Mediamark launches new event division

Warren Bedil

Warren Bedil, previous commercial director of Jacaranda FM, has been appointed as business development director of Mediamark Events. He says that the division plans to utilise the strengths of the respective brand properties to attract headline, sub and associate sponsors. "This will ensure longevity and profitability of events such as Jacaranda Day and the East Coast Radio Discovery Big Walk."

"Part of the strategy is to utilise the strength of the Kagiso Broadcasting audience reach to acquire sponsorships," continues Nick Grubb, MD: Radio at Kagiso Broadcasting. "This division will be at the forefront of new business ideas and innovation by driving collaboration between companies within the group."

Expand on solutions

Elton Ollerhead, the group's MD explains that adding the events division to the company's offering allows it to expand on solutions that can be presented to advertisers. "It allows advertisers the ability to buy multi-channel solutions from one provider whilst at the same time allowing the group to develop new ways in which to monetise commercial radio station inventory and opportunities around its event aspirations."

According to Bedil, there are brands that have an appetite for eventing and this new division will identify these brands and offer them the opportunity to engage with the audience. It will streamline and standardise the process of monetising events and make events richer for attendees, as it aims to have a more diverse set of sponsors who may offer activations or product sampling. The division will further offer clients access into markets via multiple contact points including on-air, online and on-the-ground exposure.

In the beginning, it will focus on Jacaranda FM and East Coast Radio as their respective event strategies are at an advanced stage. Once the division is well established, other group stations will follow suit.