Marketing 'warfare' delays Sunday Times Top Brands publication

The awards ceremony for the top brand winners was held on Thursday, 24 August, at The Forum in Bryanston, Johannesburg, by The Sunday Times which also previewed the special supplement with all the detail of the survey to the 450 hoi polloi of the marketing and media fraternity who enjoyed canapés, live music and some serious networking.

Vodacom, which celebrated its good showing in the annual survey with a four-page glossy wraparound of the special tabloid, had its brand slogan: 'South Africa's Leading Cellular Network', displayed in black on yellow in MTN's ad, with the word 'South' crossed out with a red line so the copy read: 'Africa's leading cellular network' for MTN with body copy reading: "Thank you to all our customers for making us Africa's biggest cellular network".

Vodacom marketing director Andre Beyers confirmed last night, Sunday 27 August, that Vodacom had instituted legal action against MTN on Friday for trademark infringement and sent a letter of complaint to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).

"We took legal action and received notice that they [MTN] would be withdrawing their ad... I'm thankful to those at the top in MTN for intervening in what could have been a long drawn out legal process...," Beyers said.

The event on Thursday last week is a networking must on the annual calendar of this industry and a highlight as favoured MC, Dave Bullard, keeps everyone entertained with the 'speediest' awards ceremony ever, sprinkled with his own brand of humour. So pity The Sunday Times which spent money on its party, embargoed the rest of us media from publishing the results until Monday, and had to withdraw its special (huge money-making) tabloid, appease advertisers and sponsors, and delay publication for a week.

Making MTN pay for the debacle is small comfort in a marketing and branding exercise of this scope for Markinor and The Sunday Times.

Reprint

In a terse and cryptic email on Friday sent to everyone, media and industry heavyweights included, who attended the awards function on Thursday night, Gisele Wertheim Aymes, Sunday Times GM: newspaper ad sales and trade marketing, thanked everyone who attended and said: "We would like to advise you in advance that due to technical problems in respect of an advertisement published in the supplement, Sunday Times is reprinting the supplement and will move the publishing date to the 3rd September 2006. The Sunday Times regrets any inconvenience this may have caused you, however we feel that we are acting in the best interests of the industry as a whole."

The Markinor/Sunday Times Top Brands Survey results and the tabloid publication that showcases all the winning brands gets sent out to brand HQs locally and abroad, so it's no wonder that Vodacom were not impressed with MTN's attempt at trying to steal their thunder with a rival ad.

"Particularly as MTN didn't do very well this time around," said one industry insider nastily.

Vodacom invested quite substantially in capitalising on their success in the awards this year, taking an expensive glossy four-page wrap around the survey and featured extensively in editorial inside.

"People can't just smile at your ads, there has to be something concrete beneath that and I think this year's Top Brands survey results give testimony that the Vodacom brand resonates not only within the hearts and minds of our customers - but all South Africans," Beyers concludes.

Mockery

The astounding spat between Vodacom and MTN is not new - Vodacom pulled out of the now defunct-Marketing Federation Marketing Excellence Awards a year ago that MTN sponsored. The new Marketing Excellence Awards, sponsored by The Sunday Times and Vodacom this year, are due to be held next month.

Independent industry commentator and Bizcommunity.com specialist contributor, Chris Moerdyk, labelled the whole thing as "inordinately childish".

"This seems to be an awful waste of money and very embarrassing for The Sunday Times. It also seems as if anytime MTN and Vodacom are involved in any industry event, it becomes embarrassing for serious marketers."

A cricket reference came from Moerdyk: "It doesn't matter who was technically correct, this smacks of the incident in the last test match between England and Pakistan where the whole game of cricket was thrown into disrepute. Are we to suppose that any marketing related function in South Africa in the future could be ruined by this ongoing rivalry between MTN and Vodacom, making a mockery of marketing?"

MTN could not be reached for comment last night.

The whole issue is up for discussion at the ASA weekly meeting on Tuesday and will be debated in the industry for some time to come - becoming a marketing 101 case study no doubt.

The full list of winners of the Markinor/Sunday Times Top Brands Survey 2006 is:

Grand Prix: SA's FAVOURITE BRAND

Coca Cola
Vodacom
Nike

Grand Prix: SA COMPANY DONE MOST TO UPLIFT COMMUNITIES

Coca Cola
Vodacom
Eskom

Top brand winners: B2C

Best ad: Vodacom
Coolest brand: Nike
Bank: Absa
Short term insurer: Outsurance
Long term insurer: Old Mutual
Medical aid: Bonitas
Fast food/restaurant: KFC
TV: SABC 1
Radio: UkhoziFM
Petrol brand: BP
Furniture store: Ellerines
Car brand: Toyota
Beer: Castle
Alcoholic drinks: Carling Black Label
Food 'kept-in-the-fridge': Rama
Food 'kept-in-the-pantry': Tastic
Electronic goods 'at home': LG
Clothing store: Jet
Grocery and convenience stores: Shoprite
Soft drinks: Coke
Telecommunications brand: Vodacom
Beauty product: Vaseline
Hair care: Sunsilk
Cell phone: Nokia
Daily newspapers: Daily Sun
Weekly newspaper: Sunday Times
Magazine: Bona
OTC medicine: Panado
Vitamins: Cal-C-Vita

Top brand winners: B2B

Corporate banking: Standard Bank
International airline: BA
Hotel: Southern Sun
Car hire: Avis
IT: Microsoft
Business schools: Wits Business School
Auditing/Management consultants: KPMG
Cars: Mercedes
Electronic media: Mnet
Print media: Sunday Times
Healthcare facilities: Medi Clinic
Vehicle & asset finance: Wesbank