The Gate Keeper: Chapter 14 (In which betrayal is implied)

by Andrew Miller TBW Smith Jones Wallace Broadbent and Ndimande is an agency in crisis. Their ‘basket of boutique services’ strategy has bombed. Only a massive new project can keep the doors open – all eyes are now on the corporate tent at Mangaung. Far in the background, an emergency replacement executive PA with decades of experience makes important decisions. Interns rise, board members take unexpected steps and things begin to change…

The intern takes her new desk in the corporate office and becomes a resolution to conflict. Mama E wonders what the hell is going to happen next…

Chapter 14

In which betrayal is implied

Vati had breezed through the  TBW Smith Jones Wallace Broadbent and Ndimande ranks faster than anyone in history, a fact she only became aware of as she took up her new desk within corporate. The office was technically part of the creative commons, but had been decisively sectioned-off by a row of filing cabinets and large-leaved pot plants. Its internal structure was also very different, consisting of eight middle aged desks all purposefully facing away from each other.

Having her own desk was bewildering enough for Vati. She also had to deal with the fact that last Friday’s full moon at the bar had ended at sunrise with her head on Phil’s distinctly unwashed pillow. On the one hand she was relieved not to have to had to deal with the early week face-to-face that would have resulted were she back where she had started. On the other, she sort of missed him. And his words. His soft, sometimes clever, and generally pretty sharp words. His smile.

And then there was the radical re-racialisation she was suddenly undergoing. The strat office was in the midst of a serious conflict between various historically divided groups over whether white jeans were a fashion crime or not. The issue had arisen playfully enough, but denigrated in recent weeks to racial slurs, including seriously prejudicial mutterings about all Sotho’s being cheeseboys. Which would have been amusing and all that if Vati herself had not emerged as a living salve on the wounds of the disagreement. On her arrival all talk of white jeans was quickly replaced by grumblings over the wisdom of young African ladies sharing sexual juices with white boys, about betrayal of the masses leading to ambush and various other things to do with lines being drawn and mlungus.

Vati had been raised in the deep Free State rurals, and thus new how to handle the basic bluster of men. She also had a strong line of Zulu ancestry, which helped her cope with the wider rivalries within her new pack. Her issue was that, despite it all, she had become rather fond of Vati Mach II, flaws and all. She found being a little bit arrogant empowering, and, yes, she would admit it, she was beginning to  find little Phil more than just sweet. He was also surprisingly adroit between the sheets, which, if she could engineer a session or two in the laundry room, were actually quite comfortable. Her instinct was thus to give her new colleagues the finger, but then again, she was still only an intern. Could interns give fingers and get away with it? She wasn’t sure.

Vati was also painfully aware of other mutterings taking place across the commons –  which had to do with how a young intern could possibly manage to shoot into the stratosphere without, um, satisfying the baser urges of certain people in positions in power.

She unpacked her mouse, her new green and pink Skeleton headphones and her Milo lunch bar and shook her head quietly to herself. It was Monday morning. She had been in this place a little over three months and in that time the only piece of work she had produced was a ten page power point presentation.

And look at what had happened.

Dear Diary

Well I can’t even think about dates and things. I don’t know. Well, that’s the truth of it. I really don’t know. I don’t know why I am in this office. I don’t know what happened to my life as such – can it really be over already? I don’t know what to do about Gerald, or the money, or whether we’re going to end up in a retirement home or a caravan park. I just don’t know.

As things stand at the moment I have four more months on my contract. I’ll go pretty much to Mangaung and then Suzie will come back from maternity and I’ll go back to our little house in Randburg and it’ll be like it never happened. I’ll be just another fat old white lady past retirement age.

Vati seems to be doing well though – I’m pleased about that. Although, already she’s not the young girl I thought she was. There’s a confidence there now. Arrogance? Possibly. Anyway, I still hope she goes wherever she’s going in the right way.

Gerald was listening to the Happy Mondays when I left the house this morning. Lord, if anything was going to make me feel old it was the Happy Mondays. They were bad enough when I was 50.

Part 1 -14. Part 15: September 12.
Author: Andrew Miller Illustrator: Lebohang Goge

Yellowwood

Yellowwood Future Architects is an independent marketing strategy consultancy with offices in Johannesburg and Cape Town. Our core competence lies in delivering solutions that link the business to the brand through marketing strategy, brand strategy, research insights, data analytics and strategic design solutions. We are curious about people, brands and the world around us and value unique perspectives, rethinking knowledge, creative innovation and experimental learning.

The connected CEO: From iPads to social media, enabling rather than dictating

by Herman Manson (@marklives) Added Value Saffron Hill recently released results from a study, commissioned by MEC and CNBC, looking at digital technology adoption by Asia’s CEOs. The study found that “Top executives are taking up digital technology, but the extent of the embrace appears to be tempered by their need to remain in control of their business ecosystem.” It goes on to reveal interesting insights on the relationship between technology and senior executives – including how the iPad has emerged as a game changer that makes execs, in the words of one, feel less like a salesman hidden behind a laptop. We caught up with Tessa Brown, Managing director at Added Value-Saffron Hill, Tessa BrownSingapore, to talk about the report.

MarkLives: What kinds of technology have been embraced by the CEOs in your study?

Tessa Brown: Anything to do with information and communication technology is valued as they are seen to be business performance enhancers. If you are talking about specific devices, these would include laptops, phones (BB and iPhone) and iPads.

MarkLives: What do they want to get out of technology?

Tessa Brown: Efficiency first and foremost. Also knowledge and, now more than before, entertainment.

MarkLives: An interesting aspect of your research centres on how distracting technology can be and how well CEOs recognise this – which is why they for example hand their mobile phones over to secretaries during meetings.

Tessa Brown: Yes the philosophy of these C Suites is that technology (as with other resources) should enable not dictate their lives. They are very conscious of not being enslaved by gadgets and very much value human interaction. They are still gentlemen in that sense, they feel it is most rude to place more importance/focus on a device than a real live person in front of them

MarkLives: Some comments in your research suggest CEOs prefer iPads to say laptops which make them feel like ‘sales people?’ So is the iPad a status symbol as much as a useful tool even in CEO circles?

Tessa Brown: I wouldn’t say the iPad is seen as a status symbol by these senior and very affluent people (it doesn’t cost much more than a phone). What is has though is more ‘cool factor’ compared to a laptop because of its aesthetics (typically with a nice cover) but also because of its novelty and the fact that it is embraced by young people. When a CEO whips out his iPad for a presentation, it is a subtle signal that he is forward looking and he is in tune with the latest developments. The CIO of Standard Chartered Bank was very proud to say that the bank was the first to issue iPads to all their senior people. For him, this move shows that the bank is technologically savvy but also open minded, willing to try new things.

MarkLives: Tablets are also having an impact on how CEOs consume content. What did you find?

Tessa Brown: The most interesting things with iPads is how content for work and personal life are married beautifully in one device. So while the CEO might have his business notes and emails there, it would also have his favourite magazines (on sports, cars, electronics etc), games and other interesting apps like health monitors and so on. During the working day, he might dip into his personal content just to have a break or during dead time e.g. while waiting for someone.

MarkLives: You’ve found that CEOs are wary of using social media – partly because it is such an uncontrolled space and the risks it holds for controversy and privacy. Do you believe there will be a shift in the future as people move up the ranks or will it always be too risky?

Tessa Brown: I think it’s not the attitude of the CEOs that will shift but the offerings of these social media. As with any product, it will evolve as it matures. Right now it is almost like a one product fits all. I think if LinkedIn and Facebook are to survive, they need to segment their markets and come up with offers that are relevant to each audience/user type. The C Suites have nothing against the idea behind these social networking sites, it’s just that their execution is not tailored to them. This segment would always value networking with like-minded individuals but would always be wary of opportunists (job hunters, people trying to sell them something) or people stalking them- in a way, they are just waiting for the perfect site that would address these.

MarkLives: Are CEOs more open to brand messaging than in the past or has there only been a shift in the platforms they use to access these?

Tessa Brown: I think the level of openness remains the same. CEOs have and will always pay attention (even if they are loathed to agree to this) to a brand that has a compelling and engaging message/proposition.  But yes, there are definitely some shifts happening in where these messages are accessed.

MarkLives: Were there any research findings you found unexpected or particularly surprising?

Tessa Brown: I was quite surprised by how homogenous this segment is. I tried hard to sift out differences in behaviour and attitudes towards digital amongst CEOs in Singapore versus Hong Kong versus India (as economically they are very different) but they seem to be cut from the same cloth. Because they travel a lot, meet many people, have the means to buy what they like- they have truly become global citizens and is a unique segment on their own speaking the same language and having almost similar ‘digital’ behaviour.

Digital news you’ll make time for. Sign up for our free newsletter!

Charl Thom on the role of industry awards

by Charl Thom, Group MD, FoxP2 Enough has probably been said about media accreditation for the Loerie awards over the last couple of weeks. A very public slugfest ensued, which has been tweeted and re-tweeted by everyone with an opinion. As my grandfather used to say, perhaps there are three sides to the story, yours, mine, and the truth.

Not to insinuate that anyone has been dishonest, it’s simply human nature to view matters from our own perspective. And as my old man used to say, a seasoned journalist of forty plus years himself, there is no such thing as objectivity. The thoughts I’d like to share however, aren’t about the media accreditation issue, but rather about the fact that the issue has seemingly degenerated into a free for all against the value of creative award shows in general, and in fact, our industry’s approach to creativity. Whilst there are many things our industry could still to do better, it’s important to maintain a balanced perspective.

Creative award shows have an important role to play. The argument that these shows are irrelevant, or have simply become an excuse to escape the daily grind and party, is an opinion that does nothing but damage the reputation of the people that make such unconsidered statements.

The most awarded campaign at the 2011 Loerie awards was also the most awarded campaign at the Apex awards. It was a highly creative campaign, that worked. It delivered on and exceeded hardcore objectives laid down by our client brandhouse, by giving them a 450% earned media return on investment. Our second most awarded campaign at those same Loerie awards was the work for Frank.net. It won one of only two gold awards handed out at this year’s Apex awards. The campaign introduced a brand new brand to consumers, and it sold life insurance policies. One billion Rand’s worth of policy cover. In four months. And five billion Rand’s worth of policy cover in twelve months.

I worked alongside honest, hardworking people in our agency to create these campaigns. People with a work ethic that many folks in less demanding industries wouldn’t begin to comprehend. People that sacrifice their evenings and their weekends, because they take seriously the responsibility of the brands that have been entrusted to them by their clients. People that want to be proud of the work that they create and share with the world. If you can’t tell, I’m proud of them.

Why begrudge them a two-day industry specific event, which still aims to celebrate the best of commercial creativity and improve the standard of the work? Most industries around the world, ranging from creative ones like the film and publishing industries to sporting ‘industry’ bodies, celebrate and encourage greatness in their particular field through awards shows and events.

Sure, the creative award shows will recognise some work that may have been less successful from a commercial point of view. But I’ve never seen The Loeries claim to reward effectiveness, that’s why we have the Apex awards, and we certainly value them at least as much as our Loerie awards. However, as I point out in a previous opinion piece  there is a strong argument for the link between creativity and effectiveness.

A 2010 study was conducted whereby the UK’s Institute of Practitioners in Advertising merged data from their Effectiveness Awards with results of the Gunn Report, to prove that there is a direct link between creativity and effectiveness. The study analysed 435 campaigns over a 16-year period, starting in 1994, and during this period, creatively awarded campaigns have been seven times more efficient than non-awarded ones. Between 2003 and 2012, they were twelve times more efficient.

When one adds these factors to the broader perspective of the current debate, it’s hardly surprising that every RFI we receive from a client or pitch consultant still contains a section requesting details on recent success at award shows. At the very least, success at these shows offer some insight into the creative aptitude of an agency and its people, but even more than this, I believe they push our industry forward through the recognition and celebration of great creative innovation. None more so than our local Loerie awards.

Reprinted from the blog of Charl Thom. Hear more from Charl. Get onto our weekly mailer.

Weekly Top 10: Fastest rising search terms from South Africans on Google

With the help of Google Insights for Research we are publishing the top 10 searched for phrases (minus the sexy stuff of course) by South Africans on Google over the previous seven days.

Sports again dominated the fastest rising search terms ranking with Caster Semenye, Usain Bolt, the PSL, Arsenal and the Olympics all in the Top 10 ranking.

(For past data click here)

Fast Rising searches

1. caster semenya +1,100%
2. usain bolt +550%
3. psl +140%
4. jacaranda +100%
5. gmail account +80%
6. gmail login +60%
7. gumtree.co.za +60%
8. arsenal +40%
9. news 24 +40%
10. olympics +40%

Top 25 search terms

1. facebook
2. youtube
3. google
4. facebook login
5. gumtree
6. gmail
7. lyrics
8. news
9. games
10. yahoo
11. game
12. weather
13. fnb
14. absa
15. standard
16. music
17. standard bank
18. olympics
19. sars
20. whatsapp
21. cars
22. maps
23. news24
14. mxit
15. twitter

Source: Google Insights for Search

* The Insights for Search map is intended for general analysis of volume patterns.
* When you see Breakout listed instead of an actual percentage, it means that the search term has experienced a change in growth greater than 5000%.

Industry news you will make time for. Subscribe here. It’s free!

Abdulla Miya: bridging business goals and communication outputs

by Kim Penstone When Abdulla Miya resigned from Net#work BBDO in October 2011, he didn’t have a job lined up at another agency. In fact, on the morning that he was due to meet with agency heads Keith Shipley and Mike Schalit to put in his resignation, he heard that his tentative plans for a new business venture hadn’t panned out. But he resigned anyway.

At the time of his resignation, he was MD of Net#work BBDO, and over the previous 14 years at the agency, had played an integral role in the agency’s phenomenal success and growth. He decided the time was right to go it alone, and announced that he would start his own strategic consultancy in 2012. He did not have a firm business plan or even one client to his name.

Maybe Miya is an eternal optimist, but he puts it down to faith. Partly external, because he is and has always been, a very spiritual person. But also internal, because after 23 years in the advertising industry, he had earned a solid and outstanding reputation as that rare breed of advertising man who could bring together the often opposing worlds of business strategy and creative communication.

“I had faith that what is out there for you will come to you,” says Miya. “But I also put some practical measures in place – I had a financial buffer that would hold out for six months, and gave myself until June 2012 to find some clients to pay my salary going forward.”

Unsurprisingly, he had his first client secured before he left the Net#work building. (With the blessing and knowledge of Shipley and Schalit. He gave the agency three months notice, and only officially left the building at the end of December 2011.)

In January 2012, Miya and Associates was born.

“It’s a very uncreative name, but it encapsulates how we work. Me, plus a team of highly specialised associates, who I call on if and when I require their expertise,” says Miya.

Building on two decades of experience, and his intimate understanding of how advertising agencies work, he decided there was a gap in the market – more specifically a gap in the advertising industry, between business goals and communication outputs. Miya and Associates was pitched to bridge this gap.

“I like to think of it as an ‘inside out’ model,” says Miya. He (and his associates) work inside his clients’ marketing departments, alongside their existing teams, and with their existing agencies. Sometimes he takes on the role of marketing director, but he always ensures that he is in direct contact with the man or woman who is driving the business. His aim, and his undertaking to his clients, is to ensure that the business goals set out at the top are directly translated into the resulting communications.

“I’m not here to take pot shots at the advertising industry, it’s not my style. But if there is a problem in the industry, it is that agencies are too far down the food chain to get their teeth into the meat of business strategy,” says Miya. “The chain of command is too long, it’s natural that bits and pieces would fall between the cracks.”

By working inside client organisations and with decision makers, Miya believes that he gains a better understanding of business goals. And because he understands how the creative industry ticks, he is uniquely suited to translating these goals into advertising speak.

“I ensure that nothing gets lost in the translation, that there isn’t a disconnect between the client and the agency, and that no one is left sitting dumbstruck at final presentation, wondering how brief A turned into creative Q.”

Miya isn’t knocking creativity. In fact, he remains a staunch proponent of the effectiveness of creative work – he is just adamant that the work should support the business goals, and not the other way around.

And so far so good. Clients at the time of writing include Woolworths, Glomail, Broadway Sweets and Mobicell.

At Woolworths he is working alongside the recently-launched internal agency. At Glomail, he is functioning more as a marketing director. At Broadway he and his team are managing the full marketing and communications strategy. The business model is fluid. And it seems to suit both Miya and his clients.

All have given him long-term contracts, providing Miya with a sense of security, and fresh faith that he is adding real value to his clients’ businesses.

“There’s an enormous sense of freedom in being able to work according to my own rules, use my own approach, and focus on my real passions,” says Miya.

Magazine covers looking at you kid

MarkLives.com runs a regular slot featuring the best local and international magazine covers every week. We recognise well thought out, powerful and interesting (and hopefully all three in one) magazine covers and celebrate the mix of pragmatism, creativity and personal taste that created each of them. By media blogger MediaSlut.

 

INTERNATIONAL

MulttiClique

A simple concept and one that makes you look twice (and maybe three times). To have a look at the digital version of this issue,  you can click here.

Huffington Post Magazine, 26 August 2012

I always love it when a big picture is made out of hundreds of smaller pictures. Something about it always makes me try and look at every image to see how they did it and what they used.

Zeit Magazin, 23 August 2012

I couldn’t track down who’s on the cover, but from what I can understand, it’s part of a photo exhibition. But who ever it is, she is looking right at you, and it’s mesmerizing.

What’s On (Dubai), September 2012

In last week’s “Magazine covers we love”, I showed the Idealog cover where all the coverlines were hand written on a chalk board. This cover idea is also unique, and the first time that I’ve really seen it used like this; writing all the coverlines on a paper napkin…

– The (for now anonymous) blogger behind MediaSlut knows way too much for his own good about media in South Africa. Magazines in particular. His mission is to show when South African magazines might fail, but most importantly, succeed. If you’re looking for a library about South African magazines and news, your one-stop pitstop is MediaSlut. #MagazinesForTheWin

– Find a cover we should know about? Tweet us @marklives and @mediaslut
Sign up for our free newsletter!

Carling Black Label ‘Be the Coach’ case study

A quick snapshot of the Carling Black Label ‘Be the Coach’ case study presented by Lynne Gordon (@lynne_gordon), General Manager – Brandtone South Africa, at Mobile Entertainment Africa. Download the PDF version of the full presentation here (1.6MB)!

South Africans are crazy about soccer – 63% are avid soccer fans, and 80% of these are fanatics, spending time weekly supporting their teams.

Every man believes that he can do a better job than the coach. Shouting from the stands or from his couch, his voice goes unheard.

Carling Black Label allows every fan to “Be the coach.”

The challenge: How to we make it possible for every Champion man to coach their team? Mobile is everywhere 27 million South African adults own a mobile phone!

Dial *120*764*code# to be the coach Entry linked to codes on pack ensures a direct link to purchase of the Champion Beer to make your vote.

Vote for your players A simple USSD menu captures one vote for every code entered as you coach your favourite team.

For the first time – YOU can be the coach! Teams chosen BY THE FANS are selected and reported weekly.

Massive awareness via an integrated ATL media plan TV, print and radio brought the message of “be the coach” to consumers.

Soccer Zone and Daily Sun covered the progress of the team selection.

The campaign captured the imagination of the media. R80milllion of PR coverage brought news of selections to the fans.

Consumers entered on average 18 times to have their say on the game!

Your team takes the field at Soccer City. The event is attended by over 90,000 fans, and viewed by millions more live on SABC1.

The results: Over 20 million mobile engagements from over a million Champion men. 82% of engagements came from a new demographic for Carling. Carling increased brand share in a competitive & increasingly fragmented market

Download the PDF version of the full presentation here (1.6MB)!

SA agency helps reverse milk category decline in Nigeria

by Herman Manson (@marklives) Here is a South African ad agency with just about its entire business sitting in Nigeria. Leftfield has some bragging rights for bagging (several jono swanepoeltimes) the advertising account of Nigerian dairy giant FrieslandCampina WAMCO  – worth R100 million.

FrieslandCampina WAMCO (with its Peak and Three Crowns milk brands) is the Nigerian affiliate of dairy cooperative Royal FrieslandCampina of The Netherlands (annual turnover of 9 Billion Euro).

Leftfield founder, Executive Creative and Strategic Director, Jonathan Swanepoel (or just Jono in the office), has had quite a storied career in ad land, including a stint in South East Asia where he had joined Leo Burnett, Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam), as ECD. It’s here where he helped the agency pick up the regional dairy account for Friesland Foods which saw it produce campaigns for markets in Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam and Malaysia and helped it grow from 45 to 150 people in three years.

Swanepoel built his reputation in the emerging markets of Asia and when he returned to South Africa he launched Leftfield with the FrieslandCampina WAMCO business. He was surprised to have to fight for the business only six months later in a competitive pitch but managed to retain it. Leftfield recently again successfully defended the account – now worth a R100 million – beating several well established Lagos based agencies.

The 2007/2008 “Brothers” campaign helped WAMCO brand Peak Milk grow its value share by 18%, the ‘Kanu’ campaign grew value share by 22% in 2009 and in 2010 the ‘Nigeria United’ and ‘School’ campaigns grew value share by a further 15%.

Recently the agency has shifted strategy to focus on growing the milk category in Nigeria which is currently experiencing some pressure from soft drinks, flavoured drinks and fruit drinks. Taking a page from the successful ‘Got Milk’ campaign in the US Leftfield launched the ‘Drink Milk Everyday’ campaign. The aim is to grow milk consumption in Nigeria from twice a week to three times a week.

In 2012 the ‘Drink Milk Everyday’ campaign focuses on linking physical beauty, strength and brainpower to milk consumption and has managed to grow value share by another 14.7% in the first two months of running and has helped stop the decline in the milk category.

Swanepoel travels to Nigeria four times a year to keep ahead of developments in that market. He says the complexity of the Nigerian market is not to be underestimated.

The retail environment in Nigeria is also changing – Swanepoel says over the past three years modern trade stores, including hypers and supermarkets, in Lagos alone jumped from just a handful to over 350 today. It means shopper marketing expertise is sorely required in that market and it is a focus area for Leftfield.

Leftfield has a memorandum of understanding with Saatchi & Saatchi in Lagos to represent its interests there. Leftfield MD Jason Cumming says that Friesland Campina is aligned globally with Publicis agencies and so Leftfield chose to partner with a Nigerian agency of the same stable.

Cumming is tasked with expanding the South African base for the agency but also to sell South African clients on its West African expertise. He is also helping build a digital and mobile base (there are a 100 million mobile subscribers in Nigeria) for Leftfield.

Digital news you’ll make time for. Sign up for our free newsletter!

Online CPD Courses Psychology Online CPD Courses Marketing analytics software Marketing analytics software for small business Business management software Business accounting software Gearbox repair company Makeup artist