Pat on WhatsApp call

A call is a call-is-a-call-is-a-call? but no, to some people it’s not just a call. It depends on the platform from which the call is made. Technological innovations has given people more options to get in touch. More than a decade ago people had limited and expensive ways of communicating. Voice calls and Short Messages Services (SMS) were the most popular methods of keeping in touch. In fact, making calls was so expensive for many people to an extent that former Vodacom employee Nkosana Makate saw the need to invent “Please Call Me”, an invention that generated billions of Rands in revenue for Vodacom, but that’s a topic for another day.

The emergence of 3G technology gave us more options to communicate. We can now make voice calls over the internet also known as Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), send instant messages (IM) and do video calls. Companies such as Apple, Google and Skype became dominant players in the VoIP space. Today we have WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Viber, amongst others also playing a formidable role in how we communicate.

All of these platforms provide us with great benefits; firstly it is cheaper to make calls on compared to traditional forms of making calls. Secondly, you don’t need to be connected to a specific network service provider to use and make a call. You can be connected to any Wifi network and still be able to communicate with your loved ones. Lastly, it is convenient to use, you can make voice calls, video calls and send instant messages on the same platform.

If the platforms offer such awesome benefits, the question remains… why is it that some people feel offended when you call them via WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger, but would be happy if you call them with your airtime and/or Apple’s FaceTime. The simple and short answer is – the brand. I’ve had people saying that when I call them via WhatsApp it means I don’t take them serious because it is supposedly “free”. Therefore, it means that I don’t value them as much, however on the same token the very same person would be happy to receive a FaceTime call from me. The other day one of my mentors asked me if I ever buy airtime and said to me, he hopes that I don’t call clients with WhatsApp call because I always call him via WhatsApp. How is it that a FaceTime call would be more valuable than a WhatsApp call as both platforms use the same technology – VoIP. Well… FaceTime is a product of Apple – a powerful brand that is known for being exclusive and people loooove exclusivity. Because there are fewer people who use Apple products than other mobile phone manufacturers, Apple users feel special when they connect on Apple to Apple platforms.

On the other hand, some people raise the issue of the quality of WhatsApp’s voice call. They say WhatsApp call usually buffers or sometimes you can’t hear the other person at all. As with the “normal” call, if you are not in an area that has good signal you are bound to experience issues with the quality of the call.

In my view, it shouldn’t matter whether someone calls you via WhatsApp, FaceTime or Facebook because after-all it’s just a call.

Do you like making WhatsApp calls? Or do you know someone who hates it when you call them via WhatsApp? Leave your comments below.

Marketing in the Fourth Industrial Revolution

Africa, particularly South Africa has been playing catch up in the previous revolutions i.e First, Second and Third Industrial Revolutions. According to Professor Tshilidzi Marwala, Vice-Chancellor and Principal at the University of Johannesburg, South Africa needs to actively participate in this revolution to realise economic growth. Accenture has estimated that Artificial Intelligence which is a major contributor to the Fourth Industrial Revolution can add up to 1% into South Africa’s GDP.

In case you are wondering what the Fourth Industrial Revolution is all about. It characterized by a range of new technologies that are fusing the physical, digital and biological worlds, impacting all disciplines, economies and industries, and even challenging ideas about what it means to be human.
One particular discipline that is of interest for #PatOnBrands is marketing. The Fourth Industrial Revolution is fundamentally changing how marketing is done. For brands to remain competitive they need to adapt their marketing tactics and strategies. A good start will be marketers being comfortable with technology and using it to their advantage. The Fourth Industrial Revolution world is dynamic, meaning that marketers need to be dynamic too. In the Fourth Industrial Revolution, customers leave trails of data at different touch points, which can be very useful to marketers. The data constitutes what is popularly known as big data.

Big data provides marketers with the opportunity to gain more customer insight in real-time. This then gives marketers the opportunity to adapt their marketing strategies as customers’ needs change. Despite the opportunities, Musa Kalenga CEO and Founder of BridgeLabs states that to this day many South African marketers and business leaders have not developed appreciation of using data to support decision making.
The following required from marketers to succeed in the Fourth Industrial Revolution:

1. Education
Most marketers that are holding decision-making roles in their organisations come from the so-called “old school” therefore they may not be clued up when it comes to what is required for their brands to be successful in this era. Training and education is essential for marketers in order for them be able to understand best practices. They don’t need to go back school to learn about these, they can always attend conferences and read the latest articles on this phenomenon.

2. Embrace data
Dan Zarella once said, marketing without data is like driving with your eyes closed. Good marketing decisions are made based on data not intuition. Through data analysis marketers are able to identify trends and patterns which improves the quality of the decision made.

3. Invest in new and up-to-date technologies
In order for marketers to thrive in this Fourth Industrial Revolution they must invest in tools that can analyse the data and automate repetitive tasks is needed. By investing in marketing automation software, marketers can improve efficiencies and over time they can increase revenues.


Final word
The Fourth Industrial Revolution is happening now and the sooner marketers and business leaders familiarise themselves with the key elements of this revolution the better they will be in their quest to outperform their competitors and remain in business. Also, this revolution affects all sectors, from advertising to transportation, so marketers brace yourselves!!!

Brands and Racism: What brands can learn from Starbucks

Racism has become a hot topic on social media and brands are faced with the challenge of upholding non-racialism within their companies. It is just unfortunate that people work on brands and not the other way around. Sometimes people tend to do despicable things such as racist acts. The 12th of May could have been business as usual at the Starbucks in Philadelphia (in the USA), however a Starbucks employee who happened to be white saw it fit to call the police to arrest two black males; Rashon Nelson and Donte Robinson for trespassing. It was after she asked the pair if they needed help which they declined by saying they were waiting for a business meeting. A few minutes later, the police came and arrested the pair.

As usual, social media went abuzz after a video of the incident emerged online and as “expected” Starbucks was accused of racially profiling and a call to boycott Starbucks was made. It is incidents such as this one that can damage a brand. H&M learned the hard way at the beginning of this year, when they showed a black boy wearing a sweater with the words “Coolest Monkey In Jungle”. The company has since experienced a massive decline in sales and of cause profit. H&M clothes to the value of $4.3 Billion remained unsold.

These are some of the consequences that brands will have to face for racially bias acts. The biggest mistake that brands make when accused of racism is assuming that after issuing a press release with the words “we are sorry, this is not who are as a brand” consumers will automatically forget. Consumers have heard such statements for the longest time. They want to see action i.e what the brand is doing to address such incidents and what the brand has done previously to deal similar situation.
Starbucks is doing something phenomenal in addressing the racial profiling incident that took place in Philadelphia. It is not a perfect solution however a step in the right direction that other brands can follow.
1. Take full responsibility- don’t play the blame game
Starbucks could have easily isolated themselves from the incident just like OUTsurance did when they blamed a juniour staff member for the “anti-black ad”. Starbucks, instead, took full responsibility of the actions by their employee and apologized. Brands need to learn that isolating themselves from issues of racism by their employees does not make them any better.

2. Talk is cheap
Brands can always talk themselves out of a situation, however that can only take them so far. Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson took the onus upon himself to meet with the victims and apologized profusely to them. According to the Communications Manager for Starbucks South Africa, Fareed Mohammed Starbucks will be closing its more than 8 000 company-owned stores in the US on the afternoon of May 29 to conduct racial-bias education geared toward preventing discrimination in Starbucks stores. Starbucks South Africa will also conduct similar training once the training kit has been completed. Starbucks is really putting their money where their mouth is. Dove still kept their “normal to dark” labelled body creams on the shelves even after consumers deemed the packing to be racist. Other brands should learn to invest money to address racism to ensure long term success.

3. Engage with the victims
Starbuck’s CEO took time from his busy schedule to meet with the pair to apologize. Others may argue and say he had to be because a lot is at stake. What he did is remarkable, more so that the two gentlemen will be involved in the policy development. The owner of The Bungalow Restaurant in Cape Town didn’t take even two minutes of his time to address his restaurant patrons who were labelled “2 Blacks” on a till slip, instead he blamed the billing system.

4. Provide regular updates
Communication is key in any crisis. A single press release can only go so far. Starbucks issued a series of statements about where they stand as brand regarding the incident and what are they doing to better the situation. Spur Steak Ranches only issued one press release after the a black lady was attacked at one of its outlets. Spur has since experienced a steady decline in sales and profits.

It for these reasons Starbucks gets a Pat. Please remember to share the article on all your social media platforms.

Patonbrands.Com Turns 1

It has been a year since the first post on this platform went live, and I still remember the day as if it was yesterday. I also remember how I contemplated and procrastinated launching the platform. How I was waiting for the perfect time to start. The truth is, had I carried on waiting for the perfect time to start, I was never going to start. This very day, coincides with one of the biggest days on the global calendar, the World AIDS Day. Allow me to take this opportunity to show my support to those who are living with the HIV/AIDS pandemic and to commemorate those who have died from an AIDS-related illness – may their souls rest in peace.
I would also like to this opportunity to reflect on the year 2017 was. All I can say is… it has been lessons-on-lessons-on-lessons! I learned a lot of things this year and had a many of new experiences with various brands. From attending new product launches to being on the race track in a Nissan GTR and opening the city with Heineken. UJ FM also gave me an opportunity to talk brands on their platform and all I can say is… 2017 has been real!

On the other hand, some of the commentary I made about certain brands were not well received whilst others sparked an intellectual conversations – it is okay! The point is, we should never agree on everything. Varying opinions and voices enhances the process of learning. I implore you (readers) to challenge me on certain things so that we all learn in the process.
On a lighter note… In the spirit of celebrating the first birth of patonbrand.com I would like to give 10 avid followers/readers an opportunity to experience #OpenYourCity with Heineken. #OpenYourCity is a campaign by Heineken aimed at encouraging people to explore their cities and visit places they wouldn’t usually visit (and leave their comfort zone).

On Saturday, 9 December Heineken® will host an invite only event at a secret location in Newtown, Johannesburg to stay true to the #OpenYourCity mantra. Local A-list DJ’s such as the internationally acclaimed Black Coffee, Euphonic, DJ Capital and Ms Cosmo will be setting the tone for the night. Wale and Kwesta will also be keeping our spirits high on the evening.
To be part of the 10 followers/readers to attend this very exclusive event, 1) share this post and name your favourite Pat On Brands article using the hashtags #OpenYourCity and #POB1. 2) tag @PatOnBrands on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

To many more!

Pat On Brands Review: Sony Xperia XA1

This is the first product review here on PatOnBrands.com and I would like to thank Sony for giving the platform the opportunity to review their mobile phone.

The Sony Xperia XA1 is quite a special device and for a mid-range handset, it is definitely doing the most. The device boasts a 23 MP rear camera and an 8 MP selfie camera; allowing you to take the best snaps in any event. The device also boasts a 5” full HD display screen and a 32 GB RAM, giving its competitors a run for their money.

Look and feel
In South Africa the device only comes in black, however in other parts of the world you can get the device in white, gold and pink. Therefore if you don’t like having a black this might not be the smartphone for you. What I really like about the Experia XA1 is its size, it can fit in your pocket even if you are wearing skinny jeans. It is also quite light, the device weighs 143 grams. The screens size is 5” which they could have made slightly larger, had Sony embedded the “Back, Home and Option” keys on the screen. In that way the device would feel and look bigger. The dedicated camera button on the side of devices is something special from Sony.
Platform
The Sony Xperia XA1 runs on the Android platform, version 7.0 (Nougat) which can be upgraded to Android 8.0 (Oreo) which is the latest Android version.

Battery Life
The battery life of a smartphone is probably one of the most important features I look for. According to Sony, the Xperia XA1 battery should give you up to 603 hours of standby time if you are on a 3G network and up to 10 hours of talk also on a 3G network. This is not impressive considering that other smartphones give you an average of 16 hours of talk time.


Price
To get your hands on the Sony Xperia XA1 you have to part ways with about R6469, depending on the network you are buying it on.

Does the Sony XA1 get a Pat or a Slap?
This is quite a tricky one, because there are many factors to consider. From a camera point of view the Xperia XA1 definitely gets a Pat. However, the battery life and the price point Sony could have done better. Therefore it gets a slap. What are your thoughts? Please leave your comment below, and Also do remember to get in touch with @PatOnBrands on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

How brands are exploiting #MandelaDay

Mandela Day is a day that is set out to commemorate the birth of one of the greatest leaders the world has ever seen, Nelson Rholihlahla Mandela. In his remembrance, ordinary people are required to dedicate at least 67 minutes of their time to doing something good for others, particularly those in need. Great concept right? However, brands have found the day opportune for them to push their brands and drive sales. One particular brand that really caught my attention was Pick n Pay, a leading retail company in South Africa. Pick n Pay had a “target” of donating 1 million meals to the less fortunate. In order for them to be able to do so, they invited the public to help them reach their target. How convenient, this is a company that makes an annual turnover of more than R75 billion, yet they are asking the public to make donation to fulfill their #MandelaDay ambitions. Here is my thing, if Pick n Pay wants to donate 1 million meals for #MandelaDay, they can easily do so solely from their pockets.

Pick n Pay, however was not the only brand that was opportunistic on #MandelaDay. Many other brands flooded our timelines with their “good deeds” for #MandelaDay, some brands asked their followers to Retweet and Share their content in exchange for donations; what a clever way of increasing followers and brand awareness? If you (as a brand) want to giveaway R67 000 to charity, why should we (the public) retweet the brand’s tweet 67 000 times? This also goes to show how businesses never give without gaining anything. Gary Vaynerchuk often speaks about how marketers ruin everything, in this instance brands are exploiting #MandelaDay with their desire for PR.

Some people would argue by saying that at the end of the day someone is getting assisted or fed, while others say #MandelaDay is for those who want to be seen helping other people. Therefore they would not partake in #MandelaDay initiatives and give a chance to those who have to tick boxes for their CSI projects. Here is my thing, if giving back is ingrained within a brand, days such as #MandelaDay should not be the highlight of the brand giving back. A huge slap on the brands that are using #MandelaDay to meet their business objectives.

I am interested in knowing your thoughts on #MandelaDay and how brands are capitalising on Mandela Day for their own benefit. Please leave your comment below, and Also doo remember to get in touch with @PatOnBrands on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram

How to see if someone has fake followers

Ever heard of the saying; women lie, men lie but numbers don’t lie? Well, in the case of fake followers the opposite is true. Have you ever wondered how some people’s following on Instagram, Twitter and more recently SnapChat has just exploded into thousands? There’s a high chance that those people bought followers. Buying followers for your Twitter or Instagram is as easy as buying a book from Amazon. You can buy 1000 followers by a click of a button for less than R100 (depending on the Rand/Dollar exchange rate).

People buy followers for various reasons: Leigh Van Den Berg notes that because of the “influencer” craze, brands are putting a lot of money behind influencer campaigns. The first thing that brands look at when choosing influencers is the number of followers that a person has. If the number of followers is high then they are more likely to select that person. A high number of followers gives the impression that the reach will also be high: It is a numbers game. The truth is, a social media account that is infested with fake followers makes no impact. It is like performing in-front of empty chairs, no one is watching. However, there are ways to discover whether the followers are genuine or not. Below are the two main ways to identify social media accounts with fake followers:

1. Drastic increase in the number of followers

Growing genuine following takes time and hard work. Unless, you are a famous celebrity and you’ve just joined a social media platform you may be able garner a following in a short period of time. Otherwise, there’s a high chance that the followers have been bought. If the number of followers are steadily increasing but the user is not posting anything this could be an indication that the followers were bought.

2. Low engagement, if not zero.

Chances are, you have once came across a social media account that has 10 000 followers, but the engagement is so low that their posts only get about 10 likes and zero comments. However, I must emphasise that this point is quite tricky because users can also purchase likes and comments. For example an Australian Travel Instagrammer once posted a black and white picture and received a comment that read “great colours”. This was clearly a bot making the comment.

Brands need to be cautious of the fake followers phenomena. In an article by Hadlee Simons on BizCommunity, Leigh van den Berg and Candice-Lee Kannemeyer share their experiences with buying followers for the fake Instagram account that they have created. The duo said they found the process to be shockingly simple. Naming their fake account fake_fake_fake1981 and making a declaration that it was fake on the account profile wasn’t enough to stop them. Read full article here

My advice to brands would be to rather invest an influencer with a small but authentic following and grow with them instead of having someone with many bots following them.
If you know someone who you suspect has fake followers or have any thoughts on the topic leave a comment below. If you like this post, please share it. Remember to also get in touch with @PatOnBrands on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram .

Brands and products that Black South Africans found other uses for.

If there is one thing that you got to give to black South Africans is their ability to reposition brands and products in the market. Brands produce products for specific purposes then they find other uses of the products to suit their unique needs. In this article I am looking at some of the popular products and brands that black South Africans found different uses for.

1. Dish washing liquid (Sunlight) – Hair Shampoo
When the Lever Brothers launched the world’s first packaged, branded laundry soap, Sunlight in 1884. What they had in mind was to launch a dishwashing liquid they promised consumers “that a little goes a long way”, not a shampoo that will be used to wash off a relaxer.

2. Matchsticks – Earbuds
Instead of being used to start fire, someone in the township thought maybe I can use this clean my ears. Then the matchsticks became popular as an earbud. To make the matchsticks softer on the ears some people cover with toilet paper.

3. Light Brown Shoe Polish (Kiwi) – Makeup
According to Busisiwe Ntsamba, back in the days when most black women couldn’t afford to buy make-up, they resorted to using the light brown shoe polish such as Kiwi as make-up to put a “matt” finish to their faces. To this day, some women still use it.

4. Petroleum Jelly (Vaseline) – Lip Gloss
The petroleum jelly is probably one of the most versatile products. There are many uses for it. One of the famous uses for the petroleum jelly is it being used as a lip gloss, to make their lips shiny.

4. Jeye’s Fluid – Bad Luck Remover
Jeye’s Fluid is a disinfectant fluid that is for outdoor use only. It can be used to kill bacteria in your garden and to get rid of bad odour in sewages. In the townships some people use it to bath with the belief that it will eliminate bad luck in their lives. Others also the Jeye’s Fluid to heal stomach bugs.

5. Fabric Conditioner (Sta-Soft) – Air-Freshener
The fabric condition is made to make clothes soft, while leaving them with a long lasting fragrance. Because of that some people use it in their cars as an air freshner particularly the Sta-soft fabric conditioner tube.

6. Telephone Directory (Yellow Pages) – Toilet Paper
The purpose of the telephone directory is to help find contact details of local business and institutions. Because of the softness of the paper, you will often find the Yellow Pages in many toilets in the townships.

7. Sunlight Green Bar – Toothpaste and Deodorant
The Sunlight green bar was voted as South Africa’s iconic brand. Regardless of your background, one way or the other, you have an encountered this product. It is one of the multi-purposeful products in the market, some people use it as a toothpaste or deodorant. For children, it is used to clear stomach and for those with dreadlocks, it is used for moulding.

The underlying reason for people to find other uses for these products and brands is the socio-economic conditions of our societies. Someone people cannot simply afford some of the products, hence they end up using them for something else. Other people also like experimenting with the products and if the outcome is good they stick to them, or they find it hard to get the products in stores.
If you know other brands or products that are used for what they were initially intended for, please feel free to leave your comments below. Also do remember to get in touch with @PatOnBrands on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and SnapChat

#BrandsExperience Dîner en Blanc

My first #BrandsExperience took place this past weekend at Le Dîner en Blanc, all thanks to Valpré. The aim of #BrandsExperience is to share with you the experiences that I will be having with various brands.
On Saturday, 18 March Johannesburg hosted Le Dîner en Blanc for the fourth time and this year’s “secret” location was the Nelson Mandela Square in Sandton.
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Launched in Paris in 1988 by François Pasquier and some friends, Le Dîner en Blanc has become a worldwide epicurean phenomenon. The pop-up dinner party is held in over 70 cities in 25 countries and has gained well over 100,000 new friends worldwide. Each event is headed by passionate local organizers who fell in love with the concept and who wanted to bring it to their city, adding their own local flair while respecting the event’s core values. Along with Paris, New York, Los Angeles, Tokyo, Montreal, Sydney, Singapore, Mexico City, Johannesburg held its very first in 2013.
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The exact location of the event is a closely guarded secret until the very last minute. For me, I only had an idea of where the dinner might be when we took the Grayston Drive off-ramp on the M1, from Coca-Cola’s HQ in Parktown, where we assembled along with other attendees.
On our arrival at this all-white party, we were given baskets containing picnic food, Graham Beck, Steenberg Wine and of course Valpré kept us elegantly hydrated. Fortunately, our table was already set up when we arrived, as other guests had to bring their own white décor.
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What I learned about this exclusive event is that elegance is the order of the day. The attendees went all out to showcase their taste for fashion and fine dining that got the bystanders looking. The music was also great as we had a live band entertaining us and in between the DJ blazed some hot local tunes that got us dancing and singing along.
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A big Pat on the organisers of Le Dîner en Blanc Johannesburg and Valpré for such an amazing experience.

How to become a social media influencer in South Africa

The revolutionary emergence of social media has provided ordinary people with an easily accessible platform to voice their opinions and become thought leaders in their areas of interest. These thought leaders are often referred to as influencers. They tend to be well-connected individuals and are perceived to be influential and in-the-know in certain topics. Their followers, on the various social media platforms, look up to them for advice, knowledge, direction and opinions.

For many brands, the use of influencers has become one of the most effective strategies to drive brand messages in subliminal ways. Instead of pushing their own message, brands can leverage the ‘attracting power’ of online influencers to get their message to the consumer.

In developed countries, such the Unites States and the United Kingdom, influencers are making lots of money. Some people end up leaving their jobs to become full-time influencers. In 2015, Business Insider reported that one of the most popular YouTube channels, PewDiePie made about $7.4 million. Converting this amount into Rands, that’s closer to a whopping R100 Million depending on the Rand/Dollar exchange rate. In SA we have people like Boity, Kefilwe Mabote, Karabo Mokgoko and Tshepi Mvundla just to name a few, who have become formidable influencers in their own unique ways.

We at patonbrands.com believe that by following the 6 guidelines below, you can become an influencer in your area of interest.

1. Identify a topic or area you are most passionate about

In the famous words of Georg W.F Hegel “Nothing great in the world has ever been accomplished without passion”. To be a phenomenal influencer, you need to be passionate about the topic/area you want to be influential in, whether it’s sports, fashion and lifestyle, cars etc. If you are not as passionate you won’t do great and your followers will pick it up.

2. Choose a platform to share your thoughts

There many platforms that you can use to communicate your passion on. You need to choose the one(s) that will allow you to reach your audience effectively and efficiently. You can have your own blog and presence on social media sites such as Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and Instagram. This is, however, dependent on the type of content that you will be producing.

3. Be consistent

In the influencer marketing space, consistency is vital. If you don’t release content on a regular basis, your audience will forget about you (Out of sight- Out of mind).

4. Provide value

Give your audience a reason to consume your work. There are various ways to provide value, whether you want to entertain, educate and inform your audience or simply just to share on your inner thoughts. The choice is completely yours.

5. Network

An African Proverb states that “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go with others”. This is true to becoming an influencer, engage with those that are already in the space to broaden your reach and scope. Also find a way to add value to what they are doing.

6. Be patient

Like any other thing worth achieving, you need to have patience. It takes time to build an audience. Again, if you are passionate about your chosen topic/area it will be easier for you to be patient.

I hope you find this guideline useful to start your journey as an influencer and make a positive impact in people’s lives. Please leave your comments below and as usual don’t forget to share! Don’t forget to in-touch with @PatOnBrands on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

 

The impact of xenophobic attacks on South African brands.

You are probably wondering what the xenophobic attacks have to do with brands. Well… the answer is EVERYTHING, because in this world nothing ever works in isolation. The impact may be direct or indirect and its magnitude may differ but the bottom line is that there is an impact. According to Otto Sterlik founder of the Protea Group, xenophobic attacks not only have an effect on the tourism industry but the entire South African economy.

A report by Ernst & Young states that Africa is an important growth market that no consumer products business can afford to ignore. More and more global companies are establishing business in Africa. South Africa, being one of the largest economies in the African continent, is often used as a “gateway” to Africa. The companies first set up base in South Africa before penetrating other African markets.

South African companies are also making inroads to the entire African continent as part of their growth strategy. The spell on fellow African brothers and sisters is therefore not only detrimental to the foreigners but to the companies that have already established themselves in other African countries and those that have plans to enter other African countries.

Over the weekend I received a very disturbing voice note from a friend. The man speaking on the voice note (whom I assume is a Nigerian national) is calling on all other African nations to “bomb” South African businesses in foreign countries if the South Africans don’t stop attacking foreigners. Last week, the MTN Head Office in Abuja, Nigeria had to shut down after they were invaded by anti-xenophobic protesters.

Nigeria is MTN’s largest and most profitable market. In 2013, MTN Nigeria reported more profits than MTN South Africa.

MTN is not the only South African brand that could be adversely affected by the wake of the xenophobic protests. Shoprite, a leading retailer in South Africa has about 7 stores in Nigeria compared to the 600 store in South Africa. The giant retailer sells more bottles of Moet and Chandon Champagne in Nigeria than in all liquor  South Africa. This is an indication of how significant the Nigerian market is.

Nigeria is not the only market that South African brands have successfully established business in. Countries such as Angola, Tanzania, Botswana, Mozambique and so forth, have also opened their boarders for South African brands that are doing quite well.

If the xenophobic attacks continue, the growth of brands such as Standard Bank, DSTV, Woolworths, Tiger Brands and many others will be impeded. The brands will lose out on the investments already made in other African countries.  South Africa’s GDP will drop and ultimately more people will become unemployed. The consequences are just undesirable.

South Africans need to unite against the few culprits of the xenophobic attacks to prevent South African brands being attacked in other African countries.  I would also like to urge the South African brands to use their influence in their respective industries to educate and help curb the xenophobic attacks.

Kwame Nkrumah was famously quoted as saying “the forces that unite us are intrinsic and greater than the superimposed influences that keep us apart”. Unemployment, corruption and drugs are all global problems. It is time for Africa to unite, because we are one!

Remember to leave your comments below about your thoughts on how the banks acted on the budget speech. And if you like this article, please SHARE IT! Don’t forget to get in-touch with @PatOnBrands on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and SnapChat.

How the banks took advantage of the 2017 budget speech

Yesterday was one of the most important days in the land. The Minister of Finance, Pravin Gordhan presented the budget for the 2017 fiscal year. The budget speech sets the tone for the year, as to how government will spend money and aim to address socio-economic challenges such as high-unemployment rate, education amongst others. Above all, how the changes will have an impact on an average consumer’s pocket.  Experts in the finance industry also made speculations prior to the speech as to what the minister will say about various economic factors. Some were on point and some completely missed it. There are already missed reactions on the actual budget speech as usual. Be it as it may, we can only remain positive as a nation and move forward.

In the midst of the budget speech, some brands particularly the banks saw an opportunity to increase brand awareness online. Here is how the four major banks in the country leveraged on the budget speech:

1. ABSA – The bank owned the #Budget2017 by promoting the hashtag on Twitter.  The hashtag trended number one on Twitter for the whole day. If you were to search #Budget2017 you will see an ABSA ad at the top.

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2. FNB – Instead of promoting a hashtag, FNB focused on pushing of FNB branded images around the budget speech from the beginning to the end of the Minister’s speech. The aim was to highlight the key points in the budget speech.

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2. Nedbank – They ran a Budget Speech competition in partnership with Old Mutual. The competition was aimed at economics students registered at recognised institution of higher learning in South Africa either studying full-time or part-time. The winners were announced yesterday.

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4. Standard Bank – The whole News 24 site was painted blue yesterday, all thanks to Standard Bank. On the popular news site, the bank put up digital banners highlighting the budget speech and also a call to action for the visitors to site learn about budgeting and the investment and savings packages that Standard Bank offers.

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It is important for brands to start targeting major events such as the Budget Speech to boost brand awareness particularly on social media as it is cost effective. The banks get a Pat for taking initiatives to leverage on the budget speech as it is aligned with their industry. Even though the banks got brand awareness, consumers also benefited from the initiatives as they get informed.

Remember to leave your comments below about your thoughts on how the banks acted on the budget speech. And if you like this article, please SHARE IT! Don’t forget to in-touch with @PatOnBrands on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and SnapChat.

Pat on UJ FM

Dear #PatOnBrands followers.

I come bearing some good news. Pat On Brands will be on the airwaves.  Starting today (Thursday, 16 February 2017), #PatOnBrands will be joining the #TheUrbanBrunch team on UJ FM every Thursday from 10am to 10:30am. The feature will be very informative and entertaining as the articles we post here. Brands, will still be getting “Pats” and “Slaps”. And will also be adding new elements such as weekly giveaways . Its going to be fun! Please do tune into UJ FM 95.4 and watch live on Instagram (@PatOnBrands) and Facebook (Pat On Brands).

Thank You,
#PatOnBrands

5 South African Brands That Will Win Her Heart

On occasions such as Valentine’s Day it is easy overlook South African brands, when looking to buy a gift for your African Queen. This article contains some of the South African brands to consider this Valentine’s Day. The brands offer quality products that will make your lady feel extra special. It also important to note that, by buying locally produced products we are boosting the South African economy. Therefore by making a purchase, not only will your lady be happy but you will be making a meaningful contribution addressing some of the economic challenges of this country. (It doesn’t sound romantic, right? But it’s true). Below are the five brands to consider:

  1. Nto Zinhle

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Nto Zinhle means “beautiful things” in isiZulu. This brand makes stunning African accessories for women. Their catalogue includes earings, leather belts, neckpieces and bags.  If the woman in your life is a liker of all things beautiful, Nto Zinhle will definitely win her heart this Valentine’s Day. Their shop is located at Vilakazi Street, Soweto. However you may also shop online via ntozinhleaccessorise.co.za.

  1. Keke Beads

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This brand is for the woman that oozes with confidence, knows her style, not too shy but wants to stand out from the rest. If your better-half embodies these characteristics, then Keke Beads is a definite winner. The brand uses bright colours to illustrate the vibrant, colourful and diversity of South Africa. You may checkout their products on Instagram @KekeBeads and to make a purchase email Keke on dipokreations@gmail.com.

  1. Era by DJ Zinhle

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If your lady loves beautiful watches and DJ Zinhle then look no further than Era by DJ Zinhle for her Valentine’s Day gift. This dynamic brand produces stylish watches and accessories for her.  The brand has a home in Newtown Junction, Johannesburg and their products are also available at selected Legit Stores across the country.  You may also shop online via djzinhle.com.

  1. Signature Restaurant

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As the famous quote by Maya Angelo goes “people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel”.  If you are that guy wants to give your lady a unique experience or looking for a place to wine and dine. Signature Restaurant may be the best option for you.  The restaurant boasts an exquisite lunch and dinner menu, with a local and international wine menu for even the most discerning palate. You may visit either one of their two outlets; Morningside, Johannesburg and Brooklyn, Tshwane. Make that reservation now!

  1. Pichulik

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Pichulik is a bespoke range of accessories designed by Katherine-Mary Pichulik. Each piece is handcrafted in Cape Town using locally manufactured ropes and interesting found materials. The brand draws its inspiration from African and middle Eastern ornamentation.  If your woman is bold and courageous, Pichulik is the brand to consider. You may shop online via pichulik.com or visit their store at 44 Stanley, Milpark, Johanesburg and Watershed, V&A Waterfront, Cape Town.

Now that you know what your options are. Go ahead and get that perfect gift for your African Godess. If you have other local brands in mind, please leave a comment below. And  if you like this article, please SHARE IT! Do get in touch with @PatOnBrands on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and SnapChat.

Top 5 International Brands That Will Win Her Heart

Finding the perfect Valentine’s Day gift for your lovely lady could be a challenge, especially when there are so many brands to choose from. If your lady is into international brands, then look no further than these brands as they are a guaranteed win.

  1. PANDORA

If your lady loves elegant and quality jewellery, then PANDORA is the most desirable brand to consider this Valentine’s Day. PANDORA offers a wide range of charms, bracelets, bangles, earrings, necklaces and pendants and rings. Their Jewellery comes in sterling silver, 14k solid gold, leather or textile that will give your lady a unique expression. Visit any of their 80 stores across the country or their online store for their Valentine’s Day special.

  1. Lindt

Gents, you can never go wrong by getting your lady a nice box of chocolate no matter the occasion. Ladies loooove chocolate, more so if it’s by Lindt. This Swiss brand produces the finest quality and delicious chocolates that will leave your lady craving for more. The good thing about this brand is that it has more variety and it’s accessible. You can get Lindt Chocolate any major groceries retailer.

  1. Michael Kors

Any item by Michael Kors has the potential to win your lady’s heart.  This luxury brand offers a variety of products namely; designer handbags, watches, shoes, clothing, fragrances and more.  In SA the brand has become popular with their handbags and watches.

  1. Victoria’s Secret

It is no secret that ladies like lingerie. Good lingerie can make a woman feel sexy no matter what she is wearing outside. While gents on the other hand often enjoy seeing their woman in beautiful lingerie.  If you enjoy seeing your woman in beautiful lingerie, then the Victoria Secret brand is the one. The interesting point about this brand is that, it was founded by a man who wanted to buy lingerie for his wife without feeling embarrassed about perusing the womens’ underwear department. So gents don’t be ashamed, get your girl some lingerie.

  1. Paco Robanne

Fragrances always make good gifts. However, not just any fragrance can make the cut. You have to carefully select the one for your woman. If there’s one fragrance brand that has managed to win most ladies’ hearts, has to be Paco Robanne, particularly the Lady Million. This fragrance is a definite winner.

Gents, at least now you have ideas of which products and brands to consider for your significant other. You may visit the shops and get that perfect gift that will win her heart.

10 brands that black South Africans use as generic names for products

There are some brands that grow in popularity to an extent that the brand name is used to describe a specific product. However, this does not happen overnight. The brand needs to be correctly positioned in the market and the necessary investment be made in advertising the brand. Advertising and promotions are said to be the key elements to creating brand awareness. The more consumers see your brand the more likely to remember it and associate it with a specific product category.

If you grew up in the township or a predominantly black community, you may relate better with the following brands as they were commonly used as generic names for products.

  1. Colgate

According to Icon Brands Survey, the Colgate brand is one of the iconic brands in South Africa. The brand was founded in New York City, America by William Colgate in 1806 producing starch, soap and candles. Colgate first produced toothpastes in 1873 and they were sold in jars. Colgate toothpastes have become so popular in South Africa to an extent that most township people use Colgate toothpaste as the generic term for toothpastes. Instead of saying “please add the Aquafresh toothpaste on the shopping list”, most South Africans would say “please add the Aquafresh Colgate on the shopping list”.

  1. Happy Socks

This is the youngest brand on the list, founded in 2008 in Sweden by two friends Viktor Tell and Mikael Soderlindh. According Hype Beast, Happy Socks was created with the simplest of intentions — to inspire happiness in the lives of its founders and those around them. Before Happy Socks, there was no sock brand that had affordable colourful socks. Therefore the founders saw a gap to penetrate that market. In South Africa, the brand has become so popular that colourful socks are called Happy Socks even though they are not by Happy Socks. You will hear most South African say “he rocked a tailored navy suit with Happy Socks by Skinny Sbu Socks”.

  1. Checkers

Checkers is one of the largest retail brands in South Africa, founded by Norman Herber. It was acquired by the Shoprite Group in 1991.  Unlike Shoprite, the Checkers brand is targeted at the upper class and you will not find a single shop in the townships. However, Checkers is a popular term used for plastic bag in the townships. Ironic, right?

  1. Dawn

Dawn lotion is a Unilever brand, launched in South Africa in the 1960s. According to the company, Dawn is one of the biggest brands in the hand and body lotion market. Its reputation in the townships has led the brand to be used as a common word for hand and body lotions. In a typical conversation between two friends, it will be used this way; “Busi, your skin is so beautiful, what lotion do you use”? And the response would be something like “I use the Nivea Dawn”.

  1. Rama

Rama Margarine (also a Unilever brand) is one of the most trusted margarine brands in most South African families. The Rama brand has become so popular that margarine is referred to Rama. You will hear the aunties say “the Sunshine D Rama makes delicious cakes”.

  1. Coke

Coke is a short name for Coca-Cola. It is the world’s most recognisable word after “hello”. Invented by John Pemberton in the 19th century and was originally intended as a patent medicine. Coke was bought out by Asa Griggs Candler whose marketing led the brand to dominance of the soft-drink market. South Africans use Coke to refer to any soft drink, you hear them say “please buy the Pepsi Coke”.

  1. Sta-Soft

Sta-Soft is another Colgate-Palmolive brand. Sta-Soft is the most popular fabric conditioner in South Africa. This has led the brand to be used as basic name for fabric conditioners. You will hear South Africans saying “the Comfort Sta-Soft makes clothes smell fresh”.

  1. Simba

Simba (pronounced Zimba in the townships) is a product of the PepsiCo Group. This brand that roars with flavour was as born out of the vision of an old lady from the Eastern Cape, Mrs Greyvenstein in 1957. We can safely say this lekker chip brand is proudly South African. You will hear a South African saying “I am craving for amaZimba Chips we Lays”.

  1. Chappies

Did you know that the Chappies brand was introduced in South Africa in the late 1940s by Arthur Ginsburg? And that the brand has become synonymous with the word bubblegum? Chappies was sold to Cudbury in the 1970s, which still owns it today. You will hear people in the township saying; “The Stimorol Chappies has long lasting fresh taste”.

  1. Vaseline

In the vocabulary of most South Africans the words “petroleum jelly” are completely non-existent. Unilever’s Vaseline is to be blamed for this. Vaseline is the No. 1 skin care brand in South Africa. It was discovered by a 22 year chemist, Robert Chesebrough back in 1859 in Brooklyn, New York. The name Vaseline is a combination of two words- one being German (Wasse for water) and the other being Greek (Oleon for oil). Most black mothers would say; “the Johnson & Johnson Vaseline is good for my baby’s skin”.

If you know of other brands that are used as generic names for products, please do not hesitate to leave a comment below.  And  if you like this article, please SHARE IT! and do get in touch with @PatOnBrands on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and SnapChat.

Ford failed the Kuga way

Service and product failures are inevitable in business, irrespective of size and the nature of the business. The most important aspect of service and product failure is the way a brand recovers which ultimately determines how the market perceives it. The strategy that Ford employed to deal with the Ford Kuga saga presents the company as one that is oblivious to effective brand management. David Hagenbuch stated that, “brands can use service failures as an opportunity to build customer relationships”.  When a brand experiences a service or a product catastrophe, it has two options:

  1. Face the problem head-on and find solutions as quick as possible to restore customer confidence or
  2. Simply ignore the problem and put the blame on others while losing customer confidence.

In the case of the Ford Kuga, Ford seem to have chosen option 2 and they will forever go down in history as the company that does not care about the wellbeing of their customers and that does not take responsibility for their actions. The world of risk management and public relations will never forget the Ford Kuga saga and it will be used as a classic example of bad crisis management, after sales service and decision making.

It all started in 2015, Reshall Jimmy (may his soul rest in peace) lost his life after his Ford Kuga burst into flames. Two reports pointed out that the fire was caused by an electrical fault in the car. However, Ford denied the allegations and conducted its own investigation which has not yielded any results a year later since the incident. Ford only met with Jimmy’s family in December 2016, which some reports stating that, they (Ford) showed no empathy for the passing of Jimmy. In an interview with SABC news, Ford CEO, Jeff Nemeth said Jimmy’s death should be treated as a separate issue because his death was not as a result of engine failure. Nemeth further admitted that the matter has gotten out hand.

Media reports state that Ford was alerted of the problem by an insurance company but did not act on the reports. It took about 47 more Kugas and summons from the National Consumer Commission before Ford could decide on a recall of the Ford Kuga EcoBoost 1.6 litre produced between 2012 and 2014. The recall affects a total of 4 556 Kugas in South Africa. In North America, Ford recalled over 400 000 units of the Ford Escape – the United States version of the Kuga – due to glitches in the engine.

After the recall announcement, some customers said they do not want their Ford Kugas anymore and are petrified to drive the car. This is a sign that consumers have lost confidence in the Ford brand. According to a Sunday Times report, the Kuga is presently worthless, as most car dealerships refuse to take it as a trade-in. The value of the car has also dropped tremendously, with some dealership valuing the top of the range Ford Kuga at R100 000.

Warren Buffett was famously quoted saying, “it takes 20 years to build a reputation and 5 minutes to lose it. If you think about it, you will do things differently.” Indeed Ford has undoubtedly lost its reputation through the manner in which they handled the Kuga fiasco. What will be interesting though, would be how Ford continues to perform in the market with their other products, from a market share point of view and how they recover and restore confidence to consumers.

According to Bruce Condit of the Allegiance Capital there are 7 critical steps to crisis management that Ford could have applied:

  1. Have a crisis management plan with clear objectives to protect any individual who may be affected by the crisis. The plan should also contain action to be taken in the event of a crisis.
  2. Identify a spokesperson to ensure that the company speaks with one voice and delivers a clear consistent message to the public, because crisis attracts a media attention.
  3. Be honest and open to help stop rumours and diffuse potential media frenzy.
  4. Keep employees informed to minimize the internal rumour mill that may lead to employees posting false reports on social media and giving customers false information.
  5. Communicate with customers and suppliers regularly. Customers should not learn about the crisis surrounding your brand through the media. The crisis communications plan should contain ways in which customers and suppliers will be updated regularly.
  6. Update early and often. It is better to over-communicate than to allow rumours to fill the void. Establish a social media team that will monitor, post and react to social media posts regarding the crisis.

Ford failed dismally to apply the aforementioned steps or any other crisis management strategy until it was too late. And for this reason, Ford gets a Slap! A slap for poor quality assurance! A slap for poor customer service! A slap for poor crisis management! A slap for ignoring market concerns! A slap for trivialising the death of Reshall Jimmy! A slap for taking their time at the expense of the customer! A slap for ignorance!

Remember to leave your comments below and if you like the article PLEASE SHARE IT.

Resources:

Read full article on critical steps to crisis management: http://www.inc.com/bruce-condit/7-critical-steps-to-crisis-management.html

#Patonbrands – Top 5 Marketing Trends 2017

Trends come and go; however, very often some trends tend to be more durable than others and become the norm. The brands that ultimately succeed are those that are able to spot new trends and adapt to them before other brands catch on.  Identifying the synergy between the brand and the trend is where the real challenge lies. It is therefore important to make an in-depth analysis of the trend before adopting the  it.  In this post, Pat On Brands will take you through some of the biggest marketing and branding trends for 2017.

 Content Marketing

As the adage goes, “content is king”. This saying is still relevant in 2017. In order for the content to have an impact, it needs to be in context. In case you are wondering what content marketing is? The Content Marketing Institute describes content marketing as a strategic marketing approach that focuses on creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly-defined audience. Content marketing speaks to the phenomenon where, instead of brands informing customers how great their products are, they educate consumers. The ultimate goal is to have more loyal and informed customers that are profitable.  Brands can also use traditional (TV, Radio and print) and new age media (social media, blogs, podcasts) for content marketing. An example of content marketing done right would be a bank teaching consumers about financial literacy, instead of telling consumers how fantastic their 32 days savings account is.

Big Data

At the peak of the information age is big data. Still without a universally adopted definition, big data can be broadly described based on the 3Vs; Volume, Velocity and Variety. There are large amounts of data that are generated on various digital platforms at a very rapid rate of different forms (structured, semi-structured and unstructured).  IBM (2016) estimates that 40 zettabytes (equivalent to 43 trillion gigabytes) of data will be generated by the year 2020 globally.  Big data marketing applications include market and customer insight and predictive analytics. Using big data, companies can better understand the consumer and tailor-make their marketing messages and increase sales.

Marketing Automation

Marketing automation is a category of technology that allows companies to streamline, automate, and measure marketing tasks and workflows. The purpose of marketing automation is to increase operational efficiency and grow revenue faster. It helps marketers to streamline their lead generation, segmentation, lead nurturing and lead scoring, customer lifecycle marketing, cross-sell and up-sell, customer retention, and marketing Return On Investment (ROI) measurement.

Mobile Marketing

Mobile penetration is on the rise in South Africa and mobile phones remain the primary device for many South Africans to connect to the internet. In actual fact, there are more mobile subscriptions in South Africa than its entire population. Marketers cannot afford to miss out on the opportunities that mobile presents. Brands need to have sites that are mobile friendly to take advantage of the benefits that mobile is offering.

Social Media and Influencer Marketing

If there is one marketing trend that has stood the test of time it has to social media marketing. The growth in mobile penetration increases usage of social media. Social media marketing trends are often controlled by the efforts of the social networks to monetise their platforms. In order for brands to be able to get the most out of social media brands  now need to ‘pay to play’. . . Aligned with social media marketing is influencer marketing, through which companies use influencers to drive their marketing messages. Influencers are people who usually have a large number of followers on various social media platforms.

With the above mentioned marketing and branding trends, 2017 promises to be an exciting year for marketers. Of course not all marketers are familiar with all the trends; however, there is an opportunity to learn. As stated in the introduction, the brands that jump on the wave of trends the soonest will enjoy the long-term rewards. Please share your views on the trends by leaving a comment below. Again, if you like this post, SHARE IT.

Also do remember to get in touch with @PatOnBrands on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and SnapChat.

#PatOnBrands – Top 12 South Africans in 2016

2016 was an exciting year that was marked with the victories of a few South African personality brands that dominated the world stage. These stars flew the South African flag sky high and assisted in changing the perception that is held by other nations of South Africa and the African continent at large. The list of these game changers ranges from, musicians, comedians, actors and actresses that became ambassadors of South Africa in the global arena.

In this post Pat On Brands gives “Pats” to those trailblazers that gave the world a wakeup call on South Africa’s talent.

Black Coffee – DJ

According to Times Live, 2016 belonged to Black Coffee. The renowned Disc Jockey has been making strides in the international music scene though the world took note of this in 2014 when he publicised his very own international tour. To many house music fans, Black Coffee is a living legend and to many aspiring DJs, he is a role model. Black Coffee performed at some of the world’s biggest music festivals such as the Coachella Music Festival in California, Ultra Music Festival in Miami and Coachella Ibiza to name a few. He rubbed shoulders with international stars such as Sean “Didi” Combs, Paris Hilton and Swizz Beats.  Black Coffee also compiled a remix of Alicia Keys’ hit single In Common, which most fans confirmed as one of the best versions of the song produced. What makes Black Coffee number one on this list is his victory at the 2016 BET Awards where he won the Best International Act: Africa Award which made him the first South African music artist to win the BET Award. President Jacob Zuma congratulated him for the accolade, saying he is an inspiration to the South African youth.  A big fat Pat on Black Coffee!

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Trevor Noah – Comedian and Talk Show Host

From being born of a crime to hosting one of the biggest television shows in the world and being New York’s best-selling author, 2016 was definitely a great year for Trevor Noah. According to The Guardian, Trevor Noah’s life is about achieving the impossible. Of course, who would have ever thought that a boy from the dusty streets of Soweto would go on to interview one of the world’s most powerful men? In 2016, he had an interview with the outgoing President of the United Stated of America, former President Barak Obama. Trevor is definitely one of the greatest celebrity exports of South Africa and a true ambassador for the nation. A big, amusing Pat on Trevor Noah!

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Wayde van Niekerk – Athlete

If there is another individual that had a fantastic 2016, it is Wayde Van Niekerk. He won a gold medal in the 400 metre race in a record time of 43.03 seconds, breaking a 17 year record by the famous Michael Johnson of 43.18 seconds. The Daily Maverick proceeded to name Wayde the Sports Person of the Year, breaking a world record of the greatest achievement ever attained by a South African athlete. This accolade saw him being named the Male Athlete of the Olympics at the Association of National Olympic Committee’s awards in Doha. It is without any doubt that he made South Africa proud, with the Minister of Sports, Fikile Mbalula saying his performance at the Olympics put South Africa on the map. A big, sportman’s Pat on Wayde.

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Pearl Thusi – Actress, Model, entrepreneur and Presenter

The name Pearl Thusi has been echoed on the corridors of most South Africans for various reasons. Pearl Thusi is that “girl” that Emtee goes on about in his hit single, entitled Pearl Thusi. She is a pure combination of beauty, talent and brains. Pearl Thusi is an actress, model, entrepreneur and a presenter. She has her own brand of hair products called Black Pearl, however that is not the reason why she is on this list. On the 25th of September 2016, Pearl Thusi made her debut on Quantico, an American hit crime drama series. According to You Magazine, her acting on Quantico is world class. This made her brand global and raised the South African flag high. A big Quantico Pat on Pearl Thusi.

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Bonang Matheba – Radio and TV Personality

Affectionately known to her fans as “Queen B” and to the media as Mzansi’s “it girl”, Bonang Matheba is probably one of the most successful female entertainers of our time. She hosted the MTV Music Awards red carpet experience on her own, which in her view gave credence to the effort that she has been putting in her work. Bonang was called in to host the MTV Africa Music Awards show promptly after Trevor Noah called in sick and her brilliant execution had tongues wagging even weeks after the show. This was an event that got Somizi saying “Bonang was born ready”. She also bagged an endorsement deal for Ipanema (a Brazilian shoe brand) which made her the first African ambassador for the brand. At this rate, Bonang will definitely continue to be a true ambassador for South Africa. A big celebrity Pat on Queen B!

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Cassper Nyovest – Rapper

Cassper Nyovest had a successful year. From being the first South African ever to be a guest on Sway In The Morning breakfast show to being nominated for the BET Best International Award: Africa. Known to his fans as “Abuti Fill Up”, Cassper went on to fly the South African flag in Germany where he performed in multiple locations. A big fill up Pat on Cassper!

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AKA – Rapper

AKA, one of the most controversial but talented celebrities in South Africa took to the global stage and represented South Africa before multitudes. AKA was the first South African musician to have one million followers on Twitter and was also the first South African rapper to appear on the popular American show 106 & Park. AKA was nominated for the BET Awards for Best International: Africa. He was also the only African artist to perform at the BET Experience where he shared the main stage with the likes of Snoop Dogg, Nick Cannon, Rae Sremmurd and Designer just to mention a few. A Big BET Pat on AKA!

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Terry Pheto – Actress

Terry Pheto has been making great strides in the international film industry. Amongst other films, she starred in the Academy Award winning film, Tsotsi. In 2008, she became the first South African to be the face of global cosmetics brand L’Oréal. Terry went to become the first South African to star in one of the world’s popular soapie, The Bold and The Beautiful in 2011. What puts her on this list are her accomplishments  in 2016 where she was nominated for the British Independent Film Awards for her role as Naledi in A United Kingdom alongside Naomi Harris and Gemma Arterton in the category of best supporting actress.  A Big Motion Picture Pat on Terry!

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 Carol Tshabalala – Sports Anchor

Carol Tshabalala has over the years proven why she is the undisputed First Lady of Sport with her work being globally recognised and respected within the sporting fraternity. This year she raised the bar and became the only African and one of the few ladies to join the English Premier League sport casters. She is a true ambassador for South Africa. A big soccer Pat on Carol.

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Tlhompho Kekana – Soccer Player

Based on a FIFA report Tlhompho Kekana has never scored a goal before for South Africa until this year when he scored at the CAF qualifier against Cameroon. For his first goal, the Mamelodi Sundowns defender had the courage and skill to shoot and score from inside his own half. This goal put him in the league of David Beckham and Xabi Alonso. It is for this reason why he got nominated for the prestigious FIFA Puskas Award. Tlhompho Kekana is not only representing South Africa at the FIFA Fuskas America but the entire African continent. He is the only African footballer to be nominated for the award this year and he is competing with Lionel Messi, Nayma and others. The award ceremony is scheduled to take place next year in Zurich, Switzerland on the 9th January. You can vote for him here. We wish him well and a big Legend’s Pat on him.

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Ntando Mahlangu – Athlete

At the tender age of 14, Ntando Mahlangu has set world records. This year, he set the 400m T42 World Record (53.19s) to add to his African records in the 100m (13.34s), 200m (26.20s) and, unofficially, the 800m (2:14.00s). At the 2016 IAWS U23 World Games in June/July this year, he won gold in the T42 200m (25.89s) and  in the 800m (2:06.70s), beating his own world record. He also won gold in the 100m (13.13s), and beat his own world record in the 400m (52.61s). Most people learned about him when he won the Silver medal at the Paralympics in Rio de Janerio, Brazil. This achievement is the one that made him a recognised ambassador for South Africa.  Antoinnette Muller wrote that, Ntando is not the next “so and so” in the international Paralympics stage. “He’s just the first Mahlangu and he has the world at the tips of his blades”. A lightning speed Pat on this young man.

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Caster Semenya – Athlete

Another Athlete that had a fantastic 2016 and made South Africa proud is Caster Semenya. Caster won an Olympic gold medal in the 800m final and set a new national record in a time of 1:55:28.  A performance, as reported by some media houses saying she cruised through to victory. The Government of South Africa through the GCIS also issued a statement saying  “Caster Semenya gave the world a sterling performance as she broke the national record and breezed through the finish line in the 800m final at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games and took gold”.  A big vitality Pat on Caster!

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