New developments at SPARK Media

13 Jun 2016

SPARK Media has seen a few changes in its strategy, leadership and key customer care in the Cape.

SPARK Media returns to its core business

Gill Randall, CEO of SPARK Media

From 1 July 2016, SPARK Media aim to be the ‘go-to-people’ for retail and location-based marketing solutions. SPARK Media will represent local traditional and digital media platforms, namely – Caxton owned local newspapers and online assets – as well as current and future partners that are in line with their clear objective of delivering locally relevant, effective audiences for our advertising clients. SPARK is also well aware of the important role that news and lifestyle content offerings play within the print and digital space, and will continue working with key partners, both owned and 3rd party.

For this reason, SPARK Media will not be renewing contracts with major partners, such as Vodacom Please Call Me, BBM and LinkedIn. “Partnering with platforms that do not “fit” could potentially distract us from what we know best,” said Gill Randall, CEO of SPARK Media.

SPARK Media COO, John Bowles, starts Turn Left Media

John Bowles, current chief operating officer at SPARK Media, will relinquish his role and relocate to Cape Town to start Turn Left Media with co-founder, Marius Greef. While in the Cape, Bowles will also assist with maintaining key customer relationships for SPARK Media.

Turn Left Media is an independent, boutique digital media sales house that will help brands (with their relevant agencies) to reach the right, high-value and quality audience across key digital platforms. Focused on presenting a niche of sought after, 3rd party channels, Turn Left Media will launch with representation of LinkedIn. Also included in the TLM portfolio will be the digital audiences of The Washington Post.

"While the digital industry continues to fragment and diversify, being able to offer a concrete business proposition to brands, with the right audience, on the right channels allows us to cut through the clutter,” said Bowles.

Read more about John Bowles and Turn Left Media here and here.