The Retail community of South Africa

Direct marketing in the context of privacy regulation

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 11:34:00 +0200

The ever-growing volume of consumer complaints relating to unsolicited and unwanted commercial messages seems to be having a legislative effect, as the issue of privacy and the right to reject and not receive unsolicited commercial messages is a theme in existing pieces of legislation and in the draft Protection of Personal Information (PPI) law.
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Global consumer confidence increases 1 point in Q4 2011

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 12:14:00 +0200

NEW YORK, US: Global consumer confidence increased one index point last quarter to 89, while Europe led confidence declines in 24 of the region's 27 measured markets, according to fourth quarter 2011 global consumer confidence findings from Nielsen, a leading global provider of information and insights into what consumers watch and buy.
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Can Facebook ever make (real) money?

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 10:40:00 +0200

With the public listing of Facebook, the debate about the amount of money it makes - and potentially can make - has been opened wide. At stake is whether it is possible to marry the very nature of a social network as non-commercial, personal and intense as Facebook is with making money for investors.
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Frankie's vs Woolies: score one to the little guy

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:30:00 +0200

It's not often, in the real world, that ~~Samson~~ David deals Goliath a devastating blow. But that's just what has happened in the Frankie's vs Woolworths saga.
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How Woolworths lost its mojo

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 12:37:00 +0200

There was a time, those of us of a certain age will remember, when Woolworths was held up in marketing classes as a brand that had been built entirely on word of mouth.
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[2012 trends] Will someone (Eskom, maybe) please pull the plug?

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 12:06:00 +0200

That was my first reaction when Bizcommunity's editor Simone Puterman requested an article predicting 12 trends for 2012. A "trend" is defined as "a general tendency, movement, or direction". In my honest opinion, what most people will be purporting as trend is merely (if you analyse it properly), new and improved technology and ideas.
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[2012 trends] Getting found in 2012

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 13:01:00 +0200

In 2011, further innovations in the online space meant that consumers became even more savvy about blocking out traditional forms of advertising. Buyers also showed that they have the capability to evaluate the products and services they need on their own.
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[2012 trends] Influencers take to the web and run the streets

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 11:38:00 +0200

2011 saw the rise of more social media influencers and thought leaders; more conversations influenced how brands are perceived; and the fad of a Facebook page became more questioned than ever before. Or did that apply only in conferences and meetings I went to?
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Avon, Jay Jays launch advertising campaigns

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 10:36:00 +0200

Avon, the direct seller of beauty related products, recently launched an advertising campaign to illustrate its self-employed earnings opportunity featuring a South African rags-to-riches example, while Jay Jays, the fashion retail chain, has launched its interactive virtual First Kiss campaign ahead of Valentine's Day. [video]
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[2012 trends] Sustainability and beyond

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 15:46:00 +0200

Trends arise from major shifts in global thinking. Otherwise they tend to be fads and blind alleys. And so to only look at trends is like trying to map the ocean by studying the waves. We need to dive deep, to the currents underneath, the reefs and the ocean floor.
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