Big and Small Brands shine at 2009 Sunday Times Top Brands Awards

Posted on 27. Aug, 2009 by admin in Avusa Media News

Click here to view photos from this event

Both big and small brands shone at the well-revered Sunday Times Top Brands Awards for 2009, which was held at a stylishly chic ceremony in Johannesburg at Lexus Fourways on August 20. Some of the fascinating shifts in winners of the awards included First National Bank edging out last year’s winner, ABSA, to claim the top spot for retail banks in the business-to-consumer category and smaller air carrier British Airways ousting South African Airways to claim first place for airlines in the business-to-business category.

Other surprises on the night saw the smaller Apple Mac computer brand leap from seventh position to second place in the business-to-business category proving that brand size doesn’t mean the brand is necessarily better. Hotly contesting HP, the winner in this category.

Smaller brands holding their own amongst the more heavyweight contenders is a result of Avusa Media commissioning TNS Research Surveys to provide a new research model that would go beyond looking at the sole variable of brand size and dig deeper to discover what truly makes a brand strong.

For the grand prix categories of consumers top brands, Pick ‘n Pay stole the show by winning two out of the four awards despite Coca-Cola once again winning overall favourite brand followed by Vodacom and then Koo and Nike tied in third position. The leading South African supermarket jumped four spots from fifth position to first place for the company doing the most to uplift the community and claimed first prize as the company doing the most to promote environmentally-friendly behaviour.

The only award that might not have been that unexpected was the announcement that Nelson Mandela was named the favourite South African personality for both consumers and business people. But what was interesting about this category was that consumers chose political rivals as the next favourite SA personalities after Mandela with Jacob Zuma as the second most popular person followed by Helen Zille in third position. Avusa Media were also pleased that Sunday Times once again grabbed the top spot for South Africa’s most popular weekly newspaper.

More exotic and modern categories were also included for this year’s award. The new categories included social and digital networks and new exciting brand categories such as sunglasses, watches and fashion.

Religious groupings dominated social networks while Facebook was announced as the winning digital network followed by MXit and My Space. Sports clothing was easily won by Nike while Levi’s comfortably took the top spot for general clothing category. Rayban came in first place for sunglasses followed by Police and Dolce and Gabbana. Michel Herbelin was the consumer’s favourite watch brand.

For all the results please see tables below.

Sunday Times Top Brands Awards 2009

Posted on 27. Aug, 2009 by Administrator in Galleries

Sunday Times Top Brands Awards 2009
20 August 2009
Lexus Showroom – Fourways

Marketing the High Road

Posted on 27. Aug, 2009 by admin in Avusa Media News

by Gita Pather

“To give away money is an easy matter in any man’s power. But to decide to whom to give it, and how large and when, and for what purpose and how, is neither in every man’s power nor an easy matter.” – Aristotle

People want to be good, do good and be seen to be doing good but how, for whom and when? The details make it all too complicated and life is hard enough already given the demands of work, home and family. It’s a definite barrier to following one’s heart and fulfilling the desire to make a difference and even Aristotle knew that.

But what if you could do good by not doing anything extraordinary? What if when you were buying a t-shirt, a pair of sneakers, a cup of coffee or a card for a loved one you joined the ranks of the GOOD people, the ones who care, who put their money where their mouth is? That’s what Bono offered a world besotted with things and therein lays the beauty of (RED) which he founded with Bobby Shriver to raise awareness and money for The Global Fund (GF) to invest in African AIDS programs. Its uniqueness lies in teaming up with some of the world’s most iconic brands to produce RED-branded products. A percentage of each RED product sold by partners is donated to GF. Partners include Converse, Dell, Hallmark, Emporia Armani, Windows, American Visa (UK), Red Net, Starbucks, and Apple.

These big corporations were drawn to the project because it allowed them to fuse selling their products with doing good. Since its launch in the spring of 2006, more than $130 million has been generated by (RED) for the Global Fund.

But being good is a double edged sword, a question of you’re damned if you do and damned if you don’t. The project was created to allow organisations to do good while turning a profit and was launched to global fanfare with a multi-dimensional marketing campaign that some estimate to have cost 100 million dollars, fronted by the likes of Oprah Winfrey, Chris Rock, Steven Spielberg and Christy Turlington.

Edgy and innovative, the marketing campaign created a huge buzz but also garnered great criticism as being too expensive, too flashy, too celebrity-driven and too over-the-top! What its detractors cannot deny is that the Global Fund has another $130 million to make a real impact on Aids in Africa and the millions affected by the pandemic are certainly not complaining.

The brilliance of the (Red) project is that it brings together two seemingly mutually exclusive objectives: doing good and making money. Capitalism on the one hand is driven by profit making while activism on the other, by the need to address societal problems. Changing the way of the world is not an option evidenced by the words recorded on an Assyrian Clay Tablet in 2800 BC, “Our earth is degenerate in these latter days; bribery and corruption are common, children no longer obey their parents, and the end of the world is evidently approaching,” but making diverse objectives work for the good of humankind is possible as the RED project proves.

Faced with the world’s problems of poverty, hunger, disease, xenophobia, drugs… is it no wonder that people are overwhelmed and feel powerless to affect change? We are not all Nelson Mandelas’ or Mother Teresas’ and so social activists need to work with the natural tendencies of ordinary people… and in the 21st Century – we buy. I, for one, am happy knowing that my much-treasured Emporia Armani watch has made a difference to someone – somewhere.

The South African CSI Scene

Posted on 27. Aug, 2009 by admin in Headlines and Opinions

Band Aid relief versus Thought Leadership… CSI for systemic change in South Africa
Yogavelli Nambiar-Varma, Head: CSR Consultancy of Kaelo Worldwide Media

There is much talk about corporate social responsibility, corporate social investment, sustainability, corporate citizenship, responsible business, sustainable development, philanthropy, triple bottom line, etc. What a plethora of terminologies exist to describe this sector! We’re really good at labeling what we do and love the endless chatter around it.

But, do we do it well?

Not always.

Granted, there are a few companies that lead the pack but largely, the corporate investment sector vacillates between a few who envision innovative interventions; to some who do a great job in strategizing and implementing social investment efforts, to the majority of others who still believe that the traditional “charitable model” is the way to go.

But it is not a doom and gloom scenario?

Corporate citizenship is in an exciting nascent space right now. The sector has grown and new, creative perspectives have joined the guiding voice of the experience and expertise of development stalwarts. Consulting agencies and conferences have sprouted which indicate that there has been an identification of the need for more strategic corporate interventions.

There is a new government – one that still needs to gain the trust of the private sector – and new possibilities to carve public-private partnerships that rise to meet our social development challenges. A highly impactful example is the partnership platforms created by The Business Trust and we need more of the same to share our learning.



South Africa may be in a much more favorable position with regards to the global financial crisis; but many companies have initiated cutbacks to their CSI budgets or CSI communications budgets necessitating a need for greater innovation and strategic thought around how the company’s social investments are implemented and brand value realized.

And adding to the possibilities, the biggest sporting spectacle arrives on our doorstep in 2010 and there will be no more hiding from the critical view of the world.

As a developing country, South Africa has more to solve and more to lose…there are too many people within and without our borders, who are dependent on “us”, the “other”, the ones who can.
Our incredible intellectual capital locally and regionally must be harnessed to bring about the sustainable social change we desire. It is in South Africa that the innovative, now global concepts of e-pap, lapdesks and the award-winning Phelopepha train were created to meet the huge development needs of hunger, education and health in rural areas.

Now it’s time to focus the energy, intelligence and expertise we have to achieve even greater results.

Collaboration is oft spoken about and while it is (sometimes) done well between companies and non-profit organizations, we would be hard pressed to find examples of multi-corporate partnerships for social good. Concerns around the loss of brand differentiation and/or a lesser competitive advantage of going it alone narrows the perspective on the role and opportunities for business to use the power of collaboration to effect social change.

However, a more holistic intervention is needed – encompassing advocacy and lobbying; awareness-building and fundraising ; galvanizing all company resources for the effective implementation of its projects and consolidating business alliances into strategic partnerships that look at all the needs around a chosen issue.

It’s the difference between being a thought leader that strategizes around systemic change, as opposed to being the bearer of band-aid relief.

The crux of current debates in the CSI sector is on diverse methods of using the capitalist marketplace for social good ranging from how to create real structural change in addressing social issues (as opposed to providing continued short-term relief efforts with no long-term strategy) to dialogues on social entrepreneurship, social enterprises, creating blended value, socially responsible investing, etc.

Both the CSI and development paradigms are required equally in order to bring about the social equity we all strive for.

Read more about the author: Yogavelli Nambia

Hot Stuff Gadgets – August

Posted on 27. Aug, 2009 by admin in Hot Stuff Gadget Review

Every month the editors of Stuff magazine choose the latest pretty, shiny gadgets for you.


Fujifilm FinePix Real 3D W1
Rtba
www.fujifilm.co.za

Devices capable of capturing 3D are about the most exciting consumer technology development of the last ten years. We know what you’re thinking: it’s amazing that the W1 creates 10MP 3D images that can be viewed on its screen without special glasses. It’s even more amazing that it will work across its 3x zoom range, even in macro mode. It’s hard to believe it’ll capture 3D movies, too, or that the forthcoming 8in (20cm) Real 3D V1 digital photo frame will bring glasses-free 3D into the home, and that it’ll be possible to print 3D stills. But that’s not why we’re excited. Since 3D requires stereoscopic vision from two “eyes”, all 3D gadgets will have faces. Look, Fujifilm even gave it a smile, and a blue buck-tooth. Awww.

 


Sony PSPgo
Rtba
www.playstation.com

Welcome to the worst-kept secret in gaming – the PSPgo. Pictures of Sony’s next PSP were leaked days before its announcement at the E3 show in Los Angeles. It’s also no secret that 2009 is crunch time for portable gamers. With Nintendo’s DSi the clear king of the handhelds and Apple pushing gaming harder than ever, Sony had to come up with something special. By squirreling the buttons away a slide-down panel behind a smaller 3.8in (9.7cm) screen, it’s made the PSPgo 50 percent smaller and 40 percent lighter than the original. It’s also ditched the UMD drive in favour of a 16GB solid-state drive. It’s make or break for Sony, so let the games begin.

 
 


Jaguar XJ
From R970 400
www.jaguar.co.za

A frown crept across Q’s face. “Bad news I’m afraid, Bond. The product placement deal with Aston Martin has fallen through. Something to do with leaving their car at the bottom of Lake Garda during Quantum of Solace. Still, never mind, we’ve replaced it with this new Jag, which won’t sting the MI6 coffers for nearly so much. There are three different engine options, but naturally we’ve gone for the supercharged five-litre V8, which means it’ll hit 96km/h in 4.7 seconds. But it’s the cabin that’ll really steal your heart. It’s got more gadgets than all of your films put together. Just try not to wreck this one, 007.”

 
 

Nokia N86 8MP
R6 500
www.nokia.co.za

Ugly Betty and the N86 have a lot in common. Both are late bloomers, exceptionally smart, and no one expects you to fall for them based on their looks. The most obvious similarity is the strong lenses they both wear. Nokia has finally launched its first 8MP camera phone – after all its major competitors had been there, done that and shot pictures to prove it – with a wide-angle Carl Zeiss lens and a mechanical shutter (like the Samsung i8510’s) to reduce motion blur.
Rumours that the handset itself has existed since 2007 might explain ye olde keypad, but the N86 should hold some appeal if you’re looking for a no-frills smartphone. The 8GB internal memory, Wi-Fi , stereo Bluetooth, A-GPS and up to 16GB microSD should keep you hooked until you get to know and fall for the rest of its features.

 

Tag Heuer Monaco Twenty Four Concept Chronograph
Rtba (concept)
www.picotandmoss.co.za

Back before stunt doubles and computer graphics, Steve McQueen actually took part in Le Mans for the iconic film of the same name. He wore the same driving suit and accessories as famed Le Mans driver Jo Siffert, including the watch, for ‘those’ Porsche 917 scenes. The king of cool’s watch, the Monaco, has been synonymous with fast cars and dashing heroes ever since. This 40th anniversary Concept Chronograph is inspired by those classic race cars, hence the roll-cage-like design. Made from tungsten, it mirrors the blue and orange Gulf Oil livery used in the film. The squared design is water resistant to 100m, and this timeless masculine timepiece is fit for another 40 years.

 
 
For more information on Stuff, including upcoming features and advertising rates, click here.

Brandon’s theory of Relativity

Posted on 27. Aug, 2009 by admin in Brandon Faber

Shows you what kind of a sad society we live in when, after 18 months of delivering the world’s most astoundingly brilliant advertising column, the one that drew the most responses was written when I was as sick as Schabir Shaik. . . three days prior to his release all those glorious months ago, of course.

Suppose the fact that 3 Talk’s Noleen was the butt-end of the joke assisted somewhat . . . as did the fact that I shamelessly begged all my friends and the only woman (besides my mother) that loves me to leave some sort or a response – proving to the world that you do not need Facebook, Twitter, YouTube et al to make things happen.

Four written responses down the line I feel thoroughly vindicated.

Err. . .

No, really. I’m not convinced that social media is all it’s cracked up to be and will I, one of these fine days when the air is clear and the Vanish lady tolerable to watch, prove it’s the dog’s breakfast of marketing. . . along with a new twist on Newton’s law of universal gravitation and the true force behind Einstein’s Black Holes.

Frankly I think that Isaac and Albert were a few bytes short of a download when they hashed their so-called theories. That, and they never had the privilege of watching advertising that makes sailors celibate and politicians confess their sins to random strangers – fearing The Apocalypse is nigh.

In one highly offensive offering the (already mentioned) Pink lady of advertising misery waltzes in on a mother reading to her offspring. The family of three had just snuggled on the carpet (as one tends to do in these economic times) when, to their horror, they discover that nothing quite sucks like slumming it with Dino the dust mite and his three million friends.

“Surprised?” yells our intruder wearing a branded t-shirt and a look that says “I laugh in the face of Trellidor”. She then proceeds to attack the fearful family with a spray gun (under the guise of assistance) and then takes all the glory for the senseless massacre of Dino and his comrades. . .
Bloody colonialism, it never ends.

In another winning assault on our sanity, a proud manufacturer of toilet paper (and other paraphernalia) drags the very best clichés out of the cupboard by introducing a Golden Retriever puppy and a kid to our Prime Time viewing.

That puppy must be pretty gatvol by the way. Talk about typecast – poor bugger. I bet he just wants to grow up and get on with it – but no – a kid he shall remain, shoving things with his nose.

Anyway.

The tiny tot seeks high and low for the soft toy she usually smothers with love at sleeping time. Alas, little Johnny next door torched it in an alarming display of first-stage “schizophrenia”, so the puppy has to find a replacement in a hurry, otherwise our angel may never get a visit from the M-Net sandman.

As luck would have it he finds a suitable substitute Barney in the form of a super soft, cuddly white toilet roll. Mom’s precious darling happily snuggles up to the loo paper and jets off to dreamland on a cloud of mediocrity.

Now, if Einstein saw this nonsense he would have theorised that Black Holes have nothing to do with celestial mystery and more to do with commercial misery . . . and Sir Isaac Newton would have deduced that the attraction between two bodies of mass are conclusively proven by the back-to-back broadcast of undeniably kak advertisements.

It’s all relative, don’t you think?

Read more about the author: Brandon Faber

Did You Know?

Posted on 27. Aug, 2009 by admin in Did you Know

Did you know that…

• That although Mahatma Gandhi became famous for his principles of pacifism, he served in the Anglo Boer War and enlisted to fight with the British in WW1 but a bad case of pleurisy resulted in him going back to India. So much for being peaceful.

 
 
 
 
 

 
 • The term “bluewash” describes how companies pad their CSR profile by using their associations with the United Nations various agencies.

 
 
 

 
 • Paul Newman was listed 91 in the 100 Most Influential People in Business Ethics 2008 because he donated 100 percent of post-tax profits and royalties from the sale of his “Newman’s Own” brand of food products totalling more than $250 million!

 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 • Bill Gates, business leader and philanthropist earns US$250 every SECOND, that’s about US$20 Million a DAY and US$7.8 Billion a YEAR and if he were a country, he would be the 37th richest country on earth!

Green Tip for August

Posted on 27. Aug, 2009 by admin in Trends

Green Tip of the Month

It’s getting warmer and soon we won’t be able to hide winter flab behind layers of clothing. So my green tip is eat vegetarian meals at least five times a week.

You will lose weight, feel more energetic and most importantly cut down on your carbon footprint since cows, sheep and other four-legged creatures of that ilk produce a potent greenhouse gas called methane – bad news for the environment and as bad news for your health!

Mandie van der Spuy

Posted on 27. Aug, 2009 by admin in Personality Profiles

Making Music with Mandie van der Spuy

Mandie van der Spuy’s name is synonymous with two of South Africa’s most iconic arts events: the National Arts Festival and the Standard Bank Joy of Jazz festivals. In her role as Head of Arts & Jazz Sponsorships with Standard Bank, she has worked actively towards mainstreaming the arts through its corporate social responsibility programmes.

Mandie is quick to point out that this is not a philanthropic venture by a key financial institution but rather a business investment in communities and sectors that reinforce the bank’s values and bottom line objectives. Be that as it may, a survey of her career is indicative of her dedication to the arts and over the years, she has been immersed in nurturing, developing and sustaining an immensely important aspect of a society.
What distinguishes Mandie’s work from many CSI managers is her very real knowledge of her sector, its dynamics, challenges and the creative spirits that make up this highly charged environment.

Her career started with the Market Theatre under the leadership of a theatre luminary Barney Simon. It was the beginning of a long relationship with some of South Africa’s foremost theatre spaces which also involved moving to Durban to take up the position of Head of Publicity and Public Relations at NAPAC during a particularly exciting time period that saw the birth of the Natal Philharmonic Orchestra and the Loft Theatre Company. Later she joined PACT as the Head of Marketing and Publicity and when the Head of PACT Drama Lynette Marais took up the post of Festival Director for the National Arts Festival, Mandie herself assumed the reins.

Ironically, her next career move to Standard Bank continued another working relationship with Lynette since the bank was the naming sponsor. She admits that she is exceptionally blessed to be able to combine her abiding passion for the arts with a career. Receiving a Chevalier Award of the National Order of Merit in 2007 from the French government was unarguably the highlight of her long career in the arts and corporate social investment. It was bestowed on her for her promotion of cultural exchange between France and South Africa that resulted in a number of joint projects with the three major exhibitions of the paintings of Picasso, Chagall and Miro the crowning achievements.

An ardent Francophile, her relationship with France goes back a long way and she holds an Honours degree in French Literature, a post-graduate degree in Theatre Studies from UCT, as well as a Master’s degree in Theatre Literature from the Sorbonne University, Paris. Mandie loves to travel, go for long walks and read.

John Faia, Executive – Sponsorships at SAIL Sport & Entertainment

Posted on 27. Aug, 2009 by admin in Personality Profiles

• What do you enjoy most about your portfolio?

Every day is a challenge and the experience to work on so many different sponsorships with so many diverse people is invaluable. I love being part of a greater team that successfully delivers brand campaigns to the consumer through their passion for sport.

• Where did you go for the summer holidays?

Stayed at home, opened a coffee shop.

• Describe your home environment briefly.

Family, kids, fun, noise, energetic…. We live for our children and weekends where possible are mostly spent with family at home.

• Are you more of a TV/Radio or DVD person? Favourites?

Definitely TV/Radio, I like trying to keep up with current events. 702 Talk Radio and Enews. Enjoy watching CSI, House and yes even Grey’s Anatomy.

• My Favourite DVD’s / movies ….

Jerry Maguire
Saving Private Ryan
Pulp Fiction
Scent of a woman

• We live in a brand conscious society. How do you feel about that? Are you a labels or off-the-peg person?

Do we really have a say? I guess it’s all about choice and people choose brands for many different reasons. As long as we market products society will be brand conscious I do not see anything wrong with that.

I would say I am a bit of both, comfort to me comes first.