Cheryl Hunter (shelflife at marklives.com)’s weekly pick of all things new — product, packaging, design, insight, food, décor and more!
- Panasonic presents smart surveillance
- Growler beers launched across Kruger
- Savanna is a ‘leeedle crazy’
Simple, smart solutions
Japanese technology company, Panasonic, has released the Panasonic Home Network System — a wireless system with a simple do-it-yourself set up that allows the customer to create a network of cameras and sensors in their homes — all controlled with an easy-to-use app.
Says John David, Panasonic South Africa, sales and marketing manager, “The way that people use and interact with technology has changed. It has become a part of the fabric of our everyday lives — supporting and enhancing everything that we do.”
The smart system allows individuals to adapt and add to the system as their needs grow. The kits provide customers with the ability to integrate home security and baby monitoring with their mobile phones, allowing them to control the network from anywhere. There are no monthly product subscription fees and the total cost of ownership is included in the purchase price, so the kits represent a once-off investment for users.
The Baby Monitoring kit is a preconfigured system that includes a hub and an indoor camera: “It allows you to use your smartphone or tablet to watch live images and listen to your camera — even when you are not at home. You can also use the camera’s built in sensor features to trigger a recording and send notifications to your phone. It also has night vision, five recorded lullabies and a two-way communication function.”
The Home Surveillance kit is made up of a hub and two outdoor cameras, with option of adding a further two cameras. It allows users to use their smart phones to control, view and listen to their cameras using their phone or tablet, and to use their smartphones or tablets to make phone calls using their landlines. The sensor features in the outdoor cameras can be used to trigger the recording feature, call a pre-programmed number when the sensor is triggered or send notifications to a smart phone, tablet or cordless handset.
“The key differentiator for these systems is that they are smart,” says David. “Of course, home cameras and baby monitors are not new technology, but their intelligence and their ability to interact with users set them apart. We believe that they provide a solution for every feature that parents and homeowners wish their home systems had.”
www.panasonic.com • Facebook • Twitter
Giving a growl for the rhino
Local craft brewery, Growler, is the first craft beer to appear on shelves in the Kruger National Park and will soon be ”on tap” in restaurants across the park’s camps, making it easier for every South African to raise a toast to the battle against rhino poaching, thanks to a partnership with the Rhino Action Group Effort (RAGE).
Owners Scott Hamilton and Tristan Dias grew up traveling through South Africa’s National Parks, which ignited a passion for the country’s natural resources and heritage, and today the team is an eager supporter of anti-poaching initiatives, particularly those addressing rhino-poaching.
Hamilton and the Growler team recently partnered with RAGE by proudly pledging R1 from every “Growler Red Ale” or “Boom Shaka Lager” purchase to the organisation.
Growler sales are currently focused in the Mmobela (Nelspruit) Mpumalanga region and have an extensive footprint in the Kruger National Park and other private reserves, such as Sabi Sands reserve. Plans are afoot for a national reach by April 2016.
The Growler journey began in 2014 with Dias, who returned from living in Canada for two years and was fascinated at the selection of craft beers available to consumers: “I developed my own brand that represented the Lowveld Region and a beer that would have international and local appeal, and the slogan ‘Craft Beer | True to Africa’ was born. The name Growler just stuck and, lucky for us, had a dual connotation and so we took the name, and gave it a face — the face of a lion, king of the bush.”
The branding lends itself to the Kruger region and it is helping create awareness of the poaching crisis SA is facing: “For us, this means we can add a little bit of giving back to something we are passionate about.”
Savanna goes loco
Popular cider Savanna has launched a new special release that combines the Savanna Dry taste with fresh tequila flavor: Savanna Loco.
Savanna Loco is the first of its kind in South Africa and has a vibrant turquoise packaging, making this limited edition easy to spot on shelves across SA, retailing at around R74.95 per six-pack.
Savanna will also be going a “leeedle crazy” on TV and radio. Join in the fun by clicking on the Savanna Loco Piňata on Savanna’s social media platforms.
www.savannacider.com • Facebook • Twitter • Hashtag • YouTube • Instagram
Shelf Life is MarkLives.com’s weekly column covering all things new. Notify us of yours at shelflife at marklives dot com. Want to sponsor Shelf Life? Contact us here.
Cheryl Hunter (@cherylhunter) has written for the South African media, marketing and advertising industries for more than 15 years. A former editor of M&M in Independent Newspapers and contributor to Bizcommunity, AdFocus, AdReview and the Ad Annual, she has also produced for various television networks and currently consults on communication strategy and media liaison.
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