Category archives: Columns

ABC Analysis Q3 2012: Bad news for newspapers gets worse

Last ABC Period: July 2012 to September 2012

The ABC has released circulation statistics for the period July 2012 to September 2012. Here are a couple of numbers that stood out in terms of newspaper circulations.

Note: We compare the current figures with the same figures for this time last year and not with the previous quarter.

Daily newspapers

The Cape Argus lost a huge chunk of circulation falling to 33,006 from 45,128 for the corresponding period last year. The Cape Times tried to equal the nose dive falling to 34,523 from 43,274. Pretoria News fell to 19,235 from 23,148 and The Star to 105,686 from 136,552. Anybody still bidding for Independent News & Media South Africa? Seriously?

Daily Sun continued its decline to 336,319 from 374,400. Son fell to 94,610 from 103,056, Sowetan to 101,155 from 116,347. Beeld dropped to 70,070 from 76,951.

Isolezwe bucked the trend to climb slightly to 107,628 from 106,734.

MarkLives Big Daily Newspaper List*

1. Daily Sun 336,319
2. The Times** 138626
3. Isolezwe 107,628
4. The Star 105,686
5. Sowetan 101,155
6. Son 94,610
7. Beeld 70,070
8. The Citizen 66,116
9. Die Burger (Wes Kaap) 51,022
10. Business Day 35,828

ABC Analysis Q3 2012: The biggest-circulating consumer magazines in SA

by Herman Manson (@marklives) Last ABC Period: July 2012 to September 2012

The ABC has released circulation statistics for the period AJuly 2012 to September 2012. Here are a couple of numbers that popped out for us. We also updated our list of the biggest circulating consumer magazines in SA!

Note: We compare the current figures with the same figures for this time last year and not with the previous quarter!

Biz and Finance

Finweek and the Financial Mail circulation departments seems to have come to a joint decision to longer put out the exact same sales figures. Good on them. FM upped its circulation to 25,065 from 23,649 for the same period last year (total paid: 22,980) while Finweek declined from 21,978 to 25,670 (total paid: 19,359). New entrant Forbes Africa shows an ABC of 18,919 (total paid 9,688). Noseweek took a bit of a tumble to 15,886 from 18,006 – maybe it’s time to hire some fact checkers and halt the decline.

Health not looking healthy

Shape and Pols/Pulse both closed down resulting in circulation figures for the ‘Health’ niche collapsing from 174,116 to 98,912 (or more than 75 000 copies). Shape competitor Women’s Health is categorised by the ABC as falling under Woman’s Magazines. It would have added 57,270 copies to the category.

Entertainment/celeb news is bad news

heat kept its freefall going and collapsed to 28,316 from 34,592. It’s lost about half its circulation since 2005.

Huisgenoot declined to 273,772 from 289,068 (and 281,045 in the ABC period for April 2012 to June 2012). YOU fell to 162,879 from 175,698 and Drum to 115,375 from 130,253. Bona fell to 82,855 from 90,311.

Ad of the Week with Oresti Patricios – Gotta love this horrifying new campaign

What is it about Marmite that makes the yeasty spread such a perennially relevant brand? Perhaps it is because the dark, salty sandwich favourite has been around for almost 110 years, but my bet is that it is, in part, because the people who market the brand are clever. Oh so very, very clever.

In the UK, the makers of the dark brown paste where intelligent enough to work with an advertising agency that told them that not everyone was a lover of Marmite, and that the sandwich spread shouldn’t try to be all things to all people.

Harvard Business Review tells how Marmite’s brilliantly controversial ‘Love It or Hate It’ campaign was born 15 years ago out of a difference of tastes among the creative team at DDB London. “One loved the brown, savoury spread and one hated it. The campaign’s longevity and fame reflects the fact that even in its country of origin, the brand’s strong taste is ‘challenging’.”

(Not quite) Ad of the Week with Oresti Patricios: Eish! Telkom – what a headache

The scene opens in a futuristic type tunnel, where nattily dressed man steps out from a computer generated symbol that appears to be part of a logo. As he starts walking closer towards the audience he’s saying: “When it comes to staying in touch, staying in one place isn’t an option.”

There’s a network of neurons adjacent to him that glow, and almost appear alive. Words flash in Google-esque type frames and a dynamic red orb appears and rotates around the man, who’s wearing glasses because he’s intelligent – you see? But a T-shirt under his casual suit which means he’s smart, yet accessible. Trendy, yet timeless.

The erudite protagonist continues amidst orbs that become liquid, and then immediately resume their more firm form: “Wherever your day takes you. From talking business to catching up on the home front, you need all your devices – laptop, desktop, smartphone and tablet – to work together. Keeping you connected – anytime, anywhere. It’s not complicated. It’s the journey to convergence.”

If you don’t know which brand this ad belongs to, would you be able to guess?

Speed walking, Gazelle lets the geeks rule award shows

by Herman Manson. Award recipients at the 2012 Bookmarks Awards are excellent speed walkers. Following the rules of the evening, they raced in a giant loop around the stage at the Artscape to receive their Pixels.

Ad of the Week with Oresti Patricios – a bank moves forward (by looking back)

by Oresti Patricios. As the very foundation of banks change, how does one position banking brands favourably for the future? Standard Bank has answered this conundrum with a very clever campaign that looks backward in order to look forward.

Ad of the Week with Oresti Patricios – Lawrence Anthony, Coronation and the lesson of trust

I am writing about FoxP2’s incredible “Trust is earned” television commercial which was directed by Robin Goode of Giant Films, for Coronation.

Ad of the Week with Oresti Patricios – A good reason to love Nando’s (even more)

MarkLives Ad of the Week with Oresti Patricios – A good reason to love Nando’s (even more)

Ever tried to list all the reasons why you love South Africa?

In a context saturated with mining violence and strikes, investor pessimism and ratings downgrades, you’ve got to love Nando’s for reminding locals to think of the reasons why they love this country.

In a clever campaign that celebrates the chicken people’s 25th birthday, the savvy brand has called on Fando’s (Nando’s fans, get it?) to use the hash tag #25reasons and to start showing the love.

There’s a Pinterest board called #25reasons where SA lovers can repin their favourite reasons or create their own. Fando’s were also required to Tweet their #25reasons or to post them on Nando’s Facebook page. The fowl brand says the most shared reasons will be made into online videos.

To drive interest in the campaign Nando’s agency, Black River FC, created a couple of spots that have been flighted on TV, can be seen on YouTube, and are doing the rounds via email, Google+, Facebook and other social networks.

Hermaneutics: A tale of three award ceremonies

by Herman Manson. It’s like inviting Bucks Fizz to MC a champagne & sparkling wine event. I’m of course talking about flying in MC Hammer to MC the Loerie Awards on Sunday evening, or not, as the case might be.

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