Primedia in running for international award

The awards, from the International Council for Shopping Centres, recognise best practice and outstanding marketing performance and are seen throughout the industry as a global benchmark of quality.

The group's winning marketing campaigns were Menlyn Park Shopping Centre's Play Park, The Beach has Landed and Win a Million Birthday. Cape Town's Cavendish Square was nominated for its Celebrity Campaign; Umlazi Mega City, Durban, for its Sipethe Osaziwayo campaign; Gateway Theatre of Shopping, Umhlanga, for the Vodacom Durban July Fashion Experience and Supersize Your Summer; and Vincent Park Shopping Centre in East London for its My Vicinity Campaign.

Airport Shopping Safari South Africa secured its nomination with the opening of the Central Terminal Building at Cape Town International Airport. Due to the magnitude of this project, to enthuse staff the "You are part of something amazing" was the message used. Externally, "Cape Town International Airport is transforming to serve you better" was the message used to create a sense of ownership and excitement amidst airport users and the public at large. Experiential marketing techniques were implemented to ensure a successful opening and retail awareness of the new Central Terminal Building.

The success of the various campaigns were gauged against quantifiable objectives including building brand awareness, increased turnover, added value for shoppers, increased foot count, sponsorships, database recruitments and PR generated for each campaign.

Despite the recessionary time, when national retail sales in South Africa declined by 5.1% in the last quarter of 2009 compared with the previous year, the group leveraged an increase in turnover because of these campaigns. It's an incredible achievement," says Doug Mayne, national marketing executive at Lifestyle.