FCB Africa Announces New Chief Experience Officer

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February 6, 2025

FCB Africa Announced The Appointment Of Tumiso Masoha As New Chief Experience Office — Tumiso Masoha, FCB Africa.

Tumiso Masoha brings over two decades of expertise in marketing, communications, and business development. He has a proven track record of reshaping brand-agency relationships, revitalising underperforming business units, and delivering measurable client success.

This strategic leadership move underscores the FCB Africa’s commitment to facilitating world-class client success, driving business impact, and staying ahead in an evolving advertising landscape.

Masoha’s deep industry experience spans Financial Services, Professional Services, IT and Telecoms and FMCG, with a strong portfolio of both B2B and B2C clients, including FirstRand Group, Onafriq, Nedbank, TransUnion, Discovery, MTN, Old Mutual, MiWay, Unilever, and Tiger Brands.

‘Masoha’s ability to build strong partnerships and drive sustainable growth makes him an invaluable addition to our executive team,’ said Reagen Kok, MD of FCB Africa. ‘His leadership will be instrumental in elevating our client-first approach and ensuring we continue to deliver impactful and business-driving creative solutions.’

Over the past decade, Masoha has played a pivotal role in agency executive leadership, leading business optimisation, next-generation talent development, and performance turnaround projects. He is widely recognised for enhancing client Net Promoter Scores (NPS), improving ROI, and fostering diversity and inclusion in the industry.

Beyond the boardroom, Masoha is a respected thought leader, frequently sharing insights on marketing, leadership, and business transformation through industry forums, media appearances, and professional coaching.

‘I am thrilled to join FCB Africa at such a transformative time,’ said Masoha. ‘This agency has a legacy of creative excellence, and I look forward to working with this exceptional team to drive even greater impact for our clients and redefine the future of brand engagement.’

FCB AFRICA
https://www.fcb.co.za

Delta Victor Bravo Appoints New Strategy Analyst

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Modern Marketing

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February 6, 2025

Delta Victor Bravo Appoints A New Strategy Analyst — Sinovuyo Mdunge, Delta Victor Bravo.

Sinovuyo Mdunge has joined Delta Victor Bravo as a Strategy Analyst, following her successful internship with the company. Mdunge holds a BCom Honours in Strategic Management from the University of Johannesburg.

With a strong academic background in Strategic Management and a keen analytical mindset, Mdunge brings fresh thinking and a passion for uncovering data-driven insights that support strategy development and business decision-making. She is particularly focused on exploring emerging trends that impact businesses and brands.

Her appointment reflects Delta Victor Bravo’s commitment to fostering young talent and investing in the next generation of strategic thinkers.

DELTA VICTOR BRAVO
www.deltavictorbravo.com

Omnichannel Trends For Retailers In 2025

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Modern Marketing

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February 5, 2025

Omnichannel Trends For Retailers In 2025 — Zak Haeri, NIQ South Africa.

Zak Haeri, MD of NIQ South Africa, says to thrive in a dynamic and interconnected retail environment, retailers must provide a seamless omnichannel experience that meets the demands of convenience, affordability, and accessibility. While growth in pure online sales in South Africa has steadied following an explosion in adoption during the pandemic, we now live in a truly omnichannel world.

Many shopping journeys that start with online engagement now conclude instore and vice versa. From the perspective of the South African consumer, the boundaries between digital and offline shopping will continue to dissolve throughout 2025.

Here are some omnichannel trends for retailers and manufacturers to watch in the year to come:

Data-Driven Strategies Will Be More Important Than Ever

NIQ’s Omnichannel Commerce tracking shows that online sales of consumer Technology and Durables goods have stabilised at high levels. In the Middle East and Africa region, online sales in this sector now stand at 19% and we are also seeing online sales ramp up in categories such as groceries.

To continue growing sales, even the most physically focused retailers need to deliver a consistent experience across all relevant platforms as well as master the art of leveraging digital data to drive personalised marketing campaigns with tailored messages, product recommendations, and promotions that resonate with customers. Winners will increasingly differentiate themselves by not only using data in tactical campaigns, but also using cross-channel insights to predict future trends and customer behaviour.

Retail Media Networks Turn Retailers Into B2B Advertising Machines

With margins under pressure and competition fiercer than ever, retailers will continue to focus on retail media networks (RMNs) as a revenue stream. Indeed, the likes of Amazon, Takealot, Pick n Pay and Checkers are already successfully monetising product placement ads on their apps, websites or in-store digital signage. This reflects a global trend.

McKinsey estimates that by 2026, retail media will add $1.3 trillion to enterprise values in the US alone, with profit margins between 50% and 70%. RMNs have transformed the traditional B2C positioning of retailers and squarely positioned them as B2B advertising machines. Amazon alone earned a staggering $46.9 billion in 2023 from sponsored ads on its site. Manufacturers and distributors will need to carefully consider how to maximise their investment across RMNs, focusing on those that offer the best return on ad spend (ROAS) and organic visibility.

Marketplaces On The March

Large ecommerce platforms including international players like Amazon, Temu and Shein as well as South African online stores like Takealot and Makro have turned their marketplaces into gold mines. As well as selling products themselves, they earn fees and commissions by allowing other retailers and brands (big and small) to sell to customers on their platforms. Data shows that consumers worldwide spent $3.25 trillion on the top 100 marketplaces in 2022. Today, around two-thirds of global e-commerce sales take place on marketplaces. We’re expecting strong growth for marketplaces in South Africa as Amazon gains traction and the market catches up to global trends.

Chinese Players Continue To Grow Despite Headwinds

Chinese platforms Temu and Shein have gained enormous market share in South Africa over the past two years, particularly at the expense of clothing and beauty retailers. Their aggressive pricing has delighted consumers. However, their local competitors argue that they are bypassing paying VAT and duties by taking advantage of tax loopholes. Tougher enforcement of import taxes by the South African Revenue Service may slow their momentum, but they can be expected to adjust quickly. They have already built loyal customer bases and maintain a pricing advantage, even when taxes are considered.

AI Races To Maturity

Generative AI is expected to be a catalyst for innovation in retail, enabling companies to rapidly generate creative assets such as videos and image, and even tailor them to deliver personalised messages to different consumers. But most retailers will grapple this year with how they can get the best from this powerful tool, balancing the efficiency and speed of technology against the need to deliver a human touch.

Our research shows that most consumers could not only easily identify AI-produced creative but also rated all AI-generated ads as being significantly more annoying, boring, and confusing. In comparison with traditional video ads, we found that memory — as measured in the brain with EEG — was weak among most tested AI-generated ads, even those perceived as ‘high quality’. Brands and retailers will need to walk a fine line when using AI, ensuring that careful prompting and iteration to deliver a quality final product that resonates with their customers.

Social Commerce Starts To Deliver On The Hype

Social commerce has been on the radar for years, but it’s starting to really take off. In 2021, the market size was $0.62 trillion, and it’s predicted to hit $7.03 trillion by 2030. TikTok is one of the driving forces behind this growth, particularly in the Health and Beauty category. When it comes to social commerce, Asia-Pacific is leading the way. As South African consumers continue to look to social media for product discovery and direct sales, brands and retailers have an incredible opportunity to capitalise on convenience and impulse buying. Shoppable features on channels and content should be a focus for those that want to stay competitive.

In today’s retail environment, competition for consumer attention is fiercer than ever. Shoppers demand a frictionless journey across all touchpoints (be it in store or online), and every interaction with a brand or retailer impacts the customer experience. To deliver an exceptional customer experience to every consumer, at every engagement, and across all channels, manufacturers and retailers must craft an omnichannel strategy rooted in best-in-class data.

Here Are Some Steps That They Can Take In This Direction:

– Create a frictionless user experience via personalised journeys and leveraging connected customer data across all channels.
– Use AI to analyse real-time consumer data from e-commerce shoppers, in-store purchases, loyalty app behaviour, etc., and use this data to drive personalisation.
– Stay on top of emerging technologies by developing customised strategies for every channel.
– Link supply chain and pricing and promotion by leveraging real-time demand forecasting to optimise stock levels (reduce out of stocks, etc.) and by implementing flexible pricing tools that align promotions with inventory and customer demand.

NIQ
www.niq.com

Mall Ads Announces Iconic Billboard In Tshwane

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Meggan McCarthy, Modern Marketing

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February 4, 2025

Menlyn Park Shopping Centre is home to over 400 retailers and draws an average of 1.6 million shoppers monthly. Having won eight Gold Footprint Awards, it is now also home to a massive 890sqm advertising site that redefines brand exposure and impact in a high-traffic retail environment. Mall Ads™, a brand under the Provantage umbrella, has partnered with Pareto Limited, one of South Africa’s top-ranking property developers, to launch an unmissable and iconic wall site at Menlyn Park Shopping Centre.

Positioned prominently at the intersection of Lois Avenue and Atterbury Road, this landmark site, which delivers 1.5 million viewed impressions monthly, is impossible to overlook, attracting the attention of thousands of high Socio-Economic Measure (SEM) commuters and shoppers daily in one of the country’s most influential shopping hubs.

The first brand to take advantage of this exciting opportunity is AbinBev’s Castle Lite, a bold, informed choice by the brand, one that immediately highlights the highly sought after nature of this prime location.

Mzi Deliwe, Deputy CEO of Provantage and Director at Mall Ads, expressed his enthusiasm: ‘We are thrilled to announce the launch of this iconic billboard at Menlyn Park Shopping Centre. It represents a pivotal moment for brand advertisers looking to achieve maximum visibility and exposure in one of South Africa’s busiest retail environments. This partnership not only strengthens our position as leaders in the retail advertising sector but also sets a new benchmark in terms of brands being able to reach and capture the attention of a highly relevant and dynamic audience.’

‘We are excited to collaborate with Mall Ads on this exceptional project. The introduction of such an iconic advertising site is testament to our commitment of enhancing the shopping experience for our visitors. It aligns with our ongoing efforts to offer the most cutting-edge and impactful retail environments, ensuring that Menlyn Park Shopping Centre remains at the forefront of innovation and customer engagement,’ said Nisha Kemraj, General Manager of Menlyn Park.

PROVANTAGE
www.provantage.co.za

Capitalism Conquers Supermarket Aisles In The Month Of Love

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Modern Marketing

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February 3, 2025

Capitalism Conquers Supermarkets Aisles During the Month of Love

According to Mikateko Maswanganyi, PR Account Manager at NerdNarrative, love has evolved and brands use the month of love to capitalise. February now celebrates all kinds of love – romantic, platonic, and self-love. Galentine’s Day on February 13th honours sisterhood, while the self-love movement encourages solo dates and nurturing inner peace.

Love may conquer all, but in February, capitalism conquers with heart-shaped candies and flowers, urging us to ‘buy this to prove you care!’ Brands have adapted, targeting not just couples but also BFFs and self-care enthusiasts. Every year, they make February feel like a must-celebrate moment – and they do it brilliantly.

Here’s how a few brands are mastering the art of love:

Savage X Fenty: The Billion-Dollar Valentine’s Mood Board

Rihanna’s Savage X Fenty has redefined lingerie, turning it into a billion-dollar empire. By embracing inclusivity, the brand celebrates every body, showcasing diverse models and empowering people to own their sexy. Its bold social media campaigns, especially around Valentine’s Day, champion self-love and body positivity, helping the brand build a loyal following for women, men and the LGBTQ+ community. Savage X Fenty proves that inclusivity and creativity can lead to iconic success.

Lindt’s Sweet Spot

When it comes to Valentine’s Day gifting, chocolate reigns supreme, and Lindt is the go-to for a touch of luxury that won’t break the bank. To launch its ‘Hello’ range in South Africa, the brand combined nostalgia and innovation by inviting shoppers to write postcards for a chance to win prizes at mall activations. Digital-savvy participants could join the fun through an app, making the campaign accessible to all. With heartfelt connections and irresistible treats, Lindt’s campaign proved that when it comes to Valentine’s Day, sweetness always sells (also, who doesn’t like freebies?).

Spar’s ‘Think Fresh, Find Love’

Spar’s ‘Think Fresh, Find Love’ campaign cleverly linked romance with healthy eating, inspired by a University of Surrey study showing that healthy meals on dating profiles attract more attention. Shoppers were encouraged to make healthier choices, with competitions on Spar’s website and social media offering chances to win Freshline prizes. The campaign’s fun twist: eat fresh, swipe right, and maybe find love along the way. This was a clever mix of health, love, and marketing.

Valentine’s Day marketing proves that love isn’t just in the air, it’s in every ad, campaign, and product. From Savage X Fenty redefining inclusivity to Lindt sweetening the deal with nostalgia, and Spar linking fresh produce to romance, brands understand that turning emotions into engagement works.

These campaigns show that the secret to success lies in evolving with the concept of love – speaking to diverse audiences, tapping into trends, and making connections feel authentic.

Whether it’s through self-love, friendship, or romantic gestures, these brands remind us why we keep falling for Valentine’s Day marketing every year. Because when love meets creativity, it’s a match made in marketing heaven!

NERDNARRATIVE
https://www.nerdnarrative.com

IMM Institute Celebrating Top Talent In Marketing And Supply Chain Industries

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Modern Marketing

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February 3, 2025

IMM Institute Celebrating Top Talent In Marketing And Supply Chain Industries — Irene Gregory, IMM Institute.

The IMM Institute will host its annual Gala Dinner at which it will present its esteemed IMM Excellence Awards on 7 March 2025. The dinner will not only honour those who have excelled in the fields of marketing and supply chain excellence but also offer an opportunity for professionals in those fields to mingle and network. Modern Marketing is a proud media partner of the IMM Institute.

Irene Gregory, CEO of the IMM Institute, said that the dinner, to be held at the Maslow in Sandton, brings together professionals in both sectors given that there is an increasing need for the integration of marketing with supply chain.

With marketing being a key driver of creating demand for products, it is essential to bring suppliers on board to ensure they can fulfil product orders in a timely manner to meet increasing demand, said Gregory. ‘Achieving this involves seamless collaboration between marketing and supply chain teams, eliminating silos, and ensuring that all practices uphold the highest standards in environmental, social, and governance affairs,’ she explained.

Gregory noted that ‘In a dynamic environment, it’s vital for brands to adapt to meet a modern audience’s expectations. This means engaging with consumers where they are and on their preferred platforms while also demonstrating an unwavering commitment to principles of the circular economy.’

‘Our Gala Awards Dinner promises to be an informative and glamorous evening during which networking opportunities abound,’ said Gregory. ‘We have an incredible line-up for the event, featuring Govan Whittles from Carte Blanche as our host with extra oomph provided by the amazing Simply For Entertainment,’ she said.

Gregory added that the IMM Institute is ‘excited to have award-winning marketing and media entrepreneur Pat Mahlangu deliver the keynote address’.

Mahlangu, who has more than a decade of experience in the sector, is the founder of Pat on Brands, a digital platform at the forefront of brand insights. As an internationally certified marketer, he has several degrees, including a Masters in Commerce, which he achieved from the University of Johannesburg.

An author and lecturer who has served on various industry bodies, Mahlangu has founded several companies and is committed to youth empowerment, creating the Top 16 Youth-Owned Brands Awards. In 2023, he was named one of the Top 200 Young South Africans by Mail & Guardian and was honoured as the Emerging Marketer of the Year by the IMM Institute.

‘At the banquet, we will bestow the coveted IMM Institute Excellence Awards in ten categories,’ said Gregory.

Of particular importance at the Awards Dinner are the two Lifetime Achievement Awards in Marketing and Supply Chain respectively, which will be bestowed alongside other accolades:

– Marketer of the Year.
– Emerging Marketer of the Year.
– Marketing Student of the Year.
– Corporate Marketing Team of the Year.
– Supply Chain Professional of the Year.
– Supply Chain Student of the Year.
– Corporate Supply Chain Team of the Year.
– Entrepreneur of the Year.

‘It’s going to be a thought-provoking and exciting evening, and I look forward to seeing marketing and supply chain professionals there,’ said Gregory.

IMM INSTITUTE
www.imminstitute.co.za

VML South Africa’s New AI Image Generator Creates Authentic African Imagery

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Modern Marketing

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January 30, 2025

VML South Africas New AI Image Generator Creates Authentic African Imagery

VML South Africa has developed its own AI image generator. Dubbed Asili AI, the new tool has been built and trained to generate authentic images of people on the African continent. The tool was developed due to the agency’s frustration with AI image generator tools that have a Western and American bias in their training and that struggle to produce authentic images of South African people.

Asili AI stems from the Swahili word ‘Asili’, which means ‘origin’ or ‘essence’. This word beautifully captures the core mission of the AI-powered image generator: to create authentic, culturally significant African imagery that is deeply rooted in the continent’s heritage.

Stock Photography Gap

The absence of authentic African imagery in stock photography is not a new problem. ‘As South Africans we have always struggled to get decent stock photography featuring real South African people as opposed to stereotypical or Westernised/Americanised people,’ said Matthew Arnold, Chief Innovation Officer at VML South Africa. ‘This hasn’t really changed with the explosion of AI. While you can get really great quality image generation now, the lack of authentic South African training material continues to be a problem.’

For anyone working in the creative field, lack of appropriate stock photography can be a costly, time-consuming, and limiting problem, as imagery needs to be shot from scratch. This can turn a simple job into a big-budget production – which may prove to be prohibitively expensive. The team at VML decided to address the problem by creating their own stock image solution.

‘We needed to create our own stock photography that we could use in our commercial work that allows for a much more authentic African feel,’ said Arnold. ‘With AI moving so rapidly it made sense to use AI as part of the solution to this problem.’

‘This word Asili beautifully captures the core mission of the AI-powered image generator: to create authentic, culturally significant African imagery that is deeply rooted in the continent’s heritage,’ said Arnold.

Asili is based on Stable Diffusion’s Flux model. A major benefit of Asili is that it was created and trained by the same people who will be using it. An internal team spent around six months meticulously training the tool to get its outputs to the standard required for agency work.

‘We sourced a large number of open-source commercially ready images, curated them to ensure they reflected real South African people and then categorised and labelled them extensively to ensure our model understands every nuance – from hair length to eye colour. It’s a very intensive training process that is continually being improved and refined on a weekly basis,’ said Arnold

The biggest challenges came from scale. ‘Ensuring we had a big enough dataset to train the model on was paramount, to ensure we generated unique and accurate images,’ said Arnold. ‘Additionally, scaling these images to be able to work for a wide range of commercial outputs, from digital ads to billboards, took a lot of trial and error to find the exact upscaling technique that works with our model to ensure crisp details at large sizes.’

Representation In Stock Photography

The result is an AI image generator that can produce high-quality, photorealistic images of authentic-looking African people in authentic-looking settings.

In the rapidly advancing world of AI, VML believes it’s this kind of resourceful use of the tech to solve their own specific problems that will give agencies an edge. ‘Asili is a proprietary tool available to VML’s clients only,’ said Arnold. ‘It’s accessible by VML team members at this stage and forms a significant competitive advantage for our teams.’

Asili will continue to evolve, making more types of imagery possible. ‘We are always refining our model,’ said Arnold. ‘Our main focus now is increasing the number of specific South African locations (backgrounds) for images and starting to cater for other African countries as well to provide a bigger footprint of authentic African imagery.’

Asili was developed by Sphiwe Dube and Matthew Arnold, with input from Jarred Cinman and various different creative and production teams within the VML team.

VML SOUTH AFRICA
https://www.vml.com/south-africa

The Transformative Potential Of First-Party Data In Advertising

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Modern Marketing

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January 30, 2025

The Transformative Potential Of First-Party Data In Advertising

Flow’s Co-Founder and Co-CEO, Daniel Levy, says for decades, third-party cookies were the cornerstone of digital advertising, enabling brands to reach their audiences. However, increasing privacy regulations and the threat to phase out cookies have disrupted this model. The silver lining? Retailers and e-commerce platforms already have a wealth of first-party data – direct insights into customer habits, preferences, spend and behaviours. This data is a goldmine for creating targeted, effective advertising campaigns.

Retailers and e-commerce platforms are no longer just selling products – they’re selling access to audiences that are primed to purchase. The fact that it’s now possible to monetise valuable first-party audience data – collected directly from customer interactions online and offline – is transforming the entire field of advertising.

So How Can Retailers Seize The Opportunity?

Despite the immense potential, some retailers have yet to fully embrace the shift, sticking to familiar strategies and traditional advertising models, in other words, fishing in the same pond. By embracing change, Levy highlights, retailers have the chance to pioneer, lead and establish a new norm: ‘Those who thrive in the coming years will be those willing to experiment and invest in their data. The rest risk being outpaced by more innovative competitors.’

This shift isn’t optional. In the next few years, off-site advertising – that which extends beyond a retailer’s owned platforms – is expected to grow from 10% to 30% of the global retail media mix. Ignoring this evolution may mean losing a large chunk of market share to those who can successfully transform their data into revenue. And after all, who wouldn’t want a piece of the largest ad budgets in the world through Google and Meta?

Success Isn’t Automatic

What’s clear from sales data is this: media spend will soon be captured and dominated by those who can connect their audience data with brands that are looking for high-value targeting.

But capitalising on opportunities takes more than just recognising the value of customer data. It takes readiness to adapt, the right tools, and a crafted strategy to unlock the potential of your audience. Here, Levy offers four key moves retailers need to make to stay in the game.

Put Your First-Party Data To Work

Successful retailers prioritise collecting, analysing, and activating customer data. Insights gained from both online and offline interactions then allows them to create personalised unique advertising strategies. For example, they’ll know that a customer who regularly buys organic produce can effectively be targeted with ads for natural cleaning supplies or reusable bags.

Advertise Beyond The Aisles

Retailers need to remember they aren’t confined to their own websites or apps. With off-site advertising, they can extend the targeting of their audiences to platforms like Google, Meta, TikTok, and even streaming services. This approach ensures their customers are being reached wherever they spend time online.

‘Retailers already have rich insights into what their customers want,’ explained Levy. ‘Off-site advertising ensures these insights aren’t wasted. And with closed-loop measurement – which refers to tracking the customer journey from ad to purchase – retailers can confidently measure their campaigns’ success.’

Tap Into Neighbouring Industries

The real game-changer lies in partnerships with non-endemic or adjacent brands. These are companies outside a retailer’s primary industry. Such collaborations open new revenue streams by connecting audiences with relevant products and services.

For example: a grocery retailer could let fitness brands advertise health supplements to their health-conscious shoppers. An electronics retailer could partner with insurance providers to promote extended warranties. ‘These partnerships are mutually beneficial,’ said Levy. ‘Retailers and e-commerce platforms unlock new revenue, and the non-endemic brands gain access to highly relevant audiences. Flow simplifies this process, generating demand from brands outside retailers’ core categories and ensuring no opportunity is overlooked.’

Streamline With Smart Solutions

Embracing audience monetisation doesn’t have to be complex. Retailers can use turnkey software solutions to simplify and streamline the process of activating and monetising their data.

‘For example, Flow provides the tools and expertise to automate off-site ad campaigns, maximise ROI, and connect retailers with brands looking for high-value audiences,’ said Levy. ‘By partnering with us, you can stay ahead without the burden of heavy investments or operational complexities.’

Adapt – Or Risk Falling Behind

In short, the future of advertising isn’t for everyone. It’s for retailers and e-commerce platforms ready to adapt, innovate, and take bold steps… and do it now.

Those who use data-driven strategies to monetise their audience can unlock new revenue streams, and future-proof their business in a highly competitive world. Those who don’t are in danger of being left in the dust.

FLOW
https://flowliving.com/

The Future Of Streaming In 2025

By

Modern Marketing

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January 30, 2025

According to Leslie Adams, Sales Director at Reach Africa, while our South African market is slightly less mature than the US and other developed markets, we are seeing a similar scenario play out – with certain unique, localised factors layered in. The latest report from global analyst and advisory firm Omdia has set the internet ablaze with its 2025 Trends to Watch report, which predicts 2025 to be the first year that streaming will outpace traditional pay TV, and by a significant margin, earning $213 billion compared to pay TV’s $188 billion.

Declaring the ‘streaming wars’ over, the report also revealed other key streaming themes: advertising will become omnipresent, standalone or ‘skinny’ subscriber video on demand (SVOD) bundles will rise to the fore, and key services will be reinvented as pay TV 2.0.

‘SA audiences are nimble and highly dynamic. We are constantly finding new spaces and ways to consume content in the most affordable way possible – and marketers are being kept on their toes as they struggle to keep up with these movements. This has profound implications for those seeking to reach audiences as they engage with their favourite content.’

Key trends that will shape the SA streaming landscape in 2025:

CTV Becomes 2025’s New Buzz Acronym

Connected TV (CTV) is a device that connects to or is embedded in a television to support video content streaming, such as Xbox, PlayStation and other Smart TVs from Samsung, LG, Hisense and more. CTV advertising is a form of digital advertising that reaches people while they’re using CTV, and has been earmarked by analysts as a +R28 billion advertising opportunity.

While CTV is not by any means brand new to the market, it will become ubiquitous in 2025 as CTV advertising takes off. As streaming subscriptions reach saturation point, many streamers have introduced ad-funded tiers to grow their profitability. However, said Adams, as we’ve seen both globally and locally, the mass move of viewers from traditional and paid TV to various streaming over-the-top (OTT) providers has segmented and split audiences even further, creating multiple mini-ecosystems. ‘But advertising solutions are coming,’ said Adams, ‘and the answer lies in CTV.’

CTV advertising offers marketers an unmatched opportunity to reach audiences, regardless of which streaming service they’re using. “CTV provides the extensive audience reach of traditional television while delivering the targeting and measurable impact of digital advertising. Moreover, thanks to its non-skippable ad formats, CTV achieves some of the highest engagement and video completion rates in the digital ad space.

‘CTV will become 2025’s new favourite marketing buzzword,’ he said.

‘With Ads’ Is The New ‘Subscribe Now’

Streaming platforms are seeing slower subscription growth, pushing them to diversify revenue streams by introducing ad-supported tiers or dual SVOD and advertising video on demand (AVOD) models, where viewers trade ad views for free or lower subscription costs. According to PwC, advertising will account for 55% of revenue expansion in the media and entertainment industry over the next five years.

‘With more and more choice in streaming platforms (there are now more than 26 streamers legally available in SA alone) – and with consumers facing increasing financial pressure due to the rising cost of living – these models are fast gaining popularity,’ said Adams. Nearly 40% of Disney+ subscriptions in the US and Canada are now ad-supported (up from just 3% in 2022) while Netflix – in its Q4 2024 earnings report – revealed its largest-ever quarterly subscriber growth of 18.9 million, which was largely driven by its advertising offering. It stated that 55% of sign-ups in ad-supported markets were now opting for its ads plan, which saw membership grow nearly 30% quarter-over-quarter.

‘Ad-supported models are a no-brainer – and this is something that YouTube (the real victor in the so-called streaming wars, though its content is user-generated rather than premium broadcast) – has known for years. These models offer viewers affordable and accessible viewing, while streamers benefit from the advertising revenue provided by brands that want to reach audiences en masse.’

The real opportunity for streamers today lies within the middle market, with these consumers searching for great content at a low cost or for free, he adds.

Streaming Enters Its Content Churn Era

As streamers move from subscriber growth to profitability as a core metric, content churn will speed up, predicts Adams. More is more as viewers toggle between different streamers in a quest to feed their bottomless content appetites, with OTT providers under increasing pressure to keep them engaged with fresh new content. This means less investment from big players and lower production budgets – with the result that the quality of what we’re watching will take a nosedive.

‘We’re seeing this already, as ‘quick content’ (the equivalent of ‘fast food’) filled our libraries. The flip side of this is when good material finally drops, it will hit hard, making a real impact among audiences.’

Adams concluded: ‘As CTV reshapes advertising, ad-supported tiers redefine access and the content churn era accelerates, our landscape will continue to shift quicker than a Gen Z cancelling a celebrity. The future of streaming in 2025 is not just about who dominates the market but how platforms, brands and viewers adapt and respond to this constantly changing ecosystem.’

REACH AFRICA

https://www.reachafrica.com

Sunday Times Recognise KLA As One Of SA’s Best Places To Work

By

Modern Marketing

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January 30, 2025

Sunday Times Recognise KLA As One Of SA's Best Places To Work — Babalwa Donkrag, KLA.

KLA has been recognised as one of the Best Places to Work. The company received some of its highest scores in the categories of ‘Treated with Respect’, ‘Happiness’, and ‘Proud to Work Here’, in the Sunday Times Best Places to Work Awards.

Managing Director Babalwa Donkrag expressed her pride in the team’s achievement, and stated: ‘At KLA, we are committed to creating an environment where our people feel valued, respected and inspired. This recognition reflects the core of our company culture and the dedication of our team. An engaged and motivated team drives innovation, delivers high-quality work, and strengthens client relationships.’

This achievement highlights KLA’s ongoing dedication to fostering a positive workplace culture that prioritises employee wellbeing and engagement.

KLA
https://kla.co.za/