Biz-community.com's "most read" of 2004

Top stories for 2004

MOST READ ARTICLES FOR THE YEAR (most read are listed first)

1. 5fm suspends Gareth Cliff for interviewing Jesus
   Gareth Cliff has been suspended for two days by 5fm as a result of an 'interview' he conducted with 'Jesus' on his show yesterday afternoon, which elicited numerous complaints from listeners. [10 Mar 2004]
   
2. Our cock's bigger
   The 'fowl' play between Nando's and the fictional 'Wando's' has certainly got the industry talking! Not bad for a client who has just ventured out of the relative comfort of the Hunt Lascaris farmhouse. Jupiter Drawing Room are responsible for this latest campaign. [30 Jun 2004]
   
3. AAA School of Advertising Part-Time Courses 2004 - Cape Town Campus
   A brief overview of the part-time courses on offer by the AAA School of Advertising in Cape Town. [12 Jan 2004]
   
4. How does your salary compare?
   Ever wondered how your salary measures up? Ever wanted to know the difference in salary between a domestic worker and a fashion model? Eighty20's technology allows you to use the Census data, for free, to select your job and see how your salary compares to the rest of South Africa. [11 Aug 2004]
   
5. Nando's and TBWA part ways
   TBWA\Hunt\Lascaris and Nando's have announced they would part ways after many years of great work that has seen the fledgling brand rise from obscurity into one of South Africa's most loved and well-known entities. [04 Apr 2004]
   
6. The psychology of closing
   A good salesperson is always a good closer, and a poor closer is always a poor salesperson. Everything that has gone before, prospecting, pre-approach, approach, presentation, handling objections - all the presentation and effort have been focused on this objective. - James Gaw [20 Jan 2004]
   
7. Does bare flesh make advertising bad or does bad advertising resort to bare flesh?
   I was at the Joburg International airport recently to see my son off to Australia and once I had found my bearings there was some time to kill which meant coffee. - Richard Clarke [29 Jan 2004]
   
8. Brand Trends, 2004
   What will the brand environment look like in 2004? What lessons have been learned from 2003, and what will the brand trends for the coming year be? The founders of Idea Engineers, Mandy de Waal and Janice Spark, examine brand trends for 2004, and beyond. [16 Feb 2004]
   
9. What brands are cool?
   What is cool in 2004? And what brands are cool in the eyes, ears and noses of the young adult market? You might be surprised at the answer. [28 Apr 2004]
   
10. Top Billing launches magazine
    Top Billing magazine will be launched in June - the glossy-paged partner to South Africa's premier leisure and lifestyle TV show, Top Billing. The magazine will be a monthly glamour channel for those who need to be in the know about everything from fashion, food and décor to travel and celebrities' news. [11 Mar 2004]
    

Hot debates for 2004

Bizcommunity.com's Forums are one of our most popular sections on the website. Forums are submitted by readers who want to have their say and throw open the debate to the industry. They are highly entertaining and watched closely by the industry. This is where you have your say - uncensored (except for exceedingly foul language and defamatory comments, which we have to remove!) Forums can be accessed on the website from the home page at www.bizcommunity.com. We also alert companies when a forum is particularly relevant and pertinent to their brand and the level of debate insightful - and we have had media owners and marketing managers replying to readers on the forums. Other news media have also picked up on and reported on debates raging on the site.

MOST ACTIVE FORUMS (busiest first)

1. Sasol Milk Bottles
   Highly watchable and entertaining ad but does it sell fictitious milk bottles or does it build the brand? [03 Mar 2004]
   
2. Has 5fm chosen the right target group?
   Recent changes in the 5fm radio station has caused major changes in the pattens of demographic groups - is their positioning correct? [07 Mar 2004]
   
3. Radio GA-GA...
   Are South African radio stations alienating a wealthy market? [05 Aug 2004]
   
4. New MTN ''Chicken Messenger'' TV Ad
   When I first saw this ad on TV, I thought this was a preview of the sequel of the movie Speed 2 until MTN's logo appeared at the end. It was only when I had seen it for the third time that I understood fully what it was all about. [25 Mar 2004]
   
5. How did they make it on air?
   Some ads should never make it past scamp stage. The ad where the woman has a rip-roaring orgasm while washing her hair in the plane loo. Come on! It's so bad. It stinks. [23 Jun 2004]
   
6. Are the Sasol ads getting worse?
   First it was the so called intelligent milk bottle, and now an intelligent plate. Both good ideas certainly, but a plate can't count calories because it would have no idea how the food placed on it was cooked in the first place. Boiled potatoes and fried potatoes will have completely different amounts of calories even if they weigh the same. [18 Mar 2004]
   
7. The new Debonairs ad
   I find it in such poor taste. Does anyone else share this point of view, or am I being overly sensitive? [21 Sep 2004]
   
8. Adult Entertainment and Escort advertising in the classified section of newspapers
   Should ads in the classified section of newspapers not adhere to the same general principles as those set forth by the Advertising Standards Authority? If so, then clearly Adult Entertainment and Escort advertising should not be allowed. [24 Mar 2004]
   
9. Job offers and rejections
   What if a company advertises for a position, you apply, they show great interest, but then suddenly they stop and go quiet? Is this not poor professional conduct? [28 Jan 2004]
   
10. TV slots and dodgy advertising
    What must be arguably THE WORST ad on TV at the moment!! There is an ad that I have seen a few times now on the telly. It is for some funny sweet manufacturer and involves two minutes or so of a kid dressed up as a ringmaster droning on about various examples of sweets. [04 Jan 2004]
    
11. Black Cat loses it
    Never before has such a loyal bunch of consumers been so cruelly kicked in the teeth. Black Cat has removed itself from shopping lists countrywide by messing with the only peanut butter formulation worth eating. If I sound hysterical, it's because I am. [29 Nov 2004]
    
12. ''They say that black people don't read...''
    The most offensive radio ad I've heard in a very long time is currently being aired on Cape Talk, and probably other stations too. [14 Oct 2004]
    

Top Contributors

MOST READ CONTRIBUTORS (most read are listed first)

1. Sid Peimer
   
2. Richard Clarke
   
3. Fred Says...
   
4. Dr Kay Brügge
   
5. John Bradfield
   
6. Sally Falkow
   
7. Terry Levin
   
8. Peter Gilbert
   
9. Merle Whale
   
10. Graham Taylor
    

MOST READ ARTICLES FOR THE YEAR BY CONTRIBUTORS (most read are listed first)

1. The psychology of closing
   A good salesperson is always a good closer, and a poor closer is always a poor salesperson. Everything that has gone before, prospecting, pre-approach, approach, presentation, handling objections - all the presentation and effort have been focused on this objective. - James Gaw [20 Jan 2004]
   
2. Does bare flesh make advertising bad or does bad advertising resort to bare flesh?
   I was at the Joburg International airport recently to see my son off to Australia and once I had found my bearings there was some time to kill which meant coffee. - Richard Clarke [29 Jan 2004]
   
3. Conquering telephobia - A new era in sales
   Does the thought of making a telephone call to a prospective new client give your sales people the shakes? Are they paralysed by a possible rejection at the end of the line? Is your sales team failing to make their targets because they do not spend enough time meeting potential clients face-to-face? - Sandra Saka [23 Feb 2004]
   
4. A 12 step plan to living with a media & advertising career
   A dozen things that will hurt you in marketing and advertising. But only if you let them... - Sid Peimer [23 Aug 2004]
   
5. 10 steps for successful corporate branding
   Corporate branding is a potentially strong tool for re-aligning a corporate strategy and ensures that the corporation - big or small - is leveraging adequately on the un-tapped internal and external resources. - Martin Roll [04 Aug 2004]
   
6. Nandos' brand impostors - fowl play?
   In the recent Nandos TV ad, a number of 'brand impostors' admirably discuss Nandos' trade secrets. The ad is at pains to introduce anomalies in the appearance of competitor brand characters such as KFC's Colonel. - Dr Kay Brügge [26 Aug 2004]
   
7. Who's Managing the Event Managers?
   In today's current business climate of niched specialisation, the role of event manager is fast evolving from one of lowly party planner to that of a strategic managerial position. - Merle Whale [26 Feb 2004]
   
8. Five branding secrets to get YOU the love and money YOU deserve
   Julia Roberts gets $20 million per picture. Why? Simple - she's a strong brand. Audiences readily pay money to see her nervous laughter and megawatt smile as she stumbles through a dizzy romantic role. She's more than just a pretty face. Or body. - Sid Peimer [28 Jan 2004]
   
9. The eight golden rules of web development
   Mark Parsons, creative director of digital communications specialist, Maverick looks at how to ensure success from your Web development. - Mark Parsons [13 Jan 2004]
   
10. Do celebrity endorsements build brands?
    Celebrity brand endorsement... Is it a goldmine or a minefield? It can be both. Aligning brands with legends can be immensely valuable in terms of brand-building - provided that the personalities remain closely aligned to the brand values. Behaviour, performance and reputation, are critical. - Gary Harwood [16 May 2004]
    

Press Offices

Press Offices are opportunities for companies in the industry to showcase their brands and/or services, and direct traffic to their marketing teams and make their company websites active. Of course for those without company websites, a Bizcommunity.com Press Office provides you with an instant and active online presence.

Companies that consistently provide news and thought-provoking articles from their specialists to keep their press offices active and generate traffic, are obviously, the most successful. Bizcommunity.com also provides each Press Office with comprehensive monthly stats on their online traffic, as well as Bizcommunity.com news and opportunities.

MOST READ COMPANY PRESS OFFICES (average per month)

1. Lowe Bull
   
2. YFM
   
3. Joe Public
   
4. ACNielsen
   
5. Markinor
   
6. Enterprise IG
   
7. FCB South Africa
   
8. Idea Engineers
   
9. The Event Production Company
   
10. Vega School