by Herman Manson. Gareth McPherson has been appointed Virgin Active South Africa CMO, effective 1 March 2020.
Tag archives: Nikki Cockcroft
Hermaneutics: As lines blur, the Bookmarks seeks new relevance
by Herman Manson (@marklives) The Bookmarks Awards, the digital-centric advertising and publishing awards show, is reaching a tipping point, one that will either see it evolve away from its digi-only roots into something covering more integrated work, or see it link up with another award show to focus on a digital niche within more mainstream work.
DMMA board denies governance crisis
by Herman Manson. The DMMA earlier this year announced a new management structure that saw an elected exco replaced by an appointed steering committee. However, it had neglected to update its constitution, which requires a 75% vote in support by members, before doing so.
The Bookmarks promises to grow up
by Herman Manson (@marklives) The Bookmarks Awards, the digital focussed awards evening, promises to be a much more settled affair this year, according to Bookmarks chairperson Nikki Cockcroft (@nikkicockcroft). In recent years the awards evening itself was better known for the general rebelliousness of its audience than for its role in showcasing stand-out work in the digital industry.
Entry levels have hit a record number, up to 590 this year from 453 in 2011, 400 in 2010, 229 in 2009 and 120 in 2008 – its launch year. The shortlist for the evening’s awards shows a mix of large and small, specialist and mainstream agencies. It sees agencies like The Jupiter Drawing Room, Ogilvy, 140 BBDO, Ireland Davenport, M&C Saatchi Abel, Machine, Joe Public and King James compete with digital experts like Quirk, Hellocomputer (recently acquired by Draftfcb), Prezence, Gloo and Native.
Cockcroft says she was especially pleased to see growth in the integrated campaign and social media categories this year.
IOL deal helped transform Primedia Online as turnover jumps 38%
by Herman Manson (@marklives) Primedia Online is evolving from an online publisher with a sales capacity into a major online sales house following its partnership with Independent Newspapers to take over the sales function of its online properties held in IOL at the start of the year.
The company absorbed the online sales team of IOL and its impact on revenues and the company has been significant says Primedia Online CEO Tanja Lategan.
Lategan has been spending the past year consolidating the business after taking over from Nikki Cockcroft. Sales and traffic staff have been moved into a single space – Lategan says although they have traditionally been seen as two teams their goals are closely aligned in terms of delivering returns to clients. Incentives have been aligned for both teams as has work schedules (same incentive means same overtime when required). Turnover has jumped 38%.
The geeks have the floor
The fourth annual Bookmarks Awards, the digital industries awards evening and back-slap, was a vast improvement over last year’s chaotic event (read Award-show behaving badly), when several hundred hangers-on crashed the awards evening and the MC Don Packett lost control and his cool.
Nikki Cockcroft leaves Primedia Online for Woolies
Nikki Cockcroft, long serving CEO of Primedia Online, where she oversaw leading South African portal iafrica.com, digital agency Prezence and trafficking solutions provider 365 Digital, has announced her resignation, effective 30 June 2011. She joins retail giant Woolworths as head of online and will take up her new position at the beginning of July.
Where to find the #NetProphet 2011 speakers on Twitter
Want to follow the 2011 NetProphet conference speakers? Look no further. The tag for the event taking place May 12 in Cape Town is #netprophet.
Nikki Cockroft and her remarkable contribution to the digital industry
Nikki Cockcroft has five jobs, she likes to joke, juggling her responsibilities as the CEO of Primedia Online where she is responsible for the portal iafrica.com, digital agency Prezence and trafficking solutions provider 365 Digital, as well as being chair of the Digital Media and Marketing Association (DMMA) and Chairperson of the annual industry award show, The Bookmarks Awards.