What makes the Loeries committee tick?
With less than a month to go until the 2008 Loerie Award festival weekend, we decided that it's time to have a little fun with Loerie committee members. Bizcommunity.com recently asked them a few questions - some of them professional, some of them personal - to help you understand what makes them tick. First up was Festus Masekwameng, creative director, McCann-Erickson SA and Loerie Awards committee chairman.


Deadline looms for Loeries Young Creatives Awards
The deadline for all submissions for the Loeries 2008 Young Creatives Award is tomorrow, Friday, 4 July 2008. Entry is open to talented young creatives working in any area of brand communication - advertising, communication design or experiential.

May the best campaign win
[Tshepiso Seopa] The message is loud and clear: campaigns that rose to the challenge of getting brands to speak in an intimate way, without copying and recreating what has been done before, can start counting the number of Loeries they will be bringing home from Margate this year. The judging for the 30th annual Loerie Awards has begun.

The CEO - the real chief marketing strategist
[Greg Castle] The marketplace is strewn with carcasses of once very successful companies and brands that failed to keep up with changing needs. Why? Because marketing tacticians were left to it, rather than the business as a whole, led by the CEO.


Call for Boss of the Year nominations
The Boss of the Year Award is calling for nominations of bosses with the qualities to become icons of leadership in South Africa's workplace. Now in its 19th year, the award is organised by Dictum Publishers, with MTN SA Foundation as the new patron and main sponsor.

Mother City honoured by National Geographic Traveler
National Geographic Traveler has just added Cape Town as one of 50 “Places of a Lifetime” on its influential website. Says Calvyn Gilfellan, chief executive of Cape Town Routes Unlimited, the official tourism destination marketing organisation for Cape Town and the Western Cape, “To be acknowledged by such a well-known and esteemed travel publication online is indeed an honour for our city and province.”


Preparing to leave from the first day
If invited to pen a letter of congratulations to a newly appointed CEO, how would you frame it and what would the content of the letter reveal? Congratulatory platitudes dripping in sugary coated ego-stroking isn't what's called for on the occasion of the appointment, and if to have any real value, should instead challenge and inspire the new leader. TomorrowToday.biz director of storytelling Keith Coats suggests that the best counsel would be to advise this new chief to “prepare to leave”.

MA(SA) achievements in the past year
It has been a year since the Marketing Association of South Africa [MA(SA)] was constituted and a board elected by members of the marketing community. So what has been achieved so far?

Marketing in tough economic times - Chris Moerdyk
When times are tough the natural inclination is to cut down on marketing and particularly advertising expenditure. Which is fine - but on condition that one has a long hard look at how efficient your marketing and advertising is.

Free4Me from Prima-Data: Free Love is now the ultimate marketing tool - Prima-Data
Prima-Data's new free site, www.Free4Me.co.za, now offers marketers new opportunities to coax consumers to trial their products, services and offerings once they have registered on the site and it generates high quality leads and prospects for clients.

Confederations Cup volunteer recruitment drive begins
Since yesterday, Tuesday, 1 July 2008, thousands of South Africans have the opportunity to be part of the FIFA Confederations Cup South Africa 2009, as the volunteer application process for the tournament got underway. The process to recruit the Confederations Cup volunteers is the first step towards the recruitment of around 15 000 volunteers who will be required for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Campaigns shows off repetitive winning streak
To commemorate BMW's string of achievements, its local creative agency Ireland/Davenport recently placed a print ad in national news and motoring papers which cheekily states that the commercial is in fact the exact same one - bar for one small change - that was flighted last year and the year before, and the year before...


2008 Businesswoman of the Year Award Finalists announced
The seven finalists in the Nedbank-sponsored 2008 Businesswoman of the Year Award (BWOYA)were announced earlier this week. Ayanda Mbanga, MD of Ayanda Mbanga Communications, is a finalist in the Entrepreneurial Businesswoman category.

SA Tourism, CNN partner on UGC brand campaign
CNN International and South African Tourism have partnered together on its first-ever user generated content-driven multimedia brand campaign, geared towards raising the profile of South Africa to CNN's elite audience of business and leisure travelers. The ‘My South Africa' brand campaign encourages CNN viewers worldwide to harness their creativity and upload compelling photographs, moving images and stories that encapsulate their experiences of South Africa, via the ‘My South Africa' website, for the chance to win a trip to South Africa. [video]


Media24 renews Pendoring sponsorship
“Mother tongue is not only a brand name; it conveys something of the spirit, character, humour and creative abilities of the people using it. To let a language die is like letting a plant or animal species become extinct. Our existence is poorer as a result thereof.” This is the opinion of Francois Groepe, designated executive head of Media24: newspapers, which has once again approved a massive sponsorship to the Pendoring advertising competition and project, for which the closing date for entries is 18 July 2008.

Creative Circle results for May 2008
The Creative Circle results for May 2008 are out and according to chairman Gerry Human, “[t]he toughest part about judging the week after Cannes was resisting the urge to directly compare the best in the world with the best of the month. Nevertheless, whilst the best work holds its own, there's no doubt that May 2008 will not go down in history as a month brim-full of earth shattering ideas.”

Initiative Media wins SAB media business
BREAKING NEWS: Initiative Media has won the South African Breweries media business in a five-way pitch against MindShare (the incumbent), The Media Shop, MediaCompete and StarCom. Marc Taback, MD, said: “This is a huge win for us and we are exceptionally proud to be selected by SAB as their media partner.”

Buying the Great Idea
[Johnny Johnson] Everyone loves a Great Idea. The hardest part is working out when it's a great idea, and when it's just a cool idea. While the Great Idea does something fantastic for the brand, the cool idea might make people go “wow” - and nothing more. The brand strategy is the touchstone for telling whether you're being sold a great idea - or being conned into an expensive red herring.


Creative competition scouting for teen talent
Out-of-the-box young learners will be treated to a Lateral Thinking workshop and competition to be held by the AAA School of Advertising on Saturday, 9 August 2008, at its Cape Town Campus to scout for new young talent.

Vibrant new TVC kicks off Vodacom's soccer sponsorship - Draftfcb (South Africa)
A new and stylish television commercial sees Vodacom kicking off this year's soccer sponsorship campaign.


Cross Colours takes bronze for trendy illustrations - Cross Colours
Creative through-the-line agency, Cross Colours, has won a bronze medal in the illustration category of the 2008 New York Festival's International Advertising Awards, for the launch campaign for Floyd's 99 Barbershops.


Las Vegas store visits and case studies - Salient Advertising
[Pedro de Gouveia] At Salient Strategic Advertising and Design, we pride ourselves upon the fact that we are in constant touch with advertising and marketing developments within the global retail and general marketing industry. With this in mind, at the start of May this year I attended the annual Food Marketing Institute's FMI Show, which was held at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.


PenQuin International's creativity connects with Sony Ericsson - PenQuin International
Mobile handset giant Sony Ericsson has opted for the services of marketing solutions agency PenQuin International jointly with an additional agency, still to be announced, to deliver their local creative message.

Pendoring entry deadline around the corner
Sharpen your pencil, because the 14th annual Pendoring advertising competition and project's closing date is Friday, 18 July 2008. Pendoring is challenging advertising agencies this year to go one step further and not only invent Afrikaans advertising, but also to think in Afrikaans. Agencies are challenged to make video recordings to show how they live Afrikaans to the full in their agency-environment. Entries can be made online at www.pendoring.co.za. The agency that produces the funniest, most entertaining video will receive a cash prize of R10 000.

The new name-economy of the new world
[Naseem Javed] Among other things, the top one percentile of the global brand name identities also causes what's pulling the strings of the world's stock exchanges, as when they sneeze, a shiver triggers throughout the globe, altering the wealth of national economies. The fact that markets shoot up or down when customers of the world, en masse, respond to their dazzling offering, either jumping in joy or taking a momentary pause, proves their influence on global moods of the economy.

Mick Blore joins Y&R Brands SA
Mick Blore has joined Y&R Brands South Africa as chief creative officer, it was announced yesterday, Tuesday, 1 July 2008. Blore was formerly Saatchi & Saatchi group executive creative director for South Africa & African Network - a group of 17 agencies.

Building a big brand on a small budget
On the surface, building a big, well-recognised brand with a small budget would appear to be an unattainable goal - but NetFlorist, one of the country's largest online gifting services with an annual turnover of R37-million, has proven than it can be done.

Innovative photography qualification launched - Vega School
Vega The Brand Communications School, which is a division of The Independent Institute of Education which includes the National College of Photography, has announced the launch of a new photography qualification.

Production company branding under the knife
Independent company REX Creative has partnered with Velocity Films to rebrand the production company. Rex will be working on Velocity's brand strategy, brand identity and brand implementation, as well as its Internet presence - effecting change "only for the right reasons, and with the desire to be better," according to co-founder Rudo Botha. He comments that Velocity is a visionary company driven by visionary people, and requires a brand identity which will be able to reflect its mindset. "Working with a company with such a reputation, is potentially quite daunting, but we are really excited about the challenge ahead," he says. Rex clients include USAID, Bouffant which is partner company to Velocity, well known local banks and construction conglomerates in the Middle East.

Wimpy signs with top cinema advertising company - CineMARK
Wimpy - one of South Africa's leading restaurant franchises - has signed an on-screen campaign with CineMARK, which is responsible for the majority of advertising sales in South African cinema complexes.

The good, the bad and the smugly - A question of talk and walk - Don't Forget George
[Gavin Mills] In a world of soaring prices, dwindling resources, rampant unemployment and the early stages of global socio-economic decline, one would expect brands, companies and individuals to be giving their all to hold on to whatever they can of the consumer buck. Sadly this is not the case - especially in South Africa, at the moment...

Silent but effective marketing
If nobody picks up your product, nobody's going to buy it. So what makes consumers choose to pick up your brand in a sea of alternative options? Your packaging. “The fifth P of the marketing mix has been playing a much stronger role in the advertising of a product and new product launches,” says Desiree Gullan, creative director of Guerrilla Marketing.

Design Oval expands to Cape Town - Design Oval
Design Oval has spread its wings to the Western Cape after having operated very successfully in Gauteng for almost four years and managing to secure several blue chip clients.

The billion-dollar domain babies
[Naseem Javed] The latest ICANN plan to allow the global populace to assemble an entire domain name like www.yourname.yourname as their free-choice is a revolutionary and timely decision. This now open doors to cyber-brands such as my.ibm, hotel.chicago, it.jobs, play.poker, fly.usa or go.dell and applicants will submit a non-refundable fee of US$100 - 500 000 for each name idea and the businesses are already jumping to get started.

Writing for social media is NOT the same
[Walter Pike] Social media is different. It's different because the reader is in control and the reader is cynical and doesn't trust spin and brand speak. The reader will participate and comment and, because he or she is connected, will share his or her views with their network. To some it may be bad news but social media is not a fad and it is here to stay.


Digicape sponsors Rocking the Daisies festival blog - Digicape Apple Premium Reseller
Digicape and Rocking the Daisies music festival have partnered to create a Rocking the Daisies competition blog that aggregates all Rocking the Daisies related blog posts into one online portal.

SOS call for papers - CubicICE
CubicICE, a leading digital strategies company, is calling for papers for its Successful Online Strategies (SOS) Conference. The conference, the first of its kind in South Africa, has been organised in association with American-based company Target Marketing, and will be held on 5 September this year, in Johannesburg.


Bitdefender and ITCrimes: Working together to protect your PC in every way - Holton & Associates
BitDefender, an award-winning antivirus software and data security solutions provider, and ITCrimes, the founders of the National Independent Computer SerialNumber Database, have joined forces to help protect your PC in every way, as well as taking action towards a crime-free South Africa.

Kellogg's Rice Krispies created by KREW Interactive! - KREW Interactive
The newly-launched website for Kellogg's Rice Krispies, which was conceptualised, designed and built by KREW Interactive, includes an entry mechanism for the current Big Bake promotion.

Professional status for direct marketers - DMASA
The Direct Marketing Association of South Africa (DMASA), together with the Services SETA, has developed a process for professional registration of direct marketers.

UCT business school gives leaders tools for tough times - UCT Graduate School of Business
To help senior business leaders get to grips with local and global business challenges and find innovative ways of creating value during hard times, the UCT Graduate School of Business (GSB) is offering its Executive Leadership Programme (ELP) this August.


WKG creates a "base of knowledge" through its foundation - Wisdom Keys Group
Wisdom Keys Group (WKG), a 361° business marketing consultancy, has formed a non-profit organisation that aims to provide a holistic learning environment to previously disadvantaged individuals.

Open House at the Stellenbosch Academy of Design & Photography - Stellenbosch Academy of Design & Photography
Bizcommunity.com readers are invited to join the Stellenbosch Academy of Design & Photography at its Open House event, 25 - 26 July 2008. Come take a tour, view student work and register for the Degree in Applied Design, the Certificate in Commercial Photography or one of its popular short courses.

Countdown to food expo
Four food-filled days, three celebrity chefs and more than 30 of South Africa's top chefs under one roof. The 2008 Sunday Times Food Show, 3 - 6 July 2008, will transform the Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg, into every foodie's fantasy.

National Arts Festival to be extended in 2009, 2010
[Edwin Tshivhidzo] The Grahamstown National Arts Festival will be extended next year to cater for the thousands of soccer fans who will visit the Eastern Cape during the Confederations Cup in 2009. This will also occur in 2010 for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Fans, celebrities honour Madiba at 46664 concert
[Gabi Khumalo] About 27 000 music fans from around the world crammed into the Hyde Park venue in London at the end of last week where the annual 46664 concert was held to celebrate former President Nelson Mandela's 90th birthday.

10% discount offer to newsletter subscribers - Bartenders Workshop
Bartenders Workshop is now offering a 10% discount on all bar services to its current newsletter subscribers. This offer will be valid for the month of August 2008.


Amazing Spaces offers the A-list of South African event venues - Amazing Spaces
Your search for the perfect location starts and ends here with Amazing Spaces, now offering a directory of venues for events that are nothing less than extraordinary.


Tru Touch Events offers amazing deal to all corporates - Let us do the work for you! - Tru Touch Events
Times are tough for many in our country and we are all having to tighten the girth and watch the pennies. Corporate companies now have to really consider where and how they distribute their annual marketing spend.


A glittering launch by Kadoro helps to break the ice for Brandbar - Kadoro Events & Communications
A dazzling party with an ice-breaking theme served to launch new Centurion-based ad agency Brandbar with sophisticated aplomb earlier this year.


LiquidChefs announces franchise opportunity for people with passion - LiquidChefs
Last week LiquidChefs announced that the company is in the market for franchise partners to assist in growing the business, capturing new markets and empowering individuals who share the LiquidChef's passion for the groundbreaking, quality bar services it offers.

True Colour Events gives back - True Colour Events
True Colour Events takes pride in hosting an annual golf day in aid of a charity or organisation with an ambition of helping underprivileged individuals advance to a better situation - financially and emotionally.

Pretoria gets its own Baba Indaba by joining South Africa's baby and parenting expo! - Baba Indaba
SABC Education Baba Indaba, South Africa's national baby and parenting expo, took place in Pretoria from 27 - 29 June 2008.


Publishing house gives injection to confex industry - Oasys Innovations
South Africa's exhibitions and events industry has been branded the pinnacle for engagement marketing. This dimension has been taken a step further with the combination of conferences and exhibitions.

Oasys constructs temporary facility for Cape Town International Airport - Oasys Innovations
Oasys Innovations has acquired an order to supply and install the infrastructure for the airport's temporary domestic departures hall, while the existing building is being refurbished.

IFSEC buys into local security expo
CMP Information, the organiser of IFSEC, one of the world's largest annual security events, recently announced that it has acquired a 50% stake in South Africa's security expo Securex, which is owned by Specialised Exhibitions, a subsidiary of Andry Montgomery. CMP group director Simon Parker, commented, "The South African security market has rapidly increased over the past few years and similarly, Securex has seen substantial growth. With the IFSEC global sales and marketing network, we are well-positioned to take the event to the next level as the largest pan-African security event." Today, Thursday, 3 July 2008, is the last day of IFSEC South Africa incorporating Securex, taking place at Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg.

Hip golf mag looking promising
Earlier this year, UK-based brand GolfPunk was launched in South Africa by GreensideGolf Publishing to complement existing consumer and custom titles in its golf-specialist stable. “Although we are too young to have an ABC yet,” says circulation manager Neil Jennings, “early indications are promising.”


Golfing insert rebrands, becomes stand-alone mag
GreensideGolf Publishing has relaunched Golf Escapes as the monthly GreensideGolf World. The magazine, which used to be a substantial insertion into Tee to Green, is now a stand-alone title under new editor Lali Stander.


Popular Mechanics bucks the trend - Popular Mechanics
Science and technology magazine Popular Mechanics has confounded the publishing industry doomsayers by actually increasing sales over the past three months, racking up an average figure of 45 000-plus for its April, May and June 2008 issues.


FHM 100 Sexiest sells 100 000 copies - UCM
Proving that astute marketing investment in tough times pays dividends for magazines, FHM's 100 Sexiest July 2008 issue sold an unconfirmed and unofficial 106 229 copies. This special issue featured Joëlle Kayembe on its cover.


Create your own "It's a guy thing" commercial - UCM
An interactive, viral online element of the new FHM television advertising campaign revolves around an invitation to FHM readers to create and upload their own FHM commercials with an “It's a guy thing” theme.


Adding value to pharmacists and pharmacist assistants

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Primedia Publishing's Front Shop magazine, which focuses on the front shop brands, has added new component Edu-Pharm to empower and update pharmacists and pharmacist assistants. Edu-Pharm, supported by Health Science Academy, will publish modules of accredited courses for pharmacist assistants and articles in Edu-Pharm will be written by experts to ensure education at the highest level.


Smaller size, bigger benefits
Earlier this week, 1time Airline revealed the new format of its in-flight magazine, abouTime. Now small enough to fit into a handbag, the new size also has added benefits for the airline itself. “The weight difference of the magazine in its current format is over 156 grams per magazine. It equates to almost a 2 ton weight saving in fuel per annum, as 1% of an item's weight is what we burn in fuel…therefore, there's a 1% saving on the weight difference per flight. As well as a printing cost saving of 25%, which we'll pump straight back into the magazine numbers and print more for our passengers to take home with them,” explained Anya Potgieter, marketing manager of 1time Airline.

ICB partners with BusinessBrief
The Institute of Certified Bookkeepers (ICB) has partnered with business management magazine BusinessBrief in an initiative which will see the ICB's 4000 members receiving the publication on an ongoing basis. The publication is currently accredited for CPD purposes with seven other professional institutes and bodies in South Africa.

Philanthropy crucial to press freedom
[Shelagh Gastrow] In the recent xenophobic attacks, it was not government or business that acted fast, it was the non-profit sector. This sector is supported by philanthropy and we underestimate the role that it plays in all sectors of society. In fact, our press freedom in many ways depends on civil society organisations (funded by philanthropy) to act as watchdogs and advocates for such freedom.


Zambia slams SA media: The President is not dead
NEWSWATCH: In a report issued by Sapa/I-Net Bridge, Zambia's country chief government spokesperson, Mike Mulongoti, hit out last week at South African media for stoking rumours that President Levy Mwanawasa was dead.

Diageo Africa Business Reporting Awards winners
LONDON: The winners of the 2008 Diageo Africa Business Reporting Awards were announced last night, Thursday, 3 July 2008, at a gala ceremony in London. Now in its fifth year, the awards honour business journalism focusing on Africa, thus attracting contestants from around the globe.

Time for SABC to wrap it up and get real
[Chris Moerdyk] The rather pathetic political posturing over the SABC is slowly strangling the credibility and performance of the national broadcaster and the way things are going right now everyone, especially viewers and listeners, will be the losers.

Face Off! Bridging the Communications Frontier - Janine Lazarus Media Consultancy
Any good marriage councillor will tell you the fundamental of any relationship is communication. If you want your union to work, you need to understand your partner and speak to them in a language they can grasp to get your point across. This simple rule applies to the dynamic relationship between the power trio consisting of the media, public relations practitioners and communications executives, also known as “the client”.

Fiction by phone
Nine talented local writers have written original 28-chapter short stories to be read on cellphones as part of a larger MOBfest initiative, which inspires innovative content creation on the mobile platform. The literary project Novel Idea launches today, Monday, 7 July 2008.

WCIT launches Bluetooth frequency monitor
The latest system to be launched in the mobile space is an advance on conventional foot-counting systems at a fraction of the cost. So says Petros Kondos, director of WCIT, developers of BlueTrace. The frequency monitor system was launched last month in four South African malls, with a number more to go live in July and August.

A virus worth catching
[Brett St Clair] It's winter and my Nokia N95 has flu. But it's late, and I am ignoring its coughs and splutters and reading a great book which I reckon could be well on its way to becoming a school history text book. It's about how technology and telecommunications flattened the world. How online phenomena such as Google and Facebook understood the power of the Internet and their brands spread like viral wildfire.


SMS phishing on the increase
[Dr Pieter Streicher] Companies that communicate with their customers using SMS could leave those same customers wide open to phishing, the fraudulent attempt to collect personal or banking details. Companies need to ensure that their customers are made aware of the types of SMS messages they send out, and what, if any, information they might request via the SMS channel to reduce the risk of SMS fraud through phishing attacks.


On-bill payment for mobile content in SA
Bango announced recently that it is now processing on-bill payments in South Africa, which is one of the top five countries in Bango's mobile web surfing chart and which has over 42 million mobile subscribers and a mobile penetration rate of between 85 - 90% of the population.

Huge Group cuts off MTN on iTalk deal
The Huge Group said in a statement yesterday, Monday, 30 June 2008, that it intends to oppose the transaction between MTN and iTalk on the basis that the transaction between MTN and iTalk substantially lessens competition in SA's mobile telecommunications market. In this regard the Huge Group intends to make formal and legal submissions to the competition authorities.

Get the “Big Picture” at IFRA Expo 2008
DARMSTADT, GERMANY: Under the motto “Get the Big Picture!”, the 16th annual IFRA Expo will take place in Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands, 27 - 30 October 2008, at the RAI exhibition centre

Spend your Sundays with Sondag and Dros! - Sondag
This weekend Sondag, Media24's easy-to-read Afrikaans Sunday paper, in conjunction with Dros kicked off with a promotion that will run until end of August 2008.

News24.com launches Madiba tribute
News24.com yesterday, Tuesday, 1 July 2008, launched a comprehensive educational resource concerning Nelson Mandela in advance of worldwide celebrations of the South African icon's 90th birthday on 18 July 2008. In addition, the news portal is inviting all citizens to email their own written and video tributes to Madiba, with R1000 in cash up for grabs for the best.


GigaCMS releases new API and significant new features - iLogic
Content management system company GigaCMS has announced the immediate release of its API platform.

Creative mag's website gets a makeover

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Earlier this week, Ideas/Idees magazine relaunched its website. Consisting of three hubs - Food and Entertainment; Craft, Home and Décor; and Makeovers - there is also a substantial archive due to reader demand. “Our readers get very involved in our content and have always enjoyed an interactive relationship with the magazine. Now they will have the opportunity to show their masterpieces to likeminded users out there,” says Terena le Roux, publisher of Media24 Creative Living Magazines which publishes Ideas & Idees. The website is available in English (www.ideasmag.co.za) and Afrikaans (www.idees.co.za).

Monstrous new printer for Uniprint
KwaZulu-Natal printing company Uniprint recently invested R100 million and considerable logistical effort to install a state-of-the-art printing press. The monstrous new heat-set printer can produce 37 000 pages per minute, is 78m long, three storeys high and had to be shipped in numerous pieces before being assembled on site.


Sappi celebrates excellence in sustainable print - Sappi
South African printers and the print industry were recognised and honoured at the 2008 Sappi African Printers of the Year gala event on Thursday, 26 June 2008. Held in the Drakensberg, the event saw six gold winners being awarded the coveted printing awards, with Johannesburg based printer Ultra Litho again scooping multiple gold awards.

Making milk look interesting
Ola! Films' Amy Allais has just completed Clover's new spot and according to Allais, “[t]he toughest part of this commercial was making the milk, not really a very interesting, colourful thing as it is, look beautiful and appetising.”


More global awards for Why Democracy?
Last month, the South African-produced Why Democracy? documentary series continued on its winning streak by picking up awards from three international ceremonies. The series is produced by STEPS International, a non-profit organisation based in Cape Town and in Copenhagen.

New African image bank launches
Created by Caroline Hillary and Painter Jane, the newly launched Tickyboximages.co.za/com is an African image bank that aims to provide a platform for African photographers on which to profile their talent, as well as providing the publishing, advertising and commercial industries a better quality image for their buck.


Nine top films at SA Bollywood Film Festival
The innovative, award-winning work of a whole new generation of Bollywood filmmakers, including the top three Bollywood films worldwide from 2007, will feature in a two-week Bollywood Film Festival to be presented countrywide by Cinema Nouveau in July 2008.

V-Lab wraps up some commercials - V-Lab
V-Lab has recently wrapped up a series of commercials for Wesbank, Gold Reef City and News Café.


Jupiter chose Cindy Lee to direct Absa Currie Cup ad - Fresh Eye Film Productions
If you want a laugh then check out the new Absa Currie Cup television commercial. It is a team effort between Jupiter Drawing Room and Fresh Eye Film Productions.


Terraplane does the Madiba Dance - Terraplane
Terraplane's RAPS brings to life a special birthday message for Madiba with Draftfcb for Vodacom. “It was an honour for me to get a chance to shoot a Nelson Mandela 90th birthday spot, even though the old man was not there himself,” says RAPS.


Picture Tree delivers for Wimpy and Debonairs - Picture Tree
Picture Tree's directors have teamed up to create a buffet of food commercials over the last two months. The recently completed commercials for Wimpy and Debonairs are currently on air and are the result of a crossover between the directing styles of three of Picture Tree's directors: Alan Irvin, Gersh Kgamedi and Ian Difford.

Beijing Olympics in a Chinese lunch box
A Chinese lunch box containing White Rabbit sweets and an instruction manual printed in an eastern-style font with diagrams and symbols and five adorable Chinese mascots, is the latest creation for Oracle Airtime Sales (OATS) to inform advertisers of the opportunities associated with the upcoming 2008 Summer Olympics hosted in Beijing.


Grapevine Mobile - Grapevine Creative Media
As promised in our last news edition, we are bringing you weekly updates on what our new look and new products and services are all about. This week the hot theme is our newly launched division: Grapevine Mobile.

Samplex expands its reach - Samplex
At a time when many businesses are feeling the pinch, it is always good news when one hears of a successful South African company flourishing.

Unleash your communication potential - Quo Vadis Communications
A specialist organisational communications course, to be held in KwaZulu-Natal next month, will equip participants in strategic and creative skills to ensure optimal ways in releasing the power of organisations.

Industrial theatre tackles xenophobia - P and P Communications
P and P Theatre, a division of P and P Communications, announces the addition of a new generic play to its range of customised theatre solutions.

Celebrating The Write Co Cape Town's first birthday - The Write Co.
Writing a novel or a screenplay is a process that can never end, but you need to have a clear game plan and wrap up your first draft. That's according to The Write Co Cape Town head Sarah Bullen, speaking as the Cape Town-based office celebrated its first birthday.


Quo Vadis handles Constitution Hill Trust - Quo Vadis Communications
The Constitution Hill Trust has appointed Quo Vadis Communication to handle its media liaison and public relations with immediate effect, on a pro bono basis.

Three new account gains for Fleishman-Hillard Cape
Fleishman-Hillard Cape Town (FH Cape Town), a subsidiary of Fleishman Hillard Inc, has added three new clients to its client base: JSE-listed Brimstone Investment Corporation; credit management specialists, Real People; and digital brand specialists, Hello Computer. This brings to five the number of new clients gained by FH Cape Town since January2008 , the other two being Nedbank subsidiary, Go Banking, and the O'Shea Group, whose brands include property specialists Engel & Volkers and Bond Group.

MTV VJ becomes 5FM DJ
5FM has secured MTV base VJ, Fikile “Fix” Moeti, as the Sunday night host of The Best of 5 with Fix. Fix made MTV history back in 2006 when she became the first-ever female video jockey on MTV base after winning a nationwide competition to become MTV base's newest VJ.

New station Capricorn FM is making waves in Limpopo - United Stations
After six months on air, Capricorn FM is making its presence felt in the Limpopo radio market. The Radio Audience Measurement Survey (RAMS) released in June was conducted in major urban metros between January and March. In Limpopo the only area that was researched was Polokwane Central, which has 87 000 available radio audience.


Sam Roy joins Heart 104.9FM for Weekend Breakfast - Heart 104.9
Hot on the heels of boasting a dramatic increase in its listenership figures, Heart 104.9FM has announced that another major personality has joined its lineup.

Vote for the best SA recruitment agency
The cut-off date for nominations and voting for the fifth annual Junction Awards is 31 July 2008. Hosted by CareerJunction, the Junction Awards give career seekers the opportunity to vote for South African recruitment agencies that have displayed outstanding and exemplary recruitment practices.

The art of being headhunted
Professionals should be cognisant of the fact that their careers are being tracked by headhunters who are constantly on the lookout for the best talent. So says Madge Gibson, partner at executive search firm Jack Hammer Executive Headhunters.

Twenty tips for happy client-freelancer relationships
[Jo Duxbury] Freelancers and their clients need each other to survive. But mismatched expectations, poor communication and delayed payment may cause this relationship to break down. Here are twenty tips that clients and freelancers feel the other can do to ensure good working relationships.


Customer satisfaction in the motor industry - a different view - Synovate
Does being a man mean that you are more likely to complain about service or be less satisfied when buying a car? Does being younger mean that you have less experience and are more easily satisfied when you buy or service your car? Not necessarily, according to market research company Synovate's recently published Sales and Service Satisfaction results.

CIA insights land a ‘Lion' for Australian Schweppes “Burst” TV commercial - Consumer Insight Agency
It's always great getting good news in your inbox, and more so when you are being acknowledged for your contribution to a client's success. This was the case in late June, when CIA received news of a Cannes Gold Lion win for a TV commercial that was developed from the insights that CIA Australia uncovered during its research in 2007.

Synovate's Africa offering strengthened by Steadman Group acquisition - Synovate
Synovate, the market research division of Aegis Group plc, has announced that it has acquired the Steadman Group, a leading provider of market research, media monitoring and strategic management consulting.

Durban retailers in the running for the Revolution
Twenty-four retailers operating at Gateway Theatre of Shopping in Umhlanga have been nominated for national awards in the new annual Retail Revolution competition, it was announced at the official ceremony held at the shopping centre earlier this week. The competition covers some 2000 shops in major retail complexes managed by Old Mutual Investment Group Property Investments.


Levi's creates unit to combat counterfeits
Global denim brand Levi Strauss' South African division has thrown down the gauntlet to the counterfeit syndicates that are importing, producing and selling fake merchandise in the country and thereby crippling the local retail industry.

SABMiller's new brew
Earlier this week, SABMiller and Molson Coors Brewing Company announced the closing of the transaction to combine their US and Puerto Rico operations to create MillerCoors.

Investment in corporate wellness is vital - The Heart and Stroke Foundation SA
One in four of your female colleagues or one in three of your male colleagues could die as a result of South Africa's primary killer - heart disease.

Types of salespeople: the relationship profile
[Peter Gilbert] In this, the third of my series on types of salespeople, I take a look at the relationship salesperson (QIII), who is typically hard working, conservative in his or her views and very protective of “his” or “her” customers.

Virgin Active, adidas join forces
Effective 1 July 2008, global sports adidas is now the key sportswear supplier to health and fitness brand Virgin Active in South Africa.

2008 Engen Knock Out Challenge: The best of U17's football action - Octagon South Africa
For the fifth consecutive year, petroleum giant Engen plans to fuel the hearts and minds of passionate football fans in South Africa with the staging of the annual Engen Knock Out Challenge, where the best of under 17's football action will be on display during the months of June and July 2008.

Local hero wins Engen Dynamic Cycle Challenge - Octagon South Africa
Pietermartizburg local, Bradley Potgieter (MTN Energade, U23) took overall first place at the inaugural Engen Dynamic Cycle Challenge held in Pietermartizburg on Sunday, 29 June 2008 at the Harry Gwala Stadium, finishing the 106km route in a time of 02:42:58.


African Experiential Marketing Summit - Exp
The second African Experiential Marketing Summit will be held on 3 September 2008 at Montecasino, Johannesburg.


Standard Bank sponsors Inyathelo Philanthropy Awards 2008
Inyathelo, the South African Institute of Advancement, announced last week that Standard Bank South Africa has come on board as the primary sponsor of the Inyathelo Philanthropy Awards, which will be held 5 November 2008 in Cape Town. Inyathelo is a globally-recognised non-profit organisation dedicated to building a sustainable South African civil society and to energising civil society by inspiring a passion for philanthropy.

Curtain falls on Young Performers Project
After seven years, Unilever SA announced today, Monday, 7 July 2008, that it is drawing its Unilever Young Performers Project to a close this year with the staging of School of Rock SA at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre in Durban. The company will continue to focus on areas where it will have the most positive impact such as nutrition, hygiene and personal care, as well as local impact through projects linked to HIV/Aids, environmental sustainability and capacity building.

TV station partners with disability expo
For the first time in the event's four-year history, a TV station has come on board as a media partner of ACSA Disability 2008 Conference and Expo, which showcases lifestyle opportunities, products and services for people with disabilities (PWDs). Says Leo Manne, manager of special projects at SABC1, “The SABC also has a duty to invest in the community, and contribute to its upliftment and development. Disability affects everyone, either directly or indirectly and thus SABC1 feels it imperative to support this event.” ACSA Disability 2008 takes place 11 - 13 September 2008 at Gallagher Estate in Midrand, Johannesburg.

Lexus partnership for EarthPulse
8 Ink Media and Lexus are partnering on a National Geographic special edition magazine, EarthPulse, an essential - and fresh - look at global trends and our amazing planet we call home. Says Kevin Flynn, GM Lexus SA, "Being offered this association with National Geographic is opportune. Our 'ideal' vehicle is redefined every day as new technologies are created and the parameters of perfection shift and expand. In the same way, as inhabitants of Earth, we face dynamic challenges and together need to ensure we remain here for the longest journey. Our association with this publication could not have come at a better time - given the imminent launch of the Lexus PerformanceHybrid vehicles to the South African market."

Adventures in food and filmmaking
The African Food Adventure is a 13-part Zimbabwean television series focusing on local cuisine running on DStv between June and September 2008, giving viewers across Africa a chance to enjoy insights not only into local culinary expertise but also into southern African filmmaking talent.

So you think you can dance... again?
Do you have the moves to dazzle Mzansi? Then make your way to the auditions for SABC1's Mzansi fo sho new reality show, So You Think You Can Dance, and have a shot at being South Africa's next big dance star. Entrants must be between the ages of 18 and 30, must bring their ID, and are required to choreograph an original dance routine and bring their own music to the auditions. The Ultimate Winner will walk away with super prizes to the value of R250 000. The show, which has been a hit in the US and elsewhere around the world, debuts on SABC1 on Saturday, 9 August 2008, at 6.30pm.