Intersexions will now be available on Netflix

Intersexions

The popular South African series dedicated to educating South Africans about the dangers of
HIV and AIDS, Intersexions has been one of the most groundbreaking series since the days of Phamokate – a series similar to Intersexions that was shown in the early 2000s.

Netflix has announced that Intersexions will be made available for streaming on the 5th of May, followed by a second season which is due to be made available a week later. With the lockdown pushing consumers to turn to its platform to catch the latest series, documentaries, and movies, they’ve decided to gift South Africans with a list of “throwback shows” which South Africans loved. Shows such as Gaz’lam, Soul City, Tsha Tsha and many more. This will also include iconic South African movies such as Jerusalema, Tsotsi and Kalushi for viewers to enjoy.

Earlier this month, the streaming giant had announced its decision to list Tjovitjo on its platform which has been one of a few locally produced series that is available for viewing. With this decision, we hope South Africans will enjoy reminiscing on their past favourite shows.

Skinny Sbu Socks launches the most expensive sock

Skinny Sbu Socks

South Africa is currently on lockdown and very few brands are thinking about launching new products because they don’t know when things will get back to “normal”. Many experts say most businesses won’t be able to open doors after the lockdown. Clearly, Skinny Sbu Socks is not one of those businesses as they launch the most expensive sock.

Skinny Sbu Socks most expensive socks
Skinny Sbu Socks – Signature

Sockpreneur, Sibusiso Ngwenya founder of Skinny Sbu Socks announced the launch on his Instagram. This is most expensive sock his brand has ever produced. A single pair of the limited-edition Signature sock will cost you R920. For the first time, they removed the iconic triple S logo and replaced it with their signature.

The new Skinny Sbu Socks Signature edition will be available on the 9th of September 2020 and they are currently taking pre-orders online via www.skinnysbusocks.co.za.

Win with the Pop Bottles #SchoolOfEvents Practical

The Pop Bottles School Of Events is a campaign initiative that has been put together to help support the events and entertainment industry during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the many restrictions that people are currently faced with, Pop Bottles has found a solution to still let people be proactive in the comfort of their own homes.

The campaign, which kicked off in March, has opened up the platform in getting industry specialists to come through and drop knowledge regarding all there is to know about how to make an event work.

Through the Pop Bottles School Of Events followers have been given a few tricks, tips, and cheat codes to help them along their eventing journey. And Pop Bottles think it’s time to put your skills into practice! Yet, what would the School Of Events initiative be without giving its class members the opportunity to put everything into practice?

And so, for followers who think they’ve got a knack for planning epic events, big or small and would like to get into the industry, Pop Bottles is offering to journey along with them. One lucky winner could stand the chance to win an event sponsorship package to the value of R120,000.00. To enter, followers must submit any of their dopest event concepts to soe@popbottles.co.za and they could win a sponsorship support package courtesy of Pop Bottles, Red Bull and Yfm.  For more information, be sure to visit www.popbottles.co.za/pages/school-of-events

Creativity during the lockdown with Xolisa Dyeshana

Creativity during a crisis

On Monday 13 April, the Pat onBrands Dialogues hosted Xolisa Dyeshana, Chief Creative Officer at Joe Public to share insights on the role of creativity during the lockdown.

It is without a doubt the lockdown has presented huge challenges for brands from a communications point of view given the seriousness of the coronavirus pandemic. Brands have to answer pertinent questions around who do they become during this time. “One of the biggest tragedies for brands during the lockdown will be losing sight of who they are”, Xolisa Dyeshana. He further added that brands need to remind themselves that they still have a place in the world. They need to stay in their lane, a soap brand can speak about hygiene, for example.

Brands need to be sensitive

Xolisa cautioned brands to be sensitive to the situation irrespective of whatever they choose to do. This is the time for brands to put people first. and the brands that are going to do that are going to benefit hugely from the positive sentiment later. Understanding what people are going through is very important and whatever piece of communication the brands will have a purpose.

Don’t push out communications for the sake of it.

Most brands feel the need to say something around the current situation. However, not every brand has to say something. To be honest a lot has been said already, however, there is an opportunity for an unorthodox way of thinking and for brands to come up with unforgettable pieces of communication that resonate well with the audience. For example, a brand Chicken Licken did not focus on putting out on an empathic type of messaging like how people are missing Chicken Licken wings, they focused on using humour watch it below. In a nutshell, if a brand is not going to say anything different, it rather say nothing.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B-rx3O5DRxv/

TikTok TikTok

Whilst we are still battling with flattening the curve of the spread of the coronavirus, the user curve of TikTok is on an upward trajectory. The Guardian dubbed TikTok as the social media sensation of the lockdown and this year it surpassed Facebook and WhatsApp as the world’s most downloaded non-gaming app. The reason I am highlighting this is that of all the social media platforms, the content TikTok is highly creative and fun. If brands want to showcase their fun side this is the platform that they should be playing on.

Creativity goes on

To conclude, although we may be on lockdown and our movements are restricted, creativity goes on. Apple has reminded us of this in this beautiful montage footage.

https://youtu.be/Kl1NW7h7lrY

 

 

#MyLifeIn5Ads: Nkateko Mongwe

African Man with glasses on

Storytelling in advertising is what most people talk about, but not everyone gets it right. #MyLifeIn5Ads is a regular column that features professionals from all corners of the Marketing & advertising industry to give a Pat on marketing communications that resonates with them the most. This time we feature the fantastic founder of Digital Fanta – Nkateko Mongwe. Here’s what he had to say…

My life story begins from the streets of Soweto, Protea North where we lived when I was born in 1988. I am the last child of four to my parents Robert & Bertha Mongwe. My name Nkateko according to my mother came from the blessings and the fortune of my parents for having four boys. Being the last born at home, I guess I grew up spoiled by my late dad.

My father shaped me to be the person I am today. I love my dad and always set my methods in the industry to impress him and make him proud. My father played a very important role in my life not only as a father but also an outstanding father at that where some of my friends & cousins grew up without fathers.

The five ads that describe my life are as follows:

1. 1974 – Suntory Whisky, ‘Sammy Davis Jr

For my first ad, I pick a whisky ad. My father enjoyed his whisky and as a naughty teen, I used to steal a drink without his knowledge.

2. Sasol – Glug Glug

Growing up was serious fun. I remember my dad bought me one of those classic vintage model cars and I used to play with the toy all day. I remember when I was in hospital in Pretoria for a week as a young boy and my dad packed my vintage car along.

My second advert is the classic Sasol Glug Glug ad, which reminds of my childhood where my friends and I were innocently playing with car toys. The beauty of growing up carefree.

3. Apple – 1984

My third ad is a dedication to the great Steve Jobs. The 1984 Apple ad remains legendary. Steve Jobs inspires me greatly. He caught my attention when he said it is not about your idea it is actually about how you implement it. Steve Jobs still has my favorite quote of all time “Stay Foolish Stay Hungry”. Like Adam & Eve I guess the Apple is my drug.

4. TESLA Model 3 – “Feel It”

My fourth ad is breath taking. I choose the Tesla S model TV commercial. This ad sets the tone on innovation and the future world embedded with green energy. The advert also embraces a personal value of mine, which is based innovation, things will always change, people will became better and a meaningful life is worth living.

Personally, Tesla is one of my favorite brands. Not only because Tesla Nikola was a great inventor or because of Elon Musk. It is due to the values that set the company apart. Competing against global car manufactures who have been around for years. I admire the brand value and it speaks to me. Positioned to be very different, target a niche audience and innovate above all competitors – which is what I try to do with Digital Fanta.

5. Doner – When the Motor Stops

My final ad is very interesting. For the fifth ad, I pick an advert by Doner. Doner Company is an American advertising agency headquartered in Southfield, Michigan. Wilfred Doner, better known as Brod Doner, founded it in 1937.

Doner did amazing work on an advert titled “When the motor stops “. This advert was published during the Coronavirus global pandemic. The advert is a tribute to Detroit and plays as a support of the city to stay home during lockdown. For me the advert is symbolic and will always be a reminder of the 2020 Global Pandemic.

Thank you for the feature.

CASTLE LITE PREMIERS “CASTLE LITE UNLOCKS IN BED WITH…”

Castle Lite unlocks in Bed with

With the lockdown extended, Africa’s biggest premium beer brand, Castle Lite will keep South Africans entertained with Castle Lite Unlocks in Bed With …, a series of 30-minute live stream sessions bringing you a taste of what you have come to love about Unlocks into a jam-packed digital experience. In addition to bringing fans entertainment during this country wide lockdown, Castle Lite will donate one rand for every view to the Solidarity Response fund.

Castle Lite will be hosting a livestream on the brand’s YouTube channel with famed media personality and American Hip-Hop aficionado, Sway Calloway, a unique performance by multi-award-winning rapper and one of the most successful musicians in Africa, Nasty C.  Moozlie will also be entertaining fans in the most unfiltered way ever seen, as well as The Kiffness who’ll be taking his game to another level.

“We want to continue contributing to this genre’s already-massive footprint by bringing it all home; the same epic experience Castle Lite Unlocks is known for, on a different scale, in your home. This bold new move will also allow Castle Lite to continue to make a bigger contribution to African Hip-Hop. We are excited to be venturing into new territory as we establish a digital entertainment platform to satisfy your need for entertainment during the extended lockdown period,” said Castle Lite Brand Director, Silke Bucker.

Castle Lite Unlocks in Bed With…premiers on Wednesday, 15 April 2020 19:30 with host Sway setting the tone for the show. Nasty C will give fans a never seen before performance from his home studio and might even surprise fans with a special guest star during his performance.

Tune in to Castle Lite’s official YouTube channel (CastleLiteSA).  

Five activities to keep you busy during the lockdown

african lady vlogger

With the national lockdown being extended as announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa last night, we might be running out of things do to keep ourselves busy and entertained. There are few things that one can do to fill up time, you can either use this time to acquire a new skill or simply relax.

Here are FIVE activities that you can participate in, to help you maneuver through this COVID-19 lockdown.

Digital Marketing Programs

Digital marketing has helped elevate one’s skill in the marketing landscape. These skills can help you improve your business/brand or even your skillset as a professional. Websites such as, U-dimension University, Learn Digital With Google (Free), Shaw Academy and GetSmarter are platforms that provide access to all there is to know about digital marketing.

Culinary Skills

Now with food being the one thing that all of us would be consuming during this lockdown, it wouldn’t hurt to learn how to make a few dishes for yourself or your family to enjoy. Platforms like Foodies Of SA, Cucumbers and Cream, Cooking With Luyanda, LesDaChef, The Lazy Makoti are sure to give you a wide variety of simple and easy to prepare dishes which you can showoff.

African lady vlogger
Lady cooking and creating content at the same time

Video Content Creation

With the demand for digital content on platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, it’s no secret that almost EVERYONE is either creating or tuned into content across all these platforms. If you’re planning on opening up a page or channel,  you may want to explore the websites such as Borrow Lenses, PeerSpace, and Videomaker to help you with video editing 101. There are also some tutorials on YouTube to help guide you if you’re ever stuck.

Photography

Closely tied with the video content creation activity, photography is one activity that some will end up mastering during such a time despite restrictions placed about going outside. Whether you have a smartphone or camera lying around, use this time to perfect your picture-perfect skills. Websites such as iPhone Photography School, Expert Photography and Creative Live, will provide top-notch lens work that you could start developing as a hobby on the side.

Meditation & Wellness

Things to during the lockdown
Lady meditating

While many will be attempting to shed off the lockdown kilos, others want to achieve peace of mind that can enable them to be productive during this time or just work on relaxing their minds and bodies to alleviate any tensions. There are several platforms that can help you find your inner peace during this lockdown such as Headspace: Meditation and Sleep, Yoga Journal, and Very Well Mind. Other activities can include reading a book or any form of material if available at your disposal.

These are just examples of some of the activities that you can do during the COVID-19 lockdown.

Be sure to share your feedback and experiences if you’ve done any of these and tag @PatOnBrands #PatOnBrands .  

4 tips on looking after your car during the lockdown

car parked on the street

We are on Week 2 of the national lockdown and most of us haven’t been driving our cars since the lockdown began. Just like many of you I also haven’t been driving my car for a while now. In actual I haven’t been driving my in almost two months thanks to the kind manufacturers for the test cars (please check my recent review).

I have therefore come to learn that there are certain parts of the car that get compromised when the car is parked for too long. These parts can be costly to replace and given that we don’t know how long the pandemic is going to last. You might want to take some precautionary measures to ensure that your car is in good working condition when you want to drive it again.

Below are the top five tips on how to make sure your car remains in a good condition during the lockdown.

1. Prevent your battery from dying

The battery of the car is probably the first component that is more likely to let you down when the car has been parked for too long. To avoid the battery running flat and having to ask someone to help you jump-start or push your car, it is recommended that you start the engine and let it run for 10-15 minutes once a week. This will help in lubricating the engine and prevent dead battery cells from developing.

If you can’t switch on the engine at all, you may disconnect the negative terminal of the battery to prevent discharge.

2. Maintain good tyre pressure

As we stay to flatten the curve during the lockdown, unfortunately, our car tyres can run flat as well. Some parts of the tyres can begin to rot as well. This is not ideal, but it can be avoided. Moving the car every few days can help prevent flat spots on the tyres. If the flat spots are serious you may need to replace the tyers, which is quite an expensive exercise.

3. Don’t use the handbrake

We’ve always been told to engage the handbrake when we park our cars, however, when the car is parked for too long the brake pads can get stuck to the disc or drums. There are two things that you can do avoid this:

  • Leave the car on gear. Remember to leave the vehicle in reverse gear if parked on a downhill gradient and in 1st gear if parked on an uphill gradient. For the older vehicles with manual transmission, use a wheel chock to avoid a possible situation where the gear lever pops out of gear and the car can roll.
  • Use a brick or piece of wood to stop the car from rolling and still leave the car on first gear.

4. The exterior

When a car is parked outside for a long it gets exposed to many elements that can end up damaging it. For example, direct sunlight can damage the paint on the car as well as the interior. Also, bad weather e.g hail can dent your car. So it is important to park your car in a garage for protection. If you don’t have a garage good quality cover that is suitable for your car.

I hope you found value in this article. Please remember to share with your friends and family.

The uninvited guest

empty shelves - uninvited guest

The year 2020 is definitely a symbolic year, not only because it’s the 20th year of the 3rd millennium, a leap year and the beginning of a new decade, but also because it is a disruptive year. It’s April 2020 and the year is still making sure that we are alert to the change it promised, woke to the beginning of a new era and transformation – be as it may. It is by far one of the most eventful years for millennials who are the working force, consumers, and business owners.

The sheer jubilation the nation felt when ushering the new year has turned into either panic, fervour, anxiety or profit depending on the side of the equilibrium one finds favourable during this period of the unexpected COVID-19 pandemic. The Coronavirus came in like a thief in the night and as a result forced many to transform into something better or change into something new altogether. The shift in consumer behaviour, the way business needs to now operate and the unstable economy has had a great impact on big and small brands.

There are select brands that have tailored their products and services to ensure consumer participation and are effectively gaining new customers or retaining loyal customers, such as the likes of:

Pick n Pay

A select number of Pick n Pay franchise stores are offering a drive-thru service to their customers in Gauteng, Free State, the Western Cape, Limpopo, Kwa Zulu Natal, Mpumalanga North West and Eastern Cape during the lock-down.

Pick n Pay drive through
Pick n Pay collect direct

Netflorist

NetFlorist, The e-tailer is now offering delivery of fresh fruit and vegetables select areas in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Cape Town, and Durban. This offering helps consumers shop for fresh produce from the safety of their own homes.

Netflorist fresh produce
Netflorist fresh produce ad

A portion of consumers in South Africa changed their spending habits rapidly and their choices of products and services as well as brands they support are influenced by whether or not their investment, will help alleviate the spread of the virus or sustain a certain lifestyle for the duration of this Coronavirus pandemic.

The business environment understands that its people are what makes the brand (from its employees to its consumers as well as suppliers), and that is why most businesses widely encourage a healthy working environment as well as the health and safety of all stakeholders.

We already know that many businesses have prioritized their stakeholders’ health and safety and the below are those amongst many that are making sure that this global crisis brings the best out of the its brand.

  • Clicks, is offering free flu vaccinations for all their store staff to help build their immunity.
  • Unilever, has put global measures in place for all their people, adhering to the announcement made by the World Health Organization.

The South African brand has an uninvited guest that will affect the already fragile economy and all proudly South African brands, as well as international brands making a profit from consumers in the country, have a big role to play in ensuring that we all come out stronger and better prepared for the next transformative life events or should I say, an uninvited guest.

Sasol Foundation offers free online primary and high school textbooks and resources during lockdown

Sasol Foundation offers free online primary and secondary

The Sasol Foundation has opened its online education resources and textbooks platform to all learners and parents free of charge as South Africa embarks on a 21-day National Lockdown in response to the global Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

Called Siyavula, this online education platform is usually a pay subscription service but has been made available to all South Africans free of charge during this period as part of the Foundation’s commitment in partnership with Siyavula to enable access to quality education. In addition to accessing the material for free, learners and parents on the MTN and Vodacom networks will also not incur any data costs when downloading the material.

Available on this comprehensive platform are the following textbooks:

  • Grade 7-12 Mathematics
  • Grade 10 Maths Literacy
  • Grade 4-12 Physical Sciences
  • Grade 10 Life Sciences
  • Grade 10-12 Information Technology (IT)
  • Grade 10-12 Computer Application Technology (CAT)

Upon signing up, learners and educators can also access Grade 11-12 Mathematics and Physical Science practice sheets and examination preparation papers.

For those in the lower grades, specifically grades 4-7, there’s Thunderbolt Kids, which is an interactive online site featuring a cast of fun fictional characters that make learning fun. These focus on various topics in Natural Sciences and Technology. For the learners in Grades 7-9, there’s MST Workbooks, which takes them through their paces in Mathematics, Natural Science and Technology.

In addition to this initiative, the Sasol Foundation, in partnership with the Department of Basic Education (DBE) and Africa Teen Geeks, will launch free digital science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) “Lockdown School”, which provides online classes on STEM subjects.  

From 30 March 2020, learners choose topics of interest to access one-hour lessons, while educators share additional links to online resources that learners can easily follow to help them beyond the interactive sessions. Using the artificial intelligence platform MsZora, an Africa Teen Geeks product, virtual classes will run every day from 8am to 5pm.

To register for these lockdown online classes, learners and teachers are encouraged to visit the following websites:

The live virtual classroom will be at no cost to learners and will cover Grades R – 12 (Grade 12 for the first week). Sessions will be recorded and uploaded on any of the three websites allowing learners to be able to re-watch them.

“These easy-to-use platforms are uncluttered, and not interrupted by ads or other pop-up content that might be inappropriate,” said Anacletta Koloko, Programme Practitioner at the Sasol Foundation. “This ensures simple, free-flowing navigation and quick feedback to aid learners to stay captivated and focused.”

She added: “Parents will be able to easily keep track of their children’s progress and develop their own tailored programmes for each child’s developmental stage, so they are ready to fit right back into the school year when classes resume.”

Koloko says digital learning and free online textbooks form an integral part of our existing, multi-dimensional interventions to contribute to the upliftment of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education in South Africa. During this time of crisis, these resources are becoming even more relevant in ensuring that our children’s development continues to be supported.

Digitise or Die

Vodacom and MTN gets a slap

It is without a doubt that the coronavirus pandemic is having an immense impact on how we conduct our businesses today. Some (if not most) companies will seize to exist post the pandemic. The companies that cannot digitise are unfortunately dying (unless they have billions of rands in reserves to sustain them).

The implementation of the nationwide lockdown means that customers’ mobility is extremely limited. Only the “essential” movement of customers is allowed, whether they are going to buy food or medication, visiting a doctor and/or they are going to work because their work is critical to keep the country going.

If your company has spent millions of rands on Out-Of-Home advertising, unfortunately, that money is as good as being flushed down the drain because the billboard on the M1 is not getting any attention. Or, if your company relies on high foot traffic to generate revenue, it is doomed. So what should companies be doing at this moment?

Now more than ever, digital marketing has become more important for businesses. It cannot be treated as an after-thought anymore. Companies and organisations need to have a digital-first approach when introducing new campaigns or products and services. Digital marketing allows brands to reach customers wherever they are and whenever they want to.

Streaming is the new norm

As more and more people stay at home, they are more glued to their screens searching and watching content. The #OnlineQuarantineParty is a great example of reaching customers where ever they are. Artists are not getting booked and bookings got cancelled due to the pandemic. So, it was fitting to host online parties to keep their fans entertained and remain top of mind. The #OnlineQuarantineParty got thousands of fans glued to their mobile screens and jamming to their favourite DJs. Channel O is now broadcasting it live on TV and Hunter’s Dry is sponsoring therefore the artists will be able to earn some money.

Webinars are also becoming popular. Platforms such as Zoom have seen an increase in the number of users since the lockdown began. Teams can have meetings and collaborate irrespective of where they are in the world. Other people are also using the platform for social purposes.

VR and AR will soon become a reality

The sporting fraternity is also dabbling with the idea of using Virtual Reality(VR) and Augmented Reality(AR) as a way keeping their fans engaged in the next year. However, the challenge VR and AR at this point is 5G. According to Liverpool FC’s Vice President of Digital Media and Marketing – Drew Crisp the maturity of 5G is going to bring about the technical possibility of VR and AR properly. Fans will not be going to the stadiums for quite some time therefore, online content is also key for social media.

Adidas a sports apparel brand is also taking advantage of the growing e-sport phenomenon by teaming up with Google’s Jacquard. The Adidas GMR (short for gamer) implants soccer boots with microchips that reward players’ activity with Fifa Mobile rewards. GMR allows football fans to connect their real-life training to that of their digital football teams on their mobiles. The insole smart tag gathers data from real-life play and translates it into digital rewards.

Adidas GMR

To conclude, now more than ever before digital has become important. Companies that do not embrace it are unfortunately going to suffer the consequences. It is those companies that will make the necessary investments in improving their digital capabilities that will thrive while the rest die.

Should you wish to up your digital game email pat@patonbrands.com for digital marketing solutions suitable for your business.