Justin McCarthy highlights the real reasons why Publicis and Omnicon are merging in an informative and no-nonsense opinion piece, with key aspects into the merger, and considers the role of big data. The Mxit Brand Index for July reveals the top brands for the month of July with SuperSport, 24.com and Ster-Kinekor coming out on top. The index also provides some social media success stories and brands that are starting to make an impact in the industry. The truth is, you can find pretty much anything on the internet, from the good, the bad and the ugly. Chemory Gunko looks into Rules 34, 35 and digital marketing, and provides ways to push traffic to your website. Which is better, print or online advertising? The latest Biz Takeouts podcast, with show host Warren Harding and guest Marcus Stephens from Howzit MSN, focuses on this important question, as well as the changing trends in content consumption. Research is always an important factor when putting together a communication strategy, especially when it involves increasing a company's reputation with their stakeholders. Annette Jansen van Rensburg provides five reasons why research is so important for a brand's reputation. Beverley Klein, Editorial Assistant (@Bizcommunity), (Biz_Marketing) PS Take a look at the latest ads in the Ornico ad showcase.
Comment online in our ed's column archive. Go mobile with apps and m.bizcommunity.com. Engage with us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Google+. Subscribe to YouTube and via RSS. Send all your South African marketing and media news and event invitations to marketingnews@bizcommunity.com, exclusive opinion pieces to contributors-marketing@bizcommunity.com and international news to internationalnews@bizcommunity.com. Read "How to contribute to Biz, from op-ed pieces to news".