For the past 4 years Oracle Online Sales, a unit of Oracle Airtime Sales has represented and sold internet advertising on the MWEB, Media24 and Ramsey Son and Parker group of web sites.
During this time Oracle Online has developed into the top online advertising sales house servicing websites with a reach of over 1 million unique users per month. Their staff, past and present, are well known in the industry and respected for the vast wealth of knowledge they carry on digital advertising; this was recognized last year when Oracle Online walked away with the first online advertising MOMA award.
The online advertising environment has evolved rapidly over the past year and this has exposed a variety of exciting possibilities and opportunities for clients going forward. The two main themes of online value lie in content / promotions integration and digital / interactive applications. To support and grow these areas of focus the Oracle Online business will re-morph and handle those business aligned with high levels of digital and interactive applications, while the heavy content areas will revert to Media24 and MWEB for more tightly integrated content buys with possible print links. Therefore the following will be effective as of 1st June 2002:
1. Oracle Online will no longer directly represent MWEB, MoneyMax, Media24 (News24, Women24, Health24, Wheels24, Smalls24 & Property24), and Mail & Guardian Online websites. Media24 and M-Web will be represented by a new sales force to be based at Media24. Internet advertising sales for these sites will be handled directly by Media24 in Johannesburg and Cape Town. The sales representatives from Media24 will be introduced to the agencies and clients over the course of the next few weeks.
2. Oracle Online Sales will continue to manage and directly sell internet advertising on SuperSportZone, MNET, DStv, IDOLS, BigBrother2 and future TV based internet sites from MNET and DStv.
3. Ramsey Son and Parker internet sites (CarToday, Getawaytoafrica and WineToday) will be sold directly by the RSP teams in JHB and Cape Town.
4. Advertising that is currently booked and running with Oracle Online Sales will continue to be billed and managed by Oracle until the end of each contract. Maintenance (creative changes, booking changes, etc) of the campaigns will also be handled by Oracle unless otherwise agreed between client, Oracle and Media24.
5. Content integration deals for Media24, MoneyMax and MWEB will be handled directly by Media24; SuperSportZone, MNET and TV related websites will continue to be handled by Oracle Online. These changes are a positive move to take advantage of the existing, experienced sales team at Media24 who will also be offering integrated internet / print deals for their clients. MWEB, Media24 and Oracle Online will continue to operate closely with each other.
Oracle Online will be shifting focus to television clients and new media opportunities that exist within SuperSport, MNET and DStv. As of the 31st May a wider range of interactive services will be offered to the advertising industry across the following new media platforms:
* INTERNET
* INTERACTIVE TELEVISION ON DStv
* TELEPHONE APPLICATIONS
* DIRECT RESPONSE DATABASES (EMAIL AND SMS)
INTERNET
* Clients purchasing TV advertising (from Oracle Airtime Sales) will continue to be able to purchase internet advertising as part of a package across all MNET, SuperSport, MWEB and Media24 websites. This will allow advertisers to purchase synergistic advertising from one source while streamlining billing and commitment negotiations.
* Oracle Online will continue to offer SuperSportZone, MNET and DStv internet advertising.
* We will be available to advise Oracle Airtime Sales clients on what internet / digital advertising to purchase in order to make their campaigns interactive.
INTERACTIVE TELEVISION
* With the launch of DStv interactive services this year and new EN2 software downloads to existing DStv subscribers a range of new and exciting products will be available to advertisers. Oracle Online will be offering advertisers innovative enhanced advertising features allowing viewers to interact with products and brands like never before. Watch out for these in the coming months.* Enhanced applications on TV shows; both local and international. Many existing TV shows will become interactive over the coming months allowing advertisers new sponsorship opportunities.
* DStv Splash screens. Prime advertising space is created while enhanced applications are loading to the set top box.
* TV Mail and TV SMS
TELEPHONY APPLICATIONS
* Entertainment, games, competitions, test drives, discount coupons, SMS messaging and IVR (Interactive Voice Response) lines all offer advertisers a powerful new tool to cost effectively enhance TV and internet advertising. Oracle will be offering a wide range of telephone products from all three networks.
DATABASES
* The most rapidly growing category of online advertising is email and SMS direct response advertising. Built on the back of Big Brother1, IDOLS, DStv and MNET, Oracle will be offering a up-to-date database of over 400,000 pay TV clients allowing advertisers to communicate one-on-one with South Africa's wealthiest consumers.
For more information on how these changes affect you or your clients please do not hesitate to call:
* Richard Fyffe, GM, Oracle Online: 082 85 10400
* Tracey Hawkridge, National Sales Manager: 083 255 2367
* Media24 Sales contact: Gustav Goosen: 082 415 1573
* MWEB Sales: Jenny Ellinis: 083 448 8734
* Or contact your Oracle Online Sales representative for details.
