Let's put it this way: if US manufacturers want their new products to be memorable, they're going to have to do a whole lot better. So how do we rate here is SA? 7 Mar 2008
If you want to talk about the return that your product or service can deliver when used correctly, by all means do so, but don't expect that to be enough. When you boil that message down, what you are left with is, "Buy our product because it's so cheap it pays for itself in no time." That kind of messaging might be alluring to many, but it is the first step on a very slippery slope to a price war. 7 Mar 2008
The popularity of social networking has grown dramatically over the past few years. MySpace, Facebook and LinkedIn currently offer advertisers access to over 160 million active users in total. New research based on Dynamic Logic's AdReaction 2007 study, which measures consumer perceptions of various forms of advertising in the US and across parts of Europe, suggests that these social networking Web sites present a unique platform where brands can connect with consumers. 6 Mar 2008
South Africans are spending close to 60% of total household expenditure on food, housing and transport. 5 Mar 2008
Social media can be a powerful marketing force, but a new study from OneUpWeb finds that companies can easily make mistakes that alienate potential customers, or worse, simply fail to follow through with new content. 5 Mar 2008
Calling South Africa's businesswomen... How do you rate against your counterparts in other parts of the world? 4 Mar 2008
Consumers enjoy the convenience of shopping on the internet but even in the United States, where shopping on line has been around for some time, people are still cautious. Many South African consumers share the same sense of caution when it comes to handing out personal information over the internet. 28 Feb 2008
Your unsubscribes could tell you a lot – if only you let them. Right now, you probably just wave them goodbye, but with a little effort, you could find out why they are leaving. And more than once you may find that it is not that they are unhappy – they may simply be moving to a new company. Whatever the reason, find out what it is, and use it. 26 Feb 2008
Due to higher taxes placed on tobacco in South Africa, the consumption of cigarettes has declined among the young and the poor, according to a report released by the World Health Organisation (WHO). 26 Feb 2008
Recent occurrences involving Arbitron's new PPM and Nielsen's
commercial measurement have caused many within the radio and
broadcasting industry to question their validity; especially impacted have been minority radio and broadcasters. 25 Feb 2008
Last week the Email Experience Council held its first annual Email Evolution Conference in San Diego, US, attracting over 500 attendees. Here are what I think were some of the most interesting takeaways from the sessions that I attended: 21 Feb 2008
US survey shows that new media is further fragmenting the influence of traditional media, even more among minorities in the US. 21 Feb 2008
Mobility drives positive uptake over holiday spending season, says IDC. 19 Feb 2008
Survey highlights the importance of cross-channel execution as consumers “channel-hop” between web, store and call centre. 18 Feb 2008
According to two new reports by a top UK-based research company, professional personal care products are gaining ground as an alternative to cosmetic surgery. 15 Feb 2008
New research shows that there are more payment cards per person in the United Kingdom than anywhere else in Europe. 14 Feb 2008
Fulfilment operations should not only be fast and efficient in the DC -- they should increase speed and efficiency of the downstream distribution process. For example, e-commerce fulfilment operations should be able to palletize orders with delivery truck routes in mind, and orders should "picked to plan-o-gram" of destination stores -- without additional capital expense, labour content or cycle time. 12 Feb 2008
There is no doubt that 2007 was the year when “green” took off. However, there is currently very little guidance on what implications this increased buzz and public interest has for specific brands and their individual environmental concerns. So what does green mean for your brand? 11 Feb 2008
CNBC Africa conducted a small survey by means of an on-line questionnaire, and though the sampling is too small as a base for definitive, the results have proved valuable. 8 Feb 2008
The MasterCard Worldwide Index of Consumer Confidence shows South African consumers remain confident, and also that Durban Consumers more optimistic than those in Johannesburg and Cape Town. 7 Feb 2008
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