Food crisis, climate change, MDGs top G8 agenda
The global food crisis and climate change will be among the top issues on the agenda of United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon as he attends the Group of Eight (G8) Summit in Japan this week.

Zim retail and banking sectors lurch into crisis
[Dumisani Ndlela] Zimbabwe's retail and banking sectors lurched into an unprecedented crisis after banks struggled to deal with an implosion of zeros on the country's beleaguered currency, throwing the point of sale (POS) transaction system into a quandary.

Rising fuel prices could influence UK car market
Not surprisingly, South Africa is not alone when it comes to the influence of higher fuel costs on car sales.

The first cut for Elle New Talent Awards 2008
Six finalists have been chosen from a pool of 50 as Elle magazine, in partnership with Mr Price, narrows the search for this year's hottest new fashion talent during the first round of judging for the Elle New Talent Awards 2008.


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.

Global Ethics 101
Grow responsibly - especially in emerging markets such as Brazil; operate a conscientious supply chain; preserve a strong culture; and don't be afraid to walk away from a deal that isn't right. These are some of the most notable corporate ethical lessons HP's Jack Novia has learned.

New vehicle sales continue to slide
New vehicle sales in South Africa are still on a steep decline with June sales down by 10,956 units which represents a huge drop of 21.9% compared to the corresponding month last year.

Costandius grows Solo
Respected winemaker and current Chairman of the Cape Winemakers Guild, Philip Costandius, is branching out with the launch his own winemaking venture, Solo Individual Wines (Pty) Ltd.


EC's largest shopping centre to open end of 2009
[Andrew Stone] Come October next year, shoppers in East London will be able to enjoy a whole new shopping experience.

China to make couture catwalk bow
China, already a formidable powerhouse in ready-to-wear fashion, has broken into the elite circle of French haute couture, with the first Chinese designer due to unveil her collection for next autumn-winter in the shows which took to the catwalks on Monday, 30 June 2008.

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.

Money saving culture vital for sustainable growth
[Michael Appel] For a strong, robust and sustainable economy, it is necessary for South Africans, the poor in particular, to start spending less and saving more.

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.

Zonnebloem, Distell appoints first woman grape buyer
Zonnebloem, one of South Africa's oldest wine brands, has appointed Annelie Viljoen as its new viticulturist and grape buyer. She is also the first woman grape buyer to be appointed by Distell.


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.

The international java experience
House of Coffees is embarking on a new communications campaign aimed at educating coffee drinkers on the real coffee experience through two new TV commercials and a website.


Pharmaceuticals wizard knows potion for success
Aspen Pharmacare's recent deal with Glaxo is the latest feather in the cap of Aspen CEO Stephen Saad, master innovator and influencer.

Tea for two at the National Arts Fest
[ActivRetail] On show at the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown this year, and sponsored by Five Roses, the play 'Between Cup and Lip' highlights the connection that can be made between two people over a cup of tea.


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.”

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.

Aspen pays R2,7bn for offpatent Glaxo drugs
[Tamar Kahn, Science and Health Editor] The deal would give Aspen a springboard to launch its products into the more than 200 markets where Glaxo already sold these drugs.

Winemakers Choice from the heart of the Swartland

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The 2007 vintage of Swartland Winery's acclaimed Winemakers Choice blend has been released, and is so far said to be surpassing expectation. Designed for the person who is looking for an easy drinking wine at a competitive price, this 2007 Merlot/Shiraz blend is an informal wine that is said to be a good match to robust dishes as well as hearty pastas. Winemaker Andries Blake, is pleased with this year's results, commenting that the blend is getting better all the time, though is ideal to enjoy right now. Rich ruby red in colour, the vintage's nose displays the strong red berry aromas of the merlot with a hint of vanilla, dark chocolate as well as black pepper and spice that is familiar with the Shiraz. Packaged with its new label it is available at selected bottle stores and supermarkets.

Segment driven target marketing facilitated by online advertising
A recent Compete survey on segment-driven marketing found that marketers are focusing their segmentation efforts in online and search engine marketing activities, and while only 39% of US marketers surveyed believe segment-driven marketing is very important in their organisation today, 84% indicate that it will be more important three years from now.

SUVs and their future in the US
Survey finds 9 in 10 Americans say the US is too dependent on foreign oil and many predict SUVs will travel by the wayside, according to American Pulse.

Winter knitting campaign wraps up warmly
[ActivRetail] Med-Lemon is celebrating the success of its fourth consecutive winter campaign, which has employed 383 community members and produced over 5,700 scarves since its launch in May 2008. The handover of warm winter woollens to needy communities during the cold months is a crowning moment for the dedicated knitters and the organisations that co-ordinate this annual income-generating scheme.


Good news for charity: Mardi Gras tickets sold out
If you haven't booked your place for the Oyster & Wine Mardi Gras taking place next week at the 25th Pick n Pay Knysna Oyster Festival, then prepare yourself for disappointment: tickets are sold out. This, however, is great news for the charities sponsored by the initiative, as the fundraising target has been raised to R90,000.


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.

Following Queen's suit
Have strayed onto the wrong side of the law, Queen Moroka is doing some community work on TV soapie, Generations (SABC1 from 8pm). Her community service sees her in a homeless shelter where, after a while, she realises how much destitute people need blankets in winter. She then buys blankets from Pep to donate them to the shelter. Queen's actions are being played out in real life too. From 27 June - 31 July 2008, a collection box will be available in every Pep store so that customers can follow Queen's suit and donate a blanket to charity. Pep will distribute the donated blankets through its regional distribution centres to shelters nationally so that many more people can keep warm this winter. Pep has been variously written into the storyline of Generations since a year ago when the ad agency on the programme, led by Queen, won the Pep advertising account.

Staying safe in the e-commerce jungle
[Pam Baker] If you're headed to a brick-and-mortar store or a restaurant, don't leave a receipt on the table, and be sure to check your credit card bill to make sure the staff didn't heist your credit card number. Those are common-sense behaviors for real-world commerce, but similar security measures are in order when shopping online.

Headed for an e-commerce upgrade? Take the 2.0 track
[Avinoam Nowogrodski] Web 2.0 technologies are helping enterprises to more efficiently and successfully complete e-commerce upgrade projects. With these new technologies, project team members are able to stay on the same page and bring new members up to speed faster.

Lovelorn Aussie auctions it all on eBay
[Kathy Marks] What's a man's life worth? More than £1 million (US$2 million), it seemed, when bidding began for all of Ian Usher's worldly goods, plus his friends and job. However, when the gavel went down in cyberspace Sunday, ending one of the world's most unusual auctions, the English expatriate's life was snapped up for a more modest £192,000 (US$382,000).

Dulcé gets a menu makeover

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The Dulcé Café group has launched a new menu and the result is a fusion of delicious options sure to tempt the most discerning of taste buds. Firm favourites on the menu, including the Veg Bake Milano, Frittata Florentine and Pollo Pasta, are still on offer and have been joined by new additions such as the White Chocolate Crème Brûlée hot drink and the Dulcé Club doubly big, stacked sandwich. The café group's marketing manager, Brigid Ryall, says, “The look and feel of the menu is more contemporary than ever before and is now in a size that is easier to handle when perusing the many delicious options on offer. The six-page feast of tasty dishes available to our hungry patrons is more reflective of the brand's identity which is inspired by the warmth and ambience of the Mediterranean.”

Transnet says its firmly on growth path
Transnet's three-year turnaround strategy had worked well to create a strong foundation for the transport utility's new four-point Growth Strategy, says Group Chief Executive Maria Ramos.

Obesity problem causes Chile's food industry to act
Chilealimentos, the association for the Chilean food industry, has announced a new voluntary labelling system that will replicate the Guide of Daily Amounts (GDA) system used in the EU.

10 finalists bagged in Exclusive Books design competition
The recent nationwide challenge to South Africa's young designers to submit fresh concepts for national retailer Exclusive Books' distinctive shopping bags, has yielded a bounty of talent and 10 exceptional finalists, from design schools across South Africa.

New campaign goes by the book
Exclusive Books stages an annual sale and the challenge was to make sure the book-buying public knew about it. So the book retailer selected Primedia@Home's Intersect Direct to create immediate campaign awareness and generate more book sales. Intersect Direct is an engagement marketing tool designed to reach targeted consumers in stationary vehicles at traffic lights, particularly in rush hour. Dressed in Exclusive Books' branded gear, promoters delivered the summer sale pamphlets to motorists at the 23 desirable intersections that were identified in Bloemfontein, Durban, Pietermaritzburg, Cape Town, Johannesburg, Port Elizabeth and Stellenbosch.

Poultry firms to face penalties
NEWSWATCH: The Competition Commission's recent investigations into the complaints of Elite Breeding Farms and Astral Operations anti-competitive behaviour have been referred to the Competition Tribunal, IOL reports.

SA's Black business rejects ‘shocking' court ruling on Chinese
A number of Black business organisations including the National African Federated Chambers of Commerce (NAFCOC), Black Management Forum (BMF) and Black Lawyers Association (BLA) have reacted with anger to a recent High Court judgement that found that Chinese South Africans now qualify as BBBEE and EAA beneficiaries.

Buying movie tickets just got easier
Ster-Kinekor Theatres have introduced another way of dispensing movie tickets to ensure customer convenience for all members of the public.

Beat the recession blues with CRM
[Denis Pombriant] We are in a moment when, for a variety of reasons, we need to think about using some of the new applications that help us as vendors present a kinder and gentler face to the customer. In many ways, a recession is a classic time for excellence in business process execution.

Latin America - growing in popularity as a global sourcing location
[Ed Thomas] The use of global delivery models is now common practice within the business process outsourcing (BPO) market and Latin America is becoming an increasingly popular destination for IT services and BPO vendors who are looking to provide low-cost services to clients.

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.

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.

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.

Retailer's full year turnover up 22.3%
Shoprite says for the 12 months to end June it increased total turnover by 22,3% to about R47,7bn.

Retailers need to adapt to tighter times
[Nicola Mawson, Consumer Industries Correspondent] Retailers will have to undergo a change in “lifestyle” to make it through the tightening economic cycle, commentators say. Cost cuts and risk reviews are in order.

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.


Casing Las Vegas stores
[Pedro de Gouveia] Keeping in constant touch with advertising and marketing developments is a necessity within the global retail and general marketing industry. With this in mind, I attended the annual Food Marketing Institute's FMI Show, which was held at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA at the beginning of May 2008. Whilst in Vegas, I decided to visit some of the supermarket brands operating in and around this city.

Intelligent integration now a non-negotiable in security industry
[Clive Putman] With criminal activity in this country threatening to get worse before it gets better, individuals and businesses are turning to ever-more sophisticated technology to keep them safe. In the past few years there has been a steady increase in the use of IT in the security industry - such that the two disciplines can no longer really be separated.

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.


Retail theft becoming a 'necessity'
NEWSWATCH: Major supermarket and retail chains in the Western Cape have said there's been an increase in shoplifting, IOL reports. The focus of these thefts, however, has shifted from luxury goods, such as clothing, jewellery and electronics, to everyday necessities like food and domestic appliances.

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.

Cyber-security lessons from the 15th century
[Brian Chess and Taylor McKinley] Put down the vendor white papers and turn down the volume on that webinar. If you want to secure your data and pass a PCI (Payment Card Industry) audit, take a look at the past - the long-ago past.

Challenges posed by high food prices
While food prices have been stable or have fallen in relation to our incomes for much of the past thirty years, the past two years have indicated clearly that the era of cheap food is over. Rising food prices place a severe burden on the poor and government must intervene to support the needy in facing higher food prices. However, higher food prices also provide an opportunity to profit from producing more food for our people.

iTunes' rivals are worth a look
[Eric Benderoff] iTunes still dominates the digital music sales landscape, but now rivals are offering services that compete with - and sometimes best - iTunes in selection, price, versatility and usability. With so many choices online, it makes sense for iTunes users to at least do some shopping around before they buy music.

UK entrepreneurs eye iPod users with new miShake player
Two Birmingham, UK, businessmen are taking on the might of the iPod with a new audio and video player they hope will take the world by storm.

Master data management myth busters
There are several myths floating around about master data management. One myth involves the belief that the definition of MDM is that it is a way to manage enterprise data about a company's customers, products and other information assets. This definition is - at best - imprecise, says DataFlux CEO Tony Fisher.

Fresh firmware lets PS3 gamers get more social
[Walaika Haskins] Sony announced the addition of some new features for the Playstation on Monday. These include support for in-game XrossMediaBar features means players will no longer have to exit a game when using some social interaction features.

Get cyber snapping
Building on its camera phone heritage, and with the aim to enable consumers around the world to capture and share photos or videos, Sony Ericsson has announced the launch of its two new camera phones, the C905 Cyber-shot and S302 Snapshot.

Serious fun and games for customer service training
[Kimberly Hill] The enterprise is just beginning to scratch the surface of possibilities for putting video game technologies to smart business uses. One is customer service training. Sophisticated systems that can measure subtleties like employee-customer eye contact, for example, can bring a certain amount of scientific order to the art of effective human interaction.