Free Loeries seminar from leading international creatives
Loeries judging week begins with a free seminar on 30 June 2008, sponsored by the SABC, open to everyone in the communications industry including agencies and marketers. The three international jury chairmen - global leading designer Vince Frost, and Peter Bidenko and Erik Vervroegen, two of the most awarded creatives in the world - will talk on their work, influences and state of the industry.

SA Cannes Lions shortlists
CANNES, FRANCE: The shortlist for Media, Press, Outdoor, Radio, Cyber and Design Lions have been released by the organisers of the 55th Cannes Lion International Advertising Festival, and South Africa features on all but the Cyber shortlist. Winners of the Radio Lions, Outdoor Lions, Media Lions, Media Agency of the Year and Media Young Lions Competition will be announced tomorrow, Wednesday, 17 June 2008.

IMC launches feel-good South African campaign
The International Marketing Council (IMC) of South Africa, custodian of Brand SA, is embarking on a journey with South Africans to begin to collectively create a South Africa that we all want. Commencing on Thursday, 12 June 2008, the first phase of this journey will deal with engaging the nation to receive feedback on what South Africans want through all major media platforms.

Crime line celebrates birthday by going national
Primedia's Crime Line - the anti-crime campaign endorsed by the South African Police Service (SAPS) - is to be extended nationally. A massive media partnership, a road show to high schools in Gauteng and an “ambassadors” programme were some of the announcements made at the first anniversary of the initiative in Johannesburg on Thursday afternoon, 12 June 2008.

Collaboration to enable change - Kaelo Worldwide Media
In order for South Africa's social development agenda to progress, greater collaboration between the private sector and the government is needed. For this to happen effectively the private sector needs to explore ways to present a consolidated voice to government. This was just one of the outcomes from the Business Day Kaelo Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) conference which was held at Spier Wine Estate last week.

2010 FIFA World Cup: two years to kick off
[Issa Sikiti da Silva] On 11 June 2010, two years from now, all eyes of the world will be on South Africa, where the bells will ring for the FIFA World Cup to kick-off. Yesterday, Wednesday, 11 June 2008, local and international media were invited at SAFA House in Johannesburg by the Local Organising Committee (LOC) to hear the progress report of what has been done since mid-May 2004 and what is left to be done by SA to host a successful tournament.

One Show merit for AAA graduates
Candice Lind and Sam Joyner, two AAA School of Advertising graduates from the class of 2007, have bagged a Merit Award at the recent One Show New York student competition. The brief was for a Doritos chip campaign aimed at the American consumer.

Direct, Promo Lions winners released
CANNES, FRANCE: In the first of four awards ceremonies taking place during the 2008 Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival week, the Promo Grand Prix went to BBDO New York and the Direct Grand Prix to JWT India, Mumbai.

Sending out a strong anti-xenophobia message
Ogilvy Johannesburg recently developed an anti-xenophobia campaign for Channel O, the pan-African music channel dedicated to creating a pan African musical community. The message? Channel O does not support or tolerate xenophobia. We are all from one Motherland. One Africa. The sentiment is one which should unify all Africans.


From one rogue-spirited rock star to another
“I'm going to dig up the soil and get out the weed eater in my quest to maintain Net#work BBDO as the number one advertising agency in South Africa,” says new executive creative director Rob McLennan, who has many similarities to creative founder Mike Schalit. Both started out as “rock stars” and both have that rogue spirit, an unwavering penchant for unconventional creative excellence and a wide global vision.


Web copywriting a different beast to copywriting
[Tiffany Markman] Not everyone knows how to do it. Not everyone can do it well. And just because web copywriting and copywriting have one word in common, doesn't make them the same animal. In truth, they're two different beasts altogether.


Putting social responsibility centre stage at Cannes
CANNES, FRANCE: As an event sponsor for the 55th Cannes Lions Annual International Advertising Festival, Draftfcb will mount The Gallery of Good in the Palais des Festivals, showcasing some of the advertising industry's best pro bono and cause-related work from around the world, including many past Cannes Lion winners.

SA's beach party at Cannes
CANNES, FRANCE: The South Africa Beach House at Cannes Lions, 17 - 21 June 2008, will be hosted in the biggest-ever joint collaboration between commercial stakeholders and the three film commissions. These comprise the Cape Film Commission (CFC) as the lead agency, its partners in government, and the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), Gauteng Film Commission and Durban Film Office.


Capturing the spirit of Africa for 2010
Shot entirely on location in South Africa, with virtual countries being built in dusty markets, on top of a uranium mine and in derelict buildings, MTN's first television ad for its 2010 FIFA World Cup campaign is the brainchild of the DDB SA team, led by executive creative director Gareth Lessing. The ad launched internationally last week. [video]


AMASA's part-time media management course kicks off - AMASA
AMASA's part-time Media Management module at the AAA School of Advertising is in full swing. The course delves into the details of constructing a winning media plan for beginners, and is just as effective as a refresher course for those in the know.

Lowe Bull cooks up a new image for Stork - Lowe Bull
Lowe Bull Johannesburg has repositioned Stork margarine to champion the homemade food revolution.


Chillibush Inroads wins ADRP Tools of Trade Award - ChilliBush Inroads Communications
ChilliBush Inroads has been awarded the May 2008 Association of Donor Recruitment Professionals (ADRP) Tools of the Trade Award for its work on South African National Blood Service (SANBS).

Agency merges print production, DTP
JWT Johannesburg is exploiting the natural synergy between print production and DTP by fusing what are traditionally two separate departments into one. With this move comes the promotion of Heather Smith to the position of head of department, print production/DTP. "The integration of these two departments has created a strong and streamlined team working towards a common set of goals," says Judy van Dam, JWT Johannesburg's MD. Smith handles the print-production and art-buying on all of JWT Johannesburg's accounts including Nokia, Ford, Unilever, Kelloggs, Bayer, Nestlé and De Beers. Prior to joining JWT Johannesburg, she worked with King James JHB, Mortimer Harvey and Associates, KM Advertising, Adlib Communications and Y&R PE.

European news channel rebrands
EUROPE: Earlier this month, everything at European news channel euronews changed to reveal a new logo, a new signature, a new look, a new identity for the programmes, a new website and a new marketing campaign of unedited communication. The makeover has been billed as the most important development in the channel's 15-year history.


Do some brands thrive on negative perceptions?
[Chris Moerdyk] Pictures tell a thousand words... TV news coverage this week of US Democratic presidential hopeful, Barack Obama, carried a comment about some people in the US “not being ready to accept a black president”, with background footage showing a group of Harley Davidson bikers roaring down a highway.

Playing the naming game
[Naseem Javed] Behind every effort and every move of any company of any size lies a very simple and a powerful fact. That is, the outside world responds to the Name identity of a company before they part with money. Customers are influenced by the personality of the Name identity, what it says, connotes, projects and what kind of secret or hidden messages it has embedded in its alpha-structure.

New minting for Gold Reef City
Following the completion of extensive renovations worth R450 million across its theme park and casino properties, the Gold Reef City entertainment complex has launched a fresh corporate image. The intention is to position Gold Reef City as “Jozi's own” venue that embraces the glamour and grandeur associated with the days of the Gold Rush, as well as the sophistication and style associated with contemporary Joburg.


Is technology softly killing our soft skills? - Talk2Us
Many companies talk about their leaders managing their staff's performance, establishing behaviour guides, walking the talk, etc., but more often than not it all remains a conversation at that level. Employees never get to experience the interaction that is required to make good companies great, as envisaged by leaders.


Mid-year talent boost at The Brand Union - The Brand Union
Brand consultancy The Brand Union has boosted its talent pool with a number of new appointments.

Zendome: cool and colourful in the world of football - Zendome
In 2006, Zendome made it possible for Toshiba Europe, the IT partner of the FIFA Soccer World Cup in Germany, to present its showrooms in the form of a football at the company's Fan Fest Events in Berlin, Munich and Dortmund.


South Africa gets its first locally produced Buffalo Mozzarella - Liquidlab
South Africa's only producer of authentic water buffalo mozzarella, Buffalo Ridge, has recently had its full corporate identity and product packaging designed by Liquidlab.

Filmmaking youth take action
The first-ever Filmmaking Youth Taking Action (FYTA) Film Festival launches in June 2008. Hosted by the University of Johannesburg in association with the Gauteng Film Commission, Embassy of Mexico in South Africa and Nedbank, it will take place 13 - 16 June in Auckland Park, Johannesburg.

Music featured at Encounters
As in previous years, Encounters South African International Documentary Festival 2008 will look at different genres of music, ranging from hip hop in Cameroon and South Africa to classical music.

Nissan shifts service in Africa to the next level - Conexus
Breaking into new territory, the African Regional Office of Nissan South Africa is setting the standard for measuring customer sales and service satisfaction in the automotive industry in sub-Saharan Africa.

Fitch joins B to D Group
Craig Branigan, CEO of the B to D Group, recently announced that Fitch will join the group with immediate effect. The B to D Group was set up in 2005 as the branding and design entity of the WPP Group.

FusionDesign XLR8's Customer Equity Company - FusionDesign
The 2008 annual Conversion Model conference celebrated a milestone year for the Customer Equity Company. FusionDesign was again tasked with conceptualising, designing and implementing the conference held at the Mount Nelson Hotel.


Waking sleeping giants - Rex Creative
When it works best, branding can bring about the restructuring of business and the birth of new vision and meaning for a company. Such was the case when Johannesburg-based design company Rex took on its first-ever project in the Middle East with the creation of a brand identity for Kuwait-based construction outfit ACICO.

Exclusive sneak preview of M&G Online
The Mail & Guardian Online set the bar for innovation by being the first news website on the African continent to launch as far back as 1994. Now, in 2008, the M&G Online will launch its completely renovated website, packed with features and enhancements, sometime this week and Bizcommunity.com has an exclusive sneak preview.


Google, Yahoo partner over ad services
MOUNTAIN VIEW, CALIFORNIA: Google and Yahoo have entered into a non-exclusive agreement that gives Yahoo! the ability to use Google's search and contextual advertising technology through its AdSense for Search and AdSense for Content advertising programs, it was announced yesterday, Thursday, 12 June 2008. The two online giants have also agreed to enable interoperability between their respective instant messaging services, bringing easier and broader communication to users.

Giving users control over advertising
Global mobile social network itsmy.com, which is funded by advertising, allows its users to choose their favourites from 15 different advertising channels such as fashion, sports, entertainment and education.

Web #2 ad medium in five years
According to a recently released study by IDC, the US Internet Advertising 2008-2012 Forecast and Analysis, overall Internet advertising revenue will double from $25.5 billion in 2007 to $51.1 billion in 2012. During the forecast period, Internet advertising will grow about eight times as fast as advertising at large.

New report on enterprise use of social media
CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, US: Earlier this week the Gilbane Group released Collaboration and Social Media 2008 - Taking Stock of Today's Experiences and Tomorrow's Opportunities, a comprehensive investigation of the growing market for social computing technologies and solutions. The research report predicts the transition from horizontal applications to vertical solutions, and offers a number of strategies to help companies with the transition.

Call for state rollout of Internet access points
A lawyer addressing representatives of the state and telecommunications industry last week called for the state to take more aggressive steps to achieve the progressive rollout of Internet access points to citizens.

Stonewall+ creates a face for TypeFace Media - Stonewall+
Digital marketing agency, Stonewall+, recently launched a website for newly formed creative agency, TypeFace Media. The agency is a partnership between the ex-Men's Health magazine Editor and Creative Director, Andy Ellis and Piers Buckle.

Reducing event management headaches - Striata
The management of invitation RSVPs should be smooth sailing for event marketers, but can often become a logistical nightmare. One of the best ways to ease this administration headache is to move the RSVP function online.

Demystifying web analytics - Acceleration
[Richard Mullins] One of the most powerful benefits that online marketing offers companies is the ability to track and measure the success of their marketing campaigns and strategies. Email marketing, online advertising and search engine marketing all offer marketers a set of objective metrics that they can use to understand whether they're driving the returns from their marketing investments that they hope to.

KREW Interactive has moved! - KREW Interactive
KREW Interactive has moved to bigger and better offices in Bryanston, Johannesburg.

Neotel WiMAX awarded to Tellumat
South African technology group Tellumat has been named the preferred supplier to provide, implement and maintain the soon-to-be-launched national WiMAX network of Neotel, South Africa's first converged network operator. The contract stipulates the rollout of Neotel's WiMAX base stations, and subscriber units over a number of years, representing one of the key wireless access technology solutions in Neotel's broadband network rollout. For the WiMAX technology supply and integration, Tellumat will work closely with its WiMAX technology partner, Telsima.

Stathacopoulos invited to be Caples Country Chair again
Proximity#ttp's managing partner Nici Stathacopoulos has been invited to be The John Caples International Awards Chairperson for another five-year term. She has been South Africa's chair for the awards since 2003.

Page-a-day diaries for more industry sectors
Following on the success of its 2008 Media Diary, Primedia@Home has added three new corporate page-a-day diaries to its 2009 lineup, targeting the finance, IT and operations sectors. The diaries are targeted at the upper quartile of management of companies within each sector and can be personalised for each client. "With various pages dedicated to featured advertisements, clients have no choice but to keep advertisers top-of-mind as each diary focuses exclusively on the advertising needs of the particular industry," says Primedia@Home CEO Melvin Chagonda. "These are not mere diaries; they are strategic business tools that incorporate critical dates and information relevant to each sector."

Sasol Oil is GOing 4 GR8 - The Learning Theatre
The GO 4 GR8 campaign is something that the personnel at Sasol Oil are very passionate about. In fact, a four-day road show was organised to spread the word, and the passion, to every last staff member from Randburg, to Alrode and all the way through to Secunda. The Learning Theatre was there to delight and instruct with a comedy that conveyed the key messages of the campaign.

SA wins International Publishers Association Congress bid
The International Publishers Association's (IPA) Publishers Congress will for the first time ever be held in Africa in 2012. The announcement that Cape Town and the Western Cape won the bid was made on Friday, 13 June 2008, on the eve of this year's Cape Town Book Fair at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC).

Meet the editor - True Colour Events
Final touches concluded by True Colour Events at the exclusive Sheraton Hotel in Pretoria welcomed editors of the Sunday Times, Sowetan and Sunday World as they united to conference internal business affairs.


Speakers Inc hosts Superwoman Rachel Colenso's book launch breakfast - Speakers Inc
South African-born Rachel Colenso is one of the most extraordinary female adventurers in the world and was a 'Super Human' in the recent UK Channel 4 television series. She is one of only four women on earth to have completed the rigorous SAS selection process. In addition, she is an internationally acclaimed mountaineer and rock climber who organises and leads expeditions across the world.

Launch Factory Experiential produces branded content for African mobile giant Celtel - Launch Factory
Launch Factory recently produced a reality show called “Touching Lives” for Celtel, the dominant mobile network in Zambia. The concept was devised by Diallo Communications for its client.


Calling all top female students - Student Village
Entries are now open for the Women's Leadership Conference (WLC), an initiative aimed at unearthing the full potential of tomorrow's women leaders. The Women's Leadership Conference is an annual event organised and hosted by Student Village, South Africa's leading youth marketing solutions provider.

Coca-Cola dome ten years old - Coca-Cola dome
The Coca-Cola dome, hailed as one of South Africa's most versatile special event and exhibition venues, is 10 years old. Carol Weaving, MD of the Thebe Exhibitions and Events Group which manages the dome, says a decade of constant attention to every detail required by exhibitors, event coordinators, concert promoters and visitors has certainly paid off.

SAITEX postponed - Kagiso Exhibitions & Events
In the light of the current economic climate, Kagiso Exhibitions and Events is relooking at the way it positions its trade and consumer events so as to minimise the business risk and maximise the return on investment for their stakeholders, partners and exhibitors.

Oasys partners the City of Tshwane - Oasys Innovations
Oasys Innovations supported the City of Tshwane as it played host to the International Trade and Infrastructure Investment Conference.

Community lifestyle mag for Durban's affluent
Durban-based Famous Publishing is adding The Durban to its stable of community lifestyle magazines, which includes The Ridge and The Crest. The title is intended to appeal strictly to the upper echelons of society.


Wrestling title hits SA
The international edition of WWE Magazine currently has brought together World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) fans from all walks of life and has seen the introduction of local editions in Greece, Spain and Germany. Now, thanks to WWE and Atomic Media, South Africa has secured part of the action with the launch of the SA edition of WWE Magazine tomorrow, Wednesday, 11 June 2008.

Home solutions site makeover
www.homemag.co.za and www.tuis.co.za, the websites for décor and gardening magazines Tuis and Home, have been updated and revamped. “Our website is not just a duplication of the magazine content, but an additional platform on which we interact with our readers,” says Tuis and Home editor Anneke Blaise. Adds online editor Rhoda Davids, “The Tuis and Home brand is synonymous with practical, inspirational and solution-based content for homeowners - and carrying this through onto an online platform makes good business sense, as we have to constantly adapt in an ever-changing environment, and embrace technology as our readers do.” A key feature is the search optimisation, where the site has been loaded with an array of possible search phrases, making it easier for users to find that one elusive article, recipe or DIY project they desperately need.

Preggie title goes monthly
Under the new editorship of Jenny Collins working closely with specialist editor and childbirthing expert Tina Otte, Alchemy Publishing's Your Pregnancy has gone monthly, allegedly making it the country's only monthly pregnancy title. “I want to continue YP's tradition of providing credible, well-researched information to help our readers make their own pregnancy and birthing choices with confidence,” says Collins, the former deputy editor of Heat up until January 2008. “But there is just so much to say, and so much information to absorb that I am glad to be able to take YP from a successful bi-monthly to an even more successful monthly.” The design has also been modernised and the new-look June issue is on shelf now.

SABC crisis reaches boiling point
[Issa Sikiti da Silva] From ‘Mighty SABC' to ‘Mickey Mouse SABC', South Africa's public broadcaster has become a laughing stock, and its reputation and credibility dented by a succession of dodgy suspensions, intense infighting, political manipulations and rebellion. As CEO Dali Mpofu's career in Auckland Park seems to have come to an abrupt and sad end, more than 100 managers are now calling on President Thabo Mbeki to intervene to protect the institution against what many call a ‘hit-and-run' and ‘soulless' board.

Malawi launches Media Code of Conduct for 2009 elections
[Gregory Gondwe] Malawi has launched a Media Code of Conduct for its 2009 general elections, 11 months before the country goes to the polls.

Corporate Publication Competition calls for entries
Corporate publication practitioners are invited to enter their publications in the 2008 SA Publication Forum's Corporate Publication Competition. Entries close in the first week of July 2008.

Diageo Africa Business Reporting finalists announced
The finalists in the fifth annual Diageo Africa Business Reporting Awards were announced on Friday, 13 June 2008, following a record number of entries.

Mpofu suspended a third time
NEWSWATCH: SABC GCEO Dali Mpofu's Friday the 13th started before sunrise... Talk Radio 702 reports that a third letter of suspension was delivered to the CEO last night, Thursday, 12 June 2008. Once again, Mpofu is expected to go to court over this urgently.

New CEO for Media24
Media24 announced yesterday, Thursday, 12 June 2008, that it has appointed Francois Groepe to succeed Hein Brand, who is heading off to grow Naspers' business interests in South America on 1 July.


Pickets to call for resignation of SABC board
The new civil society and media organisation coalition, former earlier this week, will picket outside the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) headquarters in Auckland Park, Johannesburg, on Friday, 13 June 2008, as well as in four other provinces.

Coalition forms to tackle SABC crisis
At a meeting earlier this week in Johannesburg, convened by the Media Monitoring Project (MMP) and the Open Society Foundation (OSF), various civil society and media organisations resolved to tackle the SABC crisis and form a coalition for independent broadcasting.

Ornico's SpotCheque proves critical in tough times - Ornico
Ornico Media Information's SpotCheque, which provides independent verification of media schedules across all media, is becoming a key tool for advertisers who need to keep track of how effective their advertising budgets are being spend in the current economic downturn.

2008 Vodacom Women in the Media finalists
The finalists for the 2008 Vodacom Women in the Media Awards, which honours remarkable women who have made tremendous strides in the media industry, are Pheladi Gwangwa: station manager of Talk Radio 702; Wendy Knowler: consumer editor for Independent Newspapers and the presenter of a weekly consumer show on East Coast Radio; Khanyi Dhlomo: founding editor of Destiny magazine and MD of Ndalo Media, and Karima Brown, political editor of Business Day. In addition to the 2008 Vodacom Women in the Media Award winner, the Rising Star Award (under 30-year old making her mark) and the Lifetime Achgiever Award will also be presented at the annual Vodacom Women in the Media Awards Event, to be held at Summer Place, Johannesburg, on 29 July 2008.

Mobile Football Trivia game hits Nigerian market - Starfish Mobile
Starfish Mobile Nigeria has teamed up with international mobile network operator Celtel Nigeriato to launch the second Mobile Football Trivia Game in Africa.

Launch of global mobile yellow pages
A Cape Town-based company has developed and launched a global business directory, www.heloyelo.mobi, which can be downloaded to cellphones anywhere in the world. Localised business directories are delivered via WAP push or requested via its website and downloaded in an embedded format to remain on the cellphone for easy future reference. Once downloaded, system features include search by text or scrolling down.

New CEO for Media24 Newspapers
Abraham van Zyl has been appointed the new CEO of Media24's newspaper publishing division, effective 1 July, the board of directors announced late last week. Van Zyl, who currently heads up the daily newspaper division, has recently returned from Beijing, China, where he was responsible for the establishment of Naspers' international print media interests, including those in India and Russia.

Management appointments at Independent Newspapers KwaZulu-Natal - Independent Newspapers KZN
Independent Newspapers KwaZulu-Natal has announced that with the early retirement of Daily News editor Dennis Panther, Sunday Tribune editor Alan Dunn will replace him and in turn, Sunday Tribune deputy editor Philani Mgwaba will take Dunn's position. The changes will be effective from July 2008.

Isolezwe ngeSonto - giving readers what they want on Sundays - Independent Newspapers KZN
Zulu-language Isolezwe ngeSonto, the newest mainstream newspaper on the South African market, is building a strong Sunday following, with sales heading over 40 000.


Charity concert to brighten children's hearts - Die Burger
On Thursday, 26 June 2008, the Cape Philharmonic Orchestra will take centre stage at this year's Die Burger Gala Concert, to be held at the Cape Town City Hall.

WAN condemns Spanish newspaper attack
The World Association of Newspapers earlier this week condemned an “outrageous and cowardly” explosives attack on the printing plant of the El Correo newspaper in the Basque region of Spain. The bombing has been blamed on the Basque terrorist organisation, ETA. “This bombing in the heart of Europe is a reminder that attacks on freedom of the press do not occur solely under repressive regimes. The international community must remain vigilant against such threats and ensure that media professionals are free to carry out their duties without risk of being harassed and assaulted,” said Timothy Balding, CEO of the Paris-based organisation, which represents 18 000 newspapers worldwide. The attack was the fourth on El Correo, which hosted a Media in Danger conference in 2001 organised by WAN, the World Editors Forum, and the Spanish Newspaper Publishers Association (aede) to examine the violence and threats against journalists and media in the Basque region.

Report on key issues for newsrooms now available
This year's Trends in Newsrooms report, unveiled last week at the World Editors Forum (WEF) annual conference in Göteborg, Sweden, focuses on eight major themes, drawn from discussions throughout the year among print and digital editors on the WEF Editors Weblog. The 180-page report, touted as a complete, analytical guide to the monumental transformations taking place in the newspaper industry, includes details about how newspapers are adapting to the changing media landscape, interviews with top media executives and commentators, detailed descriptions of innovations at some of the world's most recognised newspapers, and more. It also includes the results of the Newsroom Barometer, a survey of newspaper editors around the world about the future of newspapers. Full details are available at www.trends-in-newsrooms.org. George Brock, outgoing WEF president, said the barometer “banishes any idea that editors are gloomy or pessimistic about the future or that they have been slow in adapting to the changes which digital technology has wrought.”

Advertise your products and brands with Realmdigital's Fantasy Sports sites - Realmdigital
Market your brand by advertising or sponsoring fantasy sports leagues powered by Realmdigital's Fantasy Platform. These sites gain large volumes of traffic and reach audiences globally, therefore fast becoming a popular space to market products and create brand awareness.


MSN ZA launches Peel Back ads - Habari Media
MSN ZA, continuing its bid to encourage creative online designers to go beyond the banner, has launched the Peel Back, a 700x700 pixel creative layered underneath the MSN homepage. As the mouse runs over the top right hand corner of the homepage, the regular MSN content is peeled away to reveal an underlying advert.


Puma sponsors Euro 2008 section on iafrica.com - Primedia Online
Puma, one of the world's leading sports brands, has thrown its weight behind Primedia Online and agreed to a lucrative sponsorship on iafrica.com for the Euro 2008 football tournament.


Why FMCG brands should be marketed on the web - Artifact Online
Marketing a consumable product to the mass of consumers out there is challenging. In light of all the competition keeping your brand top of mind for consumers is of utmost importance - but this is all stuff you know.

Client input sought on freelancers - Freelancentral
Do you outsource to freelancers or bring them in-house to supplement your teams? If so, here's your chance to feed back on how using freelancers works - or doesn't work - for you.

Wrapping up loo cubicles
The Letter Corporation (TLC) has pioneered Cubicle Wraps in South Africa, which involves branding the front door and back wall inside the cubicle, creating a holistic and engaging environment. The initial campaign has been one for Baby Soft, based on a brief given to Mindshare.


Billboards go LED route
Audi of South Africa and ad agency Ogilvy Johannesburg have created a billboard that makes use of LED technology as part of the highly anticipated launch of the new Audi A4. “The combination of LED technology and a wide-angled shot of the new Audi A4's front grille is a perfect combination of safety and style,” opines Ryan Blumrick, Audi brand manager. “It's a perfect encapsulation of the Audi philosophy of doing things differently for a better result.”


Primedia Face 2 Face launches the Pro-Glomobile - Primedia Face 2 Face
Last month saw the launch of Primedia Face 2 Face's all-new Primedia Pro-Glomobile. What separates the highly mobile Pro-Glomobile from other mobile advertising mediums is that it is not restricted to daytime activity as it is equipped with a backlit double-sided ‘bill board' measuring 2.4m x 4.8m in size, displaying the advertised product/service, as well as a generator enabling it to be power sufficient in terms of both sound and back lighting.


Facelift for MTC in Namibia - Clear Channel
Namibian mobile communication service provider MTC has revised its corporate identity to keep up with the radical changes in the company's environment and client needs over the past 13 years. In line with the new corporate identity, Clear Channel Outdoor, along with The Sign Shop, revamped eight mobile homes in Windhoek by encasing the structures with wallpaper print and window drapes.


Markex Parasol special - Right Stuff
Right Stuff is currently exhibiting at Markex and World of Events 2008, where several of its portable advertising products are on display. In conjunction, there is a special running on the 1.9m Parasol for June 2008. The show runs until 12 June at the Sandton Convention Centre.


ComutaNet increases Moira millions' Absa Micro Loan awareness - ComutaNet
Every Easter, millions of South African Zion Christian Church's members journey to Moria in Polokwane to worship together. The logistics involved in transporting such large numbers of worshippers hundreds of kilometres even require the organisers to hire 80% of the Putco Bus Company fleet.


Stop talking, start walking! - Clear Channel
South Africans are marching for a crime-free country on Tuesday, 10 June 2008, at the Union Buildings, Tshwane. The Million Man March is an anti-crime initiative formed as a direct response to the unacceptable levels of crime in South Africa.


Street Pole Ads winners off to Cannes

click to enlarge

Street Pole Ads sales manager Karen Mittermayer recently handed over a coveted trip for two people to attend Cannes Lions 2008 to copywriter James Cloete and art director Dana Cohen of The Jupiter Drawing Room. The R80 000-plus prize comes as reward for the creative duo's selection as overall winners in the 2008 Street Pole Ads Award. Their winning SAA campaign (developed specifically for application to Street Pole Ads) has been entered into the outdoor advertising category at Cannes Lions, which takes place 15 - 21 June, and SAA receives a Street Pole Ads advertising campaign to the value of R100 000.


TLC expands into Kazakhstan
The Letter Corporation (TLC) has opened its doors in Kazakhstan, following success in the Australian, South African and Middle East markets. Opening in cinema and nightlife venues, Kramer says the basic mechanics of TLC's indoor media offering will remain the same. “We've taken our winning South African formula and tailored it to Kazakhstan demographics and consumer buying behaviours. We extensively researched the opportunity before making the decision to proceed and are thrilled with TLC Kazakhstan's potential.” Already, TLC has secured a two-month campaign with aviation giant Air Arabia.

Chicken Licken man shot dead
NEWSWATCH: On eve of the day when concerned citizens were preparing to take part in anti-crime campaign Million Man March, actor Moto Silumo was shot dead in Johannesburg. Silumo was best known for his role as Tiny in the Chicken Licken TV ads.

Apply now for African Photo Entrepreneur Programme
The African Photo Entrepreneur Programme is specifically aimed at growing photo entrepreneurs who can compete on the global stage in terms of photo production and market savvy. Only 40 African Photo Entrepreneurs will qualify for this programme and applications close 30 June 2008.

Giant Films' Bruno Bossi shoots Hansgrohe for Lowe Bull - Giant Films
Bruno Bossi recently completed the first local TV commercial for Hansgrohe.


Joni Botha directs Mitsubishi Fuso - Faith Creations
Directed by Joni Botha of Faith Creations, the new Mitsubishi Fuso commercial makes use of a clever combination of live action and animation.


MTN Clap selected by Shots as a Cannes Contender - Velocity Films
MTN Clap, directed by Greg Gray of Velocity Films and conceptualised by agency MetropolitanRepublic in conjunction with The Jupiter Drawing Room, has been selected to feature in the Shots Cannes Contenders issue.

Thabo Marera shoots Guinness Malta - Velocity Films
Thabo Marera of Velocity has recently directed commercials for brands as diverse as Standard Bank, MTN, Bonitas and Guinness Malta.


Erik Van Wyk of Bouffant directs new WesBank commercial - Bouffant
WesBank's new commercial, conceptualised by Ogilvy Johannesburg, is a visually beautiful piece of film that showcases human perfection through unique camera methods of ultra slow motion to drive its point home.


The world is wide for Sub urban's new web - Sub urban
Sub urban's belief in constant innovation sees the launch of its evolved, out-of-the-box website that transports viewers into a sustainable world.


Jason Fialkov cracks into Egg - Egg Films
Egg's got a new addition that's infinitely better than the dodgy pun in the headline. After two years of doing his own thing at Kiss Films, director Jason Fialkov has decided to join Egg's Cape Town office to focus on directing rather than running a business.

Film talent incubator gets underway
Sixteen of South Africa's talented aspirant film professionals have been chosen from hundreds of applicants to attend MultiChoice's Film Talent Incubator. The Film Talent Incubator initiative was introduced in 2007, in response to South Africa's burgeoning film industry. Says Itumeleng Letebele, MultiChoice CSI manager, “The Film Talent Incubator is one of our most exciting CSI initiatives because it allows us to contribute towards the promotion of local ‘content development' in a meaningful and sustainable way.” The interactive full-time 20-week programme kicked off in the first week of April 2008 and will run until mid-September, when graduation takes place.

PR spam negatively affects PR industry's reputation
[Robynn Burls] In October of last year, Chris Anderson, the editor-in-chief of Wired magazine, published a list of all the email addresses of PR people that had “spammed” him in the previous month. The list included names from top US and international PR companies such as Edelman and Weber Shandwick. It caused a roaring discussion on his blog, with many other journalists adding their frustration and applauding Anderson for giving “the PRs some of their own medicine”.

Affinity grows through new partnership and goes global - Affinity Strategic Communication
Affinity Strategic Communication recently formed a strategic partnership with Liesl Laubscher from Cross Communication. In future Laubscher will deliver services under the Affinity banner for combined consumer and corporate clients.

Government could do better PR planning in a crisis - Livewired Communications
At least 56 people have been killed and thousands displaced in the recent xenophobic attack. Yet President Thabo Mbeki has been largely invisible since the xenophobic violence flared up having only addressed the nation two weeks after the brutality began.


Copywriting and translation services now available in 11 official languages - and more... - Purple Cow Communications
Recently relaunched Copywriters.co.za - the freelance copywriters collective - now introduces a translation, proofreading and editing service in over 140 languages.


Kate Bapela new head of APRA
Kate Bapela was elected the president of the African Public Relations Association (APRA), formerly the Federation of African Public Relations Association (FAPRA), at its recent Annual All Africa Public Relations Conference. Peter Mutie was elected VP and Wole Adamolekun was re-elected as secretary general. In the months ahead, APRA will commence a process of rebranding and mobilising members, now that new tiers of individual and corporate memberships have been adopted. Also, Nigeria now hosts the secretariat of the continental body.

Geffen PRO fired
NEWSWATCH: The PR manager for Lew Geffen Sothebys International Realty, Maurice Levin, has been fired for putting out an "unauthorised" press release drafted from an internal memo from chairman Lew Geffen which predicted that property prices would drop by 40% by year end, writes Business Report.

Philander returns to CapeTalk
Soli Philander is returning to 567 CapeTalk, taking up the 1pm - 3pm weekday slot as Lisa Chait moves on after a decade at the station, it was announced yesterday, Monday, 9 June 2008.

Jacaranda 94.2 to pay listeners' bills! - Jacaranda 94.2
Jacaranda 94.2 feels the current financial pain of South African consumers and is therefore doing more than its fair share to ease their burden, in the form of a brand new Pay Your Bills Promotion that officially launches on Tuesday 17th June 2008.

Cash or Car Challenge - Heart 104.9
June 2008 sees the launch of Heart 104.9FMs Cash or Car Challenge. With the bleak economic state consumers are faced with at the moment, this challenge is sure to bring a whole lot of colour into the lives of the Heart 104.9FM listeners.

Drive for qualified marketers by IMM GSM recruitment centre - IMM Graduate School of Marketing
In recognising the outstanding quality of the IMM Graduate School of Marketing (IMM GSM) qualifications, the IMM GSM is regularly approached by organisations that need to fill marketing positions. Its recruitment centres in Johannesburg and Durban are perfectly positioned to procure marketing staff for positions throughout South Africa.

Viv Gordon Placements celebrate 21 years of expertise - Viv Gordon Placements
June this year marks the 21st birthday celebrations of Viv Gordon Placements, the Cape Town-based niche placement agency in the advertising, marketing and publishing industry.

Researching the digital lifestyle of South Africans
BMI-TechKnowledge has released the results of its recent Digital Lifestyle Predictor (DLP), apparently the first major study of its kind to be done in the metros of South Africa, which delves into the digital lifestyles of South African consumers who live in mid-to-high income households (above R8000 household income).

Research International South Africa takes part in the 11th Annual Rally to Read programme - Research International
In late May and early June 2008, some of the staff of Research International South Africa gave up their weekends to take part in the 11th annual Rally to Read programme. The company has donated almost R300 000 in the past three years towards this programme which is run by the READ Educational Trust.


SAMRA Conference a success - SAMRA
Last month's 2008 SAMRA Conference at Sun International's Royal Swazi Sun and Spa brought together 170 researchers, research users and marketers from all over southern Africa.


TNS in South Africa take three of the four awards at the annual SAMRA conference - TNS Research Surveys
A winning culture saw speakers from the TNS stable walk away with the three top awards at the annual 2008 South African Marketing Research Association (SAMRA) Conference held in Swaziland in the last week of May, 2008.

Grolsch raises the bar
South African Breweries (SAB) yesterday, Tuesday, 10 June 2008, confirmed that South Africa will be the first country outside Europe to bring to market the Dutch beer, Grolsch Premier Lager, following the acquisition of Royal Grolsch by SABMiller some four months ago.


Get Tested Day - 21 June 2008 - The Heart and Stroke Foundation SA
The Heart and Stroke Foundation SA (HSFSA) is encouraging the public to have their blood pressure tested during the annual Get Tested Day campaign on 21 June.

Types of salespeople: the closer
[Peter Gilbert] The Quadrant 1(QI) salesperson is the most famous (or possibly infamous) sales type - the closer.

Absa renews Currie Cup sponsorship
Absa has renewed its long-standing sponsorship of South Africa's premier domestic competition, the Absa Currie Cup, for a further five years, SA Rugby revealed earlier this week. Absa CEO Steve Booysen also unveiled a new element to the competition that will be unique in South African rugby.

Fashionable connection for mobile company
Virgin Mobile has secured the headline sponsorship of Cape Town Fashion Week, now officially renamed “Virgin Mobile Cape Town Fashion Week”.

Tsvangirai calls on the youth
Speaking in an exclusive interview this weekend with pan-African entertainment network, MTV Networks Africa and US campus TV network MTVu, Zimbabwe opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai will urge young people of all nations to take an active role in issues affecting the country in order to secure a brighter future for Zimbabweans of all ages.

Four BBC Worldwide channels for DStv
[Issa Sikiti da Silva] BBC Worldwide Channels, in partnership with MultiChoice Africa, has said that it will launch four new channels - BBC Entertainment, BBC Lifestyle, BBC Knowledge and BBC CBeebies - from 1 September 2008 on the DStv platform to replace and build upon the success of its existing channels, BBC Prime and BBC Food. The announcement was made yesterday, Tuesday 10 June, at the Saxon Hotel in Sandhurst, Johannesburg.

SABC, stakeholders commemorate Youth Month
The SABC has partnered with the National Youth Commission and the University of Johannesburg in commemorating National Youth Day on Monday, 16 June 2008, which this year marks the 32nd anniversary of the Soweto Uprising of 1976 and 14 years of democracy.