#AgencyLeaders2018: Agency diversity & transformation SA

by Herman Manson (@marklives) Today we reveal, as part of our annual Agency Leaders poll, which agency is considered to have contributed the most to agency diversity and transformation in the minds of their peers in South Africa during 2018!

This agency, in the minds of its regional peers, made the most-significant contribution to agency diversity and transformation in SA. While many of our voters would have focused on BBBEE as a primary criteria informing their votes, a positive contribution to gender and LGBTQI diversity came into play in some votes. While many of those polled noted BBBEE and gender equality as key metrics, they also noted a lack of information into LGBTQI diversity at agencies.

Instead of only naming the agency here, we invited it to share with us what agency diversity and transformation means to it — the business, its people and its clients.

Every year since 2012, MarkLives has been polling South Africa’s top ad agency leaders to find out what they think of their competitors, whom they see as effective managers and great creative leaders, and where they believe their future competition is likely to come from. The first week we ran our Cape Town results, last week our Joburg results, and next week will be our remaining categories.

Agency diversity & transformation (South Africa)

Joe Public United

Pepe Marais August 2018
Pepe Marais, Joe Public United GCCO.

by Pepe Marais (@pepemarais) For Joe Public United, sustainable transformation is both the heartbeat that powers every aspect of our business and the fuel that feeds our purpose — which is “to be the fertile soil that grows our people, our clients and our country”. And, as part of our greater industry, we believe we have a collective responsibility to grow our country by cultivating that fertile soil in which future generations will thrive.

Led by our growth purpose, we recognise the ever-increasing need in both our industry and our organisation to embrace diversity, particularly if our creative work is to resonate with our markets. For us, this is one of our key strategic objectives and has become a navigating factor in creating an environment in which people of all races, genders and diverse backgrounds are able to flourish.

We are also keenly aware that, as shapers of popular culture, leaders in the advertising and marketing industry cannot underestimate the role that we play in either promoting transformation — or hampering it — through the work we create on behalf of our clients; the narratives we perpetuate; the causes we elevate; and the heroes we hold up to our society.

Our recent collaboration with our client, Nedbank, to promote the Nedbank Money App, echoes this sentiment through a TV ad that celebrates SA diversity by unpacking the ‘see money differently’ brand narrative through the eyes of a transgendered individual, through a person living with albinism, and through a differently-abled individual, among others. All these stories mirror personal experiences of people within our own agency group and aim to uplift marginalised groups in a broader SA landscape.

Perhaps the most-significant aspect of our approach to transformation is that it has been, and is, so integral to the fulfilment of our growth purpose. This has meant that, fortunately, our own employment equity targets were already well under way before MAC Sector BBBEE codes became an imperative.

At present, 60% of our staff is comprised of black talent, while 50% of the seats on our board is occupied by black senior management. In 2018, we also had the pleasure of announcing a new partnership between Khuthala Gala Holten, MD, and Xolisa Dyeshana, ATL CCO,  as they head up the group’s new digitised above-the-line entity.

Our commitment to gender transformation is also evident in the fact that seven of our specialist agencies are led by female MDs, and 51% of our overall staff complement is female.

Internally, we promote growth through internships, training and mentorship programmes, nurturing upcoming young talents and enabling them to gain valuable hands-on industry experience within the agency environment. We have also created our own JoeGrow tool,which highlights and develops unique talents, producing remarkable individual results, while our School of Growth maximises individual strength-sets, taking into account emotional, spiritual and resilience quotients rather than only intelligence quotient, in order to grow effective, creative thinkers.

Externally, we support emerging black businesses and undertake CSI/pro bono work for clients including POWA, the Apartheid Museum and One School at a Time (OSAAT) — three organisations that we believe are fundamental to meaningful transformation and the positive growth of our country.

OSAAT is Joe Public’s own NGO, aimed at ultimately creating a better SA education system. At present, it serves to uplift two under-resourced and disadvantaged schools, in the process creating a pipeline for talented individuals to enter the industry, should they choose to do so.

In conclusion, we are proud to be recognised for our dedication to transformation as it continues to motivate us. Through our constant drive to do better than our best, and then better still, transformation reflects our commitment to pioneering meaningful solutions that inspire personal, industry and countrywide change — or, as we like to call it — Growth.

— Pepe Marais is group chief creative officer of Joe Public United, which is also our 2018 Runner-Up Most Admired Ad Agency in South Africa.

 

Previously: In 2017, the first time we ran this specific category, it was Avatar.

 

How the poll works

In November 2018, we invited a panel of 120 agency executives — creative and management, and ranging over a wide spectrum from small- and medium-sized to network agencies — to nominate their most-admired agency and agency leaders regionally (for Johannesburg or Cape Town) and nationally (South Africa). Execs couldn’t nominate their own agencies or staff members. All the nominations were then tallied up for the final result. The editors of MarkLives held two votes in the final poll.

Note: Runner-up(s) will only be named if they achieved a good nomination tally relative to the winner’s position. Contenders are named if they stand out significantly above other nominees but weren’t able to close in on the winner’s tally. The most-admired agency of the year is disqualified from the One to Watch category; votes cast in its favour in this category are discarded.

See also

 

Herman Manson 2017Herman Manson (@marklives) is the founder and editor of MarkLives.com.

— One subscription form, three newsletters: sign up now for the MarkLives newsletter, including Ramify headlines; The Interlocker, our new monthly comms-focused mailer; and Brands & Branding, launching soon!

Market Research Wrap: The fluid nature of SA youth

by MarkLives (@marklives) Our weekly wrap of the latest market and consumer research:

  • Freedom-seeking generation
  • Best-performing Facebook content

Temporal fluidity

Generation Fluid White Paper coverGeneration Z or Generation Fluid is the one generation that strongly resists being characterised or ‘boxed’ and is determined to define who they are as individuals. This is according to the new white paper produced by Joe Public Shift, “Generation Fluid: Understanding the dynamics of today’s youth market”. Market Research Wrap presents the third excerpt in a four-part series. [Cheryl Hunter]

Young South Africans are fluid in the way they define who they are and express themselves. Brands need to be aware of the youth’s attitude to all things ‘flexi’ and, therefore, acknowledge their desire not to be labeled, as well as their feelings about personal identities and experiences.

From sexual and gender fluidity (and neutrality), and career fluidity to the desire for flexitime to attain work-life balance and the growth in trends and movements such as flexitarianism, this is a generation of individuals seeking the freedom to create their own eclectic, authentic and fluid identities and realities.

They seek the freedom to embrace their own eclectic, authentic and fluid selves — a concept which brands must recognise and adopt. Identity fluidity will manifest itself in many new and exciting ways in the upcoming years.

Many brands (globally and locally) are latching onto this insight, seeking themselves to defy labels and reinvent their identities beyond rigid product/service classifications. South Africa, for example, has even seen identity fluidity emerging locally, with Discovery launching its fully online banking platform, expanding its sentiment of wellness to ‘bank healthier’. It is also apparent in the fashion industry, which offers a more-unisex appeal to account for #GenerationFluid.

 

Link posts vs video posts

Quintly Facebook Study 2018 imageAccording to “Facebook Study 2018”, a new Facebook research by web-based social media analytics tool, Quintly, which analysed 105m posts across 94 000 Facebook profiles, 55% of all post types are links; videos receive 258% more in interactions than link posts; and weekend posts receive 13% more interactions. [Cheryl Hunter]

In what Quintly describes as the most-comprehensive Facebook research yet, it has established that while links are the most-frequently used post type, they simply aren’t relevant when it comes to interactions: Link posts receive 72% fewer interactions than video posts. Yet link posts are the only way to drive traffic to your website from Facebook. If that’s part of your strategy, brands need to live with a lower reach while working towards the strategic goal of sending traffic to your website.

In addition, Quintly compared interactions on weekdays to that at weekends, and found that interactions are 13% higher on weekend posts.

Comments Justina Kowalski, Quintly digital communications specialist, “It is something worth saying again and again: if you are aiming for high interaction rates on Facebook, it is essential that you start producing and posting video content — keeping the right format in mind.”

Julian Gottke, Quintly marketing lead, says, “Yes, Facebook’s popularity might have reached its peak but no marketer should ever underestimate the effectiveness of the blue dinosaur.”

 

This weekly “Market Research Wrap” column offers an overview and critique of the latest market and industry research.

Cheryl HunterCheryl 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.

— One subscription form, three newsletters: sign up now for the MarkLives newsletter, including Ramify headlines; The Interlocker, our new monthly comms-focused mailer; and Brands & Branding, launching soon!

#AgencyLeaders2018: Most admired ad agency in South Africa

by Herman Manson (@marklives) Today we reveal, as part of our annual Agency Leaders poll, which ad agencies were most admired by their peers in South Africa during the course of 2018!

Every year since 2012, MarkLives has been polling South Africa’s top ad agency leaders to find out what they think of their competitors, whom they see as effective managers and great creative leaders, and where they believe their future competition is likely to come from. The first week we ran our Cape Town results, last week our Joburg results, and next week will be our remaining categories.

The most-admired ad agency in South Africa

Alistair King and James Barty outside King James Group Cape Town building
Source: www.kingjames.co.za

King James Group SA

King James Group is South Africa’s most-admired agency for a third year running. Year-on-year revenue growth stood at 19%, the total number of staff at 275 as of November 2018 and revenue at R220m per annum at the start of 2018.

New clients signed in 2018 included TymeBank, Netflix, Cell C, McDonald’s, BBC Worldwide, G-Star RAW, Sunglass Hu, Luxottica, USB-Executive Development, Trematon Capital, Stellenbosch Graduate Institute, Masterstart, Bob Martin, Sasfin, Bluewater, Orlando Pirates, Rawson, Inverroche and Trace TV.

Significant achievements in 2018 included co-founder and CCO, Alistair King — our 2018 Most Admired Creative Leader in South Africa — being inducted into the Creative Circle Hall of Fame and Lesego Kotane being promoted to MD of King James Group Jhb.

The agency group ranked third at the 2018 Loeries in the overall ranking by agency, as well as topping the table for executive creative directors, with Devin Kennedy and Dan Pinch ranking first and second respectively. Client Sanlam was the top brand, having won 16 Loeries, including a Grand Prix.

Previously: King James Group won in 2016 and in 2017, while Joe Public United took top honours in 2015. From 2012 up to and including 2014, Ogilvy & Mather Cape Town was the top-rated agency in SA for three years running.

 

The runner-up

Joe Public United website carousel image Feb 2019
Source: www.joepublicunited.co.za

Joe Public United

New business gained during the course of 2018 included Altron, Edcon Active, SABMiller (Flying Fish and Castle Free), CTM, Converse, Tour Vest and Revlon. Group grew revenue grew by 5% for the period Jan–Nov 2018 (compared to Jan–Dec 2017). Group staff numbers grew from 275 to 298 (8.5%), compared to Jan–Dec 2017.

The above-the-line agency, Joe Public, is supported by four separate but complementary agencies, namely Joe Public Connect (digital), Joe Public Engage (PR), Joe Public Ignite (BTL) and Joe Public Shift (brand design). Joe Public United led the creative stakes as it took top spot at the 2018 Loeries, Assegais, New Generation and Pendorings.

“The work that most stands out for me from the agency in 2018 are the campaigns we did for Chicken Licken,” says Gareth Leck, co-founder and GCEO and our 2018 Runner-Up Most Admired Ad Agency Boss in SA. “It was not only incredibly well-received by the consumer, but it also achieved fantastic business results for our client in a very flat market. We are also very proud of the Jet work we have been doing for the last year or so, as it is brave and highly disruptive for the retail category and it has achieved some very positive shifts in Jet’s overall brand health and sales performance.”

Previously: In 2017 Joe Public United tied with Ogilvy South Africa. In 2016, FCB Africa was the runner-up and, in 2015, it was King James Group. In 2014, results replicated 2013 exactly — with Joe Public Group as runner-up and joint second runners-up being FoxP2 and King James. In 2012, our inaugural poll, the runner-up was King James Group.

 

How the poll works

In November 2018, we invited a panel of 120 agency executives — creative and management, and ranging over a wide spectrum from small- and medium-sized to network agencies — to nominate their most-admired agency and agency leaders regionally (for Johannesburg or Cape Town) and nationally (South Africa). Execs couldn’t nominate their own agencies or staff members. All the nominations were then tallied up for the final result. The editors of MarkLives held two votes in the final poll.

Note: Runner-up(s) will only be named if they achieved a good nomination tally relative to the winner’s position. Contenders are named if they stand out significantly above other nominees but weren’t able to close in on the winner’s tally. The most-admired agency of the year is disqualified from the One to Watch category; votes cast in its favour in this category are discarded.

See also

 

Herman Manson 2017Herman Manson (@marklives) is the founder and editor of MarkLives.com.

— One subscription form, three newsletters: sign up now for the MarkLives newsletter, including Ramify headlines; The Interlocker, our new monthly comms-focused mailer; and Brands & Branding, launching soon!

The future of advertising cannabis

by Meaghan Essel. The legalisation of cannabis is starting to snowball, which will bring new clients for those of us in advertising, along with a range of products and services, from CBD oils and hemp bricks to infused beers, and beyond. So how are we going to sell these?

Regulations

Of course, legalisation will be followed by regulations, limiting how we advertise for our new clients’ brands:

  • In Canada, with a burgeoning cannabis market of US$10 billion, brands are facing cigarette-type restrictions on their media. According to Canadian Cannabis Act, brands are not allowed to advertise with TV, billboards, print, or mail campaigns. It strictly prohibits celeb endorsements, sponsors, and even competitions for consumers. Brands aren’t allowed to show a life with any glamour, recreation, excitement, vitality, risk or daring behaviour.
  • Companies in the US are allowed to provide factual information for their consumers, such as the amount of THC or CBD in their product, but they’re prohibited from showing any person consuming cannabis products or use the cannabis plant as a visual. On top of that, Google and Facebook are known to shut down and restrict any “drug” advertising on a global scale. Facebook even shadow-bans cannabis-related pages so that users can’t find any content.

Yet, despite these doom-and-gloom obstacles, cannabis stands firm as a market full of potential and ready to be shaped. So, where do we start?

Learning from mistakes

Any industry in its professional infancy makes mistakes. One of those is sexualising your product and objectifying women in the process. Cannabis has room for ‘sexy’ products, no doubt, but that’s not all it is, either. Unless your client is selling a hemp bikini or cannabis lube, there’s no need to go down this age-old route and alienate an entire consumer base of women. Besides, didn’t we learn from decades of misogynistic cigarette and alcohol ads?

Cannabis is multifaceted; it’s a mass of new products, each with unique target markets. Some products are recreational, like bongs or grow-kits. Others are worlds and industries apart, like hemp concrete or medicinal treatments. After centuries of demonisation, the product needs all the good PR and guidance we can give it — which means it is our responsibility to avoid using stereotypes, clichés and the racism they imply at all costs.

We mustn’t perpetuate the harmful stereotypes within the cannabis community and written throughout our history books. We must always remember that, to some, cannabis is deeply sacred and rooted in their culture.

#forgetstoner campaign

MedMed #ForgetStoner billboard collageA great example of advertising cannabis and busting stereotypes is the American cannabis dispensary brand, MedMen. Its #forgetstoner campaign challenges people’s prejudices with media that was simple, thought-provoking, and ownable: it showed people from diverse professions as cannabis users and dispelled the myth of “stoners.” The idea was so effective it catapulted the brand to the top of the cannabis game.

Above all, cannabis advertising should always be authentic and create real connections with consumers who’ve invested their energy into making it accessible. It’s important to stress that it’s only once we’ve really gotten to know our clients, their products, and their consumers that we will be able to advertise them successfully.

While we can take notes from earlier legalisation processes around the world on how to responsibly package our products or create professional brands, South Africans do have a unique relationship with cannabis. We need to be open-minded and put in real work before we end up creating campaigns that feature Bob Marley’s face to sell lip balm.

References

 

Meaghan EsselMeaghan Essel is a creative with a passion for not doing the wrong things. After graduating from the Red & Yellow Creative School of Business, she has become a part-time plant mom and full-time copywriter at M&C Saatchi Abel. She spends her time bringing up the elephant in the room and using social media for good.

“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.

— One subscription form, three newsletters: sign up now for the MarkLives newsletter, including Ramify headlines; The Interlocker, our new monthly comms-focused mailer; and Brands & Branding, launching soon!

#AgencyLeaders2018: Most admired ad agency boss in South Africa

by Herman Manson (@marklives) Today we reveal, as part of our annual Agency Leaders poll, which agency bosses were most admired by their peers in South Africa during the course of 2018!

Every year since 2012, MarkLives has been polling South Africa’s top ad agency leaders to find out what they think of their competitors, whom they see as effective managers and great creative leaders, and where they believe their future competition is likely to come from. The first week we ran our Cape Town results, last week our Joburg results, and next week will be our remaining categories.

The most-admired agency boss in South Africa

James Barty
Co-founder & CEO
King James Group SA

Jame Barty 2019James Barty heads this list again after a break of two years. 2018 was a big year for the group: it celebrated its 20th year in business, with significant revenue growth over the previous year and various new clients added, including Netflix, Cell C, McDonald’s and even Orlando Pirates.

The group consists of five companies — Atmosphere (PR), King James Group CT, King James Group Jhb (formerly King James II), King James Digital and Hammer Live Brands (events) — but share a single creative department for conceptualisation, which is then executed by the expert units.

“Management challenges remain around ‘short-termism’ on the part of marketers; it is also harder to be brave when corporate culture doesn’t reward it — the increasing power of procurement specialists to reduce our differentiation to that of just common units of output,” says Barty on management challenges and opportunities over the course of 2018. “We remain an overtraded market; however, digital services provide good growth beyond pure communications as we intersect business process and customer experience, together with good brand understanding.” He also notes a limited and competitive experience resource pool as an industry challenge.

Previously: In both 2016 and in 2017 Brett Morris, FCB Africa GCEO and GCCO, took top honours. In 2015, Barty was our most-admired agency leader for SA. In 2014, Gareth Leck (see below) and Morris tied for joint honours. In 2013, it was Gavin Levinsohn, then MD of Ogilvy Cape Town. In 2012, our inaugural poll, it was Barty.

 

The runner-up

Gareth Leck
Co-founder & CEO
Joe Public United

Gareth LeckJoe Public United’s co-founder and CEO continues to rank among the most-admired agency bosses in the SA advertising industry’s primary market. In spite of what many would describe as one of the most-challenging years faced by the industry in a long time, Joe Public still managed to grow both its revenue and staff count on a year-to-year basis, off an already high base. The agency also won a wide range of new accounts, including business from SABMiller and Revlon.

“With the challenging economic conditions in 2018 and the increased pressure by our clients to deliver more-efficient, -integrated campaigns at speed, the key challenge has been ensuring our entire team remain[s] resolute in delivering the highest levels of creative excellence, as this is the only way we believe we will continue to help grow our clients and, in so doing, ensure our own success and sustainability,” says Leck.

Previously: In 2017 it was Alistair Mokoena, Ogilvy & Mather South Africa CEO, and Barty (see above). In 2016, it was Barty and, in 2015, Leck tied with Mike Abel, M&C Saatchi Abel chief executive partner and co-founder. In 2014, the runner-up was Barty. Leck was runner-up both in 2012 and 2013.

 

The contender

Veli Ngubane
Co-founder & group MD
AVATAR

Veli NgubaneNgubane is better known as the former CCO of ad agency, AVATAR, but during 2018 he took over the hot seat as managing director of the Johannesburg office, after co-founder Zibusiso Mkhwanazi moved into a group CEO position; Grant Sithole took over as CCO. Ngubane is now group MD.*

“We needed someone to impact on the Joburg office and to grow it as aggressively as the Cape Town office has under Mthunzi Plaatjie’s leadership,” notes Mkhwanazi.

Previously: In 2017 Nathan Reddy, GRID Worldwide founder and CCO, was named as contender. In 2016, it was Mkhwanazi, then Avatar CEO and co-founder, and Mike Abel, M&C Saatci Abel co-founder and chief executive partner. In 2015, the contenders were Graham Warsop, The Jupiter Drawing Room founder and chairman and Le Patron of Utopia; Charl Thom, FoxP2 GCEO; and Ahmed Tilly, then Black River FC ECD.

 

How the poll works

In November 2018, we invited a panel of 120 agency executives — creative and management, and ranging over a wide spectrum from small- and medium-sized to network agencies — to nominate their most-admired agency and agency leaders regionally (for Johannesburg or Cape Town) and nationally (South Africa). Execs couldn’t nominate their own agencies or staff members. All the nominations were then tallied up for the final result. The editors of MarkLives held two votes in the final poll.

Note: Runner-up(s) will only be named if they achieved a good nomination tally relative to the winner’s position. Contenders are named if they stand out significantly above other nominees but weren’t able to close in on the winner’s tally. The most-admired agency of the year is disqualified from the One to Watch category; votes cast in its favour in this category are discarded.

See also

*Updated on 21 February 2019.

 

Herman Manson 2017Herman Manson (@marklives) is the founder and editor of MarkLives.com.

— One subscription form, three newsletters: sign up now for the MarkLives newsletter, including Ramify headlines; The Interlocker, our new monthly comms-focused mailer; and Brands & Branding, launching soon!

Back2Basics: Four drivers of positive professional brand perceptions

by Mark Eardley (@mdeardley) Like any B2B enterprise, the success of a professional services firm depends on its ability to attract and retain profitable, long-term clients. To achieve that goal, it’s marketing’s task to shape positive brand perceptions that will trigger engagements.

The four drivers of brand perceptions

Positive perceptions are created when markets associate a professional services brand (PSB) with the four drivers in the following ways:

  • Relevance: Your services support my role, responsibility and accountability
  • Evidence: You have proof of successful delivery into my line of business and my organisation’s sector
  • Difference: There are advantages produced by your services that distinguish you from my other options
  • Prominence: Your track-record is well known to me, my organisation and my peers

How the drivers trigger engagements

In general terms, you are what your markets think you are. More specifically, and far more importantly, you are what buying-decision influencers think you are. Positive or negative, accurate or not, that’s your brand because perception is reality.

“We don’t see things as they are. We see them as we are.” —Anais Nin.

Engagements are triggered when influencers — the only people whose perceptions count — regard the brand like this:

  • Relevance: It is obvious to me why I should consider engaging your services
  • Evidence: My buying-decision risk is minimised by your proven ability to deliver the services I require
  • Difference: I can qualify and quantify my selecting your services over and above your competitors’
  • Prominence: Within my industry/sector, your reputation is clearly understood and widely respected

Marketing a professional services firm: four steps

“Don’t count the people you reach. Reach the people who count.” —David Ogilvy.

By bearing that pithy truism in mind when formulating your marcoms strategy, it’s obvious the brand should be promoted in the following ways:

Relevance

Show you understand the specific requirements of everyone who influences the buying decision. In terms of segmenting and targeting — getting the right message to the right people — you need to identify all the influencers and then define the reasons why your services are precisely pertinent to them.

Evidence

For each influencer, exemplify successful fulfilment of the outcomes they are seeking. This means providing proof to reinforce the credibility of your relevance and to validate the reality of your brand’s promise. Not only must the brand create client expectations, it must also substantiate client experiences. As another marketing titan explained:

“When prospective customers can’t experience the product in advance, they are asked to buy what are essentially promises — promises of satisfaction.” —Theodore Levitt, Harvard Business Review.

Difference

Compared to competitors, define how you are more empowered to achieve the influencers’ desired outcomes. In other words, how you are differentiated from the competition in terms of what you do, how you do it and the results you deliver?

Prominence

Ensure ‘evidence of difference’ is routinely visible to your markets’ decision-influencers. This applies to both existing clients and prospects; the former need reminding why they chose you in the first place and the latter need to know why they should. When influencers are fully aware of your relevance, evidence and difference, they are empowered to confidently make accurately informed decisions concerning how your firm will advance their success and that of their organisation.

Three areas of brand-focus: results, results, results

For PSBs, results are the materials from which brand perceptions are built. It’s therefore essential — and entirely logical — to build your brand around the results achieved for clients. Here’s why. Results are the products derived from your services. They are the sum of what your firm does, how it does it and for whom. Everything that emanates from the brand should reflect how your firm advances clients’ success.

What’s so commercially potent about this brand-building approach is that, when they are classed as products, results may be categorised within the five factors of value. That’s mega-significant because these are the criteria that govern all B2B buying decisions.

Any professional service may be described in terms of the definitions for each of the five factors. And that’s important because it translates what your brand represents into content that addresses what decision-influencers are motivated to buy — and keep on buying.

See also

 

Mark EardleyMark Eardley (@mdeardley) advises B2B companies on how to govern their marketing to attract and retain profitable customers; several of his clients have grown to become market leaders. He and Charlie Stewart have written Business-to-Business Marketing: A Step-by-Step Guide (Penguin Random House), which offers practical, actionable advice on how to make marketing make money. His monthly “Back2Basics” column covers how B2B companies and their agencies should manage their marketing.

— One subscription form, three newsletters: sign up now for the MarkLives newsletter, including Ramify headlines; The Interlocker, our new monthly comms-focused mailer; and Brands & Branding, launching soon!

#AgencyLeaders2018: Most admired creative leader in South Africa

by Herman Manson (@marklives) Today we reveal, as part of our annual Agency Leaders poll, which agency creative leaders were most admired by their peers in South Africa during the course of 2018!

Every year since 2012, MarkLives has been polling South Africa’s top ad agency leaders to find out what they think of their competitors, whom they see as effective managers and great creative leaders, and where they believe their future competition is likely to come from. The first week we ran our Cape Town results, last week our Joburg results, and next week will be our remaining categories.

The most-admired creative leader in South Africa

Alistair King
Founding creative partner
King James Group SA

Alistair KingIn 2018, Alistair King was inducted into the Creative Circle Hall of Fame as the agency he co-founded celebrated its 20th year in business. The agency was the third most-awarded (by agency) at the 2018 Loeries.

Sanlam 2-Minute Shower Songs and Sanlam Uk’Shona Kwelanga were its two most-awarded campaigns of the year. The former took, among others, the PRISM Awards Campaign of the Year, a Loeries Grand Prix in Digital and Interactive, and two Silvers at One Show. The latter won two PRISM Award Golds, two Silvers and one Bronze at Cannes, two Golds at Bookmarks, three Bronze at One Show and a Gold at APEX.

“Sanlam 2-Minute Shower Songs and Sanlam Uk’Shona Kwelanga were our best-performing work [last] year as far as awards go, but I think our teams are knocking it out the park on a whole bunch of brands,” comments King. “We have some epic work rolling out in the new year, so look out for TymeBank, Santam and Netflix. I’m also particularly proud of the work we’re doing on Pick n Pay, and we’re part of a wonderful brand revival there.

“As far as our heroes go, ha ha, nice try. Every time we mention a rising star at King James, they get poached so, if people want to know who our rock stars are, they’re going to have to do it the old-fashioned way: stalk.”

Previously: King took the crown in 2017, 2016 and in 2015. Chris Gotz, previously Ogilvy & Mather SA CCO, won in 2014 and again in 2013. King took the vote in our inaugural poll in 2012.

 

The runner-up

Xolisa Dyeshana
Chief creative officer
Joe Public United

Xolisa DyeshanaDuring the course of 2018, Xolisa Dyeshana took on full creative leadership of the ATL specialist agency within Joe Public United, as Pepe Marais took on a group role. “Our creative product [took] a significant step-up [last] year and we are extremely proud of that,” says Dyeshana on the agency’s creative performance during 2018. “We are constantly challenging ourselves to do work that is more South African in its feel and texture, and more resonant with a diverse local audience, first and foremost. Going forward, we want to build on the momentum of [last] year and to pay particular attention to the seamless integration of all our work across all mediums.”

Joe Public United was the top-ranked agency at the 2018 Loeries. Marais and Dyeshana placed joint first place in the chief creative officer ranking.

Previously: In 2017, it was Ahmed Tilly, FCB Africa joint CCO, and Sibusiso “Sbu” Sitole, The Odd Number co-founder and then creative director (now CCO). In 2016, it was Tilly. Graham Lang, then Y&R South Africa CCO, was our runner-up in 2015. In 2014, it was Pepe Marais, Joe Public founding partner and CCO. In 2013, it was Justin Gomes, FoxP2 ECD. Mike Schalit (Net#work BBDO South Africa), Chris Gotz (then Ogilvy Cape Town), Pete Case (then Gloo) and Tilly (then Black River FC) all tied as runners-up in our inaugural poll in 2012.

 

Contenders

Contenders are named if they stand out significantly above their peers in terms of the number of nominations received but do not make it into the top two spots.

Pepe Marais August 2018 Tseliso Rangaka

Pepe Marais
Group chief creative officer
Joe Public United

Tseliso Rangaka
Executive creative director
Ogilvy & Mather Cape Town
Marais is joint runner-up Most Admired Creative Leader in Jozi for 2018. Rangaka is our Most Admired Creative Leader in Cape Town for 2018.

How the poll works

In November 2018, we invited a panel of 120 agency executives — creative and management, and ranging over a wide spectrum from small- and medium-sized to network agencies — to nominate their most-admired agency and agency leaders regionally (for Johannesburg or Cape Town) and nationally (South Africa). Execs couldn’t nominate their own agencies or staff members. All the nominations were then tallied up for the final result. The editors of MarkLives held two votes in the final poll.

Note: Runner-up(s) will only be named if they achieved a good nomination tally relative to the winner’s position. Contenders are named if they stand out significantly above other nominees but weren’t able to close in on the winner’s tally. The most-admired agency of the year is disqualified from the One to Watch category; votes cast in its favour in this category are discarded.

See also

 

Herman Manson 2017Herman Manson (@marklives) is the founder and editor of MarkLives.com.

— One subscription form, three newsletters: sign up now for the MarkLives newsletter, including Ramify headlines; The Interlocker, our new monthly comms-focused mailer; and Brands & Branding, launching soon!

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

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

DStv logoDStv, January 2019

Top 30 Programmes All Adults 15+ & DSTV Adults
January 2019 Prime Time 5.30pm—10pm

Source: BRCSA January 2019

 Adults 15+ years U:35679 S:8198

Digital DStv U:19816 S:5095

Day

Date

From

To

Station

Programme title

Genre

AR

Viewers

Share

AR

Viewers

Share
Thur 24/01/2019 2101 2132 MZAN The Queen Movi 3.8 1 364 843 11.4 8 1 592 199 23.6
Sun 20/01/2019 2001 2058 MZAN Ehostela Dram 3.3 1 169 795 10.7 7.1 1 399 380 21.8
Sun 20/01/2019 1903 1959 MZAN Our Perfect Wedding Dram 3 1 064 965 10.4 6.5 1 289 002 21.1
Thur 24/01/2019 2031 2059 MZAN Isibaya Dram 2.5 881 333 6.6 5.1 1 009 606 13.9
Sun 20/01/2019 2101 2130 MZAN Ikhaya Dram 2 715 315 7.1 4.2 841 399 14.2
Sun 20/01/2019 1803 1902 MZAN Date My Family Real 1.9 661 277 7.3 4 795 551 14.2
Tue 29/01/2019 1930 1957 MZAN Isithembiso Dram 1.9 660 533 5.3 3.8 756 051 10.8
Tue 29/01/2019 1900 1927 MZAN The Throne (Drama) Dram 1.8 632 157 5.5 3.6 717 800 11.1
Sun 06/01/2019 2100 2126 MZAN Housekeepers Dram 1.7 600 180 6 3.8 750 775 12.9
Sat 19/01/2019 2059 2100 MWET Epk:Mamma Mia 2 Docu 1.6 586 702 6 4.1 809 853 14
Sat 12/01/2019 2100 2157 MWET Igazi Dram 1.5 527 483 6.2 3.4 670 131 13
Wed 16/01/2019 2000 2029 MZAN Unmarried Dram 1.4 513 956 4.2 3.1 610 456 9.4
Mon 14/01/2019 1500 1555 MBIO Imbeleko Dram 1.4 494 388 9.1 2.8 561 062 15.8
Sat 26/01/2019 1931 2001 MWET Sengkhathele Maga 1.4 489 266 5.3 3.2 627 813 11.5
Sat 26/01/2019 1852 2059 SUP4 Nedbank Cup 2018:Kaizer Chiefs vs Stelle Spor 1.4 487 544 5.4 2.7 530 080 9.9
Sun 06/01/2019 2000 2029 MWET Isikizi Dram 1.4 482 309 4.4 3.1 615 282 9.7
Fri 25/01/2019 1031 1059 MZAN Isithembiso -R Dram 1.3 469 691 8.9 2.5 486 267 16.7
Tue 08/01/2019 1600 1657 MBIO Icala Lami Movi 1.3 459 499 8.4 2.9 579 857 15.8
Wed 02/01/2019 1700 1755 MBIO Indlalifa Dram 1.2 444 820 6.1 2.8 554 130 11.6
Tue 15/01/2019 1700 1754 MBIO Lokshin Bioskop: Umntwana Vari 1.2 432 991 6.3 2.4 471 735 11
Tue 29/01/2019 1500 1554 MBIO Mapetla Dram 1.2 431 216 7.3 2.5 487 313 13
Fri 25/01/2019 1000 1030 MZAN The Queen-R Dram 1.2 430 158 8 2.2 436 705 15.1
Tue 08/01/2019 1501 1557 MBIO Uyakhumbula Movi 1.2 423 997 7.9 2.8 548 334 15.1
Tue 29/01/2019 1600 1656 MBIO Mkhulu Dram 1.2 420 798 7.1 2.4 468 199 11.9
Thur 24/01/2019 1600 1653 MBIO Four Four Masihlalisane Dram 1.2 418 549 6.7 2.6 508 618 13.3
Sat 05/01/2019 1623 1725 SUP4 Absa Premiership: Ajax Cape Town vs Free Spor 1.2 413 032 5.2 2.4 483 666 10.3
Mon 14/01/2019 1600 1654 MBIO Lokshin Bioskop: Usathane Akanaqiniso Vari 1.2 412 138 7.5 2.4 481 624 13.1
Thur 03/01/2019 2000 2029 MZAN The Ranakas Real 1.1 408 393 3.2 2.6 506 503 7.1
Thur 10/01/2019 1600 1654 MBIO Luthando 3 Dram 1.1 407 904 7 2.4 474 323 12.5
Mon 14/01/2019 1558 1600 MBIO Epk:Black Panther Docu 1.1 398 278 8.9 2.3 461 678 15.3

In 2016, the Broadcast Research Council of South Africa (BRCSA) 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.

 

Broadcast Research Council of South AfricaThe Broadcast Research Council of South Africa (the BRC) 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.

— One subscription form, three newsletters: sign up now for the MarkLives newsletter, including Ramify headlines; The Interlocker, our new monthly comms-focused mailer; and Brands & Branding, launching soon!

#AgencyLeaders2018: The one to watch in Jozi in 2019!

by Herman Manson (@marklives) Today we reveal, as part of our annual Agency Leaders poll, which Johannesburg agency fellow ad execs feel is the “one to watch” in 2019 — the agency from which they expect great things in the year ahead!

Every year since 2012, MarkLives has been polling South Africa’s top agency leaders to find out what they think of their competitors, whom they see as effective managers and great creative leaders, and where they believe their future competition is likely to come from. Last week we revealed the Cape Town results, and the national results come next week, and our remaining categories the week after.

The one to watch in Jozi!

The Odd Number staff pic. Source: www.theoddnumber.co.za
Source: www.theoddnumber.co.za

The Odd Number

It’s not the first time The Odd Number has been chosen by Joburg peers as the Jozi agency most expect to do great things in the year to come — in 2016, the agency tied with R\VERBED for the One to Watch in Jozi for 2017. Additionally, it took the national title in 2017 as the One to Watch in South Africa in 2018, as well as being Joint 2017 Most Admired Ad Agency in Jozi. Chief creative officer and co-founder Sibusiso “Sbu” Sitole, who’s also featured several times in our poll results over the last few years, received in invitation to judge The One Show Awards in 2019.

This independent, black-owned agency has been busy and has experienced a 129% compounded growth rate since its inception in 2015. New client wins in 2018 included Adcock Ingram, Nedbank, Assupol, AB InBev, Cricket SA and Viu, with other 2018 achievements being its four Bronze Loeries and one Gold Pendoring; the acquisition of an equity stake in digital agency, Hoorah; and the January 2019 appointment of ex-Ogilvy creative, Terry McKenna, as the agency’s newest ECD.

The biggest challenge The Odd Number faced in 2018 was accusations of copyright infringement by MMS (MMS Communications is the multidoor operation agency of Publicis Group) and McDonald’s that caused the agency to lose the Wimpy account. Xola Nouse, CEO and co-founder, says the matter was resolved as of December 2018, releasing the following joint statement: “McDonald’s and The Odd Number are pleased to share the news that they have agreed to put their recent dispute, surrounding a television advert the agency produced for Wimpy, behind them. The Odd Number regret[s] the unfortunate sequence of events leading up to the dispute and McDonald’s recognise[s] no harm was intended.”

Work that stood out during the course of 2018 was the Brand SA Freedom Day campaign and the launch of the Cricket SA T20 Mzansi Super League.

Looking to 2019, Nouse and Sitole believe the agency is well-geared to continue on its growth path, both creatively and commercially, and aim to further invest in their clients’ success, as well as their own.

— Profile by Sabrina Forbes.

Previously: R\VERBED was the One to Watch for 2018; R\VERBED and The Odd Number tied for 2017; Promise for 2016; and no agency was named for 2015. Quirk took the honours in 2014.

 

Runner-up

There is no runner-up One to Watch for 2019. The Make Beautiful Agency was runner-up for 2018, and Avatar for 2017. King James II (now King James Group Jhb) was our runner-up for 2016 and there were no runners-up named for 2015 and 2014.

 

How the poll works

In November 2018, we invited a panel of 120 agency executives — creative and management, and ranging over a wide spectrum from small- and medium-sized to network agencies — to nominate their most-admired agency and agency leaders regionally (for Johannesburg or Cape Town) and nationally (South Africa). Execs couldn’t nominate their own agencies or staff members. All the nominations were then tallied up for the final result. The editors of MarkLives held two votes in the final poll.

Note: Runner-up(s) will only be named if they achieved a good nomination tally relative to the winner’s position. Contenders are named if they stand out significantly above other nominees but weren’t able to close in on the winner’s tally. The most-admired agency of the year is disqualified from the One to Watch category; votes cast in its favour in this category are discarded.

See also

Updated on 15 February 2019.

 

Herman Manson 2017Herman Manson (@marklives) is the founder and editor of MarkLives.com.

— One subscription form, three newsletters: sign up now for the MarkLives newsletter, including Ramify headlines; The Interlocker, our new monthly comms-focused mailer; and Brands & Branding, launching soon!

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