Bizcommunity.com brand activation

South Africa’s first all-Africa experiential marketing summit provided an opportunity for Bizcommunity.com to showcase its brand with a brand activation sequence. The opportunity was also used to launch Bizcommunity.com Africa: www.www.bizcommunity.com.

16 Mar 2007

Scan Display provided the stand which it built for Bizcommunity.com for Markex last year and Zinto Marketing provided the experiential marketing elements which made Bizcommunity.com the most vocal and visual brand at the summit and expo through sheer brand presence and profile, as a result of this activation.

Apart from reporting on the event led by the editorial team, the sales team - led by Joburg account executive Gee Friedman - manned the stand with Zinto presenters, decked out in Bizcommunity.com red and gold T-shirts.

The official Bizcommunity.com stand merged into a beach scene, complete with a hunky bare-chested businessman relaxing under a beach umbrella – he could afford to as he is with Bizcommunity.com, so his brand is working for him even when he is on the beach!

On the opposite side of the stage, another businessman, rather tatty looking, was begging for business for his ‘birthday shoes’ idea (barefeet concept, no shoes actually). He refused to go with Bizcommunity.com and needless to say, had no success for his wacky idea as a result!

The other characters which made up the brand activation comprised:

Busker – who did freeze frame and mime, while collecting business cards in a box at his feet.
Presenters handing out Kit-Kats with cocktail umbrellas, and a note saying, “Take it easy, leave it to Biz”.
A photographer posing clients on the beach.
A vibey and entertaining MC who took over the expo and summit announcements on the floor and drove traffic to the Bizcom stand.

“Zinto”, which means “all things” in Xhosa is seven years old and started out focusing on the youth market with clients such as Sasko, McCain’s and Colgate.

The Zinto Marketing Group now offers brand activation services ranging from brand encounters (sampling, classic promotions, etc) to brand and industrial theatre. The company has a reputation for edgy creative activations that attract attention.

“In our case ‘Zinto’ translates as all things to do with brand activation,” says Michelle Combrinck, CEO and founder of the company. “I wanted to give the company a name that is truly South African and meaningful within the context of our business.”