By Caroline Smith and Allison MacDonald What happens when your organisation is bitten by a crisis that threatens its reputation? It could easily devolve into a poisonous situation that could be damaging or even deadly to your brand. That’s why you need to identify whether it’s a “python” crisis or a “mamba” crisis, and prepare your […]
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Seven social media trends to look out for
By Miliswa Sitshwele, head of social media at Flow Communications The rise of social media over the past decade has been a marvel to witness. (Remember the days when Mark Zuckerberg was your first and only Facebook friend and poking was a form of flirting?) Not so long ago, YouTube went from being a platform […]
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Rate of growth slowing, but podcasts still ‘boss’
Statista recently posted a graph showing that podcasts are ‘fuelling digital audio’s fading revenue growth’. HaveYouHeard’s Head of Content, Jon Savage, argues that while revenue growth has slowed – from a high of 47.5% in 2021 to a predicted 5.1% in 2027 – the genre remains a very viable option for advertisers. This is his […]
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Brands, Look Ahead But Do Not Forget To Check Your Blind Spots, Even In 2023
The year has barely bagged its first month and South Africa’s brand advertising community has taken up arms against a BMW billboard at Cape Town International Airport. Moreover, many of the consumers for whom this billboard was intended did not resonate with its sentiments. Khangelani Dziba, Divisional Head of PR & Influencer Partnerships at […]
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Brand Activism and Conscious Consumerism
Is brand activism just a case of ‘make them cry, make them buy’? The MediaShop Johannesburg’s Managing Director Dashni Vilakazi wonders if there is real value in being ‘woke’. Woke, as referenced in the Miriam-Webster online dictionary (https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/woke) defines woke as being “aware of and actively attentive to important societal facts and issues”, and there […]
Continue readingMore TagDoes advertising of major sport events really pay off?
With the football World Cup in full swing, The MediaShop Johannesburg’s Managing Director Dashni Vilakazi takes a look at the real and perceived benefits of advertising in major sporting events. No matter how a brand or advertiser looks at sport sponsorship – and of this there is no debate – it is expensive, very expensive! […]
Continue readingMore TagThe MediaShop trend alerts for 2023
As the last few weeks of 2022 wind down, or up, depending on your industry, it’s time to look to the trends of next year. The team from The MediaShop has identified a few key trends in the world of travel, beauty and marketing. Dashni Vilakazi, Managing Director at The MediaShop’s Johannesburg office, says that […]
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Leanne Patton, Media Planner at The MediaShop says that at a time when so many people are dealing with mental and physical health issues, tech platforms like The Metaverse can offer more than a little comfort to consumers. My Mom has just had a knee replacement. The hospital itself isn’t busy on the physical side, but […]
Continue readingMore TagHave we lost the plot?
Jedd Cokayne, Business Unit Director at The MediaShop wonders if we are unnecessarily overcomplicating our lives in the media and marketing industries. Much to my delight the URC (United Rugby Championships) has started up again with the SA sides coming out of the starting blocks in scintillating form. At this stage of the competition last year, […]
Continue readingMore TagMaking the case for bland advertising
There is a definite movement for brands to focus on customer service and experience versus the chest beating “catwalking” that brands can get up to, says The MediaShop Johannesburg’s Managing Director Dashni Vilakazi. The fact is that heritage brands or brands with long longevity have already done the hard work. “Let’s be honest, to consumers brands […]
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