Media junkets from hell

Take whatever disparate journalists you can lure, stuff them into a plane. Fly them down to East London. Take them on tour. Feed them. Encourage them to drink. Throw free goodies at them. And hope like hell they give you good coverage for the new logo you’re unveiling. Story by Mandy de Waal.

Interview: Shopper marketing — it’s all about “me”

by Herman Manson (@marklives) Michelle van Trotsenburg, Y&R’s former business unit director: shopper conversion marketing, presented a talk at the POPAI Marketing at Retail Conference in Cape Town (held in June 2014), focused on what brands, retailers and shoppers need to do to capture influential trend-setting consumer segments.

Shelf Life: Lay’s ball of a time with Messi

Louise Marsland (@Louise_Marsland)’s weekly pick of recent product, packaging and design launches: portable mobile-charging station launched; Kauai banters with Tim Noakes; Lay’s gets Messi; and Woodbender’s new tub chair.

The Real McCoy: Returning the rainbow

by Sean McCoy (@TheRealMcCoyTRM) As the elections become a distant memory and the dust has settled on the parliamentary process, the inauguration ceremony and the new cabinet, it is time to return to work. Ordinary citizens such as you and I — we, too, can make a difference and have a role to play in Brand South Africa.

Delicious, Tomorrowland comes to South Africa

by Kim Penstone When Lloyd Cornwall first visited Neighbourgoods in Braamfontein, Johannesburg, he realised that he had stumbled right into a brand-new lifestyle grouping of South Africans. People whom, at first sight, would have very little in common, yet brought together by Neighbourgoods.

What he saw was a completely integrated crowd – in his words, white, black and Indian. Couples in their 30s. Families with young children. Older couples, with no children. And he started thinking about food.

A music man at heart, Cornwall is perhaps most famous for bringing the Ministry of Sound brand to South Africa. His company Massive recently joined forces with VWV, to create VWV Massive, which combines the entertainment and sponsorship expertise of Massive with South Africa’s biggest event company.

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.

Known for their irreverent, comedic approach to marketing and getting their customers to chortle at the airline’s whacky in-flight announcements and edgy viral marketing, kulula.com succeeds in resonating with locals by being as South African as braaivleis, Shosholoza and vuvuzelas. The latest ad (which uses ‘South Africanisms’ like ‘super-stoked’ and ‘awesome’) which introduces the airline’s new slogan underscores Kulula’s patriotic brand positioning.

“We thought long and hard about a slogan that truly represents who we are as an airline and communicates our passion for South African travel, and this was the most fitting. We are proud of it and are sure it will be well received by our fans,” said Nadine Damen, Marketing Manager of kulula.com.

I’m not so sure it will be that well received by SAA, who are currently facing a High Court challenge from Comair (kulula.com’s parent company), against a proposed R5bn ‘bail out’ by the government. But then the green airline with the great sense of humour are not shy of controversy.

Cape Town ‘heart’ soccer

Cape Town Tourism, the city’s public-private partnership to drive tourism in the city, certainly impressed with its pro-active, post FIFA World Cup 2010, report back to stakeholders. Cape Town Tourism CEO Mariette du Toit-Helmbold talks to Bizcommunity.com about the local industry’s strategy pre-and post world cup and why she believes disappointing occupancy levels doesn’t tell the full story.

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