SA Brands Can Embrace Authenticity With Launch Of TikTok For Business

June 17, 2021

According to Scott Thwaites, Head of Emerging Markets at TikTok Global Business Solutions, brands who want to be successful today and, in the future, must without question act authentically and with purpose.

Consumer behaviour is ever-changing, but several changes we have seen recently have and will alter the way brands do business and approach advertising. For one, consumers now have very high expectations for brands, especially when it comes to social, environmental and political issues. And it is these expectations that are reshaping advertising and leading brands onto a more authenticity-driven path.

Talking about the recent launch of TikTok For Business in South Africa, Thwaites said that brands who have had the most success on TikTok in other regions have embraced the creativity and authenticity of the TikTok community and used the platform to amplify their unique brand voice.

‘Having purpose and being authentic takes commitment,’ added Thwaites, ‘and it is all about leveraging technology to communicate personally and predictively. We believe TikTok For Business does just that, by opening up opportunities for advertisers to drive value and engage with one of the most active communities in the country.’

And it looks like TikTok users agree; this according to a recent Nielson study, commissioned by TikTok, to understand the value of the platform compared to other channels and explore user perceptions on content and advert authenticity.

‘The results of this study,’ said Thwaites, ‘saw TikTok ranking the highest amongst users for being more authentic, and it also revealed that users love TikTok for its unique and authentic content.’

From an advert point of view, the study states that users see TikTok as an ad-friendly environment, believing the platform to be more trustworthy, less intrusive, more creative and entertaining. Feedback of this kind bodes very well for brands wanting to live up to consumer expectations, with the rise of big data, consumers today judge brands on their ability to predict individual preferences and needs.

‘This is particularly noticeable in social media,’ said Thwaites, ‘with audiences that are more dialled-in than ever before, it’s crucial for brands to have a deep understanding of the core DNA of their own company and fully understand their target customers and their values. It’s only through this knowledge that they can truly predict consumer actions and act with authenticity.’

Just as important today is the humanisation of brands, which allows companies to share their purpose with their audiences, often seeing their consumers share their values. The rise of purposeful brands has seen advertisers addressing real issues like inclusivity and actually tailoring content to suit the individual rather than the masses.

But just as crucial are the platforms that can bring these narratives to life, and TikTok is confident that the platform has just the right formula for success, according to Thwaites.
‘TikTok For Business allows brands to connect with their customers in new and innovative ways,’ explained Thwaites.

‘Brands are given the tools to be creative storytellers and meaningfully engage with the TikTok community. They can start trends, connect communities, bring awareness to critical public service initiatives, and actually experience the impact their campaigns have on people. No other platform has users becoming so engaged and inspired by a marketing campaign, that they create their own version of it.’

So, what can the growing South African TikTok user base expect from brands now that TikTok For Business is available in the country?

‘There are currently five different ad formats available for brands to explore,’ explained Thwaites, ‘and these options have been designed for brands to open up an entirely new window of opportunity for themselves, and to create content that speaks to people and invites the community to join the conversation.’

Thwaites concluded by saying that central to the TikTok experience is the power of authenticity. He believes that through the platform brands can now see the value in being their true selves, especially as they realise consumers connect not only with what the brand stands for but also with how it makes them feel.

TikTok Take Off Launch

Cassper Nyovest opened the official virtual TikTok South Africa launch, held on 9 June.

Shant Oknayan, General Manger of Global Business Solutions METAP, said, ‘In the age of second and third screens, what if you could communicate with your audience in an uninterrupted environment and on a new level that you haven’t seen before? And through solutions that will make your audiences be part of your content, not just like or scroll past it? Creativity is how TikTok users express themselves, create trends and come together. Your brand could be part of shaping the future of entertainment on a platform that inspires creativity and brings joy to a positive community.’

‘For businesses that continue to gain momentum in their journey to recovery through this difficult year, tapping into TikTok’s infinitely joyful community is a fresh and exciting path to connect with new audiences in a way that has never been more accessible, creative, engaging and authentic,’ said Oknayan.

He added that TikTok for business encourages brands not to make ads, but to ‘make TikToks’ instead. ‘TikTok for business is committed to supercharging brands and businesses so they can show up as their most authentic selves.’

He also mentioned TikTok’s exclusive partnership with 365 Digital in South Africa. ‘Partnering with 365 Digital will open up opportunities on TikTok for businesses to drive value and engage with the most active community in South Africa – and the world – in an authentic way,’ said Oknayan.

Julian Jordaan, Managing Director, 365 Digital, said, ‘We have been positively overwhelmed by the reception of the launch of TikTok Business in South Africa, and we are excited to inspire with creativity and joy. Our objective goes beyond merely connecting brands with the world’s most engaged and fastest growing audience. We’re here to enable you to show up as your most authentic self on TikTok. And it’s when brands meet consumers in an authentic way that we see a gap bridged. This is where brands can really connect with their audiences and stay relevant and relatable.’

Jordaan said they are aware that consumers’ expectations have changed – calling brands to understand who they are, what they stand for and what they like or dislike and then showing up in the most authentic way. ‘From high relevance to inclusion and diversity, we make sure your brand voice is heard loud and clear on the platform. There are three things brands can expect from the 365 Digital team: we will partner with you, inspire you and we will equip you.’ He added that the team will take a hands-on approach for campaign strategies and will collaborate on, and craft, the best possible solution.

These are some of the questions asked about TikTok Business during the event:

1. What kind of access do agencies need to track the performance of influencers for clients?
– Brands can boost creator posts as Spark Ads, which will be managed on TikTok auction ad dashboard, which is managed by and accessible to agencies representing the brands.

2. What are Spark Ads?
– Spark Ads are in-feed ad format bought on auction to boost a sponsored creator post for views and engagements.

3. Can you track hashtag performance?
– Yes, we can track multiple metrics of branded hashtag challenges like video views, number of videos created, total engagements, engagement rates, impressions and clicks.

4. Will brands be able advertise products to be purchased directly off TikTok?
– Brands can create a storefront on our app via TikTok Collection Ads, which provide a seamless user buying journey from the storefront to the product and checkout page on a brand’s website.

5. How accessible will campaign performance data be available to analysts? Will ‘public data’ be available via API’s?
– No, data is all encrypted and hashed and only the admin manager of the TikTok ad account dashboard would have access.

6. Will we be able to do a split test on the platform in case a client requests us to see how audiences react to certain content and push the winning one?
– Yes. You can reach out to maketiktoks@365digital.co.za for more information.

7. Will there be a direct message feature for brands where page managers are able to engage with an audience?
– Yes. Brands can also set automatic reply messages that are triggered to send based on pre-determined criteria.

8. Are all brands allowed to advertise on TikTok?
– You can refer to this link for all approved industries (scroll down for localised policies).

365 DIGITAL
https://365digital.co.za

TIKTOK
https://www.tiktok.com

IAB South Africa Welcomes New Members

Modern Marketing

June 17, 2021

The Interactive Advertising Bureau South Africa (IAB SA) extends a warm welcome to its new board members and looks forward to working with them as it continues to empower the South African digital advertising and marketing industries in 2021 and beyond.

The new members bring a wealth of experience and energy to their new roles, where they will join the existing board members as they guide South Africa’s digital media and marketing industries towards the future.

‘As South Africa’s industry navigates uncharted territories, the role of dynamic, informed and experienced leaders is more important than ever before. I look forward to joining forces with the new members as we work together to empower the media and marketing industries to thrive in a digital economy,’ said IAB SA Chair, Haydn Townsend, Managing Director of Accenture Interactive.

The newest members and their corresponding portfolios are:

Mpume Ngobese: Executive Director
Co-Managing Director, Joe Public United

Ngobese’s portfolio includes working on some of South Africa’s most iconic brands such as Nedbank, British American Tobacco and South African Breweries’ corporate brand. Her experience spans a diverse range of categories including financial services, media, biotechnology, petrochemicals and travel. She has served on the judges’ panels of some of the most prestigious awards in the industry including the IAB’s own Bookmark Awards.

Ngobese is a board member of the Association for Communication and Advertising (ACA), where she has a seat on both their Transformation Portfolio Committee and South African Effie Awards Committee, which enables further collaboration between the bureaus. Ngobese’s remit as IAB SA Executive Director will involve representing imperative agency requirements on the board, including digital agency and services definitions, as well as using her passion for both digital transformation, as well as transformation through education and the current structures in places to support the transformation journey in our industry.

‘Over the past decade the industry has experienced a digital evolution, where the tension between logic and magic (data and creativity) has been, and continues to be, a raging debate. For me, there is an opportunity to embrace the fact that both sides of the coin can coexist, that there is a place for both data and creativity in the communications space. Once that state of equilibrium has been achieved, I believe we will be aligned on developing creative work that grows our people, our clients, and ultimately our country,’ commented Ngobese.

Zunaid Parker: IAB SA Trust and Accountability Director
Executive Head, Digital Media- Advertising at Vodacom

Parker has vast experience across multiple organisations, with extensive technical, operational, and strategic business knowledge, specifically focused on growing market share, revenue, and new business development. Zunaid spent almost 10 years with Naspers, in positions that include Board Trustee on the Media24 Retirement Fund; Head of Business Development and Operations: Africa at 24.COM; Industry Analyst, SWAT (Naspers Internet Division), as well as early career development in research and brand consultancy and Asset management. He currently serves as the Executive Head of Vodacom Digital Media Advertising (newly branded: VodaMedia).

When asked on where he sees the biggest change happening in the industry Parker commented, ‘There is no single change element – we are being confronted to act on many areas simultaneously, and we yet to reach the inflection point where fundamental changes to decades of tradition will be experienced in both B2C and B2B (swiftly). This is what we need to rally around and understand how to prepare accordingly.’

Parker’s remit as Trust and Accountability Director will include leading and localising the IAB Transparency and Consent Framework and IAB Gold Standard as a global cross-industry effort to help publishers, technology vendors, agencies, and advertisers to meet the transparency and user-choice requirements within POPIA.

‘Being part of the delivery mandate as critical as the IAB’s purpose, validates the opportunity and ‘excitement’. The role of the IAB is becoming increasing critical as consumption, business models, regulation and flux all merge in various demanding ways,’ added Parker.

Songezo Ralarala, IAB SA Legal and Regulation Director
Global Head of Legal, Connected Video Multichoice; Executive Director, Showmax

Ralarala is a highly skilled and experienced Head of Legal and admitted attorney with extensive experience providing world class legal advisory services to companies in the media, telecommunications, technology, and legal regulatory sectors, including General Counsel for Legal & Regulatory Affairs at Media24. He has served on various related boards, including Welkom Yizani, Media24 Investments, Showmax s.r.o (Czech Republic).

His legal acumen and experience in advising South African bodies how best to navigate industry regulations will stand Songezo in good stead in his role on the IAB SA’s board. Ralarala’s remit as Legal and Regulation Director will be to provide oversight and strategic direction for the IAB SA’s legal compliance as well as support for the IAB SA in complex legal decision-making and negotiations. He will lead the IAB SA Regulation Council and work with fellow bureaus, regulators, and relevant stakeholders to streamline the effort across the industry and position the IAB SA remit within this.

Ralarala said on his role as Executive Director, ‘The shift in how entertainment content is consumed continues to shape how the industry operates in the new frontier that is online. I look forward to contributing to the IAB SA’s remit of assisting industry members in navigating the challenges and harnessing the opportunities presented by the rapid growth of digital.’

IAB SA
www.iabsa.net

#ListenToTheOcean Campaign Adopted By South African Youth

Modern Marketing

June 17, 2021

#ListenToTheOcean Campaign Adopted By South African Youth

A campaign launched at the G7 Summit called #ListenToTheOcean has been adopted by the youth of South Africa, and they have made it their own.

President Cyril Ramaphosa joined leaders from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK, the US and others – in Carbis Bay, Cornwall, recently for the G7 Summit. The G7 brings prime ministers and presidents from several countries together to discuss problems facing the world including economic issues, health emergencies and the climate crisis.

Covid-19 clearly dominated the agenda of the South African president at the summit, and this prompted questions and comments from youth – who have since delivered strong messages to the President on national television and across social media platforms

‘Covid-19 taught us to listen to science, and science is telling us to #ListenToTheOcean,’ said young ocean advocate, Nomzamo Phungula. ‘The ocean is telling us it is choking from all the rubbish, it is getting warmer, its fish are dying and it cannot breathe. Too many people are taking the oceans’ fish, oil and gas and it needs more protection. The ocean is crying for help – our help.’

‘The ocean can recover but we need to give it a fighting chance, we need to give it more Marine Protected Areas (MPAs),’ said Phungula. ‘The health of the ocean determines my future and if we look after our ocean, it will look after us.’

MPAs are a critical tool in the ocean protection toolbox, playing a vital role in maintaining biological diversity and ecosystem functioning by controlling harmful activities in sensitive habitats and by preserving representative areas from unsustainable human development. MPAs are a vital instrument to combat the effects of climate change and to prevent impacts escalating further.

Less than 8% of the global ocean currently lies within MPAs, but only 2.7% is considered fully or highly protected – this is in sharp contrast to the 30% in high or full protection called for by the scientific community by 2030. Meanwhile, the ocean is bearing the brunt of regulating our planet’s temperature, alongside its role as a critical carbon sink, thus ensuring a habitable Earth.

‘Covid-19 is not the only crisis we should be focused on; it is the slow collapse of the ocean that needs urgent attention,’ said Phungula.

‘How can you begin to tackle the climate crisis and biodiversity decline if you don’t address the ocean Mr President?’ asked another young ocean ambassador, Ruth Mthembu.

‘You may be wondering what young people are doing listening to shells and seemingly talking to themselves – well, firstly, we are trying to get your attention and secondly we want you, our President, Minister Barbara Creecy (South African Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment) and all South Africans to start listening to the ocean,’ said Mthembu.

‘The objective of #ListentotheOcean is to provide an umbrella campaign under which all ocean organisations can unite. If we align our messages and collectively raise our voices for the ocean, all our individual messages around ocean protection will be carried further,’ said Mthembu.

There are clear measures that can and must be taken now to help stop the rapid decline in ocean health and the loss of support it provides. Such measures include the negotiation of a strong and robust High Seas Treaty that is in the best interests of the ocean and humanity, and the protection of at least 30% of the global ocean from destructive industrial and non-industrial activity, by 2030.

The ‘Ocean iMPAct’ campaign (behind the South African #ListenToTheOcean concept) launched an appeal earlier this year, directed at Minister Creecy to increase protection of the ocean space around South Africa from 5% to 10%. South Africa needs to join the global community and contribute towards the global target of 30% of the world’s ocean protected within MPAs by 2030.

In a letter published on 7 June from ‘the desk of the President’ (Letter from the Desk of the President) Ramaphosa said, ’Throughout the course of our history, we have had setbacks and false starts. But our resilient nature allowed us to weather many storms. It is this drive and determination that must continue to propel us forward as our country recovers socially, politically, and economically.’

‘The storms will keep coming and each time with more intensity Mr President,’ said Mthembu. ‘If we do not protect the ocean, we won’t solve the climate crisis. Listen to the ocean – it is telling us what we need to do for it, for the climate, for our economy, for humanity.’

‘The ocean gives us every second breathe we take; it gives us food, jobs and provides us with sanctuary. Considering all it does for us, better protecting it is the least we can do,’ concluded Phungula.

To view the campaign video, click here.

WILDOCEANS
https://wildtrust.co.za/wildoceans/

Pat On Brands Fellowship Combats Youth Unemployment

Meggan McCarthy

June 17, 2021

There are currently 11.1 million working-age unemployed people in South Africa. The Pat on Brands Fellowship’s aim is to alleviate unemployment. The team is honoured to finally have an opportunity to develop young talent and groom future leaders in the media industry.

This year, five deserving young people were welcomed to the team as beneficiaries for a six-month fellowship programme. ‘It gives us great pride as a company founded by young people to be able to give back in a way that matters. As a young person, I know the frustration that comes with not having access to opportunities because one lacks the ‘credentials’. On the hand, I have great mentors who guide me throughout my journey, therefore with the fellowship I am paying it forward for other young people,’ said Pat on Brands founder Pat Mahlangu.

‘The Pat on Brands Fellowship inaugural class of 2021 represents the first group of many young lives we hope to impact in the future,’ he added.

The opportunity is offered to unemployed South Africans between the ages of 18-25 who display a keen interest in the media. The programme equips fellows with research, writing and content creation skills which allows them to broaden their intellectual and professional horizons.

They will be invited to participate as members of the team by engaging in daily activities such meetings, excursions and events. The fellows will also be part of the Pat on Brands think tank, alongside the full-time team whose expertise extends across media, marketing, and communications.

One of the highlights of the fellowship was when the fellows were taken to the Government Communications and Information Systems (GCIS) headquarters where they received media training and exposure to public sector communications.
Two of the fellows are now full-time employees of Pat on Brands’ sister company, Lerato Agency.

‘By the end of the programme, fellows would have gained valuable skills and exposure to the media industry that will enable them to get jobs in the industry and/or start their own online platforms,’ Mahlangu said.

PAT ON BRANDS
https://patonbrands.com/

Report Illustrates Accelerated Growth In Mobile Marketing

Modern Marketing

June 17, 2021

Report Illustrates Accelerated Growth In Mobile Marketing

State of the Industry 2021: Mobile Marketing in EMEA is an annual report released recently by WARC, in association with MMA EMEA, that provides a current snapshot into how brands, agencies, media owners and tech vendors see the impact of mobile – its use as a tool for advertising effectively, as well as opportunities and concerns – as they adapt to changing consumer behaviours brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Some of the findings include how the accelerative impact of Covid-19 on digital transformation has led to improvements in mobile marketing capabilities for advertisers. Growth in m-commerce and use of social media have provided brands with new opportunities to reach consumers, driving up mobile marketing budgets set to be worth $230bn globally in 2021 per WARC data. However, privacy concerns could hamper mobile’s growth potential.

The report is based on an online survey of 575 marketing professionals – a mix of client-side, agency, media owner and technology vendor marketers – carried out in April and May 2021 from over 30 markets.

The report highlights the following key insights:

1. The majority of marketing professionals are expecting growth in their mobile budgets this year. In the 2020 survey, two in five (39%) were expecting an increase in the mobile marketing budget. This year, two in three (66%) say the same, indicating more confidence in both market conditions and in mobile as a channel.

2. Social is by far the most used marketing channel with mobile. 87% of respondents are using social in their mobile marketing strategy and, on average, a third of the mobile budget goes toward social. YouTube and Facebook are the platforms most used for display marketing.

3. M-commerce is one of the most important industry changes during Covid-19. Overall, 68% of respondents are seeing increased m-commerce capabilities and two in five (42%) say uptake of m-commerce is one of the most important consumer behaviours.

4. Mobile marketing needs to overcome privacy concerns to realise growth potential. As we approach the end of the third party cookie as a means to target and measure, marketing professionals are facing more pressure. Three in five predict they will be affected by the ‘death’ of the cookie.

5. Video is catching up to non-video display as the leading form of mobile monetisation for media owners and tech enablers. Subscriptions/memberships and e-commerce are also key focus areas.

6. The future of mobile technology seeks to connect the online and offline, particularly through AI and machine learning, IoT and voice. Respondents are investing significant portions of their budgets into mobile technology to ensure they keep up with the latest innovations in the industry, especially as interest in AI continues.

Amy Rodgers, Managing Editor Research and Rankings, WARC said, ‘As we emerge from the pandemic, with many workforces still working remotely and social and m-commerce technologies rapidly developing, mobile will play an important part in marketing strategies, as indicated by the acceleration of mobile ad budgets and the opportunities provided to advertisers as outlined in this report.’

‘Whilst we have unsurprisingly seen an increase in mobile budgets across the region in the last year, we, at the MMA, have also taken a broader sounding on the future of marketing from marketers. One of their key insights is that digital transformations (which include mobile by definition) have accelerated significantly,’ commented Chris Babayode, MD, MMA EMEA. ‘Getting stuff done took weeks not months. This trend is all set to continue, and we expect this to feed through as per the findings in our annual report across social, m-commerce, organisational structures, data and privacy governance.’

A sample report is available to download here. The full report, now in its sixth year, is available to WARC subscribers and MMA members.

WARC
https://www.warc.com/

MMA
https://www.mmaglobal.com

Loeries Extends Entry Deadline To 30 June

Modern Marketing

June 17, 2021

The Loeries encompass every area of brand communication, and winning a Loerie is considered a testament of excellence. Entries are still open for the awards, which reward innovation and creativity in brand communication. The closing deadline is 30 June.

This year the Loeries challenges the industry to #fightthegoodfight and create work that moves society forward in a positive direction. ‘Every year we see increasing innovation in brand communication with brands, agencies and production houses exhibiting breakthrough thinking,’ said Loeries CEO Preetesh Sewraj. ‘The winners from this round will truly show us which individuals and organisations have been able to innovate and #fightthegoodfight during the challenges of this period in our history.’

The awards focus on every point where a brand interacts with people. Traditional categories like film, print and radio are included as well as areas like digital, design, music videos, architecture, live events, PR, shared value and service design.

As the highest accolade for creativity and innovation across our region, the Loeries promotes and supports creativity by helping marketers, agencies and consumers appreciate the value of ideas and fresh thinking. Enter here. Modern Marketing is an official media partner of the Loeries.

LOERIES
www.loeries.com

High Court’s Ruling Has Serious Implications For Advertising Regulatory Board

Webber Wentzel

June 17, 2021

Advertising-Regulatory-Board-Appeals-High-Court-Ruling-768x768 — Bernadette Versfeld, Webber Wentzel

The Advertising Regulatory Board (ARB) is filing an appeal against a High Court ruling that has implications for the Board’s ability to promote responsible advertising and protect vulnerable groups. This is according to Bernadette Versfeld, Ziyanda Ngcobo and Lerato Niklaas from Webber Wentzel, who give their opinion on the implications of the ruling.

Many of Webber Wentzel’s clients have turned to the widely accredited Code of Advertising Practice (the Code) to enforce their rights, especially when other available legislation, including common law rights, the Trade Marks Act and/or Copyright Act, are not able to provide appropriate relief.

Advertising Regulatory Board Appeals High Court Ruling — Ziyanda Ngcobo, Webber Wentzel.

The ARB is a non-profit company that administers the Code regulating South African advertising. The Code is based upon the International Code of Advertising Practice, prepared by the International Chamber of Commerce. The ARB accepts complaints from consumers and businesses about the content of advertisements when that content may contravene the Code. After a complaint is received, and the matter is investigated, the ARB makes rulings and orders that are binding on ARB members.

The ARB recognises that it does not enjoy jurisdiction over non-members and its decisions are only binding on its members. This is in accordance with clause 3.3 of the ARB Memorandum of Incorporation (MOI). However, non-ARB members are affected by the decisions of the ARB. One example of how the ARB’s decisions impact non-members is through the ad-alert regulatory mechanism, which binds members of the ARB to decline the impugned advertising from the non-member. Because of the ad-alert, there would be a blanket refusal by the ARB’s members to publish an advertisement which had been found to violate the Code.

The operation of the ad-alert and certain provisions of the ARB MOI and the Code were central to a dispute between Bliss Brands (Pty) Ltd (Bliss Brands) and Colgate-Palmolive (Pty) Limited (Colgate) which was initially adjudicated by the ARB and later challenged in the High Court.

Bliss Brands (a non-member of the ARB) was ordered to withdraw the packaging of its hygiene soap brand, Securex, after Colgate (a member of the ARB and a competing brand), complained that Bliss Brands was exploiting the advertising goodwill of Colgate’s Protex soap and imitating the Protex packaging (clause 8 and 9 of the Code).

Bliss Brands challenged the constitutionality of the coercive ad-alert mechanism.

The High Court found in Bliss Brands’ favour. It ruled that:

– The ARB was exercising public power, and doing so over non-members was unconstitutional, because the power is not sourced in law as required by the principle of legality.
– The ad-alert mechanism against non-members amounted to a constraint on the constitutionally protected right to trade freely.
– Clauses 8 and 9 of the Code seek to exercise parallel judicial authority, for which there is no valid source. This contravenes section 165(1) of the Constitution.

The High Court’s ruling has serious implications. It means that the ARB has no jurisdiction over non-members, the provisions of the MOI or Code are unenforceable, and the ARB may not issue rulings against or in relation to a non-member or a non-member’s advertising.

The ARB promotes responsible advertising which protects consumers and vulnerable groups in society, such as children. It is also an expedient and relatively cost-efficient dispute resolution mechanism. The ARB is filing an appeal. If the Appeal Court agrees with the court of first instance, this will significantly alter the advertising landscape and have many unintended consequences.’

WEBBER WENTZEL
https://www.webberwentzel.com

Bevco Appoints The Duke Group As Strategic Partner Across All Brands

Modern Marketing

June 17, 2021

Bevco Appoints The Duke Group As Strategic Partner Across All Brands

Following a successful three-year relationship between DUKE Advertising and Bevco’s Jive and Pepsi brands, the soft drink company has committed the full brand portfolio into DUKE’s care. The partnership will encompass DUKE Advertising, DUKE’s media strategy company FAME and their enthographic market research business, NUDE.

Commenting on the agency’s appointment, DUKE Managing Director, Aileen Sauerman said, ‘We have absolutely loved working with Jive and Pepsi over the past three years and are looking forward to adding value across the brand portfolio with the intention of creating positive volume growth.’

Bevco CEO. Pieter Spies added, ‘Following on from the excellent relationship we’ve had with DUKE and the impressive growth of the brands in their care, it made sense to entrust the full brand portfolio into their charge. We believe they will be a valuable strategic partner to the business.’

DUKE GROUP
+27 21 421 4239
www.duke.co.za

Cadbury Campaign Creates Stories For Children To Enjoy In Their Home Language

Modern Marketing

June 17, 2021

Driving Home-Grown Stories With Cadbury Dairy Milk Drive

Cadbury Dairy Milk have launched their latest campaign, #InOurOwnWords. The campaign marks the first phase of a long-term initiative called Read To Succeed. It aims to ignite a love for reading among South African children by creating a library of enchanting children’s stories available in all African languages.

A survey by the Publishers Association SA (2016) highlighted the fact that only 2% of children’s books published commercially in South Africa are in local African languages. This article also sheds light on the situation. In a country where 80% of the population speak a home language other than English or Afrikaans, there are not enough relatable stories available.

‘A love of reading is sparked when children see themselves in stories and relate it to their lives, even more so when it is shared in their home language,’ said Xolisa Guzula, an early literary specialist. However, the first book many South African children read is not the immersive experience Xolisa described, as very few are able to enjoy stories in their home language.

The campaign launched with the hero film piece ‘Mrs Mabena’, which tells a powerful story of Sifiso and Mrs Mabena, who become more closely connected through a small, but meaningful act of kindness and generosity. Mrs. Mabena looks after Sifiso while his mother is at work, insisting he learns during their time together. We see a familiar domestic scene of Mrs Mabena helping him read and Sifiso feeling somewhat resistant to her strict instructions.

When Sifiso sees his mother paying Mrs Mabena in gratitude, a courtesy she lovingly declines, he realises that Mrs Mabena isn’t strict – she’s extending a hand of generosity. He decides to reward one act of generosity with another – slipping his own bar of Cadbury Dairy Milk into her bag. The film ends with her finding a bar of Cadbury Dairy Milk and smiling – an act of Safiso’s gratitude. VCCP London worked with local upcoming director Zee Ntuli and production company Darling films to create the film, which was shot on location in Johannesburg.

To showcase the stark statistics related to the lack of African language stories for children, and reiterate the importance of this campaign, Cadbury Dairy Milk replaced a few shelves of much-loved chocolates with blank books. The wordless books represent the enchanting stories Cadbury Dairy Milk hopes to fill with the words they are asking South Africans to share. Together with partners and the public, they aim to create and translate 1500 new stories for children in their home languages by 2023.

These activities kicked off the consumer driven activation #InOurOwnWords, created by Ogilvy South Africa. It taps into the inherent generosity of the South African public and calls on them to help co-author this library of enchanting children’s stories in African languages.

Langa Khanyile, chocolate equity lead, Sub Saharan Africa said, ‘Cadbury Dairy Milk has always been a brand that aims to bring people closer together. We are founded in the spirit of generosity and pioneering social impact. This work forms part of a journey that calls on all South Africans to help tackle the pertinent social tension of illiteracy and help re-write the narratives of our people, in our own words, one word at a time.’

Everyone can help Cadbury Dairy Milk realise the goal of co-authoring 1500 books by visiting www.cadbury.co.za to start generously translating words from English into their home language. Nal’ibali, a reading for enjoyment programme, with its team of young, local authors are standing by to weave all of these translated words into exciting new stories that will be made available for parents and children to download and enjoy.

*Sources:

https://www.publishsa.co.za/file/1519203677awr-2016publishingindustrysurvey.pdf

https://www.businesslive.co.za/bd/companies/retail-and-consumer/2021-04-28-game-pins-hopes-on-selling-african-language-childrens-books-in-turnaround-drive/

Cadbury
www.cadbury.co.za

Digital Signage Technologies That Have Proven To Work Even In A Pandemic

Moving Tactics

June 15, 2021

How Digital Signage Adapted To The Pandemic

Chris Day, Managing Director of Moving Tactics, says it is interesting to look back to see which of the digital signage technologies touted beared up to the scrutiny during the pandemic and are being effectively applied on the ground. The industry had to weigh up how the ‘new normal’ would impact the application of digital displays and what new innovations could be applied to assist clients with the challenges they faced.

‘Having worked through the upheaval of the pandemic with retailers and Quick-Service Restaurants (QSRs), the following technologies have held their own and added enormous value to the way in which these businesses now function,’ said Day.

Digital drive-thru menu boards

Covid-19 meant that in-restaurant dining was either entirely halted or significantly reduced. As vaccinations roll out, in-restaurant dining may once again become a safe experience. However, many countries and individuals are still not returning to indoor dining and are still relying on takeaways. One of the most popular and value-add technologies has been digital menu boards, which have been applied to drive-thru’s and inside restaurants. McDonald’s is one such QSR-group that has opted to introduce digital signage menu boards throughout its business.

‘During the pandemic, McDonald’s discovered that digital signage was critical to making quick changes on the fly and in so doing, remain flexible and agile as a business. They have decided to employ a range of digital menu boards, self-service terminals, and drive-thru menu boards as solutions,’ said Kevin Bierman, Head of Digital Signage at Moving Tactics.

Virtual queueing

Enforcing social distancing in-store can be difficult, especially when it comes to queueing. To answer this dilemma, Clicks has implemented a Virtual Queue solution. This system allows customers to check in, maintain their place in line and be notified via SMS when it is their turn for service, which ultimately removes the need for customers to physically stand in a queue, and at the same time, keep shopping.

According to Scott Matthews, Head of Moving Tactics Retail Analytics, ‘By employing virtual queuing, retailers are in a position to seamlessly introduce social distancing measures. In this way, solutions like virtual queueing may become the norm for retailers and shoppers.’

Another innovation to the Virtual Queue solution that retailers like Clicks may apply is the new Covid-vaccine button, which alerts the in-store nurse to the fact that a vaccine appointment has arrived.

Non-touch tables and digital displays

Brands such as Samsung and MTN are designing their stores around non-touch tables and displays so that customers get to interact with products and obtain the information required without physically touching any surfaces. ‘Gesture recognition and motion sensor technologies are becoming more commonplace and we’ve experienced increased interest from clients wanting to implement these innovations in their ‘stores of the future’,’ said Bierman.

MOVING TACTICS
www.movingtactics.co.za

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DUKE GROUP +27 21 421 4239 www.duke.co.za

DUKE GROUP
+27 21 421 4239
www.duke.co.za