Uncategorized Archives - Pat on Brands

Siwela Wines crowned the Top Beverage Brand – Sponsored by Black Crown

On the 15th of June 2022, the Top 16 Youth-Owned Brands Awards (YOBA), an initiative by Pat on Brands took place at The Capital: On the Park in Sandton. The purpose of the initiative is to celebrate and recognise brands owned and run by the youth. Only one brand had the honor of walking away with the bragging rights in each of the 16 categories. ‘Beverage’ was one out of the categories and Siwela Wines got to walk away as the Top Beverage Brand, sponsored by Black Crown.

Siwela Wines

Siwela Wines is an award-winning female-owned wine company, founded by Siwela Sweetness Masoga. The founder, Siwela was born in Soweto, Gauteng and raised in Marulaneng Ga-Mphahlele, Limpopo. She studied Biotechnology in Cape Peninsula University of Technology. Microbiology and fermentation as her majors sparked curiosity and interest in wine making. Siwela’s interest in winemaking paid off as her brand, Siwela Wines is now an award-winning beverage brand. She could not be present to accept the award, but her team accepted the award on her behalf.

Image: Siwela Wines Team Member Accepting Award

Black Crown as Beverages Category Sponsor

Black Crown, a gin & tonic brand by South African Breweries (SAB) sponsored the Beverage category. The drink has clean, crisp flavors of lemon and lime, crafted with eight proudly African botanicals. Black Crown is all about being unapologetically African and “owning your crown”. “We want to remind Africans that their dreams are theirs for the taking. Encourage them to have full confidence in their capabilities and belief in their destiny. We are honored to sponsor the beverage category and shine a spotlight on young African creatives that deserve to be crowned. So let every sip of Black Crown remind you to #OwnYourCrown”, says Claudia Schmid, General Manager of Black Crown.

Image: Black Crown Set Up At Top 16 YOBA

On the night of the Top 16 Youth-Owned Brands Awards, the Black Crown team setup next to the YOBA registration table to offer guests their welcome drinks after completing their registration process. Black Crown got the opportunity to showcase their new addition to the royal Black Crown family – being the new Black Crown gin & dry lemon with marula. The new Black Crown drink is infused with African Marula fruit, available in a 440ml can and has been made available at all retailers.

Siwela Wines owned their crown as the brand was celebrated and recognized as the top ‘Beverage’ brand for the Top 16 Youth-Owned Brands Awards – proudly sponsored by Black Crown.

Adidas I AM POSSIBLE Festival set to take place this weekend.

Gauteng ladies are in for a treat, as the adidas I’mPossible Festival will take place on Saturday 26 March at St. Stithians College in Sandton. The eventis purely for women over the age of 18 and features an incredible line-up of fitness sessions and music sets with special guest Jessamyn Stanley, an American Yoga teacher, advocate, podcaster and author who champions body positivity, self-empowerment and acceptance through movement.

The Festival host is Rorisang Thandekiso with Siv Ngesi keeping energy levels high out in the crowd.

The line-up:

Tickets

Tickets cost R350 and can be purchased here. Included in the cost is an adidas I’MPOSSIBLE goodie bag valued at R1000, with yoga mat, water bottle, workout towel, visor and exciting inserts from the event’s partner brands. adidas will donate, and match, all proceeds from ticket sales to tackle period poverty in SA.

Festival goers are encouraged to arrive in athleisure wear, ready for a few workouts in the afternoon, followed by awesome local music that will have you dancing the night away. Get there early for a free hair and make-up session with the Glam Squad, then hit the arena with your crew to find your spot.

Festival Information:

Gates open at 14h30. Event starts 16h30 and ends at 22h00.
Free parking available at the venue.
Food trucks and refreshment stations will be available.
This is a cashless event so payment for food and refreshments can only be made using a payment app or credit card.
The event is not for Under-18s, and identification will be required for each ticket booking.
Supporting partners for the event include Samsung, Seattle Coffee, Harvest Table and The Body Shop.

Adidas I AM POSSIBLE FESTIVAL

MTN Group Enters the Metaverse with Land Ownership

There have been a lot of changes in the digital space. It is without a doubt there is still more to come. With artificial intelligence, it is a lot to figure out. Brands are looking at how they can get into the space that has taken the internet by storm.

Set in Ubuntuland, Africarare is a 3D virtual reality experience. Moreover, it is the first Virtual Reality metaverse in Africa. Ubuntuland can be bought, traded or kept as well as used for various experiences such as art exhibitions, games, and social experiences. $UBUNTU Token is the currency used on Africarare.

MTN Purchase

MTN became the first African company to enter the metaverse by purchasing land in Africarare. This purchase will see MTN owning 144 plots of virtual land with an overall area of 12x12m. Through its presence in the metaverse, MTN intends to increase its customer attractiveness through a series of experiences merged with consumer passion points, like gaming and music. Furthermore, MTN Group said its presence on the metaverse demonstrates its commitment to supporting African innovation.

In the metaverse, not only do users get to interact with the computer-generated environment, they also interact with other users and engage in typical daily activities such as going to school, going to work, watching concerts, shopping at stores/malls, playing games, etc.

The question that remains is which brands in Africa are going to be tapping into this market soon?

africarare in the news metaverse MTN

Entry-level marketing jobs to study towards

The matric class of 2021 were faced with many challenges towards the end of the finish line. The Covid-19 pandemic forced them to have half a year of contact classes in grade 11. A shift in lockdown levels during their matric year also posed as a threat to the quality of their education. One would have thought that that would be the end of it, until the debate about the publication of the results. Fortunately for media platforms ad some matriculanys, the National Senior Certificate results were published on the 21st of Jan 2022.

Basic Education Minister, Angie Motshekga announced the pass rate of 76.4%, a 0.2% improvement from the previous year. The class of 2021 have now entered what we call ‘the real world’ faced with many choices to be made. The first hurdle they will be faced with is the decision of what to pursue in terms of work or studies. Lets have a look at five entry-level marketing jobs.

Marketing Coordinator

This sole is a balance of data collection, research and the creative space. Marketing coordinators are the support element in marketing teams. Some duties include competitive analysis, sales forecasting, media placement, campaign implementation and compiling reports.

Account Coordinator

Account coordinators are the link between the paying clients and the rest of the marketing team. Key responsibilities include relaying information, quality assurance, meeting deadlines and ensuring client satisfaction. This job requires excellent communication and organizational skills.

Outside Sales Representative

Sales positions are important across any industry, marketing is no exception. Outside sales representatives are the face of the company, the people who go out to get the bacon. They maintain good relationships with existing clients and cold-call prospective customers, making the role best suited for good communicators who are highly competitive and self motivated.

Social Media Specialist

In the world of digital communication, social media has taken the lead with many brands hopping on the train. Social media specialists are the brand’s voice on platforms like Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook to name a few. Their duty is to build connections, engage followers and ensure social media growth on all platforms. This role is best suited for good communicators who can adopt the voice of the brand.

Public Relations Specialist

Public relations is all about maintaining the general image of the organisation. PR specialists work with the media, they plan events and external communication strategies. They are in charge of communication, whether good or bad.

The marketing world is very broad, with specialisation opportunities in different departments. This was just a brief look at all the possibilities within the industry.

account coordinator jobs Marketing marketing jobs matrics 2021 public relations specialist Social Media Marketing social media specialist

How entrepreneurs can maintain a good mental health in 2022.

Did you know that 72% of entrepreneurs have mental health problems?. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a rise in the number of suicide cases amongst entrepreneurs. Many entrepreneurs face serious mental health problems due to slow business operations, debt, and layoffs. According to an article by She Leads Africa, up to 72% of entrepreneurs have mental health problems.

Hot in studio — Left to right: Nompumelelo Satcha, Pat Mahlangu and Bongani Chinkanda

Stress and depression are some of the factors that contribute to mental health conditions. Entrepreneurs experience a lot of stress and depression as they pursue their entrepreneurial journey. When business is not performing well entrepreneurs become emotional and nervous. They constantly stress about the success and failure of their ventures. Some even commit suicide because of the difficulty to open up and talk about the challenges they face. Most entrepreneurs want to endure the pain on their own until they break down mentally.

In episode 13 of Pat on Brand’s podcast, Bongani Chinkanda talks about his entrepreneurial journey and provides some interesting tips on how to maintain strong mental health in 2022. Malawian born, Chinkanda is now a professional speaker, and managing director of Bravado. He is a passionate marketer with extensive experience in the marketing industry. Here are the key takeaways to good mental health in 2022.

KNOW WHEN TO QUIT

As an entrepreneur, it is crucial to know when to quit. According to Chinkada, “There is a dangerous optimism that entrepreneurs have, they never give up”. If you admit that the business you operating is not working, It is important to call it off. It is also beneficial to consider what the most crucial problems are that leads to the success or failure of the business. Mastering these skills will ultimately put you in control of your mental health.

HAVE A PAIN STRATEGY

Entrepreneurs go through different stages of growth, and there are a few things they need to do to address those challenges. Some of the most common problems that entrepreneurs face are when clients are pulling out of business, terminating a contract, or when the business is not doing well. To overcome the problem, entrepreneurs should implement a pain relief strategy. The pain strategy helps with navigating pain and finding solutions to deal with it. It is important to understand that emotions affect the whole being. Acknowledge the pain and have the strategy in place. For instance monitoring how you do things, changing a daily habit, or participating in extracurricular activities.

HAVE A STATEMENT TO DRIVE YOU THROUGHOUT THE YEAR

It is important to have a personal mission statement as it motivates you to have a positive impact and helps you feel satisfied in your everyday life. It can be a personal mission statement that is linked to your passion or career goal. Being driven by a personal mission statement is being clear and intentional about the impact you have in the world and the people around you.

DON’T ATTACH EMOTIONS TO YOUR BUSINESS

One of the riskiest things that most entrepreneurs do is being emotionally attached to their businesses. Most entrepreneurs treat their businesses as their babies. Chinkanda said, “Embrace failure the same way you embrace success”. If the business is stressing proving to be more stressful than usual, entrepreneurs need to find a way to calm their stress and face challenges with optimism.

Maintaining a good mental health is very important for every individual, especially for entrepreneurs. Finding a balance between working towards success and maintaining a healthy mental health is a complex, yet crucial task for most business owners.

Entrepreneurship health mental health podcast stay healthy

TikTok As A Driving Force In The Music Industry

Trends, challenges, hacks, advice and dance moves have emerged to a record high on Tik Tok. The platform reached 1 billion active users in 2021 and continues to grow. Similarly, the music world benefits to grow too. Music is the driving force behind the content created by most people on the platform.

Dance Challenges

Creating captivating content on Tik Tok has been mostly through the music on the videos. As many as 430 songs have passed 1 billion video views as TikTok sounds globally, over 175 songs that were trending on TikTok charted on the Billboard Hot 100. Numerous songs have had dance challenges on Tik Tok, including Meg Stallion’s song ‘Savage’ featuring Beyonce with more than 18.3M videos made. Meanwhile, in South Africa Nkao Tempela by Ch’cco, Mellow & Sleezy, has taken the country by storm. . The hit song, Nkao Tempela was mentioned over 19K times between the 1st of September to the 15th of December 2021.

Amapiano Domination

From the takeover in 2018, the genre Amapiano has take social media and streaming platforms by storm. The genre has popularised beyond South Africa and reached global dominance. The Amapiano hashtag was the most popular music hashtag in South Africa. Siyathandana by Cassper Nyovest was the of the most popular songs in South Africa. It Ain’t Me by DJ Abux which also had a dance challenge that spread across the world trended on TikTok.

Recent Trends

There has been a few things happening in the country since the year started. However, it is without a doubt that South Africans enjoy entertainment and are always showing their creative side. With challenges changing, Nkao Tempela was last year’s popular dance but a new kid has hit the block. There is a new challenge that has everyone talking and moving, which is #UmlandoChallenge. The challenge has taken social media by storm and the song hasn’t been released yet. Since the release of the challenge, the original video has reached 1.2 million views on Twitter alone. Popular illustrator Slaying Goliath has created an illustration of the dance move.

The music scene is boosted by social media presence. It also propels the creative space to great heights. It is amazing to see young people take their creativity to different levels with the use of the digital space. We can’t wait to see other emerging trends throughout the year.

Brands on a mission to address social & environmental issues

Consumer perceptions of brands are constantly changing. Today’s consumers are more conscious and choose brands that have an impact on society, they value brands that match them. A Gallup study shows that brands that align with customer values have a positive return on investment. Some of the world’s leading companies have joined forces to pave the way to a more sustainable and greener economy.

Global warming is one of the most pressing problems facing South Africa. This problem leads to climate change, which is the increase in the number of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Even though there are still debates about why greenhouse gas emissions are still on the rise, companies are working together to solve this global problem. According to Bloomberg, South Africa is the 12th largest producer of greenhouse gases in the world. This report proves that brands have a long way to go to address this issue.

Here are some of the brands contributing to the reduction of carbon emissions.

Castle Lite

The load reduction by Eskom has been a very challenging problem that left many businesses stranded. Some of the challenges forced many companies to close down or look for alternative ways to stay in business. In tackling this, Castle Lite shifted its focus to sustainable energy sources to brew its beer. The brand has converted seven of its breweries across the country to brew beer using solar energy and biogas. In the first two months of using this method, the brand reduced its carbon footprint by 9.7 GWh of renewable electricity. Isn’t that cool?

The brand wants to use 100% renewable electricity and plans to switch by 2025. The most exciting part of this transition is the fulfillment of the brand’s promise to serve the coldest beer despite social challenges. The move is in line with the South African Breweries (SAB) and holding company, Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev), global commitment to 2025.

Woolworths

Woolworths, one of the largest retailers in South Africa has launched an electric vehicle for online delivery. This innovation comes at a time when sustaining the economy is critical. According to the online publication, Business Insider, the car reduced the retailers carbon footprint by 3,600 kg of CO2 in two months. The company strives to reduce its environmental impact across the entire value chain. Brands that consistently deliver on their promises receive favorable customer support.

Uber

Uber aims to be the ultimate zero-emission mobile platform. The brand has introduced Uber Green to reduce its carbon footprint. Uber Green is a low-emission option, and it connects riders to hybrid and fully electric vehicles.

Master Card Inc.

Carbon calculator app by master card — Image: Master Card

Carbon dioxide is a major driver of climate change, and if the current trend continues, the global economic damage will continue to rise. To address these concerns, Master Card launched a calculator earlier this year. The calculator helps credit card users to know how much carbon dioxide they generate when they make purchases. This also helps consumers to be more aware of their carbon footprint when making purchases.

Now more than ever, customers consider a brand that stands on social issues when they buy. Businesses need to have an effective and credible social impact on the economy. Customer’s value and care about brands that impact society and the environment.

A look back at 2021’s social media landscape

We have seen a lot of sudden changes since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. The digital space has been one place where a lot of change and growth took place. There are quiet a number of social media platforms that benefited from people being home for longer periods of time.

South Africa’s population is just under 60 million, and according to the CEO of World Wide Worx there are approximately 38.2 million social media users in South Africa. This means that over half of our population is on social media.

2020/2021 social media rocket

Since the beginning of the pandemic, there has been a spike in the number of social media users. The number of active social media users has increased from 22 million users in January 2020 to 25 million users in January 2021, this is a 13.6% increase. Marketers and advertisers need to keep a close eye on these trends, as these inform budgets.

Top 5 social media platforms

Many people paint social media as a platform for the younger generation only, this is not entirely correct. Here are some of the most popular social media networks amongst people aged between 16 to 65 years old:

Whatsapp at 93.2%
YouTube at 92.4%
Facebook at 86.7%
Instagram at 70.2%
Messenger at 64.7%

There are a number of learnings one can take from the top 5 social media platforms in South Africa. The pattern tells us of how people like to receive information.

Top 3 learnings from the top 5

Affordability

The prices of data in South Africa is ranked 136 globally, this pushes people to find more affordable means to communicate. Whatsapp and Facebook messenger allow for a much more affordable day-to-day conversation. These are the platforms where people are able to send instant messages at an affordable price.

2. Keeping in contact

Instagram and Facebook are platforms where people are able to keep up with their old friends and family. This platorm allows people to stay in the loop even though they do not communicate much.

3. Short format videos

Instagram introduced short format videos in July of 2021, this came as a way to compete with TikTok. TikTok has become one of the fastest growing social media platforms. Platforms like YouTube and Instagram Reels keep us glued to our screens for longer and this works for brands and advertisers.

According to an article published in Orlando Sentinel, the average human attention span is 8 seconds. This is a dramatic decrease from 12 seconds in the year 2000.

Video content that is able to keep people engaged for longer periods of time is definitely a breakthrough for marketing. It is important for marketers to keep up with the different social media trends, this will guide strategy as well as budget. A marketer that is always on the pulse is always on the money.

facebook insights Social Media Social Media Marketing social media trends whatsapp

Top Albums and Songs Streamed on Spotify this year in South Africa

Since being introduced in Mzansi in 2018 , Spotify has exposed talent in the country to different parts of the world. Spotify Wrapped shows users the most streamed albums, songs and artists. There are a lot of international artists streamed in the country, however Amapiano is the country’s biggest genre.

DJ Maphorisa and Kaabza Da Small — Image: The Face

Most Streamed Local Artists

Chart topping duo, DJ Maphorisa and Kabza De Small took the 1st and 2nd spot respectively. Their joint venture into the Amapiano genre, the two have kept the country vibing during the toughest lockdowns. DJ Maphorisa has featured in 4 albums this year alone. Meanwhile, Kabza De Small released Pretty Girls Love Amapiano 3. Busta 929, sits at number 3 and his hit song Umsebenzi Wethu which was released last year is still in the top 5 of most streamed songs in SA this year. De Mthuda and Mr JazziQ take the 4th and 5th place respectively.

Most Streamed Albums

Drake’s Certified Lover Boy was the most-streamed album in South Africa on Spotify. However, Blxckie’s B4Now took the second spot in the South African Most Streamed album. Recently, Blxckie took the number one spot as the Hottest MC in the country, as listed by MTV Base. A-Reece’s Today’s Tragedy, Tomorrow’s Memory: The Mixtape is at number three while Busta 929’s Undisputed Vol 2 and Makhadzi’s Kokovha at number four and five, respectively.

Most Streamed Songs

In this list, it is a bit surprising that there is only one South African song. Although, Spotify creates a list specifically for the artists in South Africa, in the overall songs streamed the one present from Mzansi was released in 2020. Taking the top spot is The Kid LAROI with his single titled Stay ft Justin Bieber. The Business by Tiesto is number two. Ed Sheeran comes in at number 3 with his single ‘Bad Habits’ from his 4th full length album. The only South African song on this list is Umsebenzi Wethu by Busta 929 and it take the fourth position. Olivia Rodrigo takes the fifth spot with the single ‘drivers license’.

Spotify is a great platform to discover new artists, songs or genres. Furthermore, Spotify Wrapped is one of the coolest ways to find out what you listen to without noticing.

Castle Lite’s Mission To Switch To Renewable Electricity

Castle Lite is delivering more uninterrupted enjoyment with their #SwitchToRenewable. Earlier this year Castle Lite announced that they are switching to brew their refreshing beer with renewable electricity. During the loadshedding crisis, the switch was really more critical.

#SwitchToRenewable

Castle Lite’s campaign not only brings to the fore the critical topic of renewable electricity, but shows us just how much more enjoyment is possible when we make the switch. The message is one of uninterrupted enjoyment. Through using less electricity to brew beer, there is more electricity available for us all to enjoy. Castle Lite brings this to life with a TV Commercial with a relevant storyline, vibrant music and a dynamic editing style.

Bringing Vision To Visuals

Directed by Paul Ward of Giant Films, the TVC shows his instinct for contemporary storytelling. Paul believes in capturing human emotions in an authentic way.

The Impact of Switching

With this switch, Africa’s largest premium lite beer, is on a journey to ensure that South Africans can enjoy their extra cold Castle Lite to the fullest. On average, from the start of 2021 Castle Lite has generated 1.2GWh of renewable electricity a month. In addition, this means 1.2GWh is not being taken from the national grid. Furthermore, Castle Lite is the first beer in South Africa to commit to using renewable electricity in their brewing process. In the first 9 months of the year, they’ve already generated 9.7GWh of renewable electricity.

Our future is in our hands and so is our enjoyment. Castle Lite, in being committed to our world, is also committed to South Africans, and their love for an extra cold Castle Lite. Switch to renewable. Switch to Castle Lite.

beverages renewale energy

Purpose-driven collaborations to improve the society

Cross-Brand collaborations seem to be happening everywhere lately and taking the world by storm. Be it in the fashion, music, and health industry. The market is big enough for any brand to have a share. Brands are tapping into new markets to deliver value to their customers and societies.

The role of brand collaboration in societies.

Brand collaboration allows brands to get in front of potential customers. According to a 5WPR report, 83% of millennials say they value a business that aligns with their values and beliefs. Such businesses are more likely to survive during times of a crisis. With the transformation in technology, consumers are more aware of the influence that brands have in societies. Brands that are purpose-driven such as Bolt add value to society through strategic partnerships.

Here are some of the great collaborations by Bolt to address the socio-economic problem.

Bolt’s x Pink Drive

Bolt partnered with Pink Drive early this year. Their partnership was meant to give health care professionals a ride to vaccination sites. Pink Drive is a non-governmental organization based in Cape Town. Partnering with Bolt was influenced by a surge in demand for Covid -19 healthcare professionals. Healthcare professionals play an important role in caring for our health and well-being during the global pandemic. Their collaboration was impactful and reduced costs and admin it took health care workers to get to the vaccination site.

person being vaccinated — Image: Longislandpress.com

The collaboration came at a time where access to transportation was difficult due to lockdown restrictions. The brand saw an opportunity to work with this NGO to fill in the gap. The Pink Drive health care professionals were transported to public sector vaccination sites in Gauteng, Western Cape, and KwaZulu-Natal.

A free ride to your next interview.

Bolt x Harambee

Unemployment in South Africa is one of the most troubling socio-economic issues. According to Aljazeera, unemployment in South Africa is at an all-time high compared to the rest of the world. The current youth unemployment rate is at 64, 40%.

Bolt South Africa, collaborated with Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator. Harambee is a Non-Profit Organization that is dedicated to the ambitious fight against youth unemployment in South Africa. Harambee achieves its objective by providing unemployed youth the opportunity to get employment through skills development programs.

This collaboration supported Bolt’s vision of driving excellence by helping young South Africans to have access to work opportunities.

Access to transportation and the cost of travel is one of the biggest financial barriers to employment. According to a report by Harambee on breaking Barriers – Transport, this is made worse by the apartheid-led geographic inequality that sees lower-income groups still living further away from jobs and paying more for transport to get to work. This is why enabling access to transport is one of the key factors in overcoming poverty in South Africa.

Addressing Gender-Based Violence

Bolt x Namola

Violence against women is rife in South Africa. Women’s safety in public transports has been a concern for many years. Since the lockdown restrictions, more than 120 000 GBV cases were recorded in SA. Bolt partnered with the National Safety Platform (Namola) to introduce the Women-Only-Service feature into the Bolt app. The feature allows only women to request directly to female drivers. This service is protected by a built-in SOS emergency system. Female passengers requesting this service connect directly to female drivers on the app. Male drivers are not able to see boarding requests.

Brands with good social purpose and value creation are important more likely to have trustworthy customers and experience positive returns on their investments.

bolt collaborations socio-economic

Top Overall General Search Trend

“SASSA status check” was the top trending search in 2021. The 350 social distress relief grant was aimed to help people who are unemployed during the pandemic. Besides the tough times, everyone has been looking for entertainment. Euro 2020 is at number 2 and the Premier League at number 3.

Keeping Up with the Stars

Everyone wants to know what their favourite personalities are up to. The list shows the top 10 trending local personalities including;

Jacob Zuma
Mpura
Ace Magashule
Zola7
Prince Kaybee
Bishop Makamu
Percy Tau
Noxolo Grootboom
Carl Niehaus
Tatjana Schoenmaker

How to…anything

First resort to not knowing? Google! You can Google your way through anything for knowledge and here’s what most people in Mzansi wanted to know how to figure out.

How to apply for R350 grant?
How to register for vaccine?
How to check matric results online?
How to register to vote online?
How to check Sassa balance?
How to tie a tie?
How to make money online in South Africa?
How to claim UIF online?
How to drink ivermectin for Covid?
How to apply for NSFAS?

The convenience of searching on Google is one of the best things about the internet and leads to a lot of things. What is your last Google search?

Explaining the sudden surge in influencer marketing by alcohol brands.

Alcohol, one of the most consumed substances in the world. According to an article published in The Conversation, 12% of adolescents consumed their first taste of alcohol by the age of 13. Many people attribute this so socio-economic issues as well as the advertisement of alcohol. In 2012, the Control of Marketing of Alcoholic Beverages Bill was drafted by our Government, the bill was drafted with the aim to protect children from alcohol advertising.

The term ‘Brand Ambassador’ has been around for the longest of times, the use of the word has increased with influencer marketing taking over the online marketing space. According to Influencer Marketing Hub, of the 81% of marketers who use influencers and influencer content, 51% of those said their influencer’s content outperformed brand-created content. Influencer marketing can be a cost-effective way to reach a new, different audience – and big and small businesses can use this method.

Now, lets think clearly about this, a countries advertising laws do not apply on people’s personal social media pages. The Constitution of the Republic South Africa Act of 108 1996 provides for the freedom of expression. This means that, the ambassadors will be free to continue to post about the different brands even if the drafted bill gets passed into law. It’s a smart move if you ask me. Especially because the whole point is for people to continuously see the product, the ‘how’ is another story.

Lets have a look at some South African celebs who became alcohol brand ambassadors in the year 2021.

Russian Bear x Nadia Nakai and Blaq Diamond

Nadia Nakai and Black Diamond — Image: South Africa Today

Russian Bear has always been a drink for young, vibrant people. The brands collab with Braga Queen, Nadia Nakai and the Afro Pop Duo, Blaq Diamond is centered around creating unique artwork. The collab came about as a campaign called Next level, which it is a call to creators within the arts, fashion or music industry to enter to stand a chance to collab with the brands ambassadors.

JC Leroux x Dineo Langa

We all know Dineo Langa for her classy dresses and the finer things in life. Dineo recently announced that she is the brand ambassador for JC Le Roux’s premium nectar range. The Demi-sec range is available in two variants, the Nectar Demi-Sec and the Nectar Rose. We can all agree that Dineo fits well with a brand like JC Le Roux.

Bernini x Linda Mtoba

Linda Mtoba x Bernini glass — Image: Celebs Now

Bernini, a natural sparkling grape frizzante, the ladies drink recently announced Linda Mtoba as their brand ambassador. Most of us know this beauty for her role as Nomonde on the telenovela, The River. Linda’s latest flex is being a part of the Bernini Glow Getter Squad.

My guess is we’ll be seeing more of these collaborations, especially with the rapid growth of the online marketing space. Social media marketing is where it’s at. Chris Brogan, President of New Marketing Labs once said ”Social Media puts the “public” into PR and the “market” into marketing. ”. What is your take on the move to more brand ambassadors by alcohol bands?

alcohol brands bernini Influencer Marketing Influencers jc leroux

Iconic Creative Moments by Virgil Abloh

Virgil Abloh was an entrepreneur and fashion designer. The world recently got the devastating news that he was privately suffering from cancer, that led to his death. Virgil has worked with big brands and was the first black African decedent man to creatively direct a Louis Vuitton show.

Lady erating Pyrex top — Image: Highsnobiety

Pyrex Vision & Off-White

Pyrex was his first solo business, which targeted the youth. The label grew but Abloh shut it down after a year. He said it was a project he was working on the side and saw it as a creative experiment. After shutting down his first business, Abloh started a company called Off-White. Under this brand, he worked with a lot of fashion houses, including Louis Vuitton & Nike. Off-White contributed to much of his success and catapulted him further in the fashion industry.

Louis Vuitton

In 2019, Virgil showcased his first collection for Louis Vuitton at Paris Fashion Week. He was also the artistic designer for the brand. Off-White sparked the interest of Louis Vuitton and therefore wanted to work with Virgil. After his passing Louis Vuitton is celebrating his legacy by presenting his final collection in Miami.

Virgil Abloh In The Music World

A lot of people relate to music, especially artists. Virgil had a long history in the music world, he was a DJ too. His contribution to the music world was through design. He worked on album covers for artists. In addition, Virgil worked on the graphics and merchandising for Kanye West’s album ‘Graduation’.

Besides working for Kanye, he has also worked with artists like, A$AP Rocky, Lil Uzi Vert, Kid Cudi, Big Sean, 2 Chainz and more. Furthermore, the album by Kanye West and Jay Z, ‘Watch the Throne’ was nominated for a Grammy and he worked on the album art as a creative director.

Virgil Abloh was an iconic man in pop culture. His creative visions influenced a lot of trends in fashion and music. We give him a huge Pat for his contribution and impact to the culture. Rest in peace Virgil.

A celebration like no other, with an animation studio to look out for

Tshimologong Innovation Hub celebrated 5 years of making dreams come true this past week. It was only fitting that the night is kickstarted with a word from the man who started it all. Prof Barry Dwolatzky, who is now the Director Innovation and Strategy at Wits.

Prof Barry shared a story of where it all started. His story was one of passion, will and determination. We can now safely say that those three are a combination of success tools. Prof Barry took his passion and went knocking on doors to bring his dream of a digital innovation hub to light. The University of Witswatersrand assisted him with an old building which used to be club. It is quiet interesting that the main stage at the precinct has footprint that symbolize that the space was once a night club

Dance space to a creators space

From a mere night club to a place where many young people continue to innovate and meet their dreams. The precinct invited some of the people who went through their programs and managed to build reputable businesses and innovations. Four brave innovators shared their businesses with the audience, here are two stories that stood out.

Lucia Nunu Shabangu is one of the ladies who were part of the Ya Basadi program. Her events and marketing business, Complit Events took a hit when the lockdown was first announced in March 2020. After going through a rigorous skills and development training session and also learning about programming, she developed Complit Swing. Complit Swing is a golfing game that uses virtual reality, allowing golfers to engage with people from different parts of the world.

Zuko - founder of Sensor — Zuko Mandlakazi

Senso is a company founded on ensuring that everyone has a fair chance of escaping danger by creating awareness of danger. The founder, Zuko Mandlakazi share a story of a family if five, with only one hearing person in the house. Mandlakazi said that people in the neighburhood knew this and they would wait for the family to sleep and then break into the house.

These unpleasant events made him create a solution that allows the parents, who are both deaf, to feel the potential danger. The Sensor band is a two part device, in the case of the family, one part is placed on the door handle while the other is worn as a wrist band. The device placed at the door sends a signal to the wrist band when it detects movement on the door handle, this then causes a vibration which will wake the individual up.

This can work on anything from keeping your car safe, monitoring a sleeping baby as well as ensuring that you do not burn those scones in the oven.

Unveiling South Africa’s latest animation studio

The event was beautiful, from the set up to the food, the unveiling of its latest offering was the cherry on top. The Mollo Animation Studio was unveiled on Friday the 26th o November 2021. Mollo is a Setswana name that means “fire”, when we remove one ‘l’ the word reads ‘Molo”, which means “warm greetings” in isiXhosa. With this unveiling Tshomologong greets and invites all young aspiring animators to gather around the fire to tell great stories through animation.

This studios is not a win for the precinct only, but for the African continent as a whole. The studio already houses people from different parts of Africa.

A place of new beginnings for digital creatives

You may be asking yourself if there is a place for you at Tshimologong. The question is, do you have a digital idea that you feel like will make a mark in the digital space? if yes, then Tshimologong is is the right place for you. Lungelo Makhathini, who is part of the marketing team at the precinct said “All you need to have is a digital idea or solution”, if you are that person, head over to Tshimilogongs website for more details.

Tshimologong celebrates 5 years milestone of developing Africa’s digital entrepreneurs.

Tshimologong Digital Innovation Precinct has reached an impressive milestone. This year marks five years of the precinct providing innovative and technology-based solutions to problems affecting the South African and the greater African economy.

Tshimologong meaning “new beginnings” in Setswana, a fitting name that the University of Witwatersrand chose for its Digital Innovation Precinct. Tshimologong is not only a catalyst hub that bridges the gap between South Africa’s digital skills shortage and youth unemployment. The precinct is also a place of new beginnings for many young tech enthusiasts, entrepreneurs and professionals in South Africa. In celebration of this milestone, the Precinct will be hosting an event on the 26th of November to give thanks for the continuous support.

Digital skills are vital in building a strong, competitive and sustainable economy. The Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) has demonstrated its ability to transform various industries and drive innovative change. The Precinct commercializes world-class African digital innovation by helping the youth solve local problems with global appeal. This is achieved through its accelerated skills development program, Digital Skills Academy and the Youth Incubation programs. It builds strong relationships with partners, stakeholders, sponsors and communities. Over 500 young people and entrepreneurs have experienced positive growth since the beginning of the Precinct in 2016.

digital skills lab — Image: Tshimologong.joburg

South Africa’s youth unemployment rate is currently at a record high, in October the country’s unemployment rate amongst youth aged between 15-24 years was at 74%. The only solution to this problem is through entrepreneurship and digital transformation. With an understanding of these issues, being equipped with digital skills is crucial in South Africa. The primary mandate of Tshimologong is to empower, educate and upskill the youth to be creative, innovative, competent while contributing to the country’s economy. Some of the important success stories the Precinct has seen over the years is from one of the program beneficiaries, Lesego Vorster. He is currently the Co-founder of Hidden Hands Studios which will be producing an original Disney Plus film to be released in 2022.

Animation student — Image: tshimologong.joburg

The Precinct has been in constant effort to transform youth, entrepreneurs and professionals to grow and thrive in this digital age. “The five years milestone is an ideal amount of time developing a track record of delivering our products and services. Like all initial startups, we tested and tweaked our offering and now have data to support the experience of our interns and entrepreneurs telling us that our methodology works”, says Lesley Donna Williams, CEO of Tshimologong Digital Innovation Precinct.

“Our purpose of the Precinct is to develop world-leading digital entrepreneurs, and we have both entrepreneurs and staff turned entrepreneurs who have excelled in doing so. We are proud to be the platform that catapults the success of our community. Now we need to mainstream African excellence around the globe”, Lesley adds.

South Africa and the broader African region has incredible talent. It may take us doing things differently to fully activate its greatest potential. This means being clear about our role in the value chain from investing in emerging talent to procuring from local digital entrepreneurs. Our nation has no shortage of problems, we have an abundance of unsupported skilled problem solvers that are hungry to make a difference and build businesses doing so.

Brand Africa to rank and award Best Places in Africa

Brand Africa launched Brand Africa| Africa’s Best Places with the aim to celebrate distinctive, sustainable, and competitive places in Africa.

For the past 10 years, Brand Africa convened African and global place branding decision-makers and thought leaders to reflect on how African nations individually and the continent collectively can develop a supranational competitive advantage.

Introducing Brand Africa’s Best Places In Africa

In a world where the movement of people, capital, and ideas are more fluid than ever, a strong place brand is a competitive advantage.

Meanwhile, Africa is rich in valued mineral resources, arable land, youthful, the continent attracts roughly only 5 percent of the world’s inbound tourism and FDI.

The Brand Africa | “Africa’s Best Places” goal is to inspire, champion and celebrate best practices in Africa-focused initiatives and campaigns that will successfully position, influence, and drive competitive and sustainable Nation, City, and Destination brands.

Recognition for the best places in Africa will inspire pride in our land. As a result, it will also enhance their competitiveness, tourism, and investment. All of this contributes to the greater development and image of the continent.

The Awards

The awards are open globally and to African private and public institutions, agencies and practitioners. The submission to entries is for destination branding initiatives and campaigns implemented internally in Africa or externally for Africa. There are two primary awards streams, (1) Adjudicated and (2) Research.

In the adjudicated stream, five awards per category will be announced as gold and qualify as finalists for the Grand Prix. There is one winner for each category for the Grand Prix. In addition, the research category, a pan-African ranking of the most admired African countries and cities for nation, city, and destination brands based on a survey across Africa.

The Categories

The “Brand Africa | Africa’s Best Places” has 6 categories. The best places will be awarded for effective strategy, implementation and return on investment for nation, city, or destination branding initiatives.

The categories include:

Trade, Investment and Economic Development
Tourism
Private Public Partnerships
Citizen Engagement
Conservation and Sustainability
Cross Border Collaborations

Advisory Board and Judges

The advisory board of practitioners, thought leaders, influencers, academic, decision-makers and experts in place branding provides Brand Africa with invaluable insights and advice on shaping the initiative to ensure its relevance and sustainability. The board and judges/ jury include:

Dr. Keith Dinnie

Dr. Sergey Sheykhatov,

James T. Ham

Kwakye Donkor.

Award Process

Registration for the awards enables you to submit and manage your entries in Brand Africa initiatives and access the Brand Africa store. The entry fee for any category is $550. The winners packages for Golds and the Grand Prix are $1,750 and $2,500 respectively. The amount includes two certificates, use of the awards logo, a profile in the Brand Africa Portfolio of Africa’s Best Brands and Places Yearbook. Further, admission tickets to the awards ceremony and a year’s featured exhibition in the Brand Africa Hall of Fame.

Black Friday Deals to Consider This Year

It’s that time of the year, Black Friday is approaching. Most importantly, you know the year is almost over. There is a big sale at every store for just one day. Recently, some stores have opted to run specials or deals every week or for the entire month of November.

Reality in Prices

The reality is that most people can’t afford a lot of things. Meanwhile, there was a fuel price hike in the country. A few weeks ago, diesel went up by R1.48 per liter and petrol by R1.21 per liter. A fuel price hike has a ripple effect on the cost of everything. This Black Friday, prices of specials might not be so special, transportation of goods is dependent on fuel prices.

Overtime, people have noticed that Black Friday prices in the country aren’t really worth it. The discounts aren’t much and most range at minus 10% of the original price.

Black Friday Deals from Brands

Every store is expected to have a sale in a few weeks. Consumer are comparing prices on the cheapest for the products they want. Here are a few places with deals.

Dis-Chem

Dis-Chem deals and specials will only be available to customers from Monday 22nd to Sunday 28th November, both in-store and online, while stocks last. There are products with a 50% off price slash, 2+1 offers. The sale is on make-up products, fragrances, health and wellness, baby essentials and more. Hopefully, you won’t spend 2 million.

Superbalist

The online wardrobe and lifestyle destination is running a Black Friday sale too. Superbalist is the right place for fashion, shoes, accessories, sportswear, homeware + beauty that cater to all sizes and ages. Their Black Friday Showdown starts on the 24th of November until the 29th. Superbalist will also be taking part in Cyber Monday.

Game

Every one has Game on Black Friday. Every year customers line up in long ques to get their deals. They are the go to store for appliances. They have deals this “Black November” with the guarantee that they can beat any price and if you find something cheaper elsewhere they will give you a 10% discount on the price difference! There are deals on home appliances, electronics, home office supplies and more.

There are a lot deals out there, shop til you drop on items you need. Don’t accumulate unnecessary debt. Remember there is still January 2022.

A taste of Petals from Paris by Just Teddy

If you’re looking for something fresh, new, and breathtaking this holiday season, be sure to check out Just Teddy!. As the Christmas season approaches, many people begin to wonder what special dishes and desserts will dazzle their dinner tables.

Just Teddy-Boulangerie & Pâtisserie have released their first cookbook which they have been working on for years .The book is titled: “Just Teddy – Petals from Paris”. In this remarkable book, Teddy Zaki and his family guide readers on their journey of building an outstanding bakery. They share impressive recipes and special ways to prepare unique and delicious dishes.

Just Teddy Cook book inside — Image: Supplied

The pages of this book are like a trip down memory lane. From the simple Coloured Cupcakes and the delectable Chocolate Ganache Tart – which were on Just Teddy’s first counter at the food market located at 1 Fox. All the way to a magnificent variation on a basic Macaron recipe for Ispahan and Persian Love Cake. This book will turn even the most reluctant bakers among us into master bakers.

Get your hands on a copy

Just Teddy – Petals from Paris will be on sale on the 25th of November. This books will be sold at a value R650 with a custom, limited edition book cover(pictured above left) and R550 without a book cover.

Books can be purchased at www.justteddy.shop or at Just Teddy’s Hyde Park Corner store.

baked good food Just Teddy

New 2021 Nissan Navara Pro 4X Review

There are bakkies but there is the Nissan Navara Pro 4X. Before I get to share with you how my experience was with the new Nissan Navara, I think it is important to mention that it is built right here in South Africa. This shows the commitment that Nissan has to the South African market. The most exciting part is that it is built for local conditions.

Now, let’s get into the review.

The looks

The Nissan Navara Pro 4x is an absolute head-turner. It is that one ride that will get you showered with compliments everywhere you go. It looks rugged and bold at the same time. Whilst reviewing the car, I had many instances where people stopped me and ask me about the car and gave compliments.

The exterior

The black-on-black detail (bumper, side mirrors, side-skirts, grille etc.) really worked wonders on the Navara. The u-shaped bonnet makes it look more chunky and muscular. It commands respect. The Navara PRO-4X (4×4) comes standard with 255/65 R17 front tyres and 255/65 R17 rear tyres with black rims. It is also fitted with LED headlamps and as well as fog lights. When driving during the night and the headlights are on bright when another approaches they automatically adjust themselves.

On the rear, you get a sloping back that makes it look like it’s got a spoiler, which is cool. It also has a reverse camera and sensors. The payload capacity is 1,017 KG.

The interior

When you step inside the new Nissan Navara Pro 4X, you step into comfort. I know it may sound contradictory given its rugged exterior. It’s got soft black leather seats with red and white stitches. The driver’s seat is electronically adjustable. It is also equipped with digital dials well as an infotainment touchscreen, two USB ports – one in the front and another at the back as well as a TYPE C port positioned under the armrest.

In terms of storage, there is a place to store everything. In the font, you get two cupholders by the dashboard and in the center too. On the door sides, you get bottle storage as well. There is a couple of places where you can put your smartphone on. There’s also sunglass storage.

2021 Nissan Navara showing heated front seats

Technology

The Nissan Navara Pro 4x is one of the most technologically advanced bakkies I’ve ever driven, thanks to Nissan Intelligent Mobility. On the instrument cluster, you get a multi-information screen also known as the Advanced Drive-Assist Display in the middle which shows fuel economy, blindspot monitor, music etc. Under the side mirrors, you get cameras that give you a 360 degrees view of the car which is very accurate.

As mentioned earlier, it’s got an electrically controlled driver’s seat as well as the rear window. It also comes with AppleCar Play as well as Android Auto.

The Drive

As I always say, the real proof of any car is in the driving. The Nissan Navara Pro-4X is a real joy to drive – on and off-road. I got to drive it on the winding roads of Schoemanskloof in Mpumalanga, gravel roads of Limpopo, and on the busy streets of Johannesburg. On all occasions, the Navara delivered a smooth and nimble drive. All thanks to the 2.5-litre single-turbo diesel engine that produces 140 kW and 450 Nm of torque and 7-speed. When you put the foot down on the accelerator it goes.

Given the fact that the Nissan Navara Pro-4X is diesel-powered, you will expect the drive to be quite loud like other diesel bakkies. This is not the case with Navara, it delivers a smooth and quiet drive.

In terms of fuel consumption, as you know it depends on your driving style. On a good drive, I averaged 7.8 L/100KM which is below the claimed 8.1 L/100KM. On a bad drive, the average was 9.1 L/100Km.

Pricing

The Nissan Navara Pro 4X is well priced, starting at R740 000 incl. VAT.

Does the Nissan Navara Pro 4X get a Pat or a Slap?

In conclusion, the Nissan Navara Pro 4X gets a Pat on many fronts including – the drive and the price.

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