The ten best read stories on MarkLives during the month of March.
1. The real cost of SA’s most expensive website (March 8, 2013)
by Arthur Goldstuck (@art2gee) More was spent on the planning of the Free State government web site than most South African corporates have ever spent on the full development and implementation of their web sites.
2. The biggest circulating consumer magazines in SA (February 28, 2013)
The ABC has released circulation statistics for the period October 2012 to December 2012. Here are a couple of consumer magazine ABC numbers that popped out for us. We also updated our list of the biggest circulating consumer magazines in SA!
3. Exclusive: Sekunjalo Group company buys digital agency World Wide Creative (March 14, 2013)
Saratoga Software, a subsidiary of JSE listed Sekunjalo Investments Limited, has acquired a majority shareholding in Cape Town digital agency World Wide Creative.
Sekunjalo is lead by Dr Iqbal Survé, who recently made headlines thanks to the successful bid (still subject to approval world wide creativefrom shareholders and authorities) by the Sekunjalo Independent Media Consortium to acquire the South African division of Irish owned Independent Newspapers in a R2 billion deal.
4. MarkLives Ad of the Week with Oresti Patricios – A ‘lekker’ local campaign with wings
Kulula continues its tradition of cheeky, humorous and thoroughly South African commercials, this time with a print ad that introduces the livery on the airline’s new fleet of Boeing 737-800s (and takes an indirect swipe at the national carrier).
The full colour print ad, launched on Sunday 03 March 2013 in the Sunday Times, shows a new Boeing , with livery proudly displaying the South African flag on the tail, and the bold new slogan “The Most South African Airways” on the side. Kulula has been careful not to mimic the font or the exact tail design of SAA planes, thus avoiding any potential legal trademark issues.
5. Oops! Newspapers just did it again (February 28, 2013)
Yup print newspaper proprietors generally did a decent impression of Britney Spears’ career path judging by the current (continuing downward) trajectory of newspaper print circulation.
The ABC has released circulation statistics for the period October 2012 – December 2012. Here are a couple of numbers that stood out in terms of newspaper circulations.
6. Exclusive: FoxP2 Johannesburg open for business (March 7, 2013)
FoxP2 has officially opened its new Johannesburg agency head-quartered in the Design Quarter in Fourways. It will be an independent shop lead creatively by Grant Jacobsen while FoxP2 Group MD Charl Thom will manage the business side.
7. Emma King: Bloggers, freebies and the readers’ right to know (March 19, 2013)
by Emma King (@EmmainSA) This week I was bemused to read the British papers up in arms over the revelation that BBC bosses accepted free tickets and hospitality to various Olympics event. The chattering classes and BBC critics were alarmed that their supposedly objective media may have been swayed by something akin to bribes.
8. Exclusive: JWT Cape Town appoints new ECD, Managing Partner (March 12, 2013)
Willem van der Merwe, formerly Managing Director at Trigger Isobar, has been appointed as Managing Partner at JWT Cape Town (@jwtmea & @JWTSouthAfrica). Van der Merwe, 33, will report to Jim Faulds, COO at JWT S.A. Jonathan Lang also joins JWT Cape Town as ECD on April 1.
9. The growing digital footprint of Huisgenoot, YOU and Drum (March 25, 2013)
In the world of print publishing the three sister magazines of Huisgenoot, YOU and Drum make for a formidable powerhouse – they are three biggest circulating consumer magazines in the country.
Until recently that offline brand and circulation power hasn’t been effectively utilised online, but it’s changing, and quickly, according to Wilmer Müller,huisgenoot oscar pistorius Head of Digital at Huisgenoot, YOU and Drum.
10. MarkLives Ad of the Week with Oresti Patricios – When a brand invests in the human spirit
When we think of the exemplars of the human spirit, it’s easy to think of sporting heroes, artists and other remarkable people who have truly excelled. One’s mind easily turns to extraordinary South Africans like multi-award winning paralympic swimmer Natalie du Toit; or the internationally acclaimed singer Miriam Makeba; or renowned author and anti-apartheid activist, Alan Paton. Then there’s the man who suffered greatly but overcame to lead a nation and in the process became a global icon – Nelson Mandela.
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