OPEL and Bathu Launch the most expensive sneaker in South Africa

Opel and Bathu

OPEL and Bathu is proud to reveal the world’s most expensive sneaker: Bathu’s exclusive GSi Limited Edition Sneaker – at a price tag of R365 900 per pair.

Bathu was founded by Theo Baloyi in 2015 in a modest room in the heart of Alexandra Township, Johannesburg as a young man wishing to tell a proudly untold South African township story to the world. ‘Bathu’ is a common universal slang word that has existed for decades and is used in townships across South Africa when referring to any type of shoe. Materials are being sourced in Lesotho and manufacturing takes place in Durban. A proudly South African company, indeed!

Four years down the line, founder and owner Theo has his Headquarters in Midrand, storage facilities, as well as a workshop and retail store in Newtown. And the success story goes on with 2 more stores that opened in Pretoria and Port Elizabeth respectively – a 4th opens in Bloemfontein at the end of June 2019. Bathu has a staff compliment of 36 people plus a website for easy online ordering of his spectacular sneaker range – making Bathu, which has since become a must-have item for fashion aficionados – not only in South Africa, but also around the globe accessible to all.

OPEL recognises and applauds Theo’s tenacity and innovative thinking as expressed throughout his journey – from idea to realisation. It took 18 months for proof of concept, research and development, quality control and assurance to be completed before Bathu was confidently launched into the market.

In collaboration with Bathu, OPEL is proud to reveal the world’s most expensive sneaker: Bathu’s exclusive GSi Limited Edition Sneaker – at a price tag of R365 900 per pair. Only 80 pairs have been produced! That’s how exclusive these sneakers are . Each pair of these limited edition Bathu sneakers come with OPEL’s amazing new Corsa GSi which boasts four colour options – thrown in for FREE!

When purchasing a pair of these Bathu GSi Limited Edition Sneakers, you not only get foot comfort and uniqueness – you receive:

Dynamic, sporty design features and agile OPC sport suspension and brakes as set up on the legendary Nürburgring ‘Nordschleife distances’ to ensure precise athleticism, outstanding and agile handling and sudden braking. Heated Recaro performance front seats and sport steering wheel, outstanding throttle response and torque, OPC exterior and interior features PLUS superior connectivity, safety, innovation and economy.

Bathu’s Business Philosophy rings true to OPEL as a Brand.

‘We are driven by our identity, our passion to design unique shoes and a desire to always bring new products into the market’.

Bathu’s Vision and Mission is based on core beliefs such as quality, dreams, execution and hard work, ambition, representation, future thinking, employment, adding value, excellence, honesty and commitment.

Their vision is to tell a proudly South African story to the world and to be a leading shoe retail company. They have a desire to establish a brand which Africans can proudly affiliate with.

Grant’s Whisky Launches Exclusive #TripleGoodSessions in Johannesburg

Grants Triple Good Sessions launch

Grant’s Whisky is launching its first installment of the Triple Good Sessions in Johannesburg this Thursday, 20 June 2019.


The Triple Good Sessions will be hosted at the Artivist in Braamfontein and it is an invite-only experience designed to bring together like-minded individuals who have a passion for celebrating collectiveness and success.


The guests will be treated to Grant’s premium whisky and a fine-dining experience, accompanied by a curated music line-up headlined by DJ FRESH, who will be supported by DJ Menzi XL and Banda Banda.

The Triple Good Sessions is an expression of the Grant’s brand and invites guests to celebrate their success, together. At the core, the brand will be creating an environment that enables individuals of various disciplines to interact and network in one place, possibly kick-starting relationships that will last a lifetime.


Grant’s believes in connecting people to experiences that enhance their lives. Therefore, in keeping with the event theme of Good Things Start with Three, the brand launched a competition where one lucky person and two of their friends not only won a VVIP experience for an event, but also a day out with stylist Tinuke Eboka, who fitted them with fresh gear worth R25 000. The winners were selected based on how they collectively celebrate success through social media posts.


“Togetherness is at the heart of everything we do. Through thick and thin, we celebrate our
collective process, skills and achievement. At the end of each event, we want Grant’s to be the connector – the perfect catalyst for celebrating collectiveness and shared success with friends,” says Sipho Jiyane, Grant’s Brand Manager.

For more information on the Triple Good Sessions, follow @GrantsSA on all social media platforms and be sure to look out for #TripleGoodSessions for more engaging content.

New Nissan Micra 2019 Specs – a Pat onBrands Review

Nissan Micra 2018

If there is one car that I reviewed this year which turned many heads it has to be the new Nissan Micra Acenta. In fact, many people were in disbelief that I was driving a Nissan Micra judging from the  previous generation Micra. Nissan has clearly done a stunning job when it comes to the design of the new Micra.

There are four options of the new Nissan Micra available to South African consumers namely – Visia, Acenta, Acenta+ and Acenta+ Tech. The one common denominator in all three “models” is the 66KW Turbo Petrol engine, which means you get the same performance which I will touch later in the review.

The Looks

The new Nissan Micra Acenta boasts beautiful looks. The Acenta borrows some of its looks from its big sister – Qashqai . The daytime LED running lights look similar to those of the Qashqai. At first glance you will think it is a mini version of the Qashqai. There is nothing wrong with this because they both cars wear the same Nissan badge.

New Nissan Micra front
New Nissan Micra front

The front fog lights coupled with the rear hidden door handles gives the new Micra an unprecedented sporty look whilst the 16” alloy wheel finishes the look.

The interior does not leave much to be desired for. The black and grey cloth interior and the chrome door handles gives the new Nissan Micra a more premium look. When it comes to the technology in the car, Nissan really went all out. The car features a multifunctional steering wheel with cruise control and a 7” infotainment screen. The infotainment screen features Apple Car play and Android Auto which I found very convenient to use.

New Nissan Micra Interior
New Nissan Micra Interior

Storage

In terms of storage the new Nissan Micra has a 300 litres boot capacity which is larger than the Ford Fiesta. One can extend the boot space by folding the rear seats. Additional storage includes cup holders for the driver, front passenger and back passenger, cellphone and keys storage. There’s also bottle storage on the side of the front doors but none for the rear doors.  

New Nissan Micra boot
Nissan Micra boot

The Drive

If there’s one word to describe the performance of the new Nissan Micra is “punchy”. The 0.9 litre Turbo Petrol engine is punchy, producing a whopping 66KW and 140 Nm. The new Micra is equipped with Hill Start Assist (HAS) which may be very helpful for inexperienced drivers as it prevents the car from rolling back when stopped on a steep hill.

What I found fascinating in the car was the cruise control and the speed limiter which assists with always being within the legal speed limit.

When it comes to petrol consumption the new Nissan Micra lives up to its promise of 5.1 litre per 100 kilo meters. The car is also equipped with start-stop which further assists with lowering fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emissions.

The Price

The new Nissan Micra is competitively priced. Below are the prices of the various Micra models as on the Nissan website.

Visia – R242 900

Acenta – R268,500 (tested)

Acenta Plus – R283,900

Acenta Plus Tech – R299,900

All models come with a 3 year or 90 000KM service plan and a 6 year or 150 000KM warranty.

With all being said about the new Nissan Micra here are Pats and Slaps of the New Nissan Micra.

The Pats

  • Excellent fuel consumption
  • Stunning design
  • Cruise control and speed limiter
  • Apple Car Play and Android Auto
  • Hill Stop Assist (HAS)

The Slaps

  • Extra-large sun visors – you can barely see the road when fully opened.
  • Manual windows for the back passengers even on the top of the range.

Book a test drive at a Nissan dealership near you or visit nissan.co.za for more info.

Heineken Unmissable Campaign brought Thierry Henry to SA

Heineken Thierry Henry

Heineken is the official sponsor of the UEFA Champions League. This past weekend, Heineken wrapped its Unmissable Campaign in a spectacular way at the Kyalami Race track in Midrand on 1 June. Heineken kicked off the campaign by selecting 9 unmissable moments of this spectacular and unpredictable football season and created a twitter frenzy that revealed Thierry Henry as the tenth and final Unmissable moment of the campaign. 

Heineken Unmissable Moments.

For a week, Heineken created excitement Twitter through a continued to build which saw South African fans taking to Twitter to speculate about the identity of the legendary football star who Heineken® is bringing to SA to join them at the final viewing experience.

The football star’s identity was gradually unveiled through a mosaic reveal on Twitter. Fans were shown the full picture towards the end of the week. Most correctly guessed
that it was none other than the legendary member of the Champions League 100 club.

To top it all off, Heineken organised an unmissable viewing experience of the UEFA Champions League finals which saw two English Premiership giants, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur going head on. The attendees were entertained by the big artist such as DJ Shimza and Nasty C.

Heineken Unmissable - Lunga Tshabalala Thando Thabethe

The viewing venue was full to capacity with many familiar faces in the football and entertainment industry. The likes of Maps Maponyane, Aubrey Ngoma, Teko Modise, and Thando Thabethe also shared the Unmissable moment of Liverpool winning the biggest accolade of the season.

The Pats and Slaps for MTN Bush Fire Festival 2019

MTN Bush Fire Festival 2019

This past weekend the 13th edition of the MTN Bush Fire took place in Malkerns, Swaziland and all I can say it was lit.

The MTN Bush Fire is a weekend long festival that brings people of all nationalities together through music, art, dance and food. Local and international artists kept over 20 000 attendees entertained and engaged.

MTN Bush Fire Crowd
MTN Bush Fire 2019 crowd

The event this year, coincided with Africa Day which was on Saturday, 25 May. Africa Day is a significant day on the African calendar of events. It was a colourful day, with people wearing their African attire with pride.

One thing that really stood out in particular, was not only the wholesome food and drinks, but the fact that it provided an opportunity for engagements on the social discourses faced by Africa and the world at large. There was a strong drive to promote sustainability and the reduction of the carbon footprint the festival had on the environment. The festival was 100% paperless and cashless. All the performance starting times, the latest festival info, park and ride schedules were available on the MTN Bush Fire mobile app.

Furthermore, attendees were also encouraged to bring reusable bags and donate unused clothes to orphans and vulnerable children through the Young Heroes Initiative.

To conclude here are the Pats and Slaps for MTN Bush Fire Festival:

Pats

Sustainability

The festival promoted sustainability and a minimal carbon footprint considering the global narrative around climate change.

Safety

The festival is probably the safest festivals I have ever attended. There was heavy police presence and they were friendly. I did not see a single person acting in an untoward way and was not privy to any criminal activities.

Diversity

The MTN Bush Fire Festival brings together people from all walks of life. It was the most beautiful thing to experience. We were graced by both local and international performances. Performances included Trompies (South Africa), Muete (Germany), Dobet Gnahore (Côte d’Ivoire) among others.

Muete performance at MTN Bush Fire
Muete Performance. Image credit: Daniel Toro

Benefits the locals

The Swazi locals also benefited from the festival. There were vendors on the streets selling traditional Swazi attire and food.

Slaps

Black Motion

I’ve seen Black Motion many times before however their performance at the MTN Bush Fire Festival was not their best. The percussion was too much. My head was pounding after their performance. Maybe I am getting old or my expectations were too high.

Wifi

The WiFi wasn’t working properly, at some point there was no connection at all. This is disappointing because the headline sponsor is a telecommunications company.

All in all, the MTN Bush Fire Festival was lit and I will definitely be returning. The experience is truly amazing.

2019 Sunday Times Generation Next Celebrity Finalists Announced

2019 Generation Next Awards

South African youths will have their voices heard at the 15th Annual Sunday Times Generation Next Awards to be held on 13 June 2019 at the Sandton Convention Center. The winners of the 2019 Sunday Times Generation Next Youth survey will be announced on the day – ahead of Youth Day celebrations.

Here are the top 5 finalists in the celebrity category:

Coolest Local Female Celebrity:

  • Amanda Black
  • Babes Wodumo
  • Lady Zamar
  • Minnie Dlamini
  • Pearl Thusi

Coolest Local Male Celebrity

  • AKA
  • Cassper Nyovest
  • Kwesta
  • Trevor Noah

Coolest Local DJ (Radio or Club):

  • Black Coffee
  • DJ Fresh
  • Prince Kaybee
  • DJ Tira

Coolest Local Sportsperson

  • AB de Velliers
  • Caster Semenya
  • Percy Tau
  • Simphiwe Tshabalala

Coolest Radio Station

  • 5 FM
  • East Coast Radio
  • 94.7
  • Metro FM

Coolest TV Soap

  • 7de Laan
  • Empire
  • Skeem Saam
  • The Queen
  • Uzalo

The Sunday Times Generation Next Youth survey is presented in association with HDI Youth Consultancy. The survey polls more than seven thousand youth from around the country, across more than seventy categories, and is considered the leading barometer of what SA’s kids, teens and young adults find on-trend and aspirational.

#WinWithPat Oreo Giveaway

  • Win an awesome Oreo hamper with Pat and winning is super easy.
  • There are 10 Oreo hampers up for grabs.
  • All you need to do is to take part in the Oreo Cup

Pat onBrands is giving away 10 awesome Oreo hampers. The hampers include some Oreos and headsets worth R500.

Oreo, the world’s favourite cookie brings you the first Oreo Cup games in its latest fun consumer promotion. There’s a game for everyone; the Oreo Ladder Dunk, Oreo Crazy Twist, Oreo Flash Lick, Oreo Seesaw Twist and Oreo Spiral Dunk. Each game is unique and entertaining – great for parties,
fun game nights and play dates.

In order to get your hands on one of the hampers here’s what you need to do to:

  1. Play the Oreo Cup Games
  2. Take a screenshot of you having completed one of the games playing the Oreo Cup.
  3. Post the screenshot on social media i.e Twitter and Instagram and tag @Patonbrands and @Oreo use the hashtags #OreoCup and #WinWithPat.
Oreo Cup

There are other prizes that you can win if you carry on playing the Oreo Cup Games. For those who occupy the leaderboard, prizes include; a Huawei P20 mobile device, cash prizes and a PlayStation PS4. There are also weekly spot prizes including TakeALot vouchers, airtime and Hisense Smart TV sets.

Competition is opened from now until 31 May, 2019, Ts&Cs apply.

Mahindra South Africa launches exclusive pre-booking for XUV300

Mahindra XUV300

Mahindra South Africa has launched an innovative pre-booking opportunity to help manage the high levels of interest in its upcoming XUV300 compact SUV.

Launched this week, this promotion welcomes South African pre-orders for the XUV300, but does not require any deposit to secure a spot on the waiting list. Prospective customers on this list will be invited to test the first XUV300s to land in South Africa and will then be given an opportunity to decide on purchasing the vehicle.

“We have had a high level of local interest in the new model from both our dealers and customers.  This pre-booking promotion affords us the opportunity to manage the pre-launch anticipation leading up to the launch on 22 May 2019 and keep our customers involved and engaged during this time” says Rajesh Gupta, CEO of Mahindra South Africa.

To participate in this promotion, prospective customers can visit Mahindra, to complete a pre-booking or test-drive form. In the case of a pre-booking the customer will be requested to complete a Mahindra Finance application (non-binding), to register as a pre-booking. The only condition is that the name on the pre-booking list should be the same as the person who eventually purchases the vehicle. This exclusive pre-booking offer will close on 20 May 2019.

Once the first vehicles arrive at the end of May, potential customers with their names on the pre-booking list will be invited to test drive either the 82 kW 1.2 litre turbo-petrol or the 85 kW 1.5 litre turbo-diesel model and then be given an opportunity to decide if they wish to buy it. They will also be able to pick their preferred colour and trim level, before placing the order.

“As a reward to our first customers, the first 100 people on the pre-booking list will receive a fuel card worth R10,000 when they purchase the new XUV300 vehicle. The first 100 people who sign up for test-drives will receive a R2,000 fuel card on purchase of their new XUV300 vehicle.  In addition, we will also offer a grand prize of a trip for two to India to the value of R100,000 to one of our XUV300 customers,” says Gupta.

Mahindra’s pre-booking promotion follows a successful launch of the XUV300 in India, where the demand for this new model has been significantly higher than anticipated. This helped push the XUV300 to the top of the compact SUV rankings in only its second month of sales.

In India, the XUV300 has introduced a new level of technology and luxury to the compact SUV market. Top specification models include safety features such as 7 airbags, ISOFIX child seat mountings and a combination of parking sensors and a reverse camera. It also offers luxuries such as a 7″ touch screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration, dual zone climate control and cruise control on certain models

Strongbow Urban Pop Up Orchard Bar

Strongbow Urban Pop Up Orchard Ba

Strongbow’s naturally refreshing and chilling ciders brought excitement to the heart of Jozi on the 25 th of April 2019 with its Urban Orchard pop-up bar.
 
Attendees stepped Stronbow’s lush inner-city orchard at Victoria Yards where guests enjoyed delicious Strongbow cocktails, good tunes and delicious food, all while mingling with some of Jozi’s coolest people.
 
The world’s no. 1 cider is positioning itself to South African consumers as the perfect drink for the long chill as it can be enjoyed during the day and well into the night.
 
The Urban Orchard Pop-Up bar hosted a mentorship bar where people experienced an array of taste sensations and a few different ways of enjoying this delicious drink. Guests were also treated to performances by some of South Africa’s most loved DJ’s, including Julian Gomez, Deniece Marz and Uncle Party Time.
 
In addition to a secret ingredient, an international variant was also introduced on the day. This variant served as the base ingredient to refreshing cocktails featuring Strongbow and fresh fruit and herbs.

Vodacom and MTN get a Slap

Vodacom and MTN gets a slap

The Competition Commission gave a slap on Vodacom and MTN for charging their South African customers more for data compared to other countries where they operate in.

This is an act that makes one question a lot of things. In actual fact, one would have assumed that because these brands are South Africa and that they would have South Africa’s interest at heart. But no, Vodacom and MTN saw it fit to charge their South African customers more for data. What matters worse is that the two brands were exploiting the poor even more.

This is according the report released by the Competition Commission on Wednesday, 24 April 2019. In 2016, the commission opened an inquiry into data costs in response to the #DataMustFall movement.

The report uncovered data costs in South Africa were higher than South Africa’s BRICS and SADC counterparts.

The poor are the worst affected by this act. According to the Competition Commission chief economist James Hodge the  poorer consumers were more exposed to out-of-bundle pricing, which puts them at greater risk of high prices. He further added that consumers that are on 100MB pay twice compared to those that are on 1GB on a per megabyte basis.

It is appalling what these brands that are doing and they are getting a Slap!

#ThrowBrandThursday: Dickies

Dickies

This is a story of an American brand that was started by two cousin brothers- Colonel Dickie and CN Williamson back in 1922 under the banner Williamson-Dickie Manufacturing company. Before establishing Dickies, Williamson and Dickie were in the vehicle and harness business and later sold hats.

Dickies Founders
Dickies Founders: CN Williamson and EE Dickie
Image credit: Dickies website

The very first product under the Williamson-Dickie Manufacturing Company banner was an all-cotton button fly overall. The quality of the overalls was of impeccable standards and as sales grew they extended their product line to full workwear. Their workwear included casual and safety footwear, work trousers, and jeans, safety wear such as overalls and hi vis vests as well as accessories.  The brand became known for comfort, toughness, and value.

During the World War II, Dickies became the choice for the US government to manufacture 9 million uniforms for America’s armed forces. When returning service men went back to work, Dickies provided them with a uniform – the matched Khaki set which was very popular amongst workers of all kinds.

Filmmakers in Hollywood also took note of Dickies, whenever there was a scene requiring workers the wardrobe department turned to Dickies.

During the 60s, Dickies adopted a marketing strategy to appeal to young men attending college. They were selling to the “main man on campus” – targeting those who would buy the brand’s “campus casual” range. This is a move that repositioned the brand from being workwear brand to a fashion brand.

Dickies Campus Campaign Advert
Dickies Campus Campaign ad

In South Africa, the Dickies brand has become synonymous with the Pantsula culture. Pantsula is a tradition and also a highly energetic dance form that originated in the black townships of South Africa during the apartheid era. Dickies’ pants, shirts and bucket hats form part of the Pantsula’s uniform. In emergence of Kwaito in the 1990s, gave popularity to the Pantsula culture. Famous Kwaito groups used to rock Dickies.

Pantsulas wearing Dickies

As Kwaito started to become an unpopular music genre, so was the Pantsula culture hence the fall of Dickies in South Africa. The brand is however making a comeback and is targeting millennials.  In 2018, Dickies opened its very first flagship store in South Africa. The store is located at Southgate Mall in the south of Johannesburg.

Why the Nissan Qashqai is the best compact family car

Nissan Qashqai

From school-runs, to quick weekends away, the #CityProof Nissan Qashqai is the perfect chariot for the modern, versatile family.

The compact SUV combines practicality with style, fuel economy with ample space, and comfort with safety, meaning it can meet the changing demands of different members of the household.

It’s clear why earlier this year, the #CityProof Nissan Qashqai was named winner of the Compact Family Car category at the 4th annual Cars.co.za Consumer Awards. To compete, the vehicle needed to be priced between R300 000 and R400 000, have an anti-lock braking system, electronic stability control, a minimum of four airbags, split rear seats, a service plan and air-conditioning.

The Nissan Qashqai more than excelled in each of these categories.

School-run specialist

The #CityProof Nissan Qashqai is roomy enough to accommodate a family of two adults and two teenage children or three smaller kids comfortably.

There is ample boot storage space to lug school bags back and forth every day, as well as large instruments or hockey sticks for extra-mural activities. And if you are transporting something larger, the 430-litre boot increases to 680 litres with the rear seats folded down.

But more importantly, it has a host of safety features that protects those you love the most as they go about their lives. The Nissan Qashqai 1.2 Turbo Acenta Auto, the model that won the category, has six airbags and Isofix child seat anchors, as well as active driver support systems.

It also has stability control, brake assist, and electronic brake distribution. And the Qashqai has a 5-star EuroNCAP rating. That’s thanks in part to NIM features like forward emergency brake, blind spot intervention, cross traffic alert and forward collision warning that make this ride all the more safe for the family.

Comfortable traffic dodger

When making the investment in a vehicle that will be transporting everyone in the family every day, you want to know that those daily rides will be as comfortable as possible.

The Qashqai’s ride, handling and steering have been improved in the 2018 version to incorporate customer feedback, resulting in sublime ride comfort and a calmer body motion.

The dampers have been retuned, the anti-roll bar stiffness has been increased to maintain handling performance and, of course, the NIM Active Ride Control System reduces body motion while going over large bumps.

Significant improvements have been made throughout the new Qashqai to improve noise, vibration and harshness levels and they include more sound insulation material, additional sealing and the rear door glass is thicker to improve rear passenger experience. There is also less engine noise thanks to powertrain calibration improvements.

Weekend getaway machine

Modern family life is full and exciting and the car they choose should be able to meet more than just the every day school run.

The #CityProof Nissan Qashqai provides a roomy experience with a deep glovebox and multiple cupholders so that everyone’s snacks are in reach on long road trips. The combined fuel consumption is 6.2 L/100 km paired with a continuously variable transmission (CVT), meaning that the Qashqai will get you there for less.

Driver and passengers will also be entertained for hours as there is an all-new seven-speaker BOSE Premium sound system with tweeters, woofers and a digital amplifier in the compact family car in the Tekna model. This means you can blast your favourite sing-alongs all the way to the destination and not compromise on sound quality.

The Qashqai is backed up by Nissan Assured including 24-hour roadside assistance and has a class-leading 6-year/150,000km warranty, and a comprehensive 3-year/90,000km service plan. Since the first Nissan Qashqai was launched in 2007, 3.5-million units have been sold globally.

Pricing for the Nissan Qashqai starts at R351 900. Contact your nearest Nissan dealership to book a test drive or find out more information at www.nissan.co.za.

The ANC has a bad reputation for spelling mistakes

ANC spelling mistake

The 6th democratic elections in South Africa is upon us and political parties are going all out with advertising to make sure they are visible and that voters remember them on the 8th of May.

One political party that has managed tapture people’s attention (not for good reasons though) was the African National Congress (ANC). The ANC put up a giant billboard in Port Elizabeth, the billboard was meant to read “Let’s grow South Africa together” however, the billboard read,” let’s grow South Africa togher”. This is quite a big deal considering that “let’s grow South Africa together” is ANC’s slogan for the 2019 election campaign.

Image Source: Twitter

Most people have been asking, who to blame when a mistake of this nature occurs. Do you blame the agency or the client, or both parties? before I attempt to answer the question, let’s look at what could have been the cause of the problem. I think the spelling mistake is a result of rush work. Someone wanted to meet the deadline and did not pay attention to the finer details. Or it might have been a complete oversight.

To answer the question of to blame, I’d say both parties are to be blamed. Prior to any artwork installations, the client needs to approve the artwork before the installation whilst the agency has the obligation to deliver quality service and to ensure that their work is free from errors.

On the other hand, the ANC has a bad reputation of having spelling errors on their communications. Below are some of the spelling mistakes the ANC has made in the past.

2017: Dinning

ANC spelling mistake on signage
Source: Facebook

At their 54th National Conference held at the Nasrec Expo Centre, the ANC misspelled dining.

2016: Annivesary

ANC spelling mistake on the cake.
Image Source: The South African

As part of their 104th birthday celebrations in Rustenburg, the ANC bought a huge cake with writings on it. Unfortunately someone did not pick up the spelling mistake of anniversary on the cake.

2016: Arears

Image Source: The South African

It is true that better services are needed in poor areas however, poor spelling is not required.

In conclusion the ANC needs to invest in a proof reader. This
person’s sole job will be ensure that whatever communication caries the ANC logo has the correct spelling.

Introducing the New NESTLÉ MILO Breakfast Energy Drink with 26% Less Sugar

Milo 26% less sugar
  • One is five kids do not eat breakfast even though statistics show that it is the most important meal of the day.
  • New NESTLÉ MILO recipe contains 26% less sugar, more malt, more cocoa and more milk.
  • NESTLÉ MILO hosted A Champions Breakfast Day on Saturday, 13 April in Nasrec, Johannesburg where South Africans had the opportunity to engage with nutritionists and dieticians from NESTLÉ

A balanced diet provides energy that a child needs to grow, yet parents often struggle to meet this nutritional requirement. Findings from the latest South African National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (SANHANES) show that one in five children do not eat breakfast even though statistics show that this is the most important meal of the day. This number is of grave concern as it highlights the nutritional energy gap that exists as a result of skipping breakfast.  

Not having breakfast can make kids feel tired and restless as their bodies need to refuel for the day ahead after going without food for hours during sleep. Their mood and energy levels drop if they do not eat a proper morning meal. It is for this reason that NESTLÉ MILO, is committed to nourishing our nation’s children with the energy they need to go further and reach their potential.

According to the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) Africa Region, the continent will not be able to address under-nutrition and obesity-related diseases or meet global nutrition goals if the quality of our food does not change.

“In recognition of this fact we have developed the new and improved NESTLÉ MILO recipe with 26% less sugar, more malt, more cocoa and more milk to give the right nutrients that children need to be energised for the day. This is part of our commitment to meeting the ever-changing consumer demand and providing healthier and tastier choices,” says Adedoja Ekeruche, Business Executive Officer – Dairy at Nestlé. 

The new NESTLÉ MILO Breakfast Energy Drink has 26% less sugar, which equates to less than a teaspoon of added table sugar in a glass as compared to the original recipe. The rest of the sugar comes from lactose in dairy based ingredients and barley malt extract. The product also contains Carbohydrates, proteins, fat, vitamins and minerals to support children’s growth and development.

While the energy needs of children are different, it remains pivotal to ensure that they consume a healthy intake of calories along with essential nutrients. Educating and encouraging parents and caregivers to realise the importance and value of breakfast in the development of our future leaders is a priority for NESTLÉ MILO. 

To achieve this, NESTLÉ MILO hosted A Champions Breakfast Day on Saturday, 13 April in Nasrec, Johannesburg where South Africans had the opportunity to engage with nutritionists and dieticians from NESTLÉ. This gave the nation the opportunity to have breakfast and nutritional myths debunked.

“With over 800 friends and families gathered at this event, we had the unique opportunity to demonstrate how one serving of NESTLÉ MILO provides nutritionally balanced nutrients and teach parents how to overcome the challenges they may have with preparing breakfast. We recognise the role of product innovation to encourage parents to establish healthy breakfast habits with a taste that their kids love,” concludes Ekeruche.

Suzuki takes home two accolades at SA COTY

Suzuki
Suzuki beat all comers in the Lifestyle Utility and Urban Compact categories at last night’s 2019 AutoTrader South African Car of the Year Awards (COTY), held in Johannesburg.

The Swift was picked as the winner in the Urban Compact category against the Nissan Micra and was called to the stage to collect the category prize. This category considered COTY finalists that offer exceptional value-for-money, good fuel consumption and the type of ease-of-operation that is preferred for city driving.

“We are very proud to have received the prize as the best Urban Compact in South Africa. Since launching the Swift in South Africa, we have sold over 4 424 units, and it has become our best-selling model. This is thanks to its affordable price, good specification level and dynamic road manners,” says André Venter, divisional manager for sales and marketing at Suzuki South Africa.

The Swift is the reigning Japanese Car of the Year and Indian Car of the Year and it was CAR Magazine’s Budget Car of the Year in their Top 12 Awards. It was also the Budget Car winner in the 2019 Cars.co.za Consumer Awards, powered by WesBank. At the 2019 AutoTrader SA Car of the Year competition, the Swift was the most affordable finalist by a significant margin.

Suzuki South Africa has recently increased its international production order to keep up with the increasing demand for this hatchback.Suzuki was called to the stage for a second time when the COTY jury announced the winner of the Lifestyle Utility category. It considered all the COTY finalists that offer a combination of lifestyle attributes and design, without compromising utility.In this category, the Suzuki Jimny beat the other contender, the Mitsubishi Pajero Sport, for the category prize.

The current Suzuki Jimny has already found 438 owners since it was launched in South Africa late last year and there are an additional 900 orders on the waiting list. To help with this, Suzuki has received the green light from the Japanese head office to increase its order volume dramatically.

“There is a significant waiting list for the Suzuki Jimny in every country where it has been launched. We believe that it is a thumbs up from the customers who appreciate the pure design and off-road ability of the new model,” says Venter.

Abroad, the Suzuki Jimny is a contender in the 2019 Design and Urban categories of the World Car of the Year.“Suzuki did well to win in both categories,” says Rubin van Niekerk, chairman of the SA Guild of Motoring Journalists and convenor of the competition.

“Finalists in each category are evaluated both against the other eligible finalists in the competition and then against a set of their peers. They are also evaluated against criteria such as value-for-money and sales success, and we only choose a winner if a vehicle truly performs against all metrics.”

The soon to launch in SA, All-New Mazda3 wins top prize at 2019 Red Dot awards

New Mazda 3 2019

The all-new Mazda3 has captured the “Red Dot: Best of the Best” prize at the 2019 Red Dot product design awards. Southern Africa launch timing is set for the third quarter of 2019.

The competition’s highest accolade is awarded to products whose designs are considered genuinely ground-breaking and visionary. The new-generation compact joins the growing list of award-winning Mazda models designed according to the KODO: Soul of Motion philosophy.

The international jury selected fewer than 100 products for the “Best of the Best” prize from the more than 5,500 entries received from 55 countries. Criteria for selection include innovation, functionality, ergonomics and longevity. Mazda and the other winners will receive their awards on 8 July at the 2019 Red Dot award ceremony in Essen’s Aalto Theatre, Germany. The new Mazda3 will then join the “Design on Stage” exhibition of award-winning products at the Red Dot Design Museum Essen and feature in the Red Dot yearbook, website and design app.

“Winning the ‘Red Dot: Best of the Best’ is a very special honour because only a very small percentage of entries are granted this distinction,” says Dr. Peter Zec, founder and CEO of Red Dot. “It is well-deserved recognition for a wonderful design achievement and proof that the award-winning companies are among the best in design.”

This is the seventh Red Dot prize to date for Mazda’s Kodo models following the MX-5 RF in 2017, the MX-5 soft top, CX-3 and Mazda2 (all 2015), the previous generation Mazda3 (2014) and the Mazda6 (2013).

Initiated in 1955, Red Dot is one of the world’s largest design competitions. The product design winners, selected this year in 48 categories including cars & motorcycles, have earned the right to bear the Red Dot symbol, an international seal of excellence.

LIBERTY RADIO AWARDS MY STATION FINALISTS ANNOUNCED

LIBERTY RADIO AWARDS

isteners’ voting for their favourite stations in the 2019 Liberty Radio Awards My Station category closed at midnight on Tuesday night. Over 884 000 votes were cast in total and the finalists are as follows (in alphabetical order):

MY STATION – MOST VOTES

HEART FM
CCFM 107.5
ALGOA FM
HOT 91.9 FM
LIGWALAGWALA FM
RISE FM
YFM

MY STATION – MOST LOYAL LISTENERS

My Station – most loyal listeners is the station with the most votes cast as a ratio of the station’s RAM (Audience measurement).  The finalists are as follows (in alphabetical order):

CCFM 107.5
HOT 91.9 FM
LM RADIO
MIX FM 93.8
OVERVAAL STEREO 96.1
PRETORIA FM
UJFM

The winners of this category will be announced at the Liberty Radio Awards Gala Dinner which takes place at the Sandton Convention Centre on Saturday 13 April. Tickets for the event are available through Marcia Minnaar – Marcia@libertyradioawards.co.za

The lucky listener who wins R 40 000 and two tickets to attend the Liberty Radio Awards Gala Dinner is Sabelo Nkwinika​ (who voted for LIGWALAGWALA FM)

SA Youth demand more from banks to prosper

Nedbank unlocked

With half the South African population under 26, banks have to rethink what they offer this important market segment, and how. The right kind of banking support is a critical lever in helping the youth achieve its potential, but it needs to be complemented by a total solution that encompasses not only negotiating today’s challenges but lays the foundation for achieving future goals.

“I never advise clients to follow their passion lightly. They first have to work out how they can afford to do that,” said Samke Mhlongo, founder and Chief Executive of The Next Chapter Wealth Partners. “It starts with a very practical understanding of what you need to do not to set up the income streams you will need to achieve your dreams somewhere down the line.”

Ms Mhlongo was one of the panellists discussing the needs and challenges of South Africa’s youth at a function hosted by Nedbank.

“Are you just selling a product or are you helping me create wealth? If a bank gets that right, it will have a client for life,” she said.

Student and Social media influencer Mihali Ndamase said that the youth had very individual definitions of what constitutes wealth. This means that banks need to become better at reading what customers want, and flexible enough to provide it. Fellow panellist Rivo Mhlari, emerging entrepreneur and founder of Rikatec, a vehicle information management systems company, added that given the advent of big data, companies could make highly accurate decisions based on fact.

Mutsa Chironga, Managing Executive for Consumer Banking at Nedbank, says that the philosophy that underpins Nedbank’s Unlocked.me offering takes these insights into account. Unlocked.me is the result of an intensive process of consultation with young people across the country. With an initial focus on students, Mr Chironga says that Unlocked.me will be rolled out to non-students in the near future, as most young people do not have the opportunity to attend university.

“The big problem young people are struggling with today is how to make sure they achieve the future they envisage—what steps should they take now?—while maintaining a certain lifestyle,” he explains. “Unlocked.me provides a comprehensive solution to help them balance all these elements.

“As we learned from my fellow panellists here today, financial management tools and services, as well as lifestyle benefits, are just a ticket to the game. This generation has high aspirations but also recognises that today’s world is highly competitive.”

“Nedbank has responded to this need by building a comprehensive set of services into Unlocked.me to provide a platform on which young people can unlock their potential. This market-first offering is inspired by our vision to use our financial expertise to help young people achieve their potential—and build a better future for the whole country.”

For example, Nedbank has entered into partnerships with Gradesmatch, which allows learners to enter their marks to obtain a view of what they qualify to study at tertiary institutions. Another key partnership is with jobs portal, Giraffe, which provides an easy way to access jobs particularly suited to this demographic, whether it’s a first-time position or a part-time gig to help fund studies. Unlocked.me will also hook account holders up with Nedbank clients to uncover mentorship opportunities.

“The tools and services young people can access via Unlocked.me will evolve and expand over time, in response to what our customers tell us they need. The real point is that traditional banking solutions are only part of what today’s generation wants—and needs. Unlocked.me will evolve and expand in line with what our customers tell us they need,” he concludes. “The real game-changer is that we are redefining the conventional banking relationship by creating a multi-faceted life partnership that builds financial security to enable our customers’ long-term aspirations.”

Audi to drive important conversations at the 2019 Beauty Revolution Festival

Audi to drive conversations at the Beauty Festival
  • South Africa’s boldest beauty festival taking place on 6 & 7 April at Sandton Convention Centre
  • Audi to own the panel discussion platform as: “Power Talks” Progressed By Audi.
  • Important partnership for Audi in driving conversations around diversity, empowerment and progress

As part of Audi’s local brand story of driving progress on important topics of diversity, empowerment and inclusivity, the brand with four rings is proud to announce their partnership with the 2019 Beauty Revolution Festival. As part of this collaboration, Audi and Beauty Revolution will create a conversation platform at the event, titled: Power Talks Progressed By Audi. This will include a series of interactive panel discussions where influential keynote speakers will discuss important issues affecting South African women right now, beyond the superficial level of beauty.

The Beauty Revolution Festival seeks to humanise and celebrate all kinds of beauty and to empower women of all backgrounds and body structures to live their own truth regardless of social standards and pressures. The Power Talks Progressed By Audi panel discussions will be facilitated by well-known activist, lawyer, model and actress, Thando Hopa.

Thando is a familiar face to the Audi brand. In 2017, she was introduced as the face to the award-winning marketing campaign for the new Audi Q2, titled #untaggable. “With a unique personal story of breaking stereotypes and challenging the norm, we are excited to partner with Thando Hopa once again.” said Asif Hoosen, Head of Marketing, Product and PR at Audi South Africa.

“Although our partnership with Thando this year, through the 2019 Beauty Revolution, is slightly different from the last, we are thrilled that this gives us an additional opportunity to translate what the Audi brand stands for and to continue building a meaningful, local brand story for Audi in South Africa. We look to build partnerships with other brands, platforms and influencers who believe in driving progress in our society. That for us is how we humanise Vorsprung, he concluded.

The Beauty Revolution Power Talks Progressed By Audi will focus on topics such as: “Living Your Purpose”, “The Business of Beauty”, “Body Positivity” and “Identity and Influence”.

The 2019 Beauty Revolution Festival Founder, Yasmin Kathoria, says that the Power Talks Progressed By Audi is an important platform to encourage meaningful conversations around the dynamics of the beauty, how women are portrayed in society and the challenges of defining one’s own identity within that context. We want to create an inclusive beauty experience for South Africa women where they can be inspired, have fun, learn and spoil themselves. By partnering with a progressive brand like Audi, we are proud of what we will embark on over the upcoming weekend.

The Beauty Revolution Festival, termed South Africa’s boldest beauty festival will take place on 6 and 7 April at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg. Besides the Power Talks Progressed By Audi panel discussions, the event will feature make-up masterclasses, new beauty product launches and the latest trends in haircare, skincare, fashion and technology.

For more information on the event and to book tickets, visit www.beautyrevolution.co.za

Follow #ProgressedByAudi to join in the conversation on social media.

Bookmarks Winners Announced

Bookmark Awards Winners 2019

The winners for the 2019 Bookmark Awards have been announced! This year, the 11th Annual Bookmarks, hosted at The Forum, Bryanston on 28 March 2019, encompassed a record-breaking 76 categories, with over 750 entries. The Bookmarks’ 68 diverse judges assessed the entries based on stringent, results-based criteria, culminating in 142 winners that are truly representative of the South African digital landscape.

The Bookmarks are a true celebration of young, emerging talent in the digital industry. Leon Mwandiringa of Clockwork walked away with the award for Best Digital Youngster. Raphael Janan Kuppasamy and Jenny Groenewald from the Vega School were honored as the best digital students.

Jerry Mpufane, Bookmarks Jury President comments: “The work awarded at the Bookmarks this year, not only celebrates the winning work and leading talent in South Africa, it also becomes a showcase of the go-to case studies and inspiration for up-and-coming talent across the country, as the benchmark for digital excellence”.

Transformation was high on the agenda at the awards, with Digify Africa being celebrated for the Best Contribution to Transformation in the Digital Industry. Digital education was also emphasised in the award for Best Individual Contribution to Digital being awarded to Carmen Murray, founder of Boo-Yah.

Creativity with a social conscience was a strong theme with Mortimer Harvey and the Road Accident Fund awarded the Pixel for Purpose award for its #Always Remember campaign and Paulie van Wyk from the Daily Maverick winning the award for Best Online Journalist.

Paula Hulley, IAB SA CEO concludes, “South Africa’s fresh talent and most memorable campaigns were recognised, illustrating how far the digital industry has come and continues to set the benchmark and light the path for future innovation. This is why we celebrate digital excellence.”

Click here for the full winners list.

The 11th Annual Bookmark Awards are brought to you by Vicinity Media, Dstv Media, G-Star and our media Partners, Media 24, Business Live, The South African, IOL, AdJoin and BizCommunity.