Huawei has once again launched a spectacular product – the Huawei Band 6. It’s a smart wearable device that caters for almost every lifestyle, whether you a tech-savvy person and/or a fitness and wellness bunny like me you will find the device very useful.
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African brands are not getting enough love from home and we need to resolve this. According to the annual Brand Africa survey for the 100 most admired brands in Africa, only 13% are homegrown while the rest of the list is dominated by European and North American brands.
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In a deliberate effort to drive behaviour change, the Association for Alcohol Responsibility and Education (aware.org) and its industry members, are giving South African consumers the opportunity to arrive home safely, while effectively curbing drinking and driving by donating over R500 000.00 in Uber vouchers in the first of its kind “Pay-It-Forward” designated driver initiative this festive season. This is the first leg of a national designated driver campaign to rollout in 2021.
“While South Africa is notorious for drinking and driving, past campaigns to curb this behaviour have been met with resistance, as people generally don’t want to be told what to do or have their freedoms curtailed,” says Ingrid Louw, CEO of aware.org. “What we have seen is that we still have a lot of people who are not making use of alternative modes of transport when under the influence of alcohol, and by giving them an opportunity to experience using it, we hope to start driving behavioural change. By gifting consumers with Uber vouchers, we are taking direct action to support our statement of Never drink and drive and Don’t walk drunk.” she adds.
The newly launched national festive campaign “It’s not just about you” appeals to citizens’ greater sense of responsibility to their loved ones and their fellow South Africans as a whole, and the resultant impact of road fatalities on those left behind. Drinking and driving is illegal, and drinking and walking can be equally dangerous, both leading to hundreds of road fatalities each year.
The initiative forms part of the 2020 Festive Season National Road Safety Campaign, a multifaceted stakeholder effort that involves a combination of zero-tolerance, visible law enforcement, a national education drive and a call to action, which includes the provision of safer alternatives to getting home.
Through a comprehensive campaign, consumers will be encouraged to sign up for the “Pay-It-Forward” offer and nominate friends or family who will receive a voucher.
“The effectiveness of this campaign, which will be rolled out nationally to reach as many South Africans as possible, will be amplified by executions on digital, social media and community radio. This is just the start of a focused drive by industry to inculcate a culture of designated driving in South Africa,” concludes Louw.
It’s that time of the year when we take a peak at the year ahead and of course reflect on the year that it was.
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In our efforts to promote proudly South African brands with a particular focus on the youth, we are pleased to reintroduce our Brand of the Month feature. The purpose of this feature is to shine a light on local brands that are getting Pats in the market. Yococo is one particular brand.
We caught up with the founder of this awesome brand, Sinenhlanhla Ndlela to learn more about this great brand.
It started officially in 2016 after quitting my job and I was looking to do something that is going to serve my purpose, something that made me feel alive and an opportunity to create impact.
I did an extensive amount of research and conducted surveys. I even did taste testing with my neighbours. I would go as far as taking surveys at meetings. I did eventually get out of the planning and brainstorming mood and acted upon my dream.
I knew the product before the name, and I knew it was going to be a coconut-based product that was vegan friendly, and I knew I wanted it to be fun. I had several choices but Yococo stuck because I wanted to include the elements of yoga which means unity. I wanted to bring that element to the brand, and it ended up being a great fit.
On the other side, I thought that I was going to make yoghurt as well so I kept that open.
When I was looking for things that I wanted to di and when I was in the transition phrase the thing that stuck with me was that I wanted to remove animal product s for my diet because I wasn’t feeling ok emotionally and I also wanted to eliminate things that could have been to adding to how I was feeling and first thing that I missed was ice cream.
Vegans, lactose-intolerant people, and health-conscious people
There have been different challenges for different stages of the business. When I was starting the business, I didn’t know what was actually required of me in terms of the business side of things. So I needed to get a bit of business acumen; I also needed to believe in myself and remind myself that I actually could do this thing because I didn’t have a direct reference to what I wanted to do. I had to pick from different inspirations to make what I wanted to come to life.
Finances also were a challenge for my small business. Finding the right team to work with was the key challenge for the different paths of the journey.
Reflecting on where I started and where I am now even though I am not yet where I want to be; I can definitely see the growth. Last year I made it to the Top 200 Young South Africans for the Mail & Guardian which was so random but so great as it was validating and we got to go to Amsterdam as part of the Investec program which was something I wanted to do and that was definitely a highlight.
Just being recognised and other people seeing the work that I’m doing at Yococo is such a validating thing as well. Also, all the features that we’ve been in, the stores that we now supply, the team that we have. Those are highlights because now I can see that my brand as is not just something that’s in my head.
We have an e-commerce website that people can shop from.
They can also buy firm Thrupps in Illovo, Jackson’s Real Food Market in Kyalami and Bryanston.
In KZN they can get it The Farm Food Factory in Shelly Beach, Home Grown in Ballito.
It’s difficult to answer but I know that will be very close to where I want the brand to go. Obviously, I want my brand to grow bigger. I have plans to take it outside the country. I’m open to the possibilities since so much can happen in a year. All I know is we will be leaps and bounds from where we are now.
South Africa’s #1 boiled candy, Halls, is set to breathe new life into the global brand with a dynamic marketing campaign that repositions Halls from a lozenge to a lifestyle candy with purpose.
The Halls’ brothers’ original mission was to “help the world breathe better” in the smog of the industrial age. In today’s techno-world, mental congestion is the more relevant challenge. For the generation raised to be ‘always on’ in this fast-paced time, breathing better – and the mental clarity that results – is more important than ever before. Halls, with its unique long-lasting cooling effect, can authentically own the mental benefits that flow from breathing better.
Category Brand Manager, Zainab Mohamed, explains: “For Halls the simple truth is that when you breathe better, you feel better, and mental acuity follows. The powerful cooling sensation of mentho-lyptus opens your airways from your mouth to your head, so you can breathe deeply and therefore feel recharged, recentred and refocussed to seize the moment, at any moment,”.
The multi-media campaign will see both the brand’s identity and equity reimagined in line with its repositioning as the lifestyle candy with purpose, through refreshed packaging, a global TV campaign, and digital media events alongside a defined advocacy strategy. Mohamed adds that the campaign launch is particularly timeous given the mental lethargy now emerging across the world in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown restrictions in many countries.
The campaign tagline of “Get Ready with a Halls Cooling Breath” has been localised with #UngapheliUmoya, both embodying Hall’s unique ability to instantly reinvigorate the body, mind and soul. She concludes: “As a popular brand and proven product, we understand the need to evolve consumer perception with the changing times. With this campaign, Halls is catapulted into the present, in which breathing better is the quick and easy stimulus for mental clarity.”
#TourismMonth2020 – Yesterday, South Africa joined the globe in celebrating World Tourism Day with festivities at Maropeng’s Cradle of Humankind in the western corridor of the Gauteng Province.
World Tourism Day is a United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) initiative observed annually on 27 September to highlight the sector’s contribution to the socio–economic development of nations.
The theme for this year’s celebration was ‘Rural Development and Tourism which aims to highlight the significance of domestic tourism market in reigniting the sector, especially in spearheading tourism in lesser-visited rural communities.
“As they navigate a path to recovery, and gradually re-open our borders to safely welcome international visitors, The Tourism department urges South Africans to travel and explore their country responsibly,” said Tourism Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane.
The tourism industry is one of the largest economic sectors in the world – creating jobs, driving exports, and generating prosperous local economies.
The UNWTO’s May 2020 extended scenarios on tourism growth predict that the market will rebound in mid-2021 based on assumptions of a reversal in the evolution of the Covid-19 Pandemic. Minister Kubayi-Ngubane said she remains hopeful that South Africa’s domestic market would have gained strides in recovery, providing an amicable environment for inclusive and sustainable growth.
“Our authentic heritage and cultural experiences have been a drawcard for international visitors for many years. Although a large number of employment opportunities have in the past been driven by international tourist arrivals, The tourism department believes that these jobs, and those yet to be created, will be sustained by the renewed strength of their domestic tourism markets.”
“I encourage you to explore your country, embrace your heritage and help us re-build our local economies to usher in the benefits we envisioned when we fought for our democracy,” concluded Minister Kubayi-Ngubane.
The Cradle of Humankind hosted a day-long global event that featured internationally-acclaimed and award-winning DJ, Black Coffee, who entertained global fans with a unique two-hour set from the Sterkfontein Caves that was broadcast live on DSTV Channel O. The electrifying Busiswa and Master KG concluded the celebrations in style inspiring attendees to hit the dance floor in response to President Cyril Ramphasa’s call to join the #JerusalemaDanceChallenge.
Minister in the Presidency, The Hon Jackson Mthembu invited nominations for the Marketing, Advertising, and Communications (MAC) Charter Council.
The invitation is open to the members of the public, as well as the private sector, to nominate persons to serve on the MAC Charter Council with the purpose of advancing the transformation of the MAC sector.
The appointment of the MAC Charter Council is directed towards ensuring that transformation in the sector is promoted, monitored, and reported on annually in line with the provisions of the Broad-based Black Economic Empowerment Act of 2003, as amended.
According to Section 21.5 of the transformative Sector Code for the marketing, advertising, and communications sector, the Minister must appoint in writing, the Chairperson, Deputy Chairperson, and members to the MAC Charter Council upon nomination by the public. The nominees must represent a broad cross-section of the population of the Republic of South Africa and be committed to the objectives and principles of promoting economic transformation as espoused in the Constitution.
In addition, members appointed to the Council must be persons who are suited to serve on this body by virtue of their qualifications, expertise and experience in marketing, advertising, and communication.
Persons appointed will serve as non-executive members of the MAC Charter Council, for a maximum period of four (4) years effective from 01 October 2020. The Constitution of the Council and the Sector Code are available from the GCIS website: www.gcis.gov.za.
The following information should be supplied in respect of the nominating organisation and the person being nominated:
Organisations should provide motivation for their nominations.
Nominations should be addressed to Mr. Sandile Nene, GCIS, at the address below:
Ground Floor, Tshedimosetso House1035 Frances Baard Street (cnr Festival Street) Hatfield, Pretoria, 0001
Email: Nominations.MACsectorCouncil@gcis.gov.za
The closing date for the nominations is extended to Monday, 21 September 2020. Please note that nominations received after the closing date will not be considered.
As we all know Newtown Junction is the hub of all fashionable Kicks (sneakers) including proudly SA brands such as Drip, Bathu to name a few. Across seasons Newtown Junction has also been the home of the Sneaker Exchange festival that celebrates and boasts local fashion and arts.
This season Newtown Junction has collaborated with Soweto’s Finest to dance-off in a fashionable way to their hit track (Tokoloshe) which will pose as a dance-off challenge to the masses to support local whilst you are on the move. This dance-off will also see top SA Tik-Tokers dance-off and trendy Sneakerheads style out in the local kicks from the Newtown Junction sneaker tenants. This dance-off is a fun call to action to support locally made kicks and SAs stylish creatives & innovators as well as keep the sneaker hub (Newtown Junction) ahead of the culture curve by shopping and supporting local #NTJTrendGuide.
Check out the Newtown Junction social pages to see the style curators and Tik-Tokers take to the challenge. You could also join in on the dance-off using the Tokoloshe soundtrack as your background song, show us your drip, and dance off remake from the trend guide video and you could be walking away with one of two pairs from Bathu or Drip.
Don’t forget to follow and tag @newtownJunction on Instagram and Tik-Tok and use the hashtags in your upload #NTJTrendGuide #NTJSneakerDanceOff for a better chance to win yourself a pair!
On the move with Local !!
Stimorol gives your taste buds a throwback with the new limited-edition Retro flavour chewing gum.
It’s a refreshing bubblegum flavour that treats your taste buds to a throwback. Stimorol Retro goes beyond just a flavour, it’s all about the nostalgia of the ’80s, ’90s and ’00s. And if you weren’t there for all that, don’t worry, you’ll feel like you were. This was launch through a mosaic on twitter which the amplification was driven through our advocates which revealed the product in 24 hours. This trended for Please see link for the videos and attached press releases.
“With each chew, Stimorol Retro’s refreshing bubblegum flavour triggers iconic flashbacks of old school cool,” says Trushann Thomas, Category Brand Manager – Gum SA. “The new bubblegum flavour takes you back to when boomboxes and roller-skates were hip and happening when the hair was big, but shoulder pads even bigger, and when we were all Friends with Ross and Rachel.”
“Our marketing campaign will create intrigue by allowing our consumers to playback ‘What’s their Retro Flavour’, while they kick it old school.” says Trushann Thomas Category Brand Manager – Gum SA.
For more content on the Stimorol Retro checkout the @StimorolSA on social media. Also, go to nearest retailer and find out how throwback tastes like.
A friend of mine on WhatsApp asked me if the action by Clicks to label African hair as “frizzy and dull” and “dry and damaged” was a marketing strategy. Instead of giving her a straight answer, I threw a question back at her and I asked, what makes you think of that? Her response was “how can such a big company release such a piece of communication during the times of the Black Lives Matter movement. It just doesn’t make sense to me”. It happens, I responded. “They will never see my moola again”, she concluded.
Well, it turns out that the campaign was by TRESemmé South Africa. TRESemmé is an American brand of hair care products first manufactured in 1947 by the Godefroy Manufacturing Company in Manhattan, New York City, New York. This is a brand that was quick to post about their support for Blacks Live Matter movement on social media a couple of months ago. This, however, does not mean that Clicks is off the hook. How could they publish such content on the website? I mean, September is a heritage month in South Africa. We should be celebrating our diversity.
Here’s the thing, it has become a too-familiar sight where brands come up with campaigns that shock the consumer. Dischem did it, as well as Dove and H&M. Like many, my friend was shocked and she just couldn’t help but ask if what Clicks did was intentional. If it was really a PR stunt.
Global African brand authority, Thebe Ikalafeng, describes the campaign on Clicks’ website simply as “careless and irresponsible”. Indeed they were careless, but I am of the belief that brands always reflect the ideals of the people working on them. In an organisation as large as Clicks and TRESemmé, before a piece of communication goes out to the public there are a couple of people involved, the agency with its army of creatives, copywriters, art directors, and creative directors, and of the client service team. On the brand side, there’s always a team that has to sign off on the work done by the agency. Do you honestly think that no one saw anything wrong with the artwork?
I don’t blame my friend for thinking that it could have been a ‘marketing strategy’ because it looks too deliberate. I mean, how can a brand as big as Clicks publish such a campaign?
Too often when a brand comes up with a racist campaign and they caught out. They’d issue statements on social media about how they do not tolerate any form of racism and discrimination blah blah, but when you look at their board directors, there is a lack of diversity. We saw this on #BlackoutTuesday, when brands including TRESmmé took to social media to show their support for the Black Lives Matter movement. This level of hypocrisy does not help the cause says, Professor Mark Ritson.
Clicks refused to do media interviews on the issue. TRESmmé issued an apology on its website. This is concerning. If they are serious about apologising they should come forward and explain what exactly happened and how they are going to ensure that a ‘mistake’ of this nature does not occur again. An apology online is simply not enough.
More often than not when incidents of this nature do occur, we forget and move on too quickly to the next trending topic. The brands never get to account. Consumers must hold Clicks and TRESmmé accountable. Cutting the Clicks Club card is the first step. To get the desired reaction, consumers must hit the brands where it matters the most, the pocket. If a brand does not represent you in a dignified manner do not spend your hard-earned money on it.
I would like to echo Thebe Ikalafeng’s words when he said “young African entrepreneurs must start their own brands and open their own retailers so that they can represent their own people in a correct manner”. South Africa needs more black-owned businesses and I have faith in my generation who are already starting brands that are representative of their people.
To the brands, wake up and smell the coffee. The African consumer is woke. They understand their power, they will not tolerate being disparaged.
Both Clicks and TRESmmé get Slaps!
Once upon a time in Mzansi, “driving” a 2 series meant that you didn’t have a car and you were a “journey walker”. Today, driving a 2 series means that you could be driving one of the finest cars in the market – the BMW 218i M Sport Gran Coupe.
From the outside, the first thing that catches your attention immediately when you look at the BMW 218i Gran Coupe is the Misano Blue metallic. The colour is so unique and distinct. It is impossible not to notice the car.
From the front, the M Sport model puts its command for attention on another level. The day-time running LED headlights and fog lights just tells you that this is a modern-day car. The aerodynamics package with front apron, side skirts coupled with the BMW kidney grille gives the car a sportier look. It is fitted with 18″ M light double-spoke bicolour wheels.
The dynamic frameless doors complete the sporty profile.
In terms of the rear of the 218i Gran Coupe borrowed some of its looks from the 8 series. The long tail lights as they extend to the centre. In my view, the rear does not look as sexy as the front. It doesn’t have that thing.
When you step inside the car, it’s like you are entering a whole new world, it looks like a mini spaceship, with a technologically advanced cockpit. You are also greeted by the large screen infotainment system and digital speedometer. The interior is exquitely designed, it has sport seats for driver and front passenger in cloth ‘Trigon’ Sensatec. At night, it’s got ambient lighting on the doors.
One of my favorite features in the car in the Harman Kardon sound system. It one of the best sound systems I have experienced in a car. Whether you are jamming to Amapiano or hip hop it delivers quality sound.
Over your head, you’ve got a panoramic sunroof that stretches all the way to the back. It is however optional.
If there is one word to describe the technology in the car, that word is impressive. The 218i Gran Coupe really boasts some cool technology features including the parking assistant, which is helpful for drivers who find parallel and perperndicular parking challenging. It also has a reverse assistant feature which stores the steering movements for any section the car has just driven forward along at no more than 36 km/h. The system is then able to steer the vehicle in reverse – for distances of up to 50 metres at a maximum 9 km/h – along exactly the same line it took when moving forward.
I also found the voice command, which is triggered by uttering the words “Hey BMW” very easy to use. It also has AppleCar Play, which automatically connects without a cable.
Check out my instagram reels on these cool features.
BMW has really delivered on its promise of Sheer Driving Pleasure with the 218 Gran Coupe. It is an absolute joy being behind the wheel of the 218i Gran Coupe. It equipped with a 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbo-petrol engine (103kW/ 220Nm), mated to a six-speed dual-clutch auto gearbox.
Acceleration = 8.7 seconds 0-100km/h.
Most die-hard BMW fans will be a bit disappointed to find out that the 218i is a front wheeler, however, if you have deeper pockets you may opt for the 235i or the 220d which are all-wheel drives. Nonetheless, it is a fun car to drive.
If you seating in the front seats there is enough leg-room. I found the rear seats not having sufficient space and I am not the tallest person. The sloping coupe roofline compromises headroom when the rear seats are occupied.
The 430-litre boot capacity is expandable, courtesy of 40:20:40 split flat-fold rear seats. There are a number of storage compartments for things like your phone, cup holders and side. I must say the storage is not that generous. Everything is just compact.
The starting price for the BMW 218i Gran Coupe M Sport is R589 500. Book a test drive here.
I thoroughly enjoyed testing the BMW 218i M Sport Gran Coupe and it gets Pat from. What do you think? Leave a comment down below.
Please check out my previous car reviews
Yesterday, news broke that after more than 50 years, one of the most recognisable retail brands in SA, PEP announced a new logo.
This move got the social media streets divided, with some giving it a Pat, whilst others gave it a Slap. I don’t blame them. As with any change, people will always have varying views.
PEP is not the first South African brand to change its logo, recently we’ve seen the likes of ABSA changing their logo as well – a move that got much criticism.
Before I share my views on the new PEP logo it is important to understand why brands change logos. There are a number of reasons why brands need to every now and then “rebrand” and often the rebranding starts with the logo as it is the most recognisable.
Brands do not just wake up and decide to change their logos. It is often a strategic decision because it’s expensive to rebrand. PEP’s CEO, Jaap Hamman said, “there’s so much more to the new logo, it’s a bold statement of our confidence in the future of PEP and of the country’. This shows that there’s a new strategic direction that PEP is taking.
When VW changed its logo last year, it said, “the new brand design marks the start of the new era for Volkswagen”.
Another reason why brands change their logo is to remain relevant to the market. As simply put by Heraclitus, “the only constant in life is change”. Consumer needs and so are the ways in which we market change. It through these changes that brands can easily lose their relevance. So, to remain relevant a rebrand becomes necessary.
Every brand needs a refresh every now and then so that it stays relevant. If you look at the new PEP logo it looks more modern, this is a sign that PEP is moving with the times. They applied flat design principles on the new logo which works well on digital platforms, a signal that PEP could be looking to intensify their digital strategy and appeal to a new consumer segment.
The new logo also provides reassurance and shows commitment to customers that PEP is here to stay. This is a necessary move, especially now in the times of the COVID-19 pandemic where many businesses are closing their doors.
It is a Pat from me!
What do you think of the new PEP logo? Are you giving it a Pat or Slap?
Please remember to share the article if you found value in it.
The Opel Combo Life 1.6 Turbo Diesel is probably the most versatile car that I have ever driven. It is perfectly fit for purpose, particularly for someone who lives a highly versatile life. Whether you are a family woman or man, a business owner, or love adventure. The Combo Life is suitable every lifestyle.
Opel combo comes into variations, Combo Life and Combo Cargo. The later is for strictly business, as it as a panel van.
I’m a mountain biker, so every now I and then my friends and I visit various cycling trails so what I loved the most with the Combo Life is that I can easily tuck my bike in the car with ease, without having to remove bicycle’s wheel like I would in a normal hatchback car. The is no need for a bicycle carrier as well. Not only I could fit my own bike, but friends’ too. I just needed to fold the rear seats and voila the car was now a panel van.
There is storage for days. Actually, you will run out things to store in the Combo Life than storage space. It has countless storage solutions. With the rear seats folded down, you get a whopping 2 126 liters of storage.
Like I always say, the goodness of any car is in the driving (check my previous review here). Opel has done a great job in making the Combo Life a solid car and pleasurable to drive. The 1.6 Turbo Diesel engine produces 68kW and 230Nm of torque and coupled with a 5-speed gearbox. At times the turbo takes a bit of time to kick in, so you need to make sure that you get the gear selection right.
Fuel consumption of any is often linked to the driver’s driving style. I found the Combo Life’s fuel consumption pretty good it lived up Opel’s claimed 5L/100km.
When it comes to safety rest assured, the Combo Life is fitted with 6 airbags, ABS, electronic brake-force distribution (EBD), electronic stability programme (ESP), traction control and hill-start assist.
It is also fitted with IntelliLink Infotainment System that features a 7-inch touchscreen that is Android Auto and Apple CarPlay enabled. So, there is no need for an AUX cable.
The Cobo life is competitively priced with prices starting from R399 000 and comes with 3 years/120 000KM warranty and roadside assistance, Anti-Corrosion Warranty – 12 Years / Unlimited km, and Service Plan – 3 Years / 60 000 km.
Now that South Africa is on Level 2 of the national lockdown a road trip in the Opel Combo Life will be a great idea. Request a test drive here.
Ndiani Studios recently announced the launch of Working Wives, a web series that takes the Mickey out of the “Real Housewives” franchise with an African twist. This 12-episode dramedy/mockumentary series unravels the lives and loves of a group of Harare women from the perspective of a millennial. Using a touch of comedy and lots of drama, the series explores what it means to be an African modern woman and navigating tradition versus urbanisation.
Working Wives is an adaptation from a blog series created by Sharon Bwanya and is created and produced by Tendayi Nyeke. This is her third independent series, and outside of the web launch the series will be distributed by Africa’s biggest distributor Cote Ouest to other broadcast platforms and on Vimeo as of 10 August 2020.
Tendayi says, “the series is an exciting Pan-African collaboration that was shot between Zimbabwe and South Africa, starring a crew and talent from both countries in a time that sees borders fall as far as storytelling and viewing experience is concerned”.
The storyline portrays what was meant to be the baby shower of her Mabel’s dreams becomes a nightmare when her twin nephews are kidnapped which triggers the revelation of the secrets of the women, she thought were her friends…
“Brace yourselves for a comedy drama because as crazy as life gets, it is always easier to swallow the hard pill with a good laugh”, concludes Nyeke.
Watch here and let us know on the comments below whether they are getting a Pat or a Slap?
Pat on Brands is proud to announce the Pat on Brands Dialogues – Imbokodo Edition to celebrate women’s month. The Imbokodo Edition will see young female professionals in the marketing and communications taking the driver’s seat of the Dialogues. The line-up of the storytellers will feature women only.
The young professionals look up to the storytellers and getting an opportunity to interact with them first hand will result in bridging the inter-generational knowledge gap.
Since its inception, this will be the first time in the history of the Pat on Brands Dialogues, that the Dialogues will not be hosted by the platform’s founder, Thokozani Pat Mahlangu but by dynamic young women in the marketing and communications sector.
Mahlangu says, “the Imbokodo Edition of the Pat on Brands Dialogues seeks to amplify the voices of the women in the industry and enable them to take up space in an industry that is known for lack of transformation. On the other hand, the storytellers will be passing down wisdom and re-energizing the future captains of industry”.
The Pat on Brands Dialogues were founded on the basis of using storytelling as a way of bridging the knowledge gap between the younger generation of marketers and the more seasoned marketers. The first episode of the Imbokodo Edition will be a Dialogue between Hazel Shozi and Mathe Okaba.
Hazel Shozi is a dynamic young communications professional who has a bright future ahead of her. Shozi has held various account management roles at agencies before joining corporate. She holds a BA Degree in Strategic Communications and BA honours in Communication Theory and Media Studies from the University of Johannesburg. Shozi recently completed a Master of Philosophy in Communications Management from the University of Pretoria. She is currently the Communications Manager at MTN.
Mathe Okaba is no stranger in the advertising and communications industry as she sits at the helm of one of the most respected industry bodies, the Association tor Communication and Advertising (ACA) as its CEO. Okaba is a consummate business professional and entrepreneur with over 23 years’ experience spanning the advertising, media, sponsorship, and events industries. She started off her career in advertising and progressed into media, where she spent a number of years at the SABC, eventually taking on the role of General Manager at SABC 3, the broadcasters’ flagship station. Mathe is currently studying toward her Masters in Business Administration (MBA) at the University of Roehampton in the UK, holds a qualification in Advertising from the AAA School of Advertising, a Certificate in Management Advancement Programme from WITS and a Certificate in Leadership Development Programme from GIBS.
This week’s Dialogue will be unpacking women in leadership, unspoken challenges women experience in boardrooms, and how to navigate these barriers when life throws you in the hot seat.
The Pat on Brands Dialogues will be hosted every Thursday at 4pm in the month of August live on YouTube and Pat on Brands Facebook page.
Register here.
Acoustic Star Events is giving anyone who books their events’ technical services free fogging of the venue before and after they host an event.
South Africa is under lockdown with businesses allowed to operate according to a phased reopening of the economy. All businesses are required to adhere to all the rules and regulations put in place in an effort to combat the spread of COVID-19. Most importantly, businesses are required to create a safe and virus free environment for both their employees and consumers.
The pandemic has also revolutionized the way we do business, how we interact with colleagues or business associates. In addition, it has forced organizations to learn to adapt to this new and unpredictable normal by changing things in the workplace. The government has put stringent measures in places such as the constant washing of hands, social distancing, and Sanitizing.
Now that the economy is gradually opening up and people can actually have their face-face gatherings, Acoustic Star events is rendering a free antiviral Fogging services for clients that are willing to use their facilities to hold meetings during these unprecedented times.
This is to assist businesses to meet all government regulations. Fogging will be done before and after every meeting. Gatherings are limited to 50 persons only.
The company is based in Gauteng and has offices in Limpopo which specializes in lighting, audiovisual, backline, videography and photography, audio systems, and staging.
The campaign will run from 27 July 2020 to 30 September 2020.
South African consumers can now experience the same refreshing Hunter’s taste without alcohol with the new Hunter’s Chilled Non-Alcoholic Drink.
With the increasing uncertainty over the sale of alcohol due to the government lockdown regulations, alcohol brands are forced to do things differently in order to remain in business. On the other hand, South Africa is facing a huge battle of alcohol abuse and binge drinking. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), South Africa is the 6th largest drinking nation in the world even though only 30% of South Africans consume alcohol.
One particular alcoholic brand that is making its contribution to promote healthy lifestyle and securing its future is Hunter’s as it launches a non-alcoholic variant, Hunter’s Chilled.
After three years of delivering on its crisp refreshments, the distillery has now launched its new non-alcoholic variant. Hunter’s is not the first alcohol brand to enter the non-alcoholic beverages scene, though. Last year, another Distell-owned brand, Savanna also launched non-alcoholic variant Savanna Non-Alcoholic Lemon.
Brand Manager at Hunter’s Cider Distill, Banele Msimango has highlighted the brand’s goal to dominate trends in promoting a healthy lifestyle to its fans, and moderate drinking due to the current proliferation of non-alcoholic ciders within the competitive space.
“This is really exciting for our brand and we are thrilled to finally have a non-alcoholic variant in our range. It offers more opportunities for Hunter’s fans to drink their favourite cider and we hope it will also help us to find new Hunter’s fans who only drink non-alcoholic drinks”, added Msimango.
The brand has also emphasized that the new cider still refreshes like nothing on earth, with the same distinctive crisp refreshment Hunter’s cider has to offer to its fans.
If you would like to try out Hunter’s Chilled, it is available at all major retailers in South Africa.
Do you think Hunter’s gets a Pat or Slap for this move? Let us know in the comments section below.
This winter, things are getting extra hot and spicy! thanks to an exciting new collaboration between KFC and Tabasco to bring to market the all-new, limited edition, Spicy Chips – seasoned with Tabasco Brand Pepper Sauce flavour. This collaboration brings the flavour of the world’s favourite bold hot pepper sauce to Mzansi’s favourite fried chicken brand, KFC.
What’s better than KFC’s gold and crispy french fries dusted with a Tabasco flavoured sprinkle? The fact that you are one of the few South Africans to trial this delicious new side!
The NEW KFC Spicy Chips is served in a Sprinkle Pops Cup with a lid and is the perfect side! And for those that need a little less heat, the Spicy Chips can be ordered with a Colonel Dip as an added extra.
A unique food innovation exclusively available at limited KFC stores until the 17th July 2020 (see below store list).
| KFC Store List |
| Group A |
| Bloed Street |
| Alice Street |
| Krugersdorp |
| Montford |
| Gatemax |
| Montana Park |
| Shell Eldorado Park |
| Bambanani Mall |
| Group B |
| Hatfield |
| Durban CBD 1 (Broad ST) |
| Fourways Crossing |
| Westwood Mall |
| Ballito Junction |
| Birchleigh |
| Noordheuwel |
| Ferndale |
| Bergbron |
| Moorton |
| Group C |
| Field Street |
| Silverton Village |
| Ballito |
| Pinetown 1 |
| Shall Crossing |
| Chartsworth 2 |
| Gift Acres |
| Centurion |
| Francois Road |
Go try KFC Spicy Chips and let us know whether they are getting a Pat or a Slap!
Registrations are opened for SMMEs to receive Free Big Media Exposure.
Ad Crashers is an initiative by Riverbed – a marketing and communications agency based in Johannesburg, South Africa. The initiative is aimed at helping small businesses affected by COVID-19, get back on their feet as South Africa gradually reopens its economy.
“Our experience as an award-winning full-service agency places us in a great position to offer marketing support to help small businesses,” says Monalisa Zwambila, Riverbed CEO. “As a business owner myself, this initiative is especially close to my heart. I understand the challenges that small businesses are facing and believe that solutions will come from knowing that our continued success as a business, is intimately linked to how we show up with support in times like this.”
Riverbed will develop through-the-line advertising campaigns for hard-hit small businesses, and they have partnered with big media owners. Riverbed will be able to give these businesses the same level of national and regional media exposure as big brands, for free. Riverbed’s investment alone is in excess of R1 million.
To deliver on the scale needed to succeed, the agency has partnered with Mindshare to support the campaign as strategic partners. Riverbed has already received media inventory commitments from the following media owners:
Africa’s largest telco Vodacom has also made a commitment.
The Ad Crashers campaign which is endorsed by the Small Business Institute of South Africa, seeks to support small business in two ways. Firstly, by providing big media exposure to stimulate demand for their products or services through access to a wider market and secondly, as a second phase of the initiative by leveraging and integrating big business programmes that can help support the small businesses that come to our website.
According to the Q1 Report by the Small Enterprise Development Agency (SEDA), SMME’s employ around 10.8 million people in South Africa, which is about 66% of all jobs in South Africa. As the country anticipates the easing of the national lockdown, most small businesses will be allowed to slowly get back to work in greater numbers however, research shows that many businesses will continue to struggle.
The success of this campaign will be further amplified by public participation and part of its task will be to galvanise South Africans to deliberately support small businesses, and in so doing play their part in reducing what is likely to be a grave economic situation.
Riverbed is calling for applications from entrepreneurs who feel they can make effective use of the Ad Crashers support mechanism. They will also continue to pursue much-needed media and big business partnerships that can make a meaningful contribution to this initiative to get the scale required for it to succeed.
Follow @AdCrashers on Instagram,Facebook,Twitter & YouTube and use #SupportSmallBusiness to join the conversation. For more information, visit www.adcrashers.co.za.