So much more than a brand
Focusing on the customer, Nick Paul looks at
customer engagement from a social media perspective, based on a recent report from Unmetric. One of the most notable trends is that supermarkets generate by far the most negative sentiment. Nick suggests three key areas brands can focus on to make up for their shortfall on social media marketing. Johan Botha goes further to simplify the complex customer experience ecosystem using Leatherman as a case study. He explains how Leatherman is so much more than a brand of multi-tools and knives and that its legacy of making its clients happy and enabling them to
be the superhero of everyday problems is really what creates brand loyalty.
I interview Tracy Lynn Chemaly on the upcoming
Business of Design conference taking place in Johannesburg and Cape Town next month. The event is not only catered for design professionals, but everyone from retailers and trend analysts to marketing and brand executives, and other industry entrepreneurs. Cari Van Wyk, on the other hand, speaks to Lindie Stroebel about the PMS Fresh Connections event and why its specially designed for South Africa's fresh produce sector. Go to each article for special offers.
As #MandelaMonth draws to a close, I chat to Simon Bowes about
Groupon's charity initiatives and how the global e-commerce marketplace is harnessing the power of group buying to do good. If you weren't able to make a contribution this Mandela Day, Groupon's donation deal will remain open until the end of the month, and if you purchase and share your deal on social media, you stand the chance to win R2,000 for a charity of your choice.
Click here if you're keen to get involved.
Jessica Tennant, Retail Editor (@Biz_Retail)
Comment online in our ed's column archive. Go mobile with apps and m.bizcommunity.com. Engage with us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Google+. Subscribe to YouTube and via RSS. Send all your retail news and event invitations to retailnews@bizcommunity.com, exclusive opinion pieces to contributors-retail@bizcommunity.com and international news to internationalnews@bizcommunity.com. Read "How to contribute to Biz, from op-ed pieces to news". | |
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 | Jessica Tennant As part of its Mandela Month contribution, Groupon South Africa is hosting donation deals on its website until the end of July 2016... read | |
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 | According to a recent survey conducted by Mazars during June 2016, across 120 respondents, many retail organisations lack a clear understanding of the purpose of the internal audit function... read |
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 | Investors jostled to get hold of Shoprite shares on Wednesday, boosting the market value of Africa's biggest grocery retailer R10bn, making it the top performer on the JSE on the day... read |
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 | Hilary Joffe Now that the Treasury has published for comment its policy paper on the tax of sugar-sweetened beverages, a debate about the sugar tax proposal can begin in earnest... read |
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 | Issued by Naija Writers' Coach Shopping is a fantastic and necessary experience, and can even be a form of stress therapy. However, it can push you into a financial abyss if you're not careful... read |
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 | Woolworths recently hosted its annual 'Inside Retail' programme, targeting 32 TVET colleges in Cape Town through a week-long, embedded course aimed at providing practical experience and knowledge of the retail value chain in South Africa... read |
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 | Tired of stomping the streets hunting for that elusive Pokémon? Private chauffeur services are offering to drive players around Cape Town and Johannesburg to hunt for the elusive virtual creatures - at R10 a kilometre... read |
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 | Magneto is a massively-popular open-source e-commerce software suite we've covered extensively here on Ventureburn. And while many may know what it is and how to get the best out of it, there are always a few more things we can learn (that's true about most things, in fact)... read |
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 | Leading omni-channel and online retail specialists, Emerce Commerce has launched a competition in which one business will win the build of an online store, an opportunity for any SME selling physical products to take their business to the next level... read |
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 | Issued by Just Perfect i-Pay, an innovative online payment gateway which has greatly simplified secure EFT transactions for both the merchant and consumer market online, has been nominated as a finalist in the prestigious 2016 African FinTech Awards... read |
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 | The upcoming #BuyaBusiness expo, on at the Ticketpro Dome at Northgate, Johannesburg from 8-10 September 2106, offers VIP treatment to investors and franchisors that are members of #THEClub... read |
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 | Savanna Premium Cider has announced the names of the five nominees for the 2016 Savanna Newcomer Award... read |
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 | The Galliova Food Writers' Awards 2016, which acknowledge the country's top food and health writers across all print media, including online publications, has opened for entries... read |
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 | Colleen Goko While Truworths' entrance into the UK consumer market proved a boon for the retailer in the year to end June, the region is unlikely to provide another fillip, in the wake of Brexit... read |
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 | Colleen Goko Edcon announced on Monday that it was bidding farewell to some members of its executive management team and introducing new ones amid a restructuring of the retailer's operations... read |
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 | Fifi Peters The $74bn union between brewing titans SABMiller and Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev) is on the cusp of completion. After all the boxes are ticked, minority shareholders of the South African brewing icon will be first in line to cash in their shares at the lucrative offer price of £44 each. read |
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 | Cari Van Wyk The PMA Fresh Connections Conference and Expo 2016 will be held at the CSIR International Convention Centre in Pretoria from 17-18 August... read |
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 | BRUSSELS - The EU announced on Monday another €500m for the bloc's farmers to help reverse the plunge in prices shaking the dairy industry, bringing the total support to one billion euros... read |
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 | Issued by ACDOCOSA Leading international consumer goods company, Church & Dwight, has bestowed ACDOCO South Africa with the 2016 award for Consistent Growth and Successful Brand Relaunches.... read |
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 | The first Burger King to open in the Eastern Cape opens today, 25 July 2016, at the Sasol service station on Pickering Street... read |
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 | Emma Jordan According to the Plastic Free July initiative, it's estimated that by 2050 there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean... read |
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 | Tshepiso Mokhema Astral Foods will consider permanent production cuts if feed costs stay high and South African consumers remain under pressure, with the broiler-chicken maker trimming output for a second time this year and reducing workers' hours to curb costs... read |
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 | Fifi Peters The Competition Commission on Wednesday approved a merger between Nestle SA's pet food business and the company that owns Bob Martin, which makes snacks and treats for dogs... read |
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 | Issued by Pyrotec The term Industry 4.0 refers to the combination of several key innovations in digital technology, all maturing now and all set to transform the energy and manufacturing sectors... read |
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 | Robert Laing Margarine and cooking oil maker Sime Darby Hudson Knight agreed to pay a R35m fine for colluding with Unilever, the Competition Commission said on Thursday... read |
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 | Mark Allix The Competition Tribunal on Wednesday said the Competition Commission had signed a consent agreement with edible fats and oil refinery producer Sime Darby Hudson Knight over collusive conduct... read |
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 | Research, undertaken by PayU, an online e-commerce payment gateway in South Africa, has shown there are higher conversion rates at checkout when there are less friction points and that the most frequent online shoppers are purchasing through mobile... read |
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![[Biz Takeouts Podcast] 182: AR and VR & Native VML and Y&R SA partnership](https://biz-file.com/c/1607/352747-120x120.jpg?2) | On the latest episode of Biz Takeouts Marketing and Media Radio show host Warren Harding spoke to Glenn Gillis and Ben Wagner... read |
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 | Ann Crotty The battle between shareholder activist Dave Woollam and the directors of Lewis Stores escalated this past week, with the lodging of papers at the High Court in Cape Town on Wednesday that could see the minority shareholder have the directors declared delinquent... read |
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 | Colleen Goko Shoprite's stronghold in West Africa helped the domestic retailer report better-than expected results in July, but the company has yet to successfully branch out in East Africa... read |
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 | Ann Crotty Pick n Pay's annual general meeting (AGM) next week looks certain to be another humdinger as smaller shareholders vent their opposition to the proposed restructuring of the Ackerman family's control... read |
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 | Palesa Vuyolwethu Tshandu It is a mixed bag for South African retailers, as Massmart and Shoprite's trading updates shine a spotlight on the market, which has been marred by slow sales growth amid weak consumer spend... read |
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 | Moyagabo Maake Truworths has not changed credit-approval criteria at its stores, even as cash sales have accelerated noticeably for the year to June 2016. New acquisitions added to the momentum, more than doubling cash sales... read |
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 | In the public and private sectors, the term supply chain management (SCM) may be understood differently but whoever supply chain professionals are and wherever they practice, they should put the customer at the centre... read |
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 | BRUSSELS - EU regulators are set to imposed a record fine this week on several of Europe's biggest truck-makers that are accused of colluding to rig higher prices, sources close to the matter told AFP... read |
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| More International |
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 | John Sanei "You don't sing, you don't dance, you don't have any talents," said Barbara Walters when she hosted the Kardashians on her show many moons ago. In his final press speech, Barack Obama also mentioned: "Kendall Jenner is here. I'm not exactly sure what she does..." read |
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 | Brett Parker Trade is in Africa's blood. Its rich resources, numerous societies and access to the world have created a hotbed of trade civilisations... read |
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 Fresh Connections: Southern Africa Conference & Expo has announced an exciting line-up of local and international speakers for the August 2016 event at the CSIR in Pretoria. Read more >> |
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Publius Syrus "Where there is unity there is always victory." Franklin D. Roosevelt "When you reach the end of your rope, tie a knot in it and hang on." Helen Keller "Keep your face to the sunshine and you can never see the shadow." Dr. Seuss "Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened." Walt Disney "All our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them" |
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