Activating Primedia

Karen Willson, general manager of Primedia Activation

"We provide 360° solutions, be it from pure brand awareness drives to combinations of sponsorships, sampling, and interactive demonstrations," says Willson. "From concept to production, execution and post campaign research, we will manage the entire process. Our mission is to develop and implement strategic, targeted and measurable experiential campaigns that engage targeted consumers."

Using the Primedia @ Home infrastructure, the new division's offering will include in-depth target market analysis, demographic insights and precision targeting, guaranteeing maximum return on promotional investments.

Says Trevor Ormerod, recently appointed MD of Primedia @ Home, "The Activation element will compliment our door-to-door distribution side of the business and enable us to harness the excellent targeting tools and operational efficiencies developed by Primedia @ Home over the years.

Ormerod has been instrumental in this concept from the outset.

Must connect emotionally

"Mass conventional advertising no longer has the power it had and astute marketers are increasingly realising brands must connect emotionally with their markets to develop loyal followings," explains Ormerod.

"Consumers are 'tuning out', ignoring advertising messages that do not appeal to their frame of mind and lifestyle and marketers are calling for more than conventional advertising. They want holistic and memorable interactive brand communication solutions with touch, feel, smell and taste dimensions, exactly the offerings Primedia Activation will deliver."

"The need was encapsulated in a recent comment from Alan Rutherford, Unilever global media director, who indicated that worldwide, traditional media is not meeting the demands of a changing consumer market. In South Africa we have a powerhouse of newly emerged middle market consumers who do not consume traditional media, diminishing the value of television and print."