SA TV Ratings: DStv — primetime top 30 for Oct 2019

by MarkLives (@marklives) The hottest primetime shows on DStv in South Africa revealed: TV ratings for October 2019.

DStv logoDStv, October 2019

Top 30 Programmes All Adults 15+ & DStv Adults
October Prime Time 5.30pm—10pm

Source: BRCSA October 2019

 

BRCSA TV Ratings October 2019 primetime DStv
Click to enlarge to view clearly.

 

Broadcast Research Council of South AfricaThe Broadcast Research Council of South Africa (BRCSA) is a non-profit, industry body that was incorporated in 2015 to cater to the audience research needs of the radio and television industry in South Africa. In 2016, it changed its policy about giving away TAMS and now only monthly reports, highlighting the top 20 or 30 primetime shows on several popular channels, are available.

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Brands & Branding: Consumer disloyalty sweeping the nation

by Ailsa Wingfield. Consumers are flirting with and cheating on their favourite brands — many of which they’ve held near and dear for years. Whether they’re doing so to stay current with the latest trends or to simply try something new that piques their curiosity, ‘new’ has greater pull these days than tried and true. While choice is fantastic for consumers, this addiction to ‘newism’ is leaving established companies heartbroken and desperate for a second chance.

Assume the people you consider to be the most-loyal customers are, in fact, disloyal. Because 91% of the time, you’ll be right. Nielsen findings demonstrate that just 9% of South African consumers consider themselves to be firmly committed loyalists.

Yet the marketing tactics and investments rarely reflect these realities. A whopping 41% of consumers tell us they are more likely to try new brands than they were five years ago, a clear signal to a trend we should expect to intensify. Yet we see few signs that adjustments have been made to marketing initiatives or innovation pipelines to match these numbers.

Implications

The implications of not dramatically rethinking campaigns that focus on winning or retaining loyal customers are meaningful. The drag effect of consumer demand for choice and voting with their wallets will overwhelm existing marketing and product development efforts.

Yet brands, on all parts of the consumer journey, continue to invest in marketing efforts aimed at holding or growing loyalty without a clear benefit proposal. We think that’s a mistake that needs to stop being repeated.

A helpful lens to determine a new approach may start with considering degrees of loyalty and disloyalty. Apart from that 9% group of firm loyalists, it’s rarely binary.

Consider this: consumers are actively on the lookout for new brands as the gamble of buying a new product is de-risked by levers such as rising income levels, broader product ranges and new retail channel options. A significant 38% of South African consumers say they love trying new things, and a further 54% of consumers — while preferring to stick with what they know — can be moved to experiment. With the overwhelming majority of consumers actively or passively open to unfaithful actions, the risks for brand owners have never been greater.

Larger purpose

This information alone tells us that ‘conventional’ product innovation is no longer about being first to market, delivering the next best attribute or even greater value, but extends to identifying a brand’s larger purpose, for connecting with more discerning and fickle consumers.

In the developed markets of North America, Asia-Pacific and Western Europe, consumers have for decades had access to an array of large and small, local, destination, online and organised hypermarkets, supermarkets and convenience stores, and they all come with well-stocked shelves and multiple product options in a variety of flavours, pack sizes and price points — or simply much more choice. One-third of these consumers love new, as opportunities to be distracted and disloyal have been around for much longer.

On the flipside, a larger proportion of consumers (closer to half) in Africa, Middle East, Asia and Latin America are enthralled with new products. Retail and product assortment in developing markets has traditionally been informal and limited, often with only two or three product options on shelf per category. Consumer connections with brands in these markets were less likely due to strong loyalty associations, and more likely based on availability-based buying.

As more products are ‘born and bred’ in these markets, consumers are now also exposed to more choices that appeal beyond the power of big brands. The power of local products and local supply chains is running hard and fast against the long-time global players.

New battleground

In all environments, there will continue to be better quality and more quantity on the way. ‘Gaining ground’ or ‘loving the latest’, regardless of market-specific circumstances, is the new battleground for brands. Consumers are less likely to form strong, long-lasting bonds with brands, especially when ties may have been weak, or at best forced, due to a lack of alternatives.

Being a slave to choice will not be an option for brands…and that’s a far cry from marketing campaigns that chase loyalty or innovation efforts that rely on the power of a master brand.

Consumers are also aware and engaged with broader competitive sets than five years ago. Amid the growing product repertoires, consumers are more careful about those they are associated with and ready to walk away from brands that don’t resonate with their lives and ideals.

A further multiplier to the equation we’re to consider is that a third (32%) of local consumers are reviewing products across broader ranges than ever. We call this group “conscious considerers” and they’re important because, even though they’re choosing more widely than ever across brands, they tell us they prefer to stay with those they’ve tried in the past. It will take more to convince these consumers to change but they still send signals of disloyalty that are ringing louder every day. Marketers can move their decisions to force disloyalty, especially if their current brands haven’t given them compelling reasons, conditions or characteristics to stay.

What is also fundamentally evident is that consumers are mostly less strongly bound to familiar brands, which means brand-halo effects risk losing even more power over time. This is good news for new, unknown brands but a signal to the well-known, heritage brands that the trust ties are loosening. For brands of all sizes, marketing to the growing traits of disloyalty, instead of the declining rates of loyalty, will be key.

See also

 

Brands & Branding 2019 now available!
Brands & Branding 2019 now available!

Ailsa Wingfield is the executive director: intelligence, at Nielsen Global Markets. She helps businesses take advantage of today and tomorrow’s prospects by identifying and exploring consumer demand generating trends via strategic foresight, measurement, knowledge creation and thought leadership. She has extensive experience working with multinational and local brands, in global markets across the consumer goods, media and telecommunications industry.

The article first appeared in the 2019 edition of Brands & Branding in South Africa, an annual review from Affinity Publishing of all aspects of brand marketing. Find case-studies, profiles and brand news at Co.RetailingAfrica.com. Order your copy of the 25th annual edition now!

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#BigQEmployers: When it comes to young talent, adland needs to be agile

by MarkLives (@marklives) How successful have local ad agencies been in creating positive employer reputations? What do they consider best practice, how do they measure their reputations among employees and what impact has positive employer reputation had on their ability to attract star talent? Next in our panel to tackle this Big Q is Unati Moalusi at Wunderman Thompson South Africa.

Unati Moalusi

Unati MoalusiUnati Moalusi is chief people officer at Wunderman Thompson South Africa (WPP merged Wunderman with J. Walter Thompson internationally a year ago). She has a master’s degree in psychology, years of experience in HR management and a recently acquired, internationally recognised qualification in consciousness coaching, focusing on self-awareness and awareness of other.

Where we are

With the official launch of Wunderman Thompson South Africa, formerly known as Wunderman SA, on 6 September 2019, our employer brand has been uppermost on our minds. Throughout the agency’s evolution, it has always managed to maintain a cohesive and winning culture.

I joined the agency as chief people officer in October 2018. I hail from insurance, which is a completely different background, and so I love being part of a milieu which nurtures and encourages me to express my creativity. I love the vibrancy of this environment, and the life that people in the creative industries bring to the workplace. I’m passionate about people and passionate about organisational brands. I believe that the two work hand in hand: if you don’t have a focus on people, your brand will suffer.

This focus on culture is something that we consciously continue to cultivate. We understand that the mere fact of working in an advertising agency means that you are creatively inclined, even if you’re not a copywriter. The Creative Leadership Council has been introduced to give a more-focused approach to our creative teams. This forum is somewhat of an ideas incubator, drawing on and encouraging people to share their creativity and hone in on award-winning material, as well as foster more proactive work.

Other changes

Other changes we’re introducing include personal development plans linking individuals to where the business is going. We’ve also implemented a reward-and-recognition programme because everyone wants to be acknowledged for the work they’ve done. Our appreciation programme gives kudos to people on a monthly, quarterly and annual basis, taking note of their contribution in terms of teamwork, leadership or service excellence.

When there are problems at the leadership level, these inevitably manifest at the lower levels of the agency. Happily, our team has great flow, and our people consequently feel a sense of belonging and direction. We’re also linked by global behaviours, which ensure that you’ll experience the same culture in any one of our network’s offices.

That said, as a South African entity, we’ve obviously taken heed of locally relevant issues. We’ve been able to look at different policies and ways of working and select those that we believe will work best. The result is a place where we’re confident we’re doing the best for our people.

Why it’s important

Obviously, this is a highly competitive industry; every agency is on the hunt for the very best talent. The employer brand clearly plays a critical role here.

The conversations I’ve had with creatives have revealed that people move around according to the kind of work that’s on offer — everyone wants to do work that’s challenging and exciting. This means that we have to work hard to both attract and retain great clients; we have to be able to offer the kind of work that makes potential talent say, “I really want to work there.”

People also move because of leadership. South Africa’s ad industry is such that people remember everyone they’ve had a good experience working with — and, again, everyone wants to work with the best. That’s why we place great emphasis on having the right leadership in the team.

Industry has to be agile

What’s relevant, for me, is that the industry has to be agile, especially when it comes to young talent. This group is notorious for their tendency to move around: they usually have a lifespan at your agency for just 2–5 years. The minute you start thinking about how to keep them longer, you’re setting yourself up for failure. Instead, your focus needs to be on how you can add value to them, and help them give of their best, in the time that they’re with you.

I believe that regular check-ins are key in this regard. These allow you to remain intuitive and alert so that you’re able to identify patterns. If you’re engaged in this manner, there should be no such thing as a ‘surprise’ resignation.

How the industry is faring

I think the industry players have done a great deal of work when it comes to building employer brands. We’ve achieved a significant amount of transformation in an industry that was previously heavily white-dominated, and that’s exciting because it means that we’re better-placed to talk to our markets, which have also become more diverse. My view is that transformation isn’t just about diversity, though; it also impacts on the richness of the ideas and thinking that the agency generates. Different world views make for a powerful cocktail, and this shows in the quality of the work the industry is producing. Returning from the recent Loeries Awards, I was struck by the calibre of the work — some truly world-class ideas.

I believe that globalisation has played a massive role in this. Technology gives us instant access to international work and thinking, and this has helped to shape best practice. It also helps that many local agencies work with the South African arms of international clients, giving us greater exposure. Of course, the downside to this is that the staff that’s seconded to international clients are often headhunted by those very companies — but that’s just proof that we’re doing a great job.

See also

 

MarkLives logoLaunched in 2016, “The Big Q” is a regular column on MarkLives in which we ask key advertising and marketing industry execs for their thoughts on relevant issues facing the industry. If you’d like to be part of our pool of panellists, please contact editor Herman Manson via email (2mark at marklives dot com) or Twitter (@marklives). Suggestions for questions are also welcomed.

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Always Learning: Marketing in a post-Cambridge Analytica world

by Kirsten Dewar. Brands must embrace transparency and ethics in a post-Cambridge Analytica world.

Facebook Dating

September 2019 saw the world’s biggest social media platform, Facebook, launch a dating site in the US. Announcing the move on its newsroom, the social media giant wrote that it was “giving people the ability to integrate their Instagram posts directly into their Facebook Dating profile and giving people the ability to add Instagram followers to their Secret Crush lists, in addition to Facebook friends.”

As the news dropped, the big question the media and marketers were asking was whether the world was ready to trust Facebook with its love secrets after the massive Cambridge Analytica trust breach that broke early in 2018. The Washington Post headlined its dating-service story: “Facebook wants to find you a soulmate. Will users trust the company with its secret?”

The Facebook/Cambridge Analytica data scandal was undoubtedly the story of 2018, and it was a pivotal moment for data marketers. Yes, data had been taken from social networks before but never in such a cynical, manipulative way for such a dreadful political end. Everyone remembers Cambridge Analytica as the rogue which harvested people’s personal data from Facebook without getting permission, done in the name of political advertising gain, and the nett result was Brexit, and Donald Trump — a leadership that has proved disastrous by any standard.

Dark side

As Fast Company writes this September in a story headlined “Before Trump, Cambridge Analytica’s parent built weapons for war”: “Revelations of dirty tricks and illicitly-harvested Facebook profiles turned Cambridge Analytica into a global symbol for the dark side of big data. Its actual impact on the insurgent victories of Trump and Brexit, however, remains one of many mysteries surrounding the disgraced political consultancy. Cambridge’s sophisticated-sounding electioneering tactics seemed to rely as much upon hype and marketing whimsy as they did upon behavioural science, Facebook ads, and murky pools of data.”

How has this crime affected marketers and brands? Humans once readily gave marketers their data, but all this has changed. In a post-Cambridge Analytica world, people have rightly become reluctant to hand over their data. Because of this ethics, transparency and trust are the new governors of data.

Emerging research shows that Facebook has clearly been hurt by the Cambridge Analytica outrage. A recent survey by Brand Keys, reported in Marketing Dive, shows that the world’s biggest social network is haemorrhaging brand loyalty. “Facebook saw a steep drop in brand loyalty to 24th place this year from 8th place in 2018, contrasting Twitter’s jump to 11th place from 23rd,” the report on this survey reads.

Marketers

And what about the marketers? Basically, we’re seeing two types of reactions from brands and the consulting companies that guide them. The first has seen marketers keep their heads down and continue as if it were business as usual. This is a disastrous response because it doesn’t acknowledge consumer sentiment. We all know that ignoring consumer problems isn’t a valid response; at best, it is just a delaying or avoidance tactic. If there’s only one thing you take away from this column, let it be this — the future of marketing is all about listening to, and acting on, consumer sentiment — not ignoring it.

What marketers need to do is to look to themselves and to work with brands to build better marketing tools, ethics and practices going forward. The Cambridge Analytica breach has been a wakeup call for marketing. Those who hear it and reform will survive and will likely thrive in a future where marketing is more open, transparent and personalised — a future that serves humans better.

Brands which hide or who don’t embrace the move toward more-ethical data standards will further damage marketing, and will, like Facebook, see a massive fall off of brand loyalty.

The future is all about trust and transparency — a place where data practices are ethical, open and where humans have more control over their personal information and how it is used.

Read more

 

Kirsten DewarKirsten Dewar started her career in data and research, before moving into technology, which took her to Platinum Seed; today, she is the managing director of the digital specialist company. She contributes the monthly MarkLives column, Always Learning, which aims to teach marketers more about digital marketing, from how to conquer Facebook’s algorithms to what LinkedIn’s new company pages mean for B2B brands.

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Q5: Bettering trans representation, with Elle Rose van der Burg [interview]

by Carey Finn (@carey_finn) Model and activist Elle Rose van der Burg (@baby_caramelle), who was featured in Dove’s Project #ShowUs campaign, talks transgender representation in media and fashion. She reminds us that we’ve got some way to go.

Q5: First things first — let’s talk representation: where are we winning when it comes to transgender representation in advertising, and where does the industry need to do better?
Elle Rose van der Burg: I think South Africa’s media industry is only “winning” in regards to transgender representation in that it is finally showing transgender people in media. That being said, taking more active and socially aware steps to honestly represent transgender people is the only way the industry could improve its representation of transgender bodies and voices. I think a lot of how we’re portrayed in media is still very shallow and tends to only be centred around our experiences as transgender people and not so much our voices as people.

Q5: How about in fashion — what levels and kinds of representation are we seeing?
ERB: I think transgender representation in fashion is a double-edged sword. It only allows for transgender people who appeal to the gender binary to be seen. The ultimate goal would be for transgender people on all ends of the spectrum to be represented — not only those who conform to society’s misconceptions about a “beginning” and an “end” in transition. Post-gender fashion marketing would be really cool, because the focus would always be the innovation of design — not necessarily who has equity to it.

Q5: Tell us about your modelling career — how did you get into it, and have you encountered any difficulties along the way?
ERB: I started modelling when I was 15 years old, which happened to be before I had come to terms with my own gender identity. I don’t think the type of work I did then is all too different than the type of work I do now; I just think it feels more honest and authentic to me now than it did then. In terms of difficulty, I don’t think I’ve had issues getting the jobs I pursue, but I do find myself having to defend my identity on sets. I find that usually boils down to the fact that nobody took the time to tell crew or staff that they’d be working with a transgender woman on set that day. It goes a long way to just let people know who they’re going to be working with and how to address them accordingly.

Q5: What can we do to raise awareness of transgender issues in our communities and workplaces?
ERB: Simply put: amplify the voices of the transpeople who are already speaking about issues that affect us. We don’t necessarily need people who aren’t transgender to advocate for us; we just need those people to support us. Also, research, open dialogues and unlearning go a long way in dismantling ignorance.

Q5: Fill in the blanks for us: Being transgender in South Africa _______
ERB: Being transgender in South Africa means being underrepresented, misunderstood and unprotected.

 

Carey FinnCarey Finn (@carey_finn) is a writer and editor with a decade and a half of industry experience, having covered everything from ethical sushi in Japan to the technicalities of roofing, agriculture, medical stuff and more. She’s also taught English and journalism, and dabbled in various other communications ventures along the way, including risk reporting. As a contributing writer to MarkLives.com, her regular column “Q5” hones in on strategic insights, analysis and data through punchy interviews with inspiring professionals in diversive fields.

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Young, Gifted & Killing It: Ayandamantombazane Mhlongo

by Veli Ngubane (@TheNduna) This month we chat to Soweto-born, Thohoyandou- and Hillbrow-raised marketing superwoman, Ayandamantombazane “Ayanda” Mhlongo (@KINGAya_) who shares her insights on youth culture and her career highlights.

Veli Ngubane: Tell us more about yourself: where did you grow up and what did you want to be when you were growing up?
Ayanda Mhlongo: Gosh, this is an interesting question. When I was young, I moved quite a lot until I was eight. I was born in Soweto and raised by my granny while my mom was in Venda pursuing her teaching career and my dad was overseas, I then moved to Venda with my mom and dad, and stayed in Thohoyandou. I enjoyed Venda; I was raised by a whole village. We then moved to Hillbrow when I was six and I stayed with my father while my mom was in Venda. I loved staying with my father — he truly is my best friend — we did everything together, he would walk me to school, make me breakfast and let me stay up a bit late to watch TV. While growing up, all I wanted to be was a teacher; I couldn’t imagine being anything else than what my mom was.

VN: Congratulations on your career move to integrated marketing manager of MTV Channels. Tell us what you’ve wanted to achieve in the first 100 days?
AM: My first 100 days [have been] key to building a solid foundation that’ll see me breaking ground at Viacom Africa. [I’ve wanted] to spend the first 100 days being led by the team that existed before me. I do believe that I can’t lead without having been led. I want to build a strategic plan that’ll not only have MTV as the no. 1 most-watched channel in Africa, but also the channel with the biggest digital community. I want to create digital experiences that are impactful and create an event property for this December that’ll make it shake!

VN: How do you define “culture” and how are brands getting it right and wrong in their attempts to connect with the youth market?
AM: Culture encompasses everything we are. It’s black, it’s our behaviour and attitude, it’s how we dress, it’s how we speak. Black culture is incredible. It’s ghetto, it’s hood, it’s fashionable. Black culture is a thriving vehicle that influences music, fashion, dance and language. Brands want to be included and seen as cool but don’t have teams that are inclusive and led by people within the culture. You cannot create content for a culture you are not part of or know nothing about.

VN: Tell us what you do and what does a typical day look like for you?
AM: Busy and super fun! I spend most of my days in meetings strategising and creating. Working for MTV and MTV Base is fun. It’s a high-pressure environment but I am so grateful because I work in an environment that allows me to create. As a creative, being allowed and given the space to create is something that I don’t take for granted. On good days I get to sit at my desk and reply to all my mails and, on the best day, I get to create, and manage, the coolest events around the country. I am a marketing geek and I am passionate about creating experiences that are impactful.

VN: Tell us more about your career thus far, from a female perspective in the advertising industry, and future plans — what does the next five years look like for you?
AM: My career journey thus far sounds like a marketing love story. With seven years’ experience in the digital sector, Google accreditations and a professional diploma in social media marketing and online reputation management, I am a certified digital and marketing guru. The next five years for me are all about being at the forefront of creating and broadcasting Africa[n] talent to the world. I believe that Africa is the creator and the future of everything authentic and cool, and being the forefront of that is exactly what I aspire to be.

VN: What are the key things you’ve learnt in your journey that you wish you knew when you started your career?
AM: Nice girls don’t get the corner office. You need to be assertive; you need to be vocal about your work, what you’re great at, and play to your strengths. You don’t need to have a leadership title to be considered a leader in your office. Whatever your position, find a leadership role you can excel in — whether it’s heading up a key initiative, solving problems and resolving conflict, or calm decision-making in a crisis. Don’t be afraid to ask for a promotion when you deserve it. Don’t stop learning, even through short courses. Choose yourself always over and over, and don’t lose sight of the main goal at hand, no matter how long it takes.

VN: How can the industry attract and retain more black-female talent in our industry?
AM: By creating environments that promote inclusivity. Women flourish in environments that allow them to just be. Allow women to lead; allow them to have an input. For years, black women have been the reason behind the success of many companies but have been put on the back burner because ‘men have to lead’. Black women are natural-born leaders, too. Try it!

VN: There are new approaches to marketing such as growth hacker marketing; where do you see it going, what are the future trends?
AM: Growth hacker marketing is exciting. As a person [who] specialises in digital marketing, I believe that growth hacker marketing is not a substitute for digital marketing. In fact, growth hacking and digital marketing are intrinsically linked. The shared mentality behind both is an emphasis on experimentation, creativity and measurement in order to accomplish goals. One of the most-exciting future trends are unexpected but strategic brand partnerships. Business partnerships and collaborations are one amongst the best growth hacking techniques as they create a lot of noise.

VN: Why do you think the communications industry is struggling to transform and what do you think should be done to fast-track transformation?
AM: The first step to transformation is to not generalise. By seeing all individuals as unique, one can learn to list, understand, and accept different people in the workplace. Increasing collaboration within different teams in the workplace leads to better employee engagement and higher employee productivity.

VN: What advice would you give someone completing their high-school education this year and looking to follow a creative industry?
AM: Don’t stop learning. Learning doesn’t have to be going to school every day; learn from your environment, learn from your peers, job-shadow a person in the industry you want to work in. Work experience is key in this industry. In order to thrive in this industry, you need to be up to date with the latest trends, have knowledge on your industry and be able to provide key insights from your environment.

VN: What are your career highlights thus far?
AM: I have quite a few! I was the social media coordinator for BMW MINI at the tender age of 20! To have brands believe in a crazy 20-year-old is amazing! I was the digital lead for the world’s biggest mine company, Goldfields, and helped them migrate into a digital environment through social media. Created and launched the digital platforms for Porsche South Africa. I was the head of the digital department at an agency that specialised in industrial brands. I created a social media policy for one of SA’s biggest engineering firms. I received two PRISM nominations within my first year managing technical and Industrial brands. My current most-exciting career highlight is being the integrated marketing manager for the coolest music channels in Africa, MTV and MTV Base.

VN: What do you feel is missing in our industry today and what should the future look like in South Africa and the rest of the continent?
AM: Black-owned agencies that are thriving in the advertising Industry. We need to see waves and waves of brilliant black creatives [who] are branching out to form their own agencies] that can service big brands and provide an interesting perspective and a different energy to the current advertising campaigns.

VN: What legacy do you want to leave when you retire from the industry?
AM: I want to always be known as the one person that did cool shit over and over again. Everything I do must always have an element of ‘cool’ and have purpose. I want to leave a mark as one of the leaders in the Industry that opened the door for amazing black creatives and gave them a seat at the table. I want to empower and inspire people.

VN: If you had a super power, what would you want it to be?
AM: Power mimicry because what’s better than having one superpower? Having all of them! I’d like to be able to play tennis like Serena, write amazing and gripping series like Shonda Rhymes, walk like Naomi Campbell, win at all costs like Annaliese Keating, twerk like Megan The Stallion, have as much grace as Michelle Obama, be as fearless as Mama Winnie Madikizela-Mandela. You know what I mean?!

VN: Tell us something about yourself not generally known?
AM: I am quite shy and I get really nervous when I have to speak in public. I stutter — no one ever believes me because I’ve learnt to cover it up well — but I actually stutter!

VN: Brag a bit: tell us about your awards, brands you’ve worked on… don’t be shy, tell us.
AM: Paragon Architects, Porsche, Fournos Bakery, DStv iRock, TRACE TV, Goldfields Mine, BMW, MINI, SABC 2, Muvhango, woah… I’ve lost count!

VN: Please would you supply two or three pieces of work you have been involved in?
TRACE Amapiano Campaign:

https://www.instagram.com/p/B0X3hPjD7Ft/

Dickies influencer collabo: www.instagram.com/dickiesafrica

I came up with a digital takeover concept for Pratley SA (a client at my previous agency).

 

Veli NgubaneVeli Ngubane (@TheNduna) entered the world of advertising with a passion after completing his BSocSci (law, politics and economics) at UCT and a post-graduate marketing diploma at Red & Yellow, where he’s currently advisory board chairman. He also sits on the IAB’s Transformation & Education Council, is a DMA board member and Loeries, APEX, Pendoring, Bookmarks and AdFocus. He is the group MD of AVATAR and co-founder of M&N Brands, which is building an African network of agencies to rival the global giants. In his monthly column “Young, Gifted & Killing It”, he profiles award-winning, kick-ass black creative talent in South Africa.

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Influencer marketing — investing in foot soldiers

by Jason Kubheka. The question I ask myself over and over when it comes to influencer marketing is: is it worth it?

The world of influencer marketing feels like a minefield at the moment. From celebrities who drag brands down with them when they behave badly to brands which have such tight control over the message that the influencer’s own creativity is hampered, it’s a massive challenge.

It feels a bit like a dark art. There’s a ton of time and money put into these big influencer-marketing campaigns but are they getting the desired results? Is the influencer credible enough? Are sponsored messages not completely transparent and seen as dishonest messages? More importantly, are we meeting the brand’s objectives, building community and affinity?

Wakeup call

For me, it all comes down to one word: authenticity. Even if your influencer has a million followers, if nobody believes what they’re saying, all that time and money is wasted. The big wakeup call for brands is that South African millennials (“Afrolennials”) are switched on. We figure out quickly when someone is being paid to say something and we don’t appreciate it. Frankly, I’d take advice from a friend, someone just like me, before I’d take advice from a paid celeb.

But how do we, as brand managers and community managers, leverage that insight? How do we maintain authenticity and relevance while still creating great content?

Fortunately, there’s a light at the end of the tunnel. I recently had the privilege of working on a campaign that allowed us to try a different approach. The idea was simple: what if we found real brand ambassadors, people who regularly consumed the products we were trying to peddle? We set about hunting for Afrolenniels who had mentioned the brand in the last two years. We then hand-picked our top 10 ten and set about creating content with them.

Brand foot soldiers

I call them brand foot soldiers. These are the folks in the trenches; they’re not big stars; they’re not getting paid thousands for brand endorsements. They’re genuine fans of the brand. Their enthusiasm is unbridled, and they’re true reflections of the community we’re trying to build.

1. Authenticity

The first major benefit is that there’s no question of the authenticity of the content. These people are 100% fans. This is really important because it means that the brand is drawing closer to the community, as opposed to alienating them. Everything from the way we’ve chosen our ambassadors to the kinds of content we’ve created with them has gone a long way to building credibility. Afrolenniels are more inclined to engage with a brand that reflects values and culture, and tt comes down to investing in people so that they’ll invest in you.

2. Community-building

With authenticity comes relationship. We’ve found that our community has responded very positively to the campaign. It has an aspirational nature. People look at the content and identify; “That could be me,” they say.

I think a brand should be more aspirational than inspirational. Aspiration is a long-term motivation, something to strive and work for. Inspiration is short-term and quickly forgotten. Creating an aspirational campaign takes me neatly into my next point.

3. Longevity

Our foot soldiers may not have massive followings or a big reach right now but they may one day. We consider this a long-term investment. Our foot soldiers will always remember how they got their break. We know that they’re going to be talking about the brand long after the campaign is finished.

So, yes, using foot soldiers may not get you the short-term awareness you want but, if you’re building brand affinity and growing a community, foot soldiers are your perfect tool.

Almost every single one of our foot soldiers has had doors opened by the campaign. This means that we’ve created a squad of future influencers — people who will never forget their start with us. That kind of investment in people and community will pay dividends.

Is it worth it?

To answer the question I posed at the start, is influencer marketing worth it? If you’re doing it thoughtfully, with the right people, with a longer-term goal in mind, YES! But, if you’re looking for a quick win with some big name, you might be disappointed. Invest in people, foster strong relationships with the community, and you’ll go far.

 

Jason KubhekaJason Kubheka is a social media manager at VMLY&R South Africa. He originally joined on a learnership and, to find his perfect fit, jumped around departments before settling on social media, where he feels completely at home. He gets to switch from the fish-filled lingo of Lucky Star pilchards to selling insurance for Hollard, and also does reporting and event coverage.

“Motive” is a by-invitation-only column on MarkLives.com. Contributors are picked by the editors but generally don’t form part of our regular columnist lineup, unless the topic is off-column.

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#BrandFocus: Rooibos — the tea that’s not a tea

by Sabrina Forbes. “Rooibos tea isn’t actually a tea. The plant is from the legume family,” says Adele du Toit, South African Rooibos Council media and communications director. “It’s also in the fynbos biome. There are six floral kingdoms all over the world and fynbos is one of them. The fynbos Cape region is the only floral kingdom that is in one country. The other kingdoms span over countries and even some continents,” she adds.

South African Rooibos Council logoGlobal markets

According to Du Toit, out of the 15 000 tonnes of rooibos produced a year, 50% of it is consumed in South Africa. The biggest global markets are Germany, Japan, and the Netherlands, countries that already have a big tea-drinking culture and which are looking for new, ethnic teas to explore. These three make up approximately 70% of the remaining 50% exported from Clanwilliam in the Western Cape every year. This dry land crop can handle extreme weather conditions, from 50°C summers to wet winter nights that drop well below zero.

The South African Rooibos Council is an independent organisation charged with the task of promoting the health and wellness attributes of the product to consumers across the globe, with a primary mission of facilitating and supporting the relevant scientific research to back these claims. Du Toit says that, as a proudly South African product and one that grows nowhere else in the world, other than within a 100km radius of Clanwilliam, rooibos is a national treasure, and an affordable health solution for everybody.

Indigenous

Indigenous Khoisan groups in the Clanwilliam area had been preparing rooibos as a tea as far back as 300 years ago but the commercial history of rooibos dates back to the early Dutch settlers, who started drinking brewed rooibos as an alternative to the expensive black tea imported into Europe. Rooibos got its name in 1772 and the first person to export it was not a Dutch settler but rather a Russian Jewish immigrant, Benjamin Ginsberg, who discovered the potential of this unique ‘mountain tea’ in 1904.

The Khoisan, made up of the Griqua, the Cape-Khoi, the Nama, the Korana, and the San, are well-known to be one of the most-oppressed indigenous collectives in the world. Previously left without the right to claim any benefits from the use of indigenous SA plant matter like rooibos, this is all about to change. As recently reported by Daily Maverick, the UN Nagoya Protocol has just recognised the claim of these five groups to their heritage; this protocol is a “supplementary agreement to the UN’s Convention on Biological Diversity… Among its founding purposes was to ensure the ‘fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising out of the utilisation of genetic resources’.”

Ultimately, indigenous communities will be compensated for their knowledge on rooibos and included in research studies going forward. The landmark agreement took nine years but, finally, the Khoisan people will derive benefit for playing their part in the development of this R50m industry, according to nature.com.

Scientific studies

Lauded as a Top 50 superfood by Time Magazine, rooibos is growing in popularity, not only as a teatime experience for those who prefer to stay away from caffeine but also as a food rich in antioxidants. With an active shelf life potentially spanning up to 80 years, according to a Stellenbosch University study, rooibos has been at the heart of many scientific studies by the likes of Stellenbosch University, the Nelson Mandela University of Technology, and the Cape Peninsula University of Technology. Cape Town University, in particular, is looking at the affect rooibos has on combating allergies, especially those caused by pollen.

Stellenbosch University this year announced its ongoing study that will look to link the potential ingestion of rooibos with weight-loss, citing obesity as among the most-common causes of non-communicable diseases in SA. It started its rooibos research in 2017, looking at the cardio-protective capacity of rooibos when it comes to helping the body cope with excessive blood glucose (type 2 diabetes being another major cause of non-communicable disease locally).

This year, reports TimesLive, the South African Rooibos Council has invested R4.5m into research. Because rooibos is a part of the legume family, it is naturally caffeine-free and contains a unique antioxidant, aspalathin, not found anywhere other than in rooibos; this flavonoid is particularly good at lowering blood glucose.

“With something as simple as a cup of rooibos tea, you can improve your health, which I think is very exciting,” says Du Toit. While rooibos is an acquired taste for many, she shares that a lot of consumers choose to ingest their rooibos health properties through a pill. But, for those who enjoy its flavour, Agricultural Research Council and Stellenbosch University have created a flavour wheel to help explain what one may expect from the ‘varietals’ — the flavours are directly linked to the soil, region, weather, and slope on which the plant was grown.

South African story

Branding the product for export can be challenging, says Du Toit. Luckily, though, the majority of the existing bigger export markets are primarily interested in the scientific research regarding the product, plus the very South African story that follows it. There’s no other plant like rooibos in the world, with needle-like leaves and a growth region of only 100km.

As a product that’s growing in popularity, rooibos easily showcases its versatility as an ingredient: people all over the world are starting to use it in both savoury and sweet cooking, sharing their creations on social media. The global health craze has something to do with it, believes Du Toit.

“If you think about what’s happening in the world at the moment, people are looking for healthier alternatives. It’s really top of mind to look after your body and look for interesting ways to live in health and wellness. If you look at tea, it’s interesting because tea has a nicer connotation to it. If you drink your cup of tea, you’re taking some time out for yourself. It is a ritual that some people enjoy during their day. It feels like home,” she says.

While Du Toit enjoys her rooibos strong and black, she recommends everyone try it with a stick or sprinkle of cinnamon. Apparently, your mind will be blown.

See also

 

Sabrina Forbes“#Agency/BrandFocus” is an ongoing weekly series updating the market on ad agency performance, including business performance, innovation, initiatives, the work, awards and people.

Sabrina Forbes (IG) is an experienced writer covering the food, health, lifestyle, beverage, marketing and media industries. She runs her own full-stack web/app development and digital-first content creation company. For more, go to moonwrench.com. She is a contributing writer to MarkLives.com.

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SA TV Ratings: SABC 3 — primetime top 20 for Sep 2019

by MarkLives (@marklives) The hottest primetime shows on SABC 3 in South Africa revealed: TV ratings for September 2019.

SABC 3 logoSABC 3, September 2019

Top 20 Programmes All Adults 15+
September 2019 Prime Time 5.30pm—10pm
Adults 15+ years U:35830 S:8557

Source: BRCSA September 2019

Day

Date

From

To

Station

Programme title

Genre

AR

Viewers

Share
Tue 03/09/2019 1900 1929 S3 Isidingo:the Need Soap 2.76 989 449 7.4
Sun 01/09/2019 1830 1926 S3 Planet Earth II Docu 1.82 653 527 5.9
Sun 22/09/2019 1830 1926 S3 Safari Live Docu 1.8 646 464 5.5
Sun 08/09/2019 1923 1930 S3 Music Musi 1.59 570 577 5
Mon 09/09/2019 1930 2027 S3 Survivor:Kaoh Rong Real 1.37 489 016 3.5
Sun 08/09/2019 1930 2025 S3 Harry and Meghan: a Modern Love Story Docu 1.3 465 286 4.1
Sat 14/09/2019 2130 2332 S3 G.I Joe:the Rise of Cobra Movi 1.27 455 537 8
Sat 21/09/2019 1800 1858 S3 Top Billing Maga 1.23 438 847 4.6
Sun 01/09/2019 1930 2029 S3 William Kate and George a New Royal Fami Docu 1.22 436 079 3.8
Sat 21/09/2019 1900 1954 S3 Top Chef Junior Real 1.15 411 919 3.6
Sat 21/09/2019 2100 2127 S3 News News 1.14 409 205 4.3
Sun 22/09/2019 2131 2318 S3 Mean Girls Movi 1.13 403 273 6.8
Sat 21/09/2019 2128 2334 S3 Eagle Eye Movi 1.1 393 950 6.9
Tue 24/09/2019 1700 1757 S3 Afternoon Express Maga 1.09 389 721 4.2
Sun 29/09/2019 1930 2024 S3 Knight Life with Gladys Real 1.05 377 664 3.2
Mon 30/09/2019 1930 2024 S3 Survivor:Millennials vs Gen X Real 1.02 366 108 2.6
Sun 22/09/2019 1730 1829 S3 Mela Maga 1 358 363 3.7
Sun 22/09/2019 1930 2026 S3 The Gospel According to Andre Vari 0.94 334 995 2.8
Sat 07/09/2019 2000 2054 S3 Efc Premium Fights Magazine Spor 0.93 331 876 3.2
Thur 19/09/2019 2129 2226 S3 El Chapo Dram 0.84 300 785 3.7

 

Broadcast Research Council of South AfricaThe Broadcast Research Council of South Africa (BRCSA) is a non-profit, industry body that was incorporated in 2015 to cater to the audience research needs of the radio and television industry in South Africa. In 2016, it changed its policy about giving away TAMS and now only monthly reports, highlighting the top 20 or 30 primetime shows on several popular channels, are available.

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