Support Rescue SA: campaign to 'Give a Rand for Japan'

'Give a Rand for Japan' calls upon South Africans to help raise money for the Rescue South Africa mission in Japan through donating via a dedicated SMS line (SMS Japan to 36585). The social media and print advertising campaign, which is intended to go viral, has been developed by the Old Shanghai Firecracker Factory. Read more >>

2010 Creative Circle Ad of the Year winners

The 2010 Creative Circle Ad of the Year winners, the best of the Ads of the Month, were announced last night, Thursday, 24 March 2011, at The Venue, Melrose Arch, Johannesburg. [updated] Read more >>

Strategy the problem, creative the solution

[Brad Dessington] Let's take a look at the paradigm of generating strategy through a new breed of strategist and the way they approach ideas. Read more >>

New look Amarula

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Amarula, described as the second biggest cream liqueur brand internationally, will launch a new design look this year across all 103 of its trading markets. Read more >>

Digital technology material to Apteker's new film

[Duncan McLeod: @mcleodd] Movie making has changed dramatically in the past decade, as Ronnie Apteker, the energetic founder of Internet Solutions and now a keen filmmaker, can attest. Read more >>

Reminder for 2011 philanthropy awards nominations

Nominations for this year's Inyathelo Philanthropy Awards close on 30 June 2011. The South African Institute for Advancement is seeking individuals who have shown leadership in the area of personal philanthropy in South Africa and who, through their giving, have contributed to sustainable social change and inspired others to give. The awards focus on those who achieve a positive long-term impact on social development, regardless of the amount of money involved. Go to www.inyathelo.org.za for forms.

Digital space rewards those who are first - 24.com GM Geoff Cohen

[Gill Moodie: @grubstreetSA] Media24's 24.com digital division is the big kahuna of the country's online journalism world. It has big numbers and even bigger ambitions. To kick off an exclusive Bizcommunity.com series of interviews with South Africa's top online managers, 24.com GM Geoff Cohen tells us why 24.com has gone for scale and why it's cool for the growing digital operation to help keep the group's print titles in business. Read more >>

Proper, more powerful paragraphing

[Tiffany Markman] I'm a big believer in short paragraphs. Especially for copy that will be read on-screen or under time pressure. Long paragraphs are difficult for most readers, who are busy, important and like to see a subject divided into segments for quick scanning and navigation. The length issue also becomes more pressing as screen displays narrow, thanks to smartphones and other mobile devices. So, what to do? Here are six rules... Read more >>

How to look confident... even though you're speaking in public

[Douglas Kruger] Great speakers take us to unexpected realms of delight. They move us through giggling to sniffles, to deep introspection and back again. The best ones leave you thinking: "I have got to try that!" Bad speakers, on the other hand, make our toes curl. Ever watched an under-confident delivery and had to consciously unclench your toes? Read more >>

News24 throws its hat into the isiZulu ring

[Sipho Hlongwane: @comradesipho] Conventional wisdom at the beginning of the last decade was that there was no way in hell any money could be made in newspapers published for the black population. The Daily Sun proved that to be humbug. The Sunday Times took it a step further when they launched a isiZulu edition. Media24 has now taken that idea online, with the new isiZulu News24. Read more >>

Michael Spicer new chair of BDFM

Michael Spicer has been appointed as the BDFM non-executive chair, effective from 31 March 2011. He succeeds Peter Joubert, who is retiring after being non-executive chair for the past 14 years. Read more >>

SABC News (again) found guilty of broadcasting 'untruths'

[Herman Manson: @marklives] The SABC News department has had more shame heaped upon it by the Broadcasting Complaints Commission of South Africa (BCCSA) in a judgement that found it had been unfair to and broadcast 'untruths' about investigative journalist Sam Sole. Read more >>

SABC told: "Say sorry to Mail & Guardian"

NEWSWATCH: Yup, they're back in the news, making it instead of reporting it... Who? The SABC, of course, which has been ordered to apologise to the Mail & Guardian for an interview the broadcaster conducted with businessman Robert Gumede, and which, to put it mildly, was less than accurate, and less than objective. Read more >>

Opera launches new mobile browsers

OSLO, NORWAY: Opera launched two new browser versions on Tuesday, 22 March 2011, now also optimised for tablets. The Opera Mini 6 browser is suitable for J2ME, Android, BlackBerry and Symbian/S60 phones and the Opera Mobile 11 browser for Android, Symbian, Windows 7 desktop (labs release), MeeGo (labs release) and Maemo (labs release) platforms. The new versions feature a share button for Twitter, Facebook, vKontakte or My Opera. View the Opera Mini 6 and Opera Mobile 11 video or download from m.opera.com.

Launch of state newspaper: MDDA reacts

[Issa Sikiti da Silva] The government's breaking news about launching its own newspaper has spread like wild fire and gotten the media fraternity heatedly debating the repercussions and best interests of such a daring - and expensive - project. Some observers believe Government could invest those resources in the 'right channels' if it aims to effectively diversify the media. Read more >>

Uproar as GCIS announces launch of state newspaper

[Issa Sikiti da Silva] It is highly irresponsible for Government to use public funds in order to gain credibility or just to cover up or deny whatever stories are run in the independent press, Shepherd Mpofu, of Wits University's School of Journalism, told Bizcommunity.com amid reports by City Press yesterday, Sunday, 27 March 2011, that Government is about to launch its own newspaper - which might run without commercial advertising. Read more >>

Best newspapers in running for awards

The Newspaper Association of South Africa has announced this year's finalists in the Frewin, McCall and Joel Mervis awards, which encourages and recognises publishers who excel in producing quality newspapers. Winners will be announced at the Mondi Shanduka Newspaper Awards ceremony at Turbine Hall in Johannesburg on 10 May 2011. Read more >>

Campus media upgrades to LED screens

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Campus Media, a satellite broadcast TV station, which transmits tailor-made content to approximately 320 000 students at 17 campuses across South Africa via strategically positioned mega screens to ensure viewing and branding optimisation, has upgraded its TV platform to 12 m² LED screens, offering the latest in LED technology, with enhanced viewing and audio quality to increase the potency and impact the medium has for brands advertising within the sphere of the student market.

PR Worx wins IABC African Gold Quill

In the media relations category of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) African Gold Quill Awards, PR Worx won for its Anglo American's CSI publicity activities. It received the highest publicity category score in Africa, after the first tier of judging, so the entry will be submitted to the second round of international adjudication in the US. Read more >>

Atmosphere swoops off with overall PRISM Gold

Overall Gold was awarded to Atmosphere's "Not the World Cup" campaign for kulula.com last night, Thursday, 24 March 2011, at the annual PRISM Awards at the Vineyard Hotel & Spa in Cape Town. The campaign will now be entered into the IPRA Golden World Awards for Excellence in the UK, which offers world-wide recognition and acclaim to world-class PR programmes. [updated] Read more >>

[SxSW 2011] The future of PR

[Catherine Lückhoff] In his recent post, Does PR have a future?, David Armano, SVP of social business planning at Edelman Digital, predicts that as business becomes more social, job descriptions will change. Each employee will become the face of the company, acting in part as the marketing, communications and sales agent for their organisation every time they engage publicly, especially on social networks. [view twitterfall] Read more >>

Do you understand your internal audience?

[Andrew McIlwaine] As internal communicators we repeatedly proclaim the strategic importance of our function in any company - and rightly so. And like the practitioners servicing external audiences (advertising, direct marketing, PR and so on), we develop effective communication strategies to prove just that - our strategic worth. But, like the ad and PR fraternity, do companies pay enough attention to understanding the audience that is vital to reach - the employees? Read more >>

Dell Mabunda new Good Hope FM Campus DJ

Dell Mabunda, studying a BSc MS degree at the University of Stellenbosch, has won the second Good Hope FM Campus DJ search annual competition and is the second woman to win a one year on-air DJ contract with the station. Read more >>

Groupon South Africa promises you a good deal

[Herman Manson: @marklives] In January 2011, they were two guys working hard to keep their group media buying site Twangoo running with a handful of freelance sales staff. Less than three months later, they have 40 staffers, a new office in Loop Street, Cape Town, and possibly the hottest thing since Facebook as their backers. That's because Groupon acquired Twangoo in January 2011 and tasked its co-founders, Wayne Gosling and Dan Guasco, with establishing the Groupon brand in South Africa. Read more >>

Global advertisers, fans explore value of social media

LONDON, UK: Millward Brown and Dynamic Logic in co-operation with the World Federation of Advertisers (WFA) has researched what people around the world gain by becoming fans of brands, what global marketers expect from social media and what drives most value for both groups. Read more >>

Register for FIPP's free paywall strategies webinar

FIPP is organising a free webinar on Thursday 31 March 2011 at 2pm (BST), focusing on paywall strategies. Peter Kirwan, author of The Media Briefing's Paywall Strategies Report, will guide attendees through this subject, looking at five paid content business models. Read more >>

RIM announces retail channels for BlackBerry PlayBook

WATERLOO, US: Research In Motion, based in Waterloo, in the US, has announced plans to make the highly anticipated BlackBerry PlayBook tablet available in more than 20 000 retail outlets in the US and Canada. Read more >>

Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum: Dubai Lynx 2011 Advertising Person of the Year

DUBAI, UAE: The Dubai International Advertising Festival has announced that Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, chairman and CEO of Emirates Airline & Group, who has been instrumental in establishing the company as a global brand, will be presented with the 2011 Dubai Lynx Advertising Person of the Year Award. Read more >>

Citroen has charm and class

[Henrie Geyser: motoring editor] Citroen has injected some excitement into its C4 four-door hatch with a makeover that includes snazzy looks and some really spectacular safety and high tech features on all five new models in the range. Read more >>

Clio RS Gordini coming to SA

[Henrie Geyser: motoring editor] The 1000th Clio RS Gordini has rolled off the assembly line at Renault's Alpine plant in Dieppe and the good news is that Renault South Africa has confirmed that the car is coming to South Africa. Read more >>

Fluence full of flair and fancies

[Henrie Geyser: motoring editor] In spite of its middle-of-the-road market share and the fact that it already has something like 30 models on sale in South Africa, Renault has added another newcomer by the name of Fluence to its range - but please don't ask what Fluence means or hints at because I honestly don't know. Read more >>

Maputo - more than you'd expect

[Brian Berkman: contributing editor, travel] Most who leave Cape Town to live in Johannesburg do so to advance their careers, some leave because the weather is better - I'd leave Cape Town for Johannesburg to be closer to Maputo, just 45-minutes flight from OR Tambo. Read more >>

Minister launches national tourism sector strategy

At the launch of the National Tourism Sector Strategy at the Luthuli Museum in KwaDukuza in KwaZulu-Natal last week, Marthinus van Schalkwyk, the National Minister of Tourism, said the strategy will help position tourism as one of the fundamental pillars of the South African economy. Read more >>

Tourism Destination Conference aims to elevate the Western Cape's global profile

More than 100 of the Western Cape tourism industry's decision makers are gearing up for the 2011 Cape Town and Western Cape Tourism Destination Conference. Read more >>

Starwood Hotels & Resorts to open 50 hotels in Europe, Africa and ME

BERLIN, GERMANY: With growth fuelled by demand for its luxury and design-led brands, Starwood is poised to open 12 hotels in the region this year. Read more >>

National accommodation awards finalists

The finalists in the 2011 AA Travel Guides American Express Accommodation Awards programme have been announced. Now in its 18th year, this awards programme is the only established mechanism for consumers to voice their opinion about the quality of tourist accommodation in South Africa. Read more >>

The IID Nemeth trend report

[Dave Nemeth] A collaboration between Dave Nemeth, a trend forecaster specialising in interior design, décor and furniture, and the IID (the Institute of Interior Design professionals) has resulted in the launch of South Africa's first specialised trend report for these industries. Read more >>

Spellbinding Saltimbanco

[Ruth Cooper] The colourful, vibrant, bustling urban metropolis of Saltimbanco is home to a myriad of interesting and crazy inhabitants, including lumo pink-and-green-striped creatures, bicycle-riding daredevils, whirling skyscraper acrobats, juggling magicians and a feisty Boleadoras slapping duo. I was lucky enough to be introduced to them last night at the GrandWest Arena at Cirque du Soleil's longest running show, Saltimbanco. Read more >>

Mind-blowing Mummenschanz

[Jordan Scott] My mind was blown, my imagination pulled to its limits and my cheeks hurt from smiling. This was not some huge musical or even a one-man comedy show, it was four people, with no music, no dialogue and only a few props. Everything that entertained was on their bodies, as costumes and masks, and they made those costumes come to life as one would never believe possible. Read more >>

Splashy Fen in Drakensberg for Easter holiday

The 22nd Splashy Fen Music Festival will be held during the Easter long weekend, 21 to 25 April, 2011, in the southern Drakensberg, at a farm near Underberg, KwaZulu-Natal. More than 90 live music acts will be appearing on the two stages. Read more >>

Rock The River Easter Festival

The creators of the Rock The River SA New Year's Eve festivals will be launching the Rock The River Easter Festival, which will be held from 22 to 24 April, 2011, at the Buffalo Drift Resort, Gouda, Western Cape. Read more >>

So Queer: Porn-stars do you measure up?

[Siphosethu Stuurman] I recently found myself on a production set for a local pornographic programme called Porn-stars. Now, before you judge me, I was invited to the set by the programme's producers as a member of the press. But, in all honesty, I attended the press briefing because I was actually interested in seeing how a porn production studio operates. Read more >>