Style Wars competition to hit South Africa.

Howard Music puts the 'fizz' in Berocca TVC for JWT and is now open at Ministry Of Illusion - Howard Music
Howard Music went live for business this week at the West Studio - Ministry of Illusion, Bryanston. Offering original composition, arranging, musical direction, music search and stripe, final mix, audio to picture stripe and more, its recent work includes the latest Berocca TVC for JWT.

singh&sons multi-task with KIA Motors - singh&sons
For its latest TVC for KIA Motors' K2700 bakkie, Cape Town agency singh&sons looked to its target market for insight and inspiration.


Red Cherry produces Shield Teens No Sweat Dance Challenge - Red Cherry Media
Red Cherry is the production house behind e.tv's new dance reality show, the Shield Teens No Sweat Dance Challenge.


Lowe Bull makes history with heart surgery - Lowe Bull
People in advertising are forever being told to think outside the box. Occasionally, a creative agency will succeed in giving this hackneyed phrase real meaning, as Lowe Bull did with its “Meet Wally's Heart” project, which kept TV viewers across South Africa riveted, and made broadcasting history to boot.


Stimulii signs Clover up for more - Stimulii
Stimulii, the below-the-line agency that specialises in creating living brands, has for the third consecutive year secured a product placement deal between Clover SA and two of South Africa's favourite soapies, 7de Laan and Muvhango.

Calling all ad agencies: are you game?
In September 2008, OFM will present the sound of your life game show, hosted by Kevin Savage, to advertising agencies across Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban and Cape Town. R150 000 in prizes will be given away in two weeks, with the overall winner spending a week aboard the luxury MSC Melody cruise liner. “We are looking forward to spending time with our friends in the industry,” says Nick Efstathiou, OFM's marketing manager. “This game show is a laugh a minute with surprises and many prizes, plus a special musical guest appearance by a dead guy.” For more, go to www.ofm.co.za/gameshowquiz.asp.

kulula revamps brand, extends offering
Having just turned seven, kulula will relaunch itself on Tuesday, 2 September 2008 as part of a strategy to broaden the company's brand appeal, online presence and product portfolio. Respected as a simple, refreshing and consumer-friendly brand, a new look will be unveiled in conjunction with the company's revenue diversification strategy, including three distinct sub-brands to support the company's growth within, and beyond, the country's travel sector.


Milky Lane celebrates 50th birthday
[Tshepiso Seopa] The JSE-listed pleasure foods franchise Ola Milky Lane is turning 50 this week, and to celebrate this milestone, the company took celebrities and VIP guests to a restaurant in the sky to enjoy its trademark product at the Johannesburg Country Club in Woodmead on Wednesday, 27 August 2008.

Khune, Bartlett new Samsung brand ambassadors
[Tshepiso Seopa] Samsung Electronics has chosen soccer heroes Itumeleng Khune and Shaun Bartlett as the brand ambassadors of its new corporate social responsibility programme, the NextHero Campaign. The aim of this sports sponsorship initiative is find the young players who will in future fill the shoes of Bartlett and Khune.

Leading brands - what distinguishes top players from the average Joe Soap - ChatROOM
A global study conducted by Interbrand confirmed that brand-building is a long-term process rooted on trust between consumers and brands. Led by Coca-Cola during 1886, the study established that 64% of the world's most valuable brands were established before 1949, and only 10% were created since 1980.

Building an organisation of people who believe in the brand - Brands & Branding
Brand builders seeking to create a specific identity for their brands must invest in their employees as well as the brand, or risk not reaping just reward or return on investment. This is the advice from Dr Carla Enslin in an article titled "Building an organisation of people who believe in the Brand".

International array of one-minute films
LONDON/VANCOUVER: Throughout September 2008, international one-minute film festival Filminute, will present an array of 25 films from 16 countries, the Filminute co-founders and executive directors John Ketchum and Sabaa Qua cofounders announced last week.

Jerusalema hits the mainstream screen
Award-winning South African film Jerusalema is finally hitting mainstream cinemas on Thursday, 29 August 2009. It's been a long journey, from filming on the streets of Hillbrow and the world premiere at the Berlin Film Festival, to opening the 29th Durban International Film Festival and a Best Actor Award for lead actor Rapulana Seiphemo.

WesBank engages with its audience through CineMARK - CineMARK
For more than 40 years WesBank has provided the South African public with expert advice in the vehicle finance sector, they have now signed a one year on-screen campaign with CineMARK to ensure the WesBank brand remains top of consumer's minds.

Maximizer takes SMB Customer Relationship Management Award - Maximizer
Maximizer Software has been named the winner in CRM magazine's 2008 Market Leader Awards for SMB CRM for the second time in three years.

Customer experience is key to a successful company - Exp
“What attracts customers to any company is a great customer experience,” says Bernd Schmitt, PhD - Robert D Calkins Professor of International Business and executive director of the Center on Global Brand Leadership at Columbia Business School in New York.

Sea Harvest achieves excellent market response through packaging design - Liquidlab
Sea Harvest, a household name around much of South Africa, has reported an excellent market response since the implementation of its new packaging design by Liquidlab.

Empowering citizens through digital voices
At the third Digital Citizen Indaba (DCI) in Grahamstown, South Africa, 6 - 9 September 2008, over 150 digital citizens will gather to take a closer look at those technologies that empower Africans to have a digital voice. The indaba welcomes bloggers, podcasters, vodcasters, mobile reporters, citizen reporters, new media practitioners, new media students, online industry experts, and civil society representatives.


OPA launches digital media awards
The Online Publishers Association, South Africa's independent representative body for online publishers, in association with Lowe Bull, is launching The Bookmarks, an award engineered to benchmark the best in creative digital media, while educating and encouraging South African agencies, designers and clients as to the benefits and possibilities inherent in online advertising.

Two more organisations connect to JINX
Hundreds of thousands of Tertiary Education Network (TENET) academic users and almost 60 000 iBurst subscribers should have improved Internet access after the two organisations connected to the Johannesburg Internet Exchange (JINX) recently.

Buckland to speak at World Digital Publishing Conference
Matthew Buckland, the new 24.com GM of online publishing and social media, will be speaking at the World Association of Newspapers (WAN)'s third World Digital Publishing Conference in Amsterdam, 16 - 17 October 2008. This event will run consecutively with the 11th Readership Conference at the same venue.

Synthasite has a TechCrunch Elevator Pitch - SynthaSite
Check out Vinny Lingham's Elevator Pitch on TechCrunch.

FLUX adds Microsoft Office SharePoint implementation to its range of digital solutions - FLUX
Hot on the heels of achieving Microsoft Gold Certification Partner status, FLUX, a digital solutions provider, can now offer the full range of Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 (MOSS) functionalities.

SynthaSite offers new array of templates to teachers in time for back to school - SynthaSite
As education professionals return to the classrooms, SynthaSite, a do-it-yourself free website builder, has announced new design templates to ease teachers' burdens and help them engage with parents and students.

Shake Interactive SA announces customer wins around the globe - Shake Interactive
Shake Interactive, the Cape Town-based digital and mobile marketing agency, has announced a "raft" of new customers.

Local company takes Google SA to Competition Commission
Entelligence filed a formal complaint against Google South Africa with the Competition Commission of South Africa on Friday, 29 August 2008, for abuse of dominance in terms of Section S8(d)(i) of the Competition Act 89 of 1998, which prohibits a firm from “requiring or inducing a supplier or customer to not deal with a competitor”. Entelligence is alleging that Google SA increased the cost per click for Yellow Pages AdWords advertising drastically without advance notification, that Google SA did not disclose upfront that it intended to pitch for the Yellow Pages account directly - after Entelligence had shared its strategy and demonstrated its proprietary technology with Google SA - and is now refusing renew its accounts held with Google and that it will prevent Entelligence from creating any new accounts in an attempt to service Yellow Pages. Google South Africa was not available for comment.

Learn how to integrate digital advertising with classic media
Digital marketing is no longer a niche component of the marketing mix; it can play a core role of practically every major marketing campaign. AMASA will be exploring effective integration throughout the many digital advertising channels available and how to apply them in a way that supports classic media channels at its monthly meeting on Wednesday, 3 September 2008 at the JSE, 1 Exchange Square, Gwen Lane, Sandown at 4.30pm. Guest speaker will be Gavin Rook, MD and founding partner of Trigger, which won a Loerie Grand Prix this year.

Room 13 initiative reaches Cape Town
A much-anticipated Room 13 recently opened at the Kewtown Primary School, Athlone, Cape Town. Room 13 is literally a room where young children, often attending underprivileged schools with no extra-mural programmes whatsoever, are given the opportunity to express themselves artistically and in a non-academic way.


Polish your prose: The basics of business writing - Janine Lazarus Media Consultancy
In a world drowning in information overload, it has become imperative to master the tools and techniques of short, clear and simple communication.

SA wins bid for yet another global event
After winning the bid to host the 12th Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Global Start-Up Workshop, South Africa is gearing up for a global exchange on entrepreneurship development. The conference takes place from 25 - 27 March 2009 at the BMW Pavilion Conference Centre at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town.

Mother City welcomes back Lifestyle SA Festival - Celebrating Black - Lifestyle SA Festival
After the success of the inaugural show in Cape Town in December 2007, followed by a sold-out event at Gallagher Estate in May 2008, The Lifestyle SA Festival - Celebrating Black, returns to the Mother City, 11 - 12 October 2008, at Kenilworth Race Course.

Graduates dared to dream - and deliver - Student Village
“What are your dreams? Are they about doing what you do? Are they about conquering personal challenges?” These were among the questions posed to delegates by Angela Burton, Absa's executive director of marketing and communications, at the Village Pro event held in Johannesburg this week.

Women honoured by Dimension Data - Collyer Lessick & Associates
Professionally assisted, planned and implemented by Collyer Lessick & Associates (CLA), the annual Dimension Data - Women's Day function was held at The Forum on the Dimension Data Campus, Bryanston.


Barcode knows why you loved July - Barcode
While many felt the need to spend winter in hibernation, mobile bar specialists, Barcode, kept warm this July with the organisation and management of numerous major events across the country.


Blend brings the heat - Blend Eventlife
Launching a first of its kind in the Western Cape, vibrant bar and staffing company - Blend Eventlife - has collaborated with renowned coffee brand Caturra to launch a top class coffee service, expanding its current service offerings.


Bombela celebrates Women's Day - True Colour Events
Bombela celebrated Women's Day with its staff and clients at the picturesque Fabz estate in Lonehill, Midrand. True Colour Events implemented a remarkable décor to the setting, using soft-coloured adornment in the tranquil surroundings.


Grey Goose Vodka launch - Thirst Bar Services
The South African market was recently introduced to Grey Goose Vodka and Thirst Bar Services was there to roll out the red carpet. One of the world's premium brands of vodka, Grey Goose was launched in August 2008 at Lanseria Airport in Johannesburg and Future Exotics in Cape Town.


First African Special Olympics referee
Special Olympics South Africa athlete Nhlanhla William “Jimmy” Masina has been selected as an official for the sport of floor hockey at the 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games in Boise, Idaho, US. Masina is the first athlete to be selected from South Africa and the Africa region for this role.

Showcasing international travel options
Thebe Exhibitions and Projects plans to inject innovation and creativity into the World Holiday & Travel Fair (WHTF), for which it acquired the rights to host earlier this year. Last held in the mid-1990s, the fair is scheduled to take place at the Coca-Cola Dome in Northgate, Johannesburg, 17 - 19 April 2009.

Pan African Health Expo and Conference 2008 business-to-business breakfasts booming - Outsmart Marketing
There has been an overwhelming response to the upcoming Pan African Health 2008 networking breakfasts scheduled for 12 and 13 September 2008 at Gallagher Estate. This is according to Tracy Watcham of Outsmart Marketing, organisers of the functions.


Electra Mining: A rock solid brand in the exhibitions industry - Oasys Innovations
Since its inception more than 35 years ago, Electra Mining Africa has grown to become the largest specialised industrial exhibition in Africa, and ranks among the three largest mining shows in the world. It will be held at the Expo Centre (NASREC) from 8 until 12 September.

Mother's milk at The Baby Expo - The Baby Expo
The Baby Expo brings to Durban iThembaLethu, the Durban Human Milk Bank, a vital partner of the South African Breastmilk Reserve (SABR), 29 - 31 August 2008. SABR is a public benefit organisation that supplies and redistributes donor breastmilk to a number of hospitals nationwide, affording premature and developmentally challenged babies an opportunity to live.

Markex Cape now a permanent brand - Oasys Innovations
Now in its fourth year in the Western Cape, Markex/World of Events has proven itself by establishing its credentials as a permanent brand on the Cape's exhibitions calendar.

Scan Display reaches new heights on Kilimanjaro - Scan Display
Scan Display reached the top of Africa (5 895m above sea level) when the team's account executive, Kylie Shaw, summited Kilimanjaro earlier this month.


Oasys supplies the winners' podium - Oasys Innovations
Oasys Events has enjoyed a long association with the Federation Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) Motocross World Championships, from its previous base at Sun City in 2004, through to its new venue at the Alkmaar Circuit in Nelspruit. Since this was the first year Alkmaar Circuit has hosted this international event, much of the infrastructure was purpose-built.


Chapel of Love for Joburg
Sexpo will be bringing its Chapel of Love wedding chapel to the show's Gauteng event at Gallagher Estate, 2 - 5 October 2008. The Sexpo Chapel of Love, which wed eight couples in Cape Town earlier this year, will offer daily commitment ceremonies or, for advance booked couples, the opportunity to get legally hitched Vegas-style. Sexpo Joburg will be the event's fourth instalment and is anticipated to be the largest event in the series of Sexpos. For more info, go to www.sexpo.co.za.

Magazines, dust off your covers!
This month Associated Magazines launches what it claims is a world-first in advertising platforms: ‘dust jackets' for magazines. The September 2008 issue of glossy women's title Cosmopolitan will be the first to sport this new device, thanks to Woolworths.


One year at the helm of The Big Issue
It has been a year since Donald Paul was officially appointed editor of The Big Issue - a move that has since seen the magazine grow from strength to strength. "We are proud of what Donald has achieved with The Big Issue,” says Trudy Vlok, MD of The Big Issue.

Piper new publisher of RS&P Automotive
Neil Piper is the new publisher of Ramsay, Son & Parker (RS&P) Automotive, the division responsible for the company's motoring titles, RS&P announced yesterday, 25 August 2008. He succeeds Stuart Lowe, who became MD of RS&P at the beginning of July.


CLASSICFEEL embraces our heritage - DeskLink Media
Our heritage is a legacy that binds our nation. CLASSICFEEL magazine is bringing readers its annual heritage issue, in celebration of all that makes us uniquely South African - past and present - during Heritage Month.


CLASSICFEEL magazine experiences phenomenal growth - DeskLink Media
CLASSICFEEL magazine is reporting a 26% growth in its ABC figures this year, despite the declining economic climate in South Africa and a competitive magazine industry.


Time for more distinction

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Car magazine will once again publish Chrono, an “elegant” 48-page glossy booklet highlighting the link between the likes of Parmigiani and Bugatti, Jaeger and Aston Martin, as a supplement with the November issue. "The Chrono supplement, first published last year, was an unprecedented success and we intend to make the 2008 edition even more interesting to our readers who are lovers of both the motoring and horological worlds," says Neil Piper, publisher of Car.

2008 Sanlam SA Fashion Journalism winners
Tamara Rothbart has scooped the second Sanlam SA Fashion Journalism Awards once again in the writing category. The event was held to coincide with the annual Sanlam SA Fashion Week in Johannesburg on Friday, 29 August 2008.


Avusa exec new president of Print Media SA
Prakash Desai, group CEO of Avusa, has been elected president of Print Media South Africa, the organisation announced yesterday, Thursday, 28 August 2008. The body represents publishers of newspapers and magazines in South Africa and its constituent association, the Newspaper Association of South Africa (NASA).

Countdown to Highway Africa 2008
[Issa Sikiti da Silva] This year, more than 700 journalists from over 40 African countries are expected to attend the 12th edition of Highway Africa - the world's biggest gathering for African journalists - which will take place on 8 - 10 September 2008 in Grahamstown, near Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape, Prof Guy Berger, head of Rhodes University's School of Journalism, told the media yesterday, Wednesday, 27 August 2008, during the event launch at the SABC headquarters in Auckland Park, Johannesburg.

Boss of troubled Muvhango owes taxman
NEWSWATCH: The creator of SABC2 daily soapie Muvhango, Duma ka Ndlovu, is apparently on the taxman's wanted list, reports the Sowetan Online. Meanwhile, Print Media SA is instructing its 700+ magazine and newspaper members to not accept any advertising from the City of Tshwane metro council, according to IOL.

SABC board chair in hot water
NEWSWATCH: Will the circus at the SABC never end? Last week's press statement from SABC board chair Kanyisiwe Mkonza exonerating group executive news and current affairs Snuki Zikalala is apparently “untrue and misleading”, writes The Times Online, which reports that Mkonza was “too busy to read the press release before it went out”.

Free TABPI SA report-back workshops - TABPI
TABPI SA joint co-ordinators Louise Marsland and Natalia Thomson will be presenting a series of free report-backs on issues facing business-to-business editors globally on 9 September and 7 October 2008 at 4pm in Illovo, Johannesburg. Numbers are limited, so you need to register to attend.

Worldwide mobile phone sales increase 12% in 2Q 2008 - Gartner
Worldwide sales of mobile phones reached close to 305 million units in the second quarter of 2008, a 11.8% increase over the second quarter of 2007, according to Gartner, Inc. Sales of mobile phones in the mature markets of Western Europe and North America slightly recovered after a difficult start. Western Europe reached close to 42 million units while North America surpassed 44 million units in the second quarter of 2008.

European Bluetooth Marketing Guidelines released for public review
LONDON: The Mobile Marketing Association (MMA) released its European Bluetooth Marketing Guidelines for public consultation yesterday, Tuesday, 26 August 2008. The guidelines provide a set of recommendations and best practices intended to provide an introduction to companies that want to understand and use Bluetooth-based marketing techniques within their mobile marketing programmes.

South African makes top 50 women in mobile list
South African Emma Kaye has been named as one of the top 50 women in the mobile industry today in a recent article published by Mobile Entertainment - the first woman in Africa to be nominated.


Retailers benefit from mobisites - Multimedia Solutions
A number of retailers have begun moving into the mobile sphere, offering mobile websites (mobisites) as part of their service offering to consumers. It's a significant win for mobile technology in this country and retailers are starting to reap the benefits of being accessible from the mobile phone, says Eddie Groenewald, CEO of Multimedia Solutions.

Transnet to sue Sunday Times?
Yesterday afternoon, Monday, 25 August 2008, Transnet responded to the Sunday Times headline article, “Transnet sold our sea to foreigners”, published on Sunday 24 August, with a presentation to the press. Here is the complete press statement and presentation, in which Transnet contends that the article is “irresponsible and defamatory” and that it is “demanding an unconditional retraction of the article from the Sunday Times whilst reserving our right to take further action”. It is also considering legal action.

M&G Media resumes control of M&G Online
NEWSWATCH: M&G Media's “long-awaited” acquisition of the Mail & Guardian Online from MWeb, which has owned a stake since 1995, was finalised yesterday, Thursday, 28 August 2008, the online news site has announced triumphantly, saying that it's a “major strike” for its independence and that it “will ensure that we own our future”.

Name this open-source feed reader
Cape Town-based app development house thisarmy.com is looking for public participation in finding an appropriate name for its new web application: a good, old-fashioned feed aggregator.

Eyeballs Mobile launches on Facebook with Popimedia, South Africa's social network specialists - Popimedia
Eyeballs Mobile is the newly launched mobile advertising platform which allows customers to opt in to view advertising on their cellphones and thus start earning rewards like free prepaid airtime and free MXit Moola for doing so.

Bon Jo Wie, Paul McCart-Nie on the RSG playlist
Don't be surprised if you stumble upon a “Genisies!” LP when browsing the Afrikaans section in a music store near you! McCann Erickson South Africa's recent proudly South African campaign for client RSG makes clever use of the chosen medium to speak to the target audience in an identifiable manner.


Outdoor advertising: Sports Dugout and Tunnel - Right Stuff
The Dugout is a shelter for seating team managers and players during a football match, made from high-quality aluminium and polycarbon sheeting, which can be branded on the sides and back.


Event Tape - Right Stuff
The ultimate branding accessory is often understated, yet it adds that essential touch that can make all the difference to a successful event.


Wrapping it up with Hunter's

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Hunter's recently seized the gap in the Mother City, using the screens around Green Point's 2010 soccer stadium to brand its ciders. “Everybody's watching this space,” says Hunter's brand manager Lindiwe Gumede, “so we thought we'd make the most of the opportunity.” The highly visible screens that mark the prime site under construction are seen by passing motorists, as well as by shoppers visiting the area's popular week-end outdoor market.

MTV Base, Shell energise African music industry
MTV Base Networks Africa and Shell are partnering in Africa for the second year in a row to energise and uplift Africa's contemporary music industry. The pan-African music entertainment network and energy provider have joined forces to create a second season of the MTV Making the Video Challenge with Shell.


Matsunyane takes Gauteng Women in Film award
Kgomotso Matsunyane of T.O.M. Pictures walked away with top honours at the Women in Film Award ceremony last night, Thursday, 28 August 2008. This award, sponsored by the Gauteng Film Commission, is presented to a woman who, through her endurance and the excellence of her work in the film industry, has contributed to the film industry in Gauteng and helped expand the role of women in the industry.

SAMRO contributes to legal form process
The Southern African Music Rights Organisation has been instrumental in bringing clarity to a section of the proposed Companies Bill, which was the subject of public hearings in parliament last week.


Third Young Photographers competition launches
National Geographic Kids has launched its third NG Kids Young Photographers Competition, sponsored by Spur Steak Ranches. The initiative aims to excite children about their environment while educating them about photography.

Red Cherry celebrates 16 years of producing the coolest kids' gaming show - Reggie's Rush - Red Cherry Media
As the Reggie's Rush children's gaming show reaches its 16th year of running, Red Cherry, the production company behind this successful formula, celebrates its involvement with the show and remains the driving force behind its execution.


Local comedians make Wall Street Journal cover story! - Terraplane
In an unprecedented first, local comedians interviewed by author and journalist Rian Malan have made the cover story of the entertainment section of the Wall Street Journal.


Grolsch ''Dancing bottles'' spot shot by Giaco Angelini of TVC - TVC
Giaco Angelini of TVC continues to direct highly visual and compellingly dramatic work which is evident in his new spot for SA Breweries' Grolsch beer.


Terraplane's got a brand new bag - Terraplane
Terraplane came onto the scene as a maverick eight years ago, and has now evolved into a well-established and respected director-based commercials house, but as Dan Roberts puts it, “We've always been more comfortable with the new kid on the block-rebel thing.” With this spirit, Terraplane has taken on a new partner in the company, Trevor Clarence.

Egoli burger campaign becomes annual initiative
In August 2007, Egoli partnered with Steers on the successful Project 4000, and, with the help of the public, managed to raise over R400 000 to feed the hungry. The idea was the brainchild of the Egoli stars and crew as a way to celebrate Egoli's 4000th episode. Due to this phenomenal response, Egoli and Steers have decided to join forces again this year, in conjunction with JAM (Joint Aid Management) under the new name Food4All.

Your sound is calling
The popular “Sound of” promotions on Primedia's Kfm 94.5 and 94.7 Highveld Stereo recently came to an end. The competitions, which were sponsored by Samsung Mobile, asked listeners to correctly identify a mystery sound that was repeatedly played on air until someone correctly guessed it and won a share of the R500 000 prize money.


Amazing Vouchers opens trendy new call centre - Amazing Vouchers
Due to its growth in both members and partners over the last year, Amazing Vouchers has opened a new expansive call centre.

Is your CEO a brand champion online?
[Ingrid Rubin] This sounds like a futile question to raise... of course he or she is a brand champion online. They sign off every new product, makes the comments in company press releases, are invited to and attend all the important corporate functions and sells the merits of the brand/company/services at all relevant speaking engagements. But this is not enough anymore...


RedCube Porter Novelli wins the Unilever Sunsilk account - RedCube Agency
RedCube Porter Novelli, one of SA's leading independent brand public relations agencies, has been selected to handle the Sunsilk account, managing all strategic brand PR activity for Sunsilk going forward.

Vertigo for GGi

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Gillian Gamsy International (GGi) has launched a new company, Vertigo Communications, to handle technology and consumer technology PR for its local and global client base. Lynne Newnham-Forbes and James Wilson, ex-leadership of Kilimanjaro Communications, head up the new agency. GGi is an affiliate of international PR leader Weber Shandwick and has been in existence for 25 years.

5FM adds to sports team
From Monday, 1 September 2008, well-known SuperSport presenter and former professional cyclist Owen Hannie will be joining 5FM's (Sport)⁵ team as the sports presenter on the Fresh Drive Team, weekdays between 3pm and 7pm. He replaces Mlu Dlukulu, who will continue to host The Phat Show with Mlu, on Saturdays from 1am to 4am. The 5FM sports team already includes sports journalist and presenter Sias du Plessis, on 5FM mornings with Gareth Cliff, as well as former Springbok hooker Owen Nkumane, who provides insights on sporting fixtures over the weekend.

Radio is now in fashion
5FM DJs will be modelling t-shirts at 7pm on Saturday, 30 August 2008, that have been recycled by Lisof fashion college students at the 5FM Lisof (Reinvent)5 t-shirt stand at the Sandton Convention Centre for the duration of the Sanlam SA Fashion Week, 26 - 30 August 2008. The idea is simple: reduce, recycle, reuse. Bring along an old t-shirt to the stand and allow the crack team of creative Lisof students to pimp it for you, 5FM style, at minimal cost. 5FM DJs will also be hosting the official after-parties at Fashion TV in Sandton, and fashion-savvy Erica Elle will be broadcasting her Studio 55 show live from Fashion TV on Saturday.

2008 Recruiter of the Year winners
The winners of this year's Recruiter Of The Year titles in the fifth Annual Junction Awards held late last week are Kelly, Emmanuels Advance and Deloitte Consulting. The awards honour recruitment agencies that have displayed outstanding and exemplary recruitment practices to the career seekers.


Jobsite, Joburg newspaper partnership launch ‘JOZI Jobs' - Jobs.co.za
South African job portal Jobs.co.za and Gauteng newspaper JOZI Weekly, have partnered to increase job seeker reach and market presence for both brands by bringing the online advertising strength together with the focus of a provincial newspaper brand.


Career planning is a global issue - theWorksquad
Fear not, we as South Africans are not isolated when it comes to career planning, advice, job changing et al. This was all revealed when theWorksquad was recently invited as a guest on Business Review on SABC International.

2008 ad annual commissions consumer attitude research
The Annual 2008, South Africa's review of the country's R20 billion advertising, design and branding industry, has teamed up with TNS Research Surveys to launch a comprehensive study on public perceptions towards commercial communication. The survey, which goes into the field in September 2008, will be led by market researcher Neil Higgs.

How to be "cool"? - Bateleur Khanya
For time immemorial marketers have tried to understand how to make their brands “cool”. For over twenty years we at Bateleur Khanya have been asked this question. Like a mirage, “coolness” is an elusive quality. If you have to ask, you will never know!

Personal shoppers and pampering top South Africans' beauty wish list - Synovate
Over two thirds of all South Africans say that beauty is essentially about non-physical attributes but this does not mean that they don't have plans to improve their looks. Top of their list would be personal shoppers and self-indulgent treatments, according to a recent global study on beauty conducted by Synovate.

Concerns about climate change hit home - Synovate
Seventy seven percent of South Africans have expressed their concern about climate change, according to a global survey conducted by BBC World News and Synovate. This is 5% higher than the global average of 72% across all markets surveyed.

Mall store directory at the touch of a screen
Primall Media will be launching its latest innovation, Touch Screen Directory boards, in October 2008, with the placement of 93 touch screen units in 18 of the top malls countrywide. Consumers will no longer have to try and navigate from current 'you are here' static and confusing shopping mall directories.


Chinese fashion: A threat for South African designers?
[Renato Palmi] At a fashion workshop I was surprised by the claim from members of the fashion community that China will never be a threat to local fashion designers because they only focus "on the low-end" of the fashion value-chain and do not and cannot produce "design intensive clothing". Such a fallacy is misleading and dangerous. A claim like this can lead to complacency amongst our designers.


September: Heart Awareness month - Know your numbers and prevent becoming another heart statistic - The Heart and Stroke Foundation SA
September is Heart Awareness Month - an entire month dedicated to creating awareness and preventing heart disease in South Africans. The Heart and Stroke Foundation SA (HSFSA), a non-governmental organisation, is calling everyone to have their cholesterol and blood pressure checked, often termed ‘silent killers' because there are no visible symptoms when levels are raised.

Expand your business by becoming a Pointeq Partner - Pointeq Teqnologies
The Pointeq Partner Programme creates opportunities that enable you to grow your business by selling the WindWard System Five Software (WWS5), a leading software package for point-of-sale and business management.

Fountainhead delivers fresh new identity for Todwil - The Todwil Group
Specialist boutique design agency Fountainhead Design has created a fresh new corporate identity for Todwil Retail Solutions, a global retail-marketing company with more than half a century's experience in the retail environment.

Clover moves up in Top Brands Survey - Clover
Clover SA was ranked as the most trusted brand in this years' Fridge Food category of the Ipsos Markinor/Sunday Times Top Brands Survey, based on the Brand Relationship Score achieved.

Business acquisition for local retail-marketing company - The Todwil Group
Todwil Retail Solutions, a privately owned Cape-based retail-marketing company, has acquired Cape Tech Plastics, a specialist injection moulding company, for an undisclosed sum.

PrimeStudio launches in KZN

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Primedia Lifestyle, which specialises in shopping centre marketing campaigns, recently launched an interactive new feature, PrimeStudio KZN, as a means of extending what it says is already a success in Gauteng, Cape Town, Mpumalanga and Transkei, through to the East Coast. The company is headed by creative guru Mark Powell and offers through-the-line solutions that include brand development and strategic positioning, with the aim to encourage greater one-on-one interaction between shopping centre marketers and the design teams in the region. PrimeStudio KZN will be housed at Gateway Theatre of Shopping and will not only service Gateway, but other centres within the province.

Six powerful prospecting tips
[John Boe] Why is it that some sales reps consistently earn a six-figure annual income while other reps, putting in the same hours, selling the same products and trained by the same sales manager struggle each month financially to make ends meet? The answer to this question is painfully simple: the six-figure sales reps spend more time on the phone and never forget to ask for referrals!

Training up tomorrow's marketing leaders - Exp
Exp Agency has announced the names of the three students the company is sponsoring to attend the second African Experiential Marketing Summit on 3 September 2008 at Montecasino, Johannesburg.

Octagon athlete clients combine to win 37 medals - Octagon South Africa
Octagon-represented athletes from five countries delivered impressive results throughout the 2008 Beijing Olympics, winning a total of 37 medals, including 20 Gold, eight Silver and nine Bronze.


New partner for Cape-based business accelerator
Telkom and the Cape-based business accelerator, the Bandwidth Barn (the former home of Bizcommunity.com's head office), have signed a deal which sees the telecom company sponsoring the Barn R1 million a year for three years. Telkom will receive naming rights, so the Barn will now be called Bandwidth Barn, partnered by Telkom. For the Barn, the deal offers additional funds to build new business support services for its tenants. The Telkom Bandwidth Barn is a subsidiary of the Cape IT Initiative (CITI), a networking and cluster development agency that brings together people, ideas and capital to grow the Western Cape's ICT sector.

Toyota continues cricket investment
Family-focused brand Toyota is continuing its investment in South African cricket through the launch of nationwide Father and Sons cricket coaching clinics in Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town throughout September 2008. The initiative is in partnership with SuperSport's Let's Play initiative.

SABC2 joins earthTV network
SABC2 has signed a deal with Earth Television Network - part of the Telcast Media Group from Munich, Germany - to broadcast live earthTV programmes every day, plugging SABC into Earth Television Network's worldwide media community. This SABC2 deal is intended as a new departure for the genre to localise the format for South Africa.

ODM TV, WoWtv to go on air in June 2009
[Issa Sikiti da Silva] New pay-TV operators, On Digital Media Television (ODM) and Christian network Walking on Water Television (WOWtv), will begin broadcasting in mid-2009, Bizcommunity.com was told last week, ending months of speculation that all four new pay-TV licensees will almost disappear as the going gets tough at the top. While Telkom Media faces an uncertain future, e.tv's sister company e.sat has teamed up with DStv's MultiChoice, perhaps sensing that it cannot beat it.

DStv Indian launches Saffron TV
[Issa Sikiti da Silva] From 1 September 2008, Saffron TV - a lifestyle and entertainment channel filled with a mix of local and international shows - will begin broadcasting on the DStv Indian platform on channel 456. The launch took place last night, Wednesday, 27 August 2008, in Parktown, Johannesburg.


SAFA award for Soweto TV sports presenter
Soweto TV producer and presenter Sylvester Zungu recently received a SAFA Soweto Award for his encouragement and motivation toward the people in the township for them to participate in different kinds of sporting codes.


Indian version of Biggest Loser for SA TV
Biggest Loser Jeetega starts on South African TV next week. Hosted by a popular Bollywood action star Sunil Shetty and set in the breathtaking locales of Aamby Valley City, Lonavla, India, it is based on the US format which launched on NBC in 2004. The reality show will be screened in its original Hindi, with English subtitles, on SaffronTV (channel 456 on DStv Indian), starting Monday, 1 September 2008, at 7.30pm.

Calling all top women students
Time is running out to attend the invitation-only fifth annual Women's Leadership Conference (WLC) on Thursday, 28 August 2008. Women students registered at any South African tertiary education institution who think they have what it takes to secure a seat should register at www.studentvillage.co.za/women. Organised and hosted by youth marketing solutions provider Student Village, the conference will expose young, motivated and talented students to thought leadership from established women in business - leaders who have been there, overcome obstacles and risen to the top.