Today’s Journal of Marketing (JOM) debate session was titled “Radio: A good media buy? Or goodbye to the medium” (held at the Michelangelo Hotel). With the MTN Radio Awards 2011 coming up, this was a fitting debate topic.

Our panelists were:

• Natasha Basson – GM of Brand & Communication, MTN SA
• Terry Volkwyn – CEO Primedia Broadcasting
• Gordon Patterson – CEO of Starcom Mediavest
• Rachelle Jaques – Sales Manager of the Media Connection
• Omar Essack – Executive Director: Broadcasting – Kagiso Media

Jeremy Maggs lead the discussion and here is an overview of all the questions and answers from the session:

Is radio as a medium dying?

• Terry Volkwyn – We don’t think radio is a dying medium but it does face challenges from digital media. The most important factor for radio is that the medium is driven by advertising and this is pivotal to its survival.

• Gordon Patterson – Radio is not dying, infact stats show that listening minutes are increasing over South Africa and radio has the advantage of ‘direct reach’ to clientele.

• Natasha Basson – Radio is not dead but when marketers advertise, they should advertise by programme and not by station.

What are the limitations of radio advertising?

• Gordon Patterson – The limitation is that marketers are planning/targeting TV advertising by station but they should plan by programme (people tune in to a station because of the programme not because of what station it is).

“In addition, broadcasters are now in a habit of discounting sales and advertising services and this is hurting industry player (for example SABC making loses due to discounting)” – Gordon Patterson – CEO of Starcom Mediavest.

• Natasha Basson – Another limitation the industry has is that research is limited in terms of knowing more about their ‘listenership’ (who they are and more about their demographics).

How do small businesses owners benefit from Radio advertising?

• Gordon Patterson – They need to know which radio stations are in their area and analyze the cost effectiveness of advertising with each station. It is also important to look at the budget and consider advertising with local radio stations.

• Terry Volkwyn – My advice would be to approach a radio direct sales team and calculate the cost per response.

• Rachelle Jaques – The benefits of small companies is that they are flexible and there is a lot of room to be creative in advertising.

“Using community radio stations for small business advertising may be most beneficial however they are limited to the community” – Rachelle Jaques – Sales Manager of the Media Connection.

Do Brands use radio to build the brand or just for product promotion?

• Natasha Basson – Depending on your strategy, national radio broadcasting stations are often used for company branding campaigns (e.g MTN) whereas regional broadcasting stations help in ‘sell brand products’.

What should clients expect from radio advertising sales individuals?

• Terry Volkwyn – We make sure that the sales team is fully trained and give professional consulting so they approach clients (advertisers) effectively.

• Omar Essack – A good radio sales team must understand their clients’ needs and strategize the ways in which they can reach the sales conversion. They must offer the client the most relevant channels to reach the most optimum strategy for the advertiser.

What is radio advertising added value?

• Omar Essack – Radio advertising added value are the extras added on to the service offering such as in depth reporting of results.

• Rachelle Jaques – Added value is not an advertising discount but more of a ‘tailor-made’ service – monitor, watch and respond to the client’s needs anytime.

• Gordon Patterson – this is addition support that makes sure that radio stations run a campaign that works.

When can you tell that a campaign is not working?

• Natasha Basson – It takes roughly 24hours to see if a radio campaign is going to be successful or if it needs extra attention to reach its benchmark – especially if it is an interactive radio campaign.

In conclusion, the last question the panelists addressed was “How will radio work for businesses?” It was generally agreed that radio advertising will work effectively when advertiser focus on leveraging on the relationship the radio station has with the community in order to unleash the power of its advertising potential.

A beautifully fresh morning welcomes everyone at this, the next episode of The Journal of Marketing Breakfast, at The Michelangelo in Sandton. A Loerie themed morning, Hosted by Andy Rice, today’s topic revolves around “Squawking About Winning Advertising”.

Loerie ads are judged according to 5 categories:

• Innovation – creativity in terms of being distinctively different
• Quality – how well is the idea executed
• Relevance to the brand,
• Relevance to target audience,
• And relevance to the  chosen medium

On the menu today to talk and question about winning ads are:

Andy Rice, Chairman, Yellowwood Brand Architects
Oresti Patricios, CEO at Ornico Group (Pty)Ltd
Steve Miller, CEO at BF Strategy
Lou Boxall-Davies, Chief Strategist at Morris Jones
Geoff Whyte, Managing Director at Snackworks

Advert 1:

The Vodacom Music Station, done by Draft FCB, directed by Neo Mashingo.

Goal: To promote that Vodacom provides the listener to have radio at their fingertips, their own choice of music.
Creative angle: The DJ Keeps talking over the music, that the listener really wants to listen to. Where as they have their own choice of music via Vodacom.
Delivery: Pointers were given for the voice artist to talk about, and then were elaborated on in studio.

• The voiceover artist did a fantastic job at depicting the DJ.
• The ad explains that it is music without a DJ, any category any music. Like listening to a radio station, on your cellphone.
• Was flighted on vernacular ALS radio stations.
• The Vodacom brand doesn’t come out strong, but appears as a spot read by the DJ.
• Sales increased in terms of data markets. A lot of teaching still needs to happen. The campaign was driven to teach people on ALS stations to use their phones for other functions, like data, and not just voice.
• In terms of building the brand, they wanted the brand to be viewed as a friend, with a comedic thread.

Advert 2

Yuppiechef vs Woolies
Agency: Hello World
Danni Vos, CEO

The sign, which had the incorrect URL on, which Yuppiechef held ransom.

Yuppiechef.co.za hijacked Woolies’s misspelt URL, registered it, and held it ransom.  Challenging them to donate money

• They had less than 14 days before Valentine’s day.
• Social media driven, but mainly driven by the PR.
• How do Yupppiechef now continue to engage? They are an online company, so they continue with online and social media.
• It’s about finding the right social idea, and backing it up with the right brand.
• If it were to be done again, would it be done differently: Because of time constraints, strategy couldn’t be planned.  A bigger base could’ve been achieved, and the Yuppiechhef current bas could’ve been utilized.
• Great opportunistic campaign, and a great PR exercise – what was the PR strat: was totally focused on radio and online media. Power of online has turned a corner, to use Online PR more – to engage online bloggers more.
• Built their social media database immensely.

…./2

Today’s Journal of Marketing Debate is titled “Design and Packaging: The Last Touchpoint (or is it?), and Why we ignore it”.  Hosted by Jeremy Maggs, the panel of experts for today’s debate includes:

The panel included:

• Brain Ferns – Y&R Touch, Creative Director
• Adelle Wapnick – MD, Creative Strategist, Cross Colours Consultancy
• Nathan Reddy – CEO of Grid Worldwide Branding and Design
• Bill Marshall – MD, Syndicate Graphics (Pyt) Ltd
• Janet Kinghorn – Creative Director, Coley Porter Bell South Africa
• Brian Steinhobel – Steinhobel Group of Companies

“Packaging plays an important role in the marketing mix of today. It doesn’t matter how good your advertising is, the last hurdle to purchase is and always will be the allure of what is on the shelf and whether hands will reach out and guide said item to the shopping trolley”.

The interesting points from the morning debate include:

Brian Steinhobel – Steinhobel Group of Companies

• The power of packing is never to be underestimated – it is extremely important.
• The way a product feels is also as influential as the way it looks.
• Packaging design must be careful not to over shoot in its packaging design as consumers mostly know what they will purchase before they get to the shop.
• Progressive and technology consciousness are the characteristics of great designer in packaging.

Adelle Wapnick – MD, Creative Strategist, Cross Colours Consultancy

• Carrying out the brand strategy should be reflected in the packaging.
• Use all mediums to show branding/packaging – online and print should be the same.
• Take into consideration the product and the consumer and how it all fits in together.
• The marketer is the most critical person in the mix in order to understand the dynamics of engagement, budget, target market – he/she is the custodian of the brand.

Janet Kinghorn – Creative Director, Coley Porter Bell South Africa

• Breaking down the user is important in packaging – for example gender, or age of the user (done to relate to the consumer).
• Packaging must be tactical – when someone walks down the aisle, you have literally 2 seconds to grab the consumers attention.
• Simplicity is key in packaging: focus on creativity and avoid focus on constraints (e.g budget).
• The Marketer should communicate and make the designer understand all the portions of the business and the product.

Nathan Reddy – CEO of Grid Worldwide Branding and Design

• New trend: Bio-degradable packaging – for example Puma campaigns with shoe packaging and t-shirts.
• Use of initiatives such as bio-degradable packaging is gaining popularity among consumers.
• Consumers are generally prejudiced so you have to mix beauty and intelligence in your packaging.
• Brands fight for product positioning through their packaging to differentiate themselves from the competitor.
• Clever brands are looking at new ways of packaging to their consumers.
• Consumers are now more conscious: thinking where a product comes from and where it is going.

Brain Ferns – Y&R Touch, Creative Director

• The story of the egg: everyone understands what it is and where it comes from, therefore product packaging should aim to catch the eye of consumer and he knows what the product is.
• Create packaging that goes back to the basics – simple, innovative and works.
• Packaging has to match the product – there has to be a fine balance.
• Talk and engage with the ‘above-the-line’ department in order to get the packaging right.
• Best packaging considers new trends in the market (keep it fresh) and works around the constraints.

Bill Marshall – MD, Syndicate Graphics (Pyt) Ltd

• Understand the technology that your packaging will use consider all constraints.
• Test your boundaries in your creativity – always ask “Why can’t I do this”.
• Every aspect part of your packaging must match your brand positioning and brand strategy.
• Packaging is very diverse and designers should challenge the way the consumer thinks of the product.

Look of for the next Journal of Marketing Debate: “Squawking About Winning Advertising”.

Date: Thursday, November 4

Time: 7:30am – 12:00pm

Location: Michelangelo, Sandton

The topic says it all… the upcoming Journal of Marketing’s Breakfast Debate moderated by Jeremy Maggs is sure to be an interesting event. The panel that will participate consists of a variety of well known and exciting individuals in the online marketing arena: Continue reading

Virtuosa is currently looking for an Online Marketing Manager to join our amazing team to help drive business and revenue strategy for our clients.

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If you can remember a couple of months ago the media was flooded with reports about The Best  Job in the World. The job to be caretaker on palm-fringed Hamilton Island on the Great Barrier Reef in Queensland, Australia for six months with a hefty salary, a villa and a very modest work schedule made headlines on the news, radio and all over the internet. After months of interviewing Ben Southall, an 34-year-old British man,  landed the job by fighting off competition from 34,000 other applicants.

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If you want to find out more information on how your business can successfully generate your own referrals through the use of online tools, be sure to pick up a copy of the February edition of the Entrepreneur Magazine. Managing Director Ingrid Rubin and Search Marketing Manager Melt du Plooy feature on page 46 and share some of their experience.

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Final votes are in and we know now that Barack Obama is the newly elected president of the United States of America. How did he win?

Good campaigning, lots of money and loads of support made it all possible, or did it?

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By now, the news of the SA Blog Awards last night is almost old news. Just in case you were too busy monitoring the Zim elections and missed it, here are the results:

South African Weblog of the Year
The Best of the Best from South Africa
Winner: www.thoughtleader.co.za [an M&G Online product]

Most Humorous South African Blog
Witty, comical and written to induce uncontrollable laughter
Winner: http://blog.ecr.co.za/breakfast

Best Overseas South African Blog
Best blog written by a South African in any foreign country
Winner: http://cooksister.typepad.com

Best SA Blog about Politics
The best SA blog featuring mainly a political theme
Winner: www.thoughtleader.co.za [an M&G Online product]

Best New Blog
Best blog which was started during the year of 2007
Winner: http://blog.ecr.co.za/newswatch

Best SA Blog about Technology / Computers / Web Development
Best South African technology focused weblog
Winner: http://imod.co.za

Best SA Blog about Design
Best overall design and layout of a weblog page
Winner:www.skinnylaminx.com

Best SA Business Blog
Best blog about business
Winner: www.matthewbuckland.com [GM of the M&G Online]
Runner up: Bizcommunity.com Breaking News blog

Best Website Promoting Blogging
Best South African blog content promotion service or blogging platform
Winner: www.amatomu.com [an M&G Online product]

Best Green Blog
Weblog covering mainly environmental, organic or enviro-friendly related content
Winner: http://urbansprout.co.za

Best Undiscovered Blog
Due to these blogs being ‘undiscovered’ with limited readership, last year’s winners will make a selection from the unknown blogs nominated for this category. The selected top ten with then go through to the final voting stage as per normal.
Winner: http://livinglifebreathlessly.blogspot.com

Best SA Entertainment Blog
Weblogs about movies, television, celebrities, theatre and topical issues with entertainment value
Winner: http://blog.ecr.co.za/breakfast

Best Post on a South African Blog
The one post which stood out in 2007
Winner: http://mushypeasontoast.blogspot.com/2007/10/how-not-to-buy-condoms.html

Best Original Writing on a South African Blog
Composition, attention to detail, advanced levels of subject investigation
Winner: http://mushypeasontoast.blogspot.com

Best SA Photographic Blog
The best SA blog featuring original photographic content
Winner: http://jenty-mylifeinpics.blogspot.com

Best SA Blog about Food and Wine
The best blog written primarily about food or drink
Winner: http://cooksister.com

Best SA Music Blog
Best weblog about news of a musical nature
Winner: http://peakperformances.co.za

Best SA Podcast
Best independently produced video or audio podcast in SA
Winner: http://blog.ecr.co.za/justplain

Best Group Blog
Best blog with more than one contributor
Winner: http://blog.ecr.co.za/breakfast

Best Sports Blog
A weblog written exclusively about any recognised sport
Winner: http://keo.co.za

Best Travel Blog
The best South African blog featuring travel related content.
Winner: http://capetowndailyphoto.com

Best South African Personal Blog
Covers diary type blogs of a personal lifestory nature
Winner: http://tertia.org

I have been thinking about how to start my first blog posting so for inspiration I looked at a few websites for advice. In doing so I came across an article that should help to explain the thoughts that have been going through my head before I made my first posting.

The article highlights five questions that I am sure everyone who has wanted to start blogging has thought about:

1. What will the blog be about?
2. Who will blog?
3. How much time will blogging take?
4. What will blogging cost?
5. Will blogging really help?

(Five Getting-Started Blog Questions by P.J. Fusco)

Having read the article the truth is that blogging should be seen as a integral part of a company’s digital marketing strategy – so there it is my first blog posting…