Personality Profile – Ayanda Mbanga, Deputy Group CEO of Saatchi & Saatchi
Posted on 16. Nov, 2011 by Graham in Personality Profiles
Ayanda Mbanga qualified as a Journalist with Honours at Rhodes University in 1993. She also holds a AAA diploma in Copywriting and a Unisa certificate in Marketing and Research.
She started her working career at Saatchi & Saatchi Advertising in 1994 as a copywriter and in 1996 was appointed Director. In 1998, she launched Ayanda Mbanga Communications which now has offices in Cape Town, Durban and Johannesburg.
Recently appointed as Deputy Group CEO of Saatchi & Saatchi South Africa, Ayanda also serves on the board of Ayanda Mbanga Communications and Heifer International. She was also one of the finalists for the Nedbank Business Woman of the Year Award in 2008.
A running enthusiast, she completed the Berlin marathon in 2011 in addition to completing the world-renowned New York Marathon in 2010 to raise money for the African Leadership Foundation.
Why is employer branding important?
Placing a recruitment advertising is critical in the recruitment process. It’s the start of how employers entice prospective applicants to come and work for them. Equally important, however, is for the employers to deliver on the promises made in the advertisement or candidates will quickly become disappointed and despondent.
Can you give a brief example of an employer branding campaign that impressed you.
In the South African market, ‘once-off’ recruitment advertisements are more common than ongoing campaigns. We recently ran an ad for our client Shoprite Checkers, which has been nominated for the AMARA’s (Avusa Media’s Annual Recruitment Awards).
How important is recruitment advert placement with regards to the type of job offered?
Like any other branding process, the actual job must deliver what the advertisement promises. Anything less is death for that employer brand.
Has recruitment advertising changed as a result of the recession?
Yes, absolutely. Employers are shedding jobs instead of appointing new people. So in the last two years we’ve seen less and less spend on recruitment advertisements and employer branding campaigns.
When is print a better option for a recruitment advert than online?
What we’ve found is that print is still the best place to start. It’s a solid and reliable way of driving traffic to websites. Over time however, more and more people will start to use the web for news updates, and this will shift the reliance from print to online. Either way, the websites will still need print to bring traffic through.
How do you balance work/life?
I’m not sure if there is such a thing really. My take on this work/life balance thing is that at any given point one thing will take priority over the other and there is always a constant shift. The key is not to have one area of your life dominating at the expense of another.
Who is your biggest inspiration and why?
Probably my children right now. I’m astutely aware that in everything I do, I’m teaching them something. So unlike a time when I would have gone out and done whatever I wanted, I always have their best interests at heart, which forces me to try to and be a better person.
What countries would you like to visit?
I’m planning on Bali, Indonesia at the moment. I’m told it’s serene and peaceful – a totally different way of life. And that’s just what I need.
What are your favourite local brands/products?
Quality kwaito music, Nandos and Graham Beck sparkling wine.
How do you spend your free time?
With family. I also enjoy running, preferably alone. It’s the best and cheapest way to get your endorphins working while clearing your head.
Industry Profile: Glenda Philp
Posted on 14. Oct, 2011 by Graham in Personality Profiles
PERSONALITY PROFILE
Glenda Philp, Head of Brand Communication Woolworths Food/Home/Good Business Journey/Special Occasions
Glenda Philp’s life in marketing began as a Cordon Bleu Chef. Her passion for food led her to Silwood Kitchen in Cape Town where she completed a 3 year diploma course.
Her career at Woolworths started in 1994, and has been diverse. She was instantly bitten by the retail bug and wanted to experience different areas of retail and, as Woolworths encourages, moved within the company.
Initially a product developer in Woolworths Pizzas, Pies and Party Foods, she then moved to Woolworths Home. She also spent 18 months working on the conversion of Inthebag.co.za to Woolworths.co.za, but decided her love was in retail, not online.
Her passion for food steered her towards the Woolworths Marketing Department where she started working as a marketing brand manager, and has worked her way up the ranks.
What do you like most about your job?
I like that it is a creative environment and I get to interact with an amazingly creative team. The job is never the same on a day-to-day basis.
I love that I am surrounded by “foodies” all the time. My absolute highlight was working with Bill Granger and our homegrown Justin Bonello on a Woolworths food campaign.
What are some of your personal favourite brands locally or brands that you are loyal to?
I am very loyal to Woolworths products. I enjoy the coffee from Woolworths Café, especially the organic brands. I do all my food shopping at Woolworths Food – I can’t imagine shopping anywhere else. With the introduction of brands into Woolworths beauty, I feel I have everything I need. Country Road and Studio.W from Woolworths are my favourite fashion brands.
I also love the bread from Knead Bakery in Cape Town, Vida Café for their Pasteis De Nata, BOS (organic iced tea), and Mrs Balls Chutney.
What do you do in your “time off”?
Spending time with my family is very important to me. We have a place in the country which we try and go to as much as possible. I also love cooking with my five-year old son – he makes the best omelette and sticky chicken!
Who is your inspiration and why?
My family – my husband and my five-year old boy. My son looks at the world in such an uncomplicated and innocent way. For him, everything is awesome and new.
He never has a bad day and gets excited by the smallest things in life. I wish we could all be like that all the time.
My husband supports me in everything I do and is not only my rock about my voice of sanity.
If you were to win a big Lotto payout, how would you spend the money?
I don’t think much would change in my life as I wouldn’t stop working. I would, however, want to make a big difference in peoples’ lives. I’m not saying you need money to do that but it does help.
I would donate a large portion to orphaned children charities. I would invest a large portion for my retirement and for my son’s future, and also take my immediate family (including parents) on a break, holidaying in South Africa.
What are some of the ways in which a retailer maintains customer loyalty?
One needs to build up trust in the brand by listening to customers’ requests and giving them what they want.
Is it necessary to market to one’s existing clients?
Absolutely. To maintain brand loyalty it’s important to continuously talk to your existing customers. With so many new retail brands coming into South Africa it’s important not to become complacent and to keep reinventing and being the best.
What are some good ways to keep client interest/brand loyalty after the point of sale purchase? 
For us at Woolworths, it’s all about our ‘Good Business Journey’, where we are making a difference to our world as well as the country that we live in.
It’s all about what we are doing to help save our environment, giving back to the communities in which we live and transforming South Africa. I believe the Woolworths Good Business Journey is what makes our customers loyal to our brand as we provide a platform that they can also get involved in helping others. Our MYSCHOOL/MY VILLAGE/MYPLANET programme allows customers to make a difference every time they shop at Woolworths.
These are important in our customers’ minds, especially the younger generation who are extremely aware of environmental issues in our country.
How does Woolworths retain customers and keep existing customers loyal?
We have a loyalty program for our cardholders called WRewards, where we have events and promotions exclusively for cardholders. Cardholders benefit hugely when shopping at Woolworths, and throughout the year can save on everything from food/groceries/fashion/beauty and Kidswear.
Industry Profile: Kay Price-Lindsay
Posted on 08. Sep, 2011 by Graham in Personality Profiles
BIOGRAPHY
With a degree in Drama, Psychology and Anthropology from UCT, Kay started a casting company with her husband Ross in 1996. Casting over 3000 local and international commercials, they grew the company to employ 18-20 people. A maverick in the local film industry, Kay conceptualised, developed and launched WholeBangShoot (WBS), an innovative online casting tool for casting directors, production companies, talent agents and artists. In 2007 WBS was bought by Career Junction – An Avusa Company. UK’s Campaign Magazine voted her as one of the top three Casting Directors in the World in their ‘Legends of Production’ insert in 2002.
Today, Kay runs her own small business venture, Kayos, which focuses on the importance of finding fresh yet viable solutions for managing and running businesses successfully. Kay is passionate about visioning, innovating, strategising, developing and implementing systems, which has seen her business, outshine her competitors for the last 14 years.
PROFILE
Is an increasing reliance on technology impacting people’s creativity? Are there ‘less’ creative people these days?
Absolutely not. Unskilled thinkers yes, but everyone has the ability to think creatively. Our current education places more value on analysis, recognition, judgement and truth and less focus on creativity, design, possibility and value. The system fails to recognise that although you can analyse the past, you have to design the future.
Reliance on technology is certainly encouraging people to turn to a Google page for instant information instead of searching for solutions themselves. So creativity in the workplace is suffering. However, once people are empowered with the tools to access their creative thinking, then technology becomes a powerful tool to innovate with.
How does stress affect creativity?
Stress keeps us from deliberately and carefully reflecting on our daily procedures and challenges. The quality of thought is also greatly hindered by numerous instant distractions like email and instant messaging. Furthermore, unrealistic deadlines keep people trapped within a “there’s no time to think” mindset. These stressful situations greatly inhibit creativity potential. There are organisations – Marks and Spenser’s for example – that have a ‘no email policy’ between staff working on the same floor. People are thus encouraged to walk and talk and make space to dream of new possibilities. If we want to change the quality of our future, we have to change the way we are working currently.
How does one balance the pace of work with that of the creative process?
Achieving this balance should bear no less value than the management of stress to avoid fatal heart disease. Only once companies and individuals realise the true value of good quality thinking and allocate sufficient time to achieving it, will creativity be revived. Although most organisations are committed to the concept of good thinking, the reality remains very different. Companies that consistently set aside time to THINK creatively are the ones that will thrive, not just survive.
How can teamwork/brainstorming help get the creative juices flowing?
Sadly, classic brainstorming is not as effective as organisations imagine for a few reasons, including:
- Strong personalities will often dominate a creative thinking process and some invaluable ideas will go unheard
- Shy people will sit back and not contribute for fear or humiliation or not being heard
- People will often begin to assess the value or risks of a new idea in a session which can stop further valuable input
- Fear of not knowing what to do with the output stops people really visioning as broadly as they can
How has the constant pace acceleration and the increase in output productivity demands changed the creativity process?
The fact that the world is moving at the pace it is means we are being forced to respond faster and faster, yet most organisational leaders will acknowledge that there is an increasing need for innovation and creativity if they want to stay ahead. Sadly, however, many continue to rely on the tried and tested methods because they are too busy to explore potential simpler, more effective, more profitable and cutting-edge approaches.
PERSONAL
What inspires you to be creative?
I have always believed that anything is possible. I don’t know where the belief came from particularly, but I have never taken anything at face-value. I ask questions, challenge existing ways of doing things, and explore simpler, more effective and innovative possibilities. I am inspired by challenging the status quo which leads me to exciting and creative solutions. This kind of thinking is everyone’s birthright – not some hallowed domain for the lucky few.
What are some local brands you personally feel have come up with some very creative marketing campaigns or business directions?
OUTsurance – firstly because the idea for this business was as a result of using the De Bono tools. Talk about asking why not! I admire them for undoing everything the market had grown accustomed to about Insurance and offering something completely unqiue.
Wimpy – their Impy ad. This is a classic case of lateral thinking. When an idea that no-one had thought of before now turns into an almost natural affiliation.
Nandos – everyone’s favourite advertising, I imagine! They are constantly innovating and keeping ahead of the game.
Where is your ideal holiday destination and why?
The kind of thinking I do means I look for holidays where I can completely shut down my brain and give my body a chance….. I have just been to the North of Spain to walk the Camino de Santiago for 6 weeks. 900kms from St Jean Pied de Port to Finesterre (The end of the earth). It was my dream holiday for many reasons but mainly because my mind emptied completely after the 3rd week. It enabled me reboot my brain while also fuelling my spiritual side. An unforgettable journey.
What do you love best about your job?
I love seeing people who ardently believe they are not creative start coming up with wonderfully exciting and innovative ideas that will add value to their daily life and /or the company. Their excitement and sense of hope is inspiring. When the creative spark is ignited and nurtured the results speak for themselves.
What are your favourite creative outlets – ie do you draw, paint, write, dance etc?
Creative outlets in the realm of connecting to my inner artist would be dancing and creating ‘out of the box’ gifts that surprise and delight the recipients and myself. I use the thinking tools in many areas of my life and am never let down by how original and unique the ideas I get are. It’s seriously fun and a wonderful way to express myself.
Industry Profile – Tim Shier Managing Director at BrandsEye
Posted on 22. Aug, 2011 by Graham in Personality Profiles
Tim oversees the company’s international operations across 89 countries. BrandsEye is a world class Online Reputation Management service built in South Africa and taking on the international heavyweights (and often winning).
For the two and a half years before BrandsEye, Tim was the Marketing Manager for Quirk eMarketing running international marketing activities from the Cape Town office.
Tim is a valuable contributor to the respected textbook, eMarketing: the essential guide to online marketing (first, second and third edition), is referenced in “Social Media for Dummies” and works with many local and international blue chip clients in the telecommunication, FMCG, retail, financial services, air travel, tourism and other obscure industries. Tim sits on the Services Seta Marketing Association Board and the Digital Media and Marketing Association of South Africa’s executive committee – overseeing the measurement portfolio.
- Why is social media such an effective mechanism for brand building?
Social media is where market research and brand messaging meet. On the one side, it provides an open and honest place for brands to push their message (made honest by the fact that any false information is immediately identified by consumers). For market research, it provides a platform for bias-free feedback, which is usually a notorious problem in this area. It’s essentially “fly-on-the-wall” research in real-time.]
- What are some of the major differences between online brand building and the traditional ‘offline’ methods?
Online, the consumer-brand power is far more balanced. The social space gives consumers a voice that is as big, if not bigger, than the brand itself. This truly empowers consumers to get what they require from brands and for brands to build true relationships with consumers. This serves both parties mutually.
- Why can social media be such a dangerous place for brands (if not managed correctly)?
Many brands treat social media as a one-way messaging mechanism and often believe that wield all the power they, as is often the case in traditional media. Brands run considerable risk if they are not willing to evolve their business to the needs to that of the collective consumer.
How do South African brands compare to international ones in terms of social media usage?
It really depends on the category and the brand itself. Talking across Africa, we are seeing local brands perform far better than most. That said, international brands have far more local case studies to demonstrate the value of digital (which is fast becoming the case here) and this means that they have bigger budgets with which they can achieve far greater objectives for the brand. There is also the perception locally that the digital environment is very small. In reality, digital South Africa is larger than the entire population of Ireland. As brands start to change this perception we will see increased budgets and with that, more effective campaigns.
- Can you give an example of a recent social media brand success that everyone can learn from?
“Nike: write the future” (executed in South Africa). It presented the concept that inspiring footballers could take their phones onto the field and learn to play better football through a mobile experience. This was integrated with real-time blogging and Twitter functionality into MXit allowing consumers to engage directly with local football stars and the Nike insider – a dedicated football journalist. Since May 2010, over 500 000 South Africans have added the Nike bot into their contact list on MXit with continued engaged well beyond the campaign. The biggest lesson learnt from it is that a social campaign needs to demonstrate value to participants rather than simply push a message around the brand itself.
- How do you handle work/life balance?
I thoroughly enjoy my work and the value I get from spending time with clients and colleagues. Over the weekends I spend time socialising with friends. Across the board, I’ve prioritised work as the most critical priority in my life for the next six months but do managed to spend time alone and with people who are important to me.
- What is the best part about your job?
I see my job as an adventure. I am in an industry that allows me the opportunity to drive category development both on a local and international scale, which I find truly exciting! I love the learning process involved.
- What is your personal favourite social media platform?
At the moment, Twitter. It’s short, sharp and full of useful insights. I find Facebook too time consuming too derive real value from at the moment, given the limited time I have to currently spend on myself for personal matters.
- What do you do for fun?
As I already mentioned, I thoroughly enjoy work. I believe work must be more fun than fun itself! Outside of work, I enjoy quiet evenings with close friends.
- What are your favourite local brands?
Nandos, Kulula, Savanna, and Mini. For pure business smarts, I like Hippo Insurance.
Industry profile – Louise Marsland
Posted on 07. Jul, 2011 by Graham in Personality Profiles
Bio
Louise Marsland, a veteran journalist, began her career in daily newspapers in the mid-1980s, including The Citizen, The Star and The Saturday Star.
Over the last 17 years, her focus has been on Business-to-Business media, specifically in the media, marketing, advertising and FMCG retailing sector. She has been an Editor in both print and online of media brands. She has a Masters of Commerce: Strategy & Organisational Dynamics (UKZN); holds various industry positions, such as member of the Magazine Publishers’ Association of SA (MPASA); and trains and speaks at conferences on media strategy and communications.
Louise is also active in the field of social transformation and sustainability – a special interest of hers – and is a social media convert. One of her projects for the year is compiling a book on leadership with the CEO of a leading marketing company.
Louise lives in Johannesburg with her family and an assortment of animals. She is currently Editor-in-Chief of AdVantage magazine.
Who is your female mentor and why?
I don’t have just one female ‘mentor’ and I think ‘mentor’ is too formal a word. I’ve had many women who have influenced me in my life, from friends to my sisters. As a woman, a female support network in business is very important and I have several influential women in media that I can tap into when I need to bounce issues off them, and who have guided me in my career.
Do you think women are doing well in advertising, and why?
I don’t think women are doing well in advertising – there aren’t enough of them in leadership and creative positions. This is still a male-dominated, sexist, paternalistic industry and there are many amazing women in it, some in leadership positions – but not enough. Those that are heads of agencies, you can count on two hands. This is reflected in the many sexist and patronising adverts we still have to put up with in our media.
What have been some challenges for you as a woman in the industry?
I don’t think my challenges in media have been specific to my gender. Most newsrooms are equal opportunity (pretty much), and magazines are female-dominated. I’ve had a successful career because I work hard and I’m passionate about what I do. Probably the biggest challenge is that people underestimate me because I look so young (good genes!) – but I use that to my advantage.
What are some initiatives in the industry focused around women, and how has this helped empower women in the industry?
I think we have broader issues of inclusivity in our industry than just gender-bias. We need to find a way to attract young creative talent to the advertising and media industries that won’t just up and leave for bigger and better salaries each time. That is the challenge. Young people want to be famous and rich, they don’t always want to work hard and ‘pay their dues’ for it. Maybe I’m old-fashioned, but I learned so much in the ‘trenches’ of daily newspaper journalism, as a lowly paid junior, and worked my way up. I wouldn’t give up that experience for anything. It’s made me the courageous and strong person I am today.
What drives you?
Excellence, innovation, new ideas, new technology, wonderful writing, fun, and excitement. I’m in an industry that has been challenged daily by new technologies and new ideas for more than a decade now. Change has become the norm. Flexibility is key. Keeping up is a challenge. But I wouldn’t do anything else. I absolutely love what I do.
How do you handle work/life balance?
Work/life balance is a myth and the current pop psychology buzzword. What is important is happiness and fulfilment. We focus on different things at any given time in our lives and daily. The important thing it to give it your best – whether at work, with family, friends, or yourself. If you are content, you are doing the right things; if not, change something.
What is the best part about your job?
I have the best job in the world – I get paid to listen and have ideas!
The creative writing I do feeds my soul, lets me come up with ideas and implement them, and interact with the mega-creative and innovation driven talent in my industry. I learn everyday and it is an absolute privilege that my job entails sitting down with the leadership of some of our greatest media, agencies and brands – and picking their brains, hearing where they draw their inspiration. Then writing about them. It doesn’t feel like work, it feels like a privilege.
What publications can you not do without?
I’m not loyal to any media – I read and watch everything that interests me, these days mostly fed by my Twitter network and RSS feeds. I am a news junkie and an ‘ADD’ one at that, jumping around every day, reading what interests me or what I’m researching at any given time.
What do you do for fun?
Reading, movies, hiking, spending time with family and friends. But travel is my ultimate. I recently spent time in New York and totally loved it – walked the city flat, saw as much as I could. There’s nothing better than a new city and a new culture to explore. I lived overseas in France as a kid, so the bug bit early. I don’t want to be rich, I just want to travel more.
What are your biggest work challenges?
Time. In a deadline-driven industry, there’s never enough time to read everything, tweet everything, investigate every new ‘latest’ thing. We will never catch up with the rapid rate of technological innovation, we cannot hope to predict the future any longer. Work never stops and sometimes it’s hard to know when to stop. We’ve become an ‘always-on’ society, so we are ‘always-on’ with our Blackberrys and our iPhones and our iPads. Yet neuro-scientists will tell you that our brains need downtime to recharge and for us to be creative, so we have to switch off. I probably don’t ‘switch-off’ enough.
Industry Profile: Steve English
Posted on 07. Jun, 2011 by Graham in Personality Profiles
For Reward-If-Found managing director, Steve English, entrepreneurism has always been at the core of who he is. Since the age of 10 he knew without a doubt that he would one day run his own company.
After completing an international Profile of a Champion sales training course with Tom Hopkins, English started his career in 1987 as office manager for Newsweek Magazine. He then joined the Star Newspaper in 1988 as advertising sales executive and was headhunted shortly afterwards for the position of advertising accounts executive at Media Discounters Advertising Agency. English’s entrepreneurial nature soon emerged and in 1989 he started his own company – Steve English Advertising – which focused mainly on above-the-line advertising, media planning and strategy, design, production and copywriting. It was during this time that the honesty incentive concept for the unique Reward-If-Found (Pty) Ltd tagging system was born. Reward-If-Found allows users to tag their valuables such as cellular phones, laptops, wallets, keys, MP3 players, travel bags and suitcases for added peace of mind.
How important are incentives when it comes to returning lost goods?
Offering incentives for returning lost goods should not be a necessity, as I believe most people are intrinsicly honest. There are, however, many people who are economically disadvantaged and it is good to promote the mindset of honesty and give individuals the option and insight to choose to do the right thing, irrespective of returning an item of value.
What are some common things children lose?
Where do I start? Children are so much more into the digital age than we are. They often live busy lives running between school, sport and their social events and mostly utilise items such as mobile phones and iPods which are probably some of the most popular items children lose. Other items also include blazers, sports tog bags and school bags. Speaking from personal experience, having a teenage daughter, they tend to often be forgetful of their things.
Why would people NOT return lost goods?
People would generally not return goods because they have no way of finding out who the item belongs to. Say for instance you found a set of keys, where do you start? Most of us dump it at the nearest counter. The other reason of course is instant financial reward. It may be easier to flog a mobile phone for R100 than going to the effort of trying to find and return it to the rightful owner, especially since many people simply do not have the means to do so.
Has Reward If Found seen some success already and how?
We have had great success already with items that have been returned to people and it shows that the system works. We are fortunate to have our products available at Dis-Chem stores nationally and we have already getting support from corporate South Africa showcasing the honesty incentive by sending tags to their valued customers.
What brought about the idea for Reward If Found?
The idea materialised when I nearly lost an expensive jacket at Cape Town International airport. I realised that whoever found my jacket wouldn’t have a clue how to return it to me.
Do you have any advice for adolescents that have dreams of becoming entrepreneurs?
Do your research. Having an idea is one thing, but getting it to market, packaged and priced correctly, is something completely different. You must be aware of what your competitors are doing, what sets you apart from them and how and where your revenue is going to come from. If you are passionate about your idea then don’t give up. Persevere, only you can make it happen!
Why does Reward If Found work?
Reward-if-found works because it provides a mechanism for the return of an item to the owner. It does so without revealing any personal information and it encourages good citizenship through offering of a reward for honesty.
How do you relax?
I am very active. I ride offroad motorcycles with my daughter or we do mountainbiking. I often go kayaking in summer and I really enjoy reading. I also try to get to gym fairly regularly but this often gets pushed aside.
What is one of your most exciting/funny holiday experiences?
I absolutely love to travel. My favourate holiday is by far going skiing in the snow. It is a great balance between being active and having a blast. You are also able to have time on your own and at the same time interact with the people you are with, be it the children or your friends.
What do you do for fun when you are not at the office?
Pretty much what I do for fun is what I would do to relax. It just takes my mind off things and puts me in a different space.
Have you got any advice on work/life balance?
When I first started out I worked very hard to establish my business. The only person I ever took time off for was my daughter, Magenta. After many years in business I decided that it was important to create a balance between lifestyle and work. And by lifestyle I don’t mean, having flashy and expensive things, I mean enjoying the simple things in life such as your surroundings and interacting with your friends and family. It is an important lesson to learn, as it is so easy to get stuck, chasing the money.
What do you love most about your job/industry?
I love a challenge when it comes to business. The ability to come up with an idea that will benefit a person or an industry is really great and very rewarding. It is a good feeling to see people using your products and benefiting from it.
Industry Profile: Craig Rodney
Posted on 05. May, 2011 by Graham in Personality Profiles
Craig Rodney is Managing Director of Cerebra
Known to embrace his inner lunatic, Craig runs his life by a different set of rules than most. While outside observers classify him as a risk taker, he sees himself as risk averse, but, his measures for risk aren’t exactly normal. Instead of asking the question, “What if you do?”, Craig prefers to ask, “What if you don’t?”. It’s the fear of not doing, not trying, not being crazy that drives him. As they say, “Risky is the new safe!”
Born in London, the Rodney family moved to Zambia and on to South Africa when Craig was five. A Jozi boy since then, Craig completed his BComm degree at Wits, majoring in economics and marketing while honing his golf hussling skills to help pay his tuition. Before he had even finished studying Craig was heading up marketing for one of the fastest growing technology companies in South Africa.
At 26 he took the leap and started his own technology focused PR company, Emerging Media. His modern approach to a mature industry saw him land a series of high-profile clients including Oracle, Symantec and The Shuttleworth Foundation. The company went on to manage the global launch of Mark Shuttleworth’s Ubuntu Linux and launch Google into the South African market.
In 2010 Emerging Media was acquired by social media specialists, Cerebra, where Craig is the Managing Director. Cerebra is the market leader in the rapidly growing social media space and Craig oversees campaigns for the likes of Vodacom, Samsung and Toyota while building the business into one of the largest communications agencies in the country.
You still won’t catch Craig in a suit though. A life spent pushing himself in extreme sports and learning to face and overcome his fears prepared him well for looking for alternatives and turning seemingly outlandish ideas into successful realities.
What is Web 2.0?
Web 2.0 describes the evolution of the internet from the brochure-styled presentation of information via ‘static’ websites into the participatory, information sharing, socially interactive web that we’re all used to today. Web 1.0 success measures focused primarily on website hits. The current measures of success go beyond hits and include metrics for interactions and engagements, community interactions and end-user contributions. It’s about community. That’s looking at it as a company. Personally Web 2.0 gives me the tools and the opportunity to engage with people and companies in a new way. When else have you been able to follow a president on Twitter, finds lost friends on Facebook, comment on an article or discuss product features with the very person who designed it?
Where should companies have visibility online?
Websites are still incredibly important and are often the starting point for building your online presence. However they need to be socially enabled with a strong focus of usabilty – your website has to be easy to use. Beyond that you need to go where your customers are, be they on MXit, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or any of the other growing social networks. They may even be on more than just one. The rule is that the internet is enabling massively connected conversations on a variety of networks and you need to be a part of those conversations. Find the people who are talking about you, your product or your industry.
How important is it that a company’s online presence is regularly updated / monitored / tracked? And how regularly is regularly?
Conversations where only one person is talking die very quickly. Web users have adapted very quickly and by default now expect companies to engage them online. There are no set rules for how many updates is correct, you need to find the conversations and get involved. If the conversations are already happening then the number of updates will match the existing activity. If there isn’t much activity then you can initiate the conversation yourself. It’s also important to note that web users consume incredible volumes of data via the many internet enabled devices at their disposal, so be prepared to produce high-quality information on a very regular basis and then be prepared to interact with people on those topics. Lots of activity is a good thing, but the community will let you know if it’s not enough of too much. Just make sure you’re listening.
What are some technology solutions that can assist companies with online reputation management?
Online reputation management (ORM) is, basically, tracking and managing what people are saying about you, your products and your company online. If you’re the kind of person who would love to know what people say about you then this is for you. The fact that everyone has an opinion and everyone has the means to share that option means that everyone WILL share their opinion. And you can listen in.
ORM is made up of three parts: tracking, sentimenting, responding.
Tracking is an automated function and can be done using tools such as Brandseye or SaidWot. These tools will find and list all relevant mentions and, depending on the system, help with ranking the relevance, importance and influence of the person who mentioned you. These functions, coupled with giving the mention a positive or negative rating makes the sentimenting component. The last part is responding and will depend on your chosen strategy for engaging with people online.
ORM is the starting point for your adventures online.
What are some exciting upcoming industry changes/new tech, etc?
Everything is going social. Yes, that scares the pants of most people because being hyper-connected is not something we’re used to. Well, it’s going to get worse before it gets better. Right now I’m available on at least 10 different networks and as “social” grows I’ll join more. As daunting as it might be, it’s a really good thing because social adds phenomenal value to you by enabling relevance. Simply put, it’s more fun doing things in a group, and the more the group knows about you the better they can serve you. The massive number of free tools available to everyone is mind-boggling and they all enabling sharing. Sharing thoughts, videos, photos, ideas. The more you share the more you get back. Cliché’d I know.
The emerging technologies to watch right now are mobile and geo. Mobile because you can now do anything on your mobile phone, from ordering pizza to overthrowing governments, literally (Egypt). Geo is also fascinating but very young. Geo is tagging your activities to a specifc geo-location. FNB recently launched cardless ATM withdrawals enabled via a mobile device that knows you’re standing next to the ATM. That’s just the tip of the iceberg. Or as they say in Africa, the ears of the hippo.
What can go wrong with a company’s online presence? Ie What are the risks involved and how can they be minimised?
The single biggest risk to most companies is simply not being involved. How, where and what info your customers consume is evolving and you need to be able to satisfy them or someone else will. Once you’ve made the decision to engage online you must learn to listen, not something most companies are used to doing. Listen to what people are saying and improve accordingly. A common mistake is barging into the conversation and being the loud-mouth. Bad at parties, bad online.
The best way to minimalise the risks is to develop a policy for engagement. Define the rules for how you talk to customers, how you resolve problems, how you respond to positive and negative feedback. Consistency and adherence to the strategy will see you past the majority of the risks.
What is the difference between earned and owned media?
Traditional PR was always about earning media coverage. PRs relied on editorial gate-keepers (editors) to decide what got published, where and when. Companies were at the mercy of the media. Then along came the web and companies could self-publish on their own websites. Then came Web 2.0 where anyone could publish anything, from anywhere and any device onto any one of a thousand platforms and anyone on any of those platforms could share, comment, forward that content to their own network of people. Sorry, it got scary again.
The power is now shared more evenly between the independent media with their gatekeepers and you, the company or individual who can easily own their own blog, Facebook page or Twitter account where you can build a local audience of your own, around the content you choose. This is not to say that independent media isn’t valuable, it’s immensely valuable, but so is building and maintaining your own audience (read: community) around your own content on your own(ed) platform.
How do you personally use social media?
I primarily use social media as a means for learning. By choosing whom I connect with (follow) I get to filter out poor quality content. My network is my filter and it protects me from the world of rubbish that lives on the internet. I have my list of interests and I seek out the leaders within each. Those people are leaders because they consume masses of info and pass on only the most valuable items. While I don’t get the scope of reading 10 snowboarding articles a day, I do read the single most important one, the one the expert chose to share on his/her network.
I’m not the only person who uses social media as an information gathering tool and it’s this that creates the opportunities for companies to be the filters for me. If you’re creating and sharing great content then people will follow, connect and interact with you. Simple.
How do you relax?
I prefer activity based relaxation over sitting around doing nothing. If I’m not engaged my mind always wanders back to work so I try to find activities that require focus and attention, and there’s nothing like a little danger to get your attention.
What’s is one of your most exciting/funny holiday experiences?
At 25 I did a short backpacking trip across Europe with a friend. We had 10 days to get through and no-where near enough money so our challenge was to pay for a single nights accommodation. We slept on trains, on the streets, in public gardens, or we simply pushing through the night. On the trip we ran with the bulls in Pamplona, Spain, celebrated Bastille Day in Paris, covered an 8 hour train trip sitting between the carriages (didn’t have a ticket) and ended up in a tulip factory in Holland (no idea why).
What do you do for fun when you are not at the office?
Golf, poker, skateboarding or getting away for a weekend in the bush or fishing. If it sounds exciting I’m up for it.
What do you do for fun at the office?
Being a child makes it quite tough to get down to serious work. In fact, if it’s serious I tend to switch off so I always look for the fun component of any project. There are people you can hire who excel at doing the rest. I get immense satisfaction out of learning new things and solving problems and even more satisfaction out of teaching and exposing new things to my team. It’s probably something to do with making me feel smart.
Have you got any advice on work/life balance?
Yes, get some! There are a number of approaches to work / life balance. One goes along the lines of, “do what you love.” I disagree. The fastest way to stop loving something is to have to make money doing it. Keep the things you love for your spare time and make money doing what you’re good at, and learn to love what you do.
It’s also important to know that if you’re over-worked and stressed you’ll be useless to everyone so it’s in everyone’s best interest that you get quality time away from the office. This applies to everyone.
Finally, as an employer, you need to do everything you can to accommodate the personal lives of your employees. Adapt your working structures to help people enjoy their lives and you’ll get the best out of people.
What do you love most about your job/industry?
The people I get to spend time with, be they from my team, clients, partners or competitors. There are a number of ridiculously smart people in this industry and I get to call many of them friends. Spending time talking about ideas and concepts with such amazing people pushes me to be better.
What are some of the gripes you have with your job/industry?
We’re in an industry where people build online profiles for themselves and their profile helps them land projects or jobs. This is brilliant but it does allow for vanity and arrogance to come through. Everyone can see what everyone else is doing and you’re either feeling left out or making others feel left out.
Being a relatively new industry means there are some unscrupulous elements looking to take advantage of customer ignorance. It’s very frustrating seeing people getting taken for a ride but it’s also our responsibility, as an industry, to help prevent this from happening.
What are some of your hobbies?
Beyond a broad range of sporting activities, from skateboarding to golf, I’ve recently started taking a big interest in photography. It’s become a very rewarding creative outlet for me and there is an infinite amount you learn so it’s always engaging. There’s also an infinite amount you can spent which is a bit of a problem, but all I need is a camera and something to shoot and I’ll be happy.
What information sources do you read and how do you access/read them?
My two primary information resources are Twitter and Flipboard on my iPad. I follow some amazing people on Twitter who share high quality content. If they recommend I read it then I’ll read it. Flipboard is a iPad application that sucks content down from the top websites and presents it in an easy to consume format, without you having to go out onto the internet to fetch it. If you get a chance to play with Flipboard do it, it’ll change your life.
Industry Profile: Edith Venter
Posted on 06. Apr, 2011 by Graham in Personality Profiles
Born and bred in Johannesburg, Edith lived in London before returning to South Africa to become the wife of Dr Bill Venter, one of the country’s most wealthy industrialists.
Edith has long supported many charity organisations. She supports, among others, the Red Cross, Reach for a Dream, Cotlands Baby Sanctuary and JHB Child Welfare.
SA Guide Dogs Association is also a charity she works very closely with. After losing her beloved father to cancer, she became the dedicated patron of the Cancer Association of South Africa, and has spent enormous amounts of her time and energy caring for and counselling cancer patients and their families.
Because of her 30 years of work with cancer patients, she was awarded the Mariette Loots Friends for Life Achievement Award for 2005. She is also the Patron of Women in Finance, spokesperson for Osteoporosis and, most recently, honorary member of The Right Honourable League of Gentlemen, a combined networking and charity organisation.
Nominated as one of South Africa’s best dressed women in 1988, 1989 and 1990 consecutively, she won the title in 1989, and featured in David Dodd’s calendar of South Africa’s most beautiful women in 1994.
Edith was asked by Oshun Publishers to write a book on her life which was published in October 2008 and is a frank and honest look at her life – with all the ups and downs.
Edith decided that it was time to rebrand and on the 22nd September, 2010, Edith Unlimited was officially launched. The new creative around the rebranding is definitely in keeping with the style and elegance that Edith Venter is known for
What are currently some pertinent issues in the PR industry?
I do believe that the PR industry has changed from the point of view that what you promise you need to deliver on – because of all the new media that can be used because of technology and social media – one can almost see results immediately for any PR campaigns that you are doing. The big ones are Facebook, Twitter and online magazines.
Is media exposure in print still more valuable than online and is this set to change?
I do believe that this still has a big part to play – there is still nothing nicer than picking up a magazine and paging through it – I guess I am old fashioned that way where I like to have that tangible product in my hand.
How was the industry affected by the economic recession?
I definitely think there was impact – the first thing that companies cut is advertising / PR / events. The other event that impacted hugely last year was the World Cup – companies put all their available resources into sponsorships etc around the World Cup.
What are some of the exciting developments/directions the PR industry is moving locally?
I do believe that if you look at the innovative ideas that the PR industry is coming up with – it is very exciting – I do believe we are on a par, if not, ahead of what is happening in the world – we definitely go the extra mile. South Africans are hard workers and definitely think “out the box” and there is definitely value for your money.
Do you think companies underestimate the value of PR?
I do believe this used to be the case – it was also because often they got very bad service around PR – so they did not trust it. I think this has changed and companies are using PR a lot more than before.
Do you have some tips on fostering/nurturing good relationships with the media?
Because most of what we do is around media, all I can say is that you never lie to the media, always be accommodating as they have a job to do. You can’t only have it one way – there needs to be a give and take. I believe we have a good relationship with most all of the media we work with and they know I will always be available for whatever it is they need as well.
Brand/company reputation loss can be devastating – can you share some memorable stories you have heard/read about where a brand/company reputation was compromised?
Just a quick one that springs to mind was a personal one for our company – we were approached by a new company coming on line and they asked us, because of our successful reputation and contacts, to handle the media/events/general PR around their launch. We were initially very excited but then got a little wary when we realised that they were pushing certain aspects that we were not happy with and not dealing with our contacts in a professional way. We made a decision to step back as we did not want our reputation to be tarnished by having to do things they wanted us to do that we were not happy with. At the end of the day, we do this on a daily basis and knows what works and what doesn’t and it would be us that would be blamed and not the company. They went ahead and did their launch and we have subsequently heard from many sources that it was definitely not up to scratch. We do try to tell our clients that they only have one chance to make an impact and it is very difficult to try to make good after the fact.
How do you relax?
At home with my husband and a super bottle of champagne – also go to gym three times a week and work out on the PowerPlate.
What’s a favourite local holiday destination?
Thornybush Game Lodge
What do you do for fun when you are not at the office?
Relax with my family and friends and let my husband do his famous langoustine braai.
What’s a typical workday for you?
There is never a typical workday – everyday varies between meetings, site visits, functions and office work.
What do you enjoy most about the work you do?
Every client is different so we are stretched to think of new things all the time to create a different experience for them.
What are some of your biggest professional challenges?
I find it hard to say “no” so often take on too much.
What are some of your greatest successes?
Fortunately, we have many – my best thing is when a client comes to me and says that was awesome and they enjoyed working with us – we know they truly mean it when we get repeat business.
What is your favourite possession (item of clothing, jewellery, car, gadget) and why?
Love my Blackberry – just cannot do without it – can’t wait for them to launch their Playbook so that I can add that to my favourite things.
What information sources do you read (online, print etc)?
NewsTime, Opulent Magazine Blog, My Sandton, and My Fourways.
Industry profile: Odette van der Haar
Posted on 09. Mar, 2011 by Graham in Personality Profiles
CEO of the Association for Communication & Advertising (ACA)
Odette van der Haar (nee Roper) is the CEO of the Association for Communication and Advertising (ACA) which is the recognised industry body of the advertising and communications profession in South Africa. The ACA represents +100 advertising and communications agencies that collectively contribute +95% of measured ad spend in South Africa. Odette joined the ACA in October 2007 from Sentech Ltd where she headed the company’s Advertising, Events and Sponsorships portfolio.
Her experience and knowledge gained both locally and abroad results from having worked for leading companies such as African Technology Holdings Group of Companies, South African Post Office Limited, Siemens, BP Southern Africa, Mutual & Federal and Rentworks holding positions in Marketing, and Business Development and Strategy.
She currently serves on the boards of the ACA, AAA School of Advertising, and the Media and Marketing Collection Agency and a number industry-related committees that address Education, Skills Development, Training and Transformation, Research, Self-Regulation, Industry Awards, and so on. She is a custodian of the “Take a Girl Child to Work” initiative and is actively involved in various other community projects.
She holds a Higher Diploma in Business Management, a National Diploma in Marketing Management and has completed various Executive Courses in Insurance and Direct Marketing.
Odette is highly respected and has been featured in publications such as the Financial Mail’s Little Black Book (2008/2009 and 2010/2011), the Mail & Guardian’s Book of South African Women (2008), and The Annual (2009/2010) to name a few.
What’s a typical workday for you?
In a nutshell, my job is to ensure the sustainability of the advertising and communications profession in South Africa by promoting the value of advertising and communications agencies and their contribution to business success. My workdays consist of meetings with local and international industry and ACA stakeholders, ACA members and the media. I also monitor and mediate tenders, deal with pitches against the industry’s Code of Conduct and ensure that the various ACA Operations Committees are delivering on annual goals and objectives. Furthermore, I am involved in coordinating, producing, directing, adjudicating and raising funding for the APEX awards program, adjudicating other industry awards programs and attending workshops and seminars as a delegate and/or guest speaker. These are just some of the things I manage and am responsible for on a daily basis.
What do you enjoy most about the work you do?
I derive great satisfaction from the diversity of my portfolio – no two days are the same. However, most importantly, my passion stems from knowing that what I do makes a real difference to the profession. I don’t work – I do what I love and get paid for it.
What are some of your biggest professional challenges?
‘Cleaning up’ tenders and pitches and dealing with agency remuneration are both challenging areas, subject to possible exploitation. If not dealt with utmost care, effects can be adverse and reach beyond the exploited agency or agencies to the entire profession.
What are currently some pertinent issues in the communication and advertising industries?
Changing legislation and regulation, for example: the Consumer Protection Act (CPA) and the proposed ban by Government to stop the advertising of alcohol products.
The process of completing the industry’s section 9 application to have the MAC SA Charter (our industry’s Charter for transformation) written into law.
The funding of tertiary education bursaries for eligible students at the industry’s trade school – the AAA School of Advertising that was founded 21 years ago by the industry and for the industry, to feed the profession with new talent, to fast track transformation for the profession and to attract new talent to the profession.
The need for increased funding for research and self-regulation of the industry.
Increasing awareness and understanding of agencies’ role, value and contribution to business success, so that greater respect for the profession and the work we do is realised.
What do you think of the current state of advertising in SA?
It is no secret that the current economic climate is creating a fluid and dynamic landscape. Despite the serious economic recessions of the mid 1970s and perhaps the 1980s, the current economic recession is by far the worst slump since the Great Depression. And, while there appears to be some light at the end of the economic tunnel internationally, there can be no question that the worst is not over in South Africa – yet… particularly if one considers the challenges faced by the advertising and communications industry during the past year.
Truth be told, the challenges faced had little to do with economics and much to do with the changing social, political and legal landscape in South Africa. The profession fully embraced and continues to embrace these challenges by standing firm on our stance regarding issues such as freedom of the press, black economic empowerment and the protection of personal information.
Though some entering the profession are questioning their choice in career and others are skeptical about the future of this profession – believe me, this is an exciting time. This is a time of creative, out-of-the-box thinking and ingenious ideas generation.
There is enormous potential to connect with consumers and stakeholders on a highly personalised and powerful level. Technology, social media, and new media are all creating huge opportunities for those brave enough to embrace them.
Will the Consumer Protection Act have a big impact on advertisers and marketers? and what are the main reasons for this?
1 April 2011 is the day earmarked for the introduction of The CPA. Whilst the National Consumer Commission will provide practical protection for consumers, it remains to be seen whether or not the commission will have any clout. That said, the framework was put in place to as a minimum, to afford consumers some recourse.
Although the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) will manage consumer protection complaints through the commission, consumers will be empowered to raise complaints with product suppliers, consumer bodies or recognised ombudsmen. Advertisers and marketers will have to be responsible and clear about advertising through the entire communications cycle – starting from packaging.
The important thing to remember is that the onus rests on the supplier to prove no fault. The consumer no longer has to prove fault and lose money on litigation. There are no more avoidance clauses that will stand up to the CPA. Legislation requires that businesses comply or explain and they are required to do this in plain language.
The DTI’s deferred date of implementation of the CPA – 1 April 2011 afforded agencies and their clients some time to make the necessary preparations for ensuring compliance with the new regulations.
Agencies should consult with industry bodies, legal practitioners and other stakeholders to fully understand the new legislative environment and initiate the appropriate changes. The extension of the implementation date can be particularly beneficial for agencies whose advertising and marketing campaigns require a long lead time (e.g. television and print), and it would be in the best interests of these agencies to ensure compliance with the CPA as soon as possible.
How do you relax?
I believe it is vital to take time off work to spend quality time with my family, doing things that make them happy. When my husband and kids are happy, I’m happy – and when I am happy, I am able to relax.
Weekends and public holiday are dedicated to my family. On Sundays, I cook and bake up a storm – each member of my family gets to “order” something they would like to eat and I prepare it especially for them.
I also read – a lot. I love books, especially fiction, as it allows my mind to wander to all sorts of imaginary places and in so doing, relax. At the end of every year, my family and I go on holiday for a week to the Sterkfontein Dam – to a place called Qwantani. It is a desolate place in the mountains with very little cellphone signal (or TV signal for that matter) so we are forced to spend time doing things together like fishing, boating, waterskiing, hiking, horse riding, talking and just hanging out!
The kids love it because they are free within a safe environment. I love it because when the kids are out and about I do absolutely nothing… allowing my body and mind to rest fully.
What’s a favourite local holiday destination?
Budget permitting, I would have to say Mauritius. A great alternative to Mauritius is Hermanus. Both places are “heaven on earth” for me.
What are some recent good advertising campaigns that have made and impact on you?
Spontaneously, the BMW and the Mouse ad made during the 80s by Hunt Lascaris comes to mind. Did you know that clients to this day still sometimes ask for “a BMW and the Mouse ad” when briefing agencies?
Then there’s the VW Golf 6 ad with Lucky the Cheetah (who sadly lost a leg in a steel trap), made by Ogilvy Cape Town.
Oh, and then there are the Allan Gray ads made by King James. They are well crafted, award-winning ads.
And who could forget Vuyo the Hansa Pilsner guy created by Lowe Bull!!?? And what about the first even audio print ad created for Cell C by Ogilvy Johannesburg and the oh-so-quirky Nandos ads? I love so many ads – my list could continue into perpetuity!
What are some of your favourite local brands?
David Tlale, Cremora, Nandos, Fat Bastard wines, Mrs Balls Chutney, Chicken Licken, YFM, MTN and Carrol Boyes to name a few…
What do you do for fun when you are not at the office?
If I’m not hanging out with my family, I try new things like strutting my stuff on a catwalk for a top fashion designer at the grand closing of Joburg Fashion Week and going for Latin American, Salsa and Ballroom dancing lessons. Other times, my girlfriends and I get dressed up and go for high tea.
I try to live life to the fullest, without any regrets – only life lessons. The famous Eleanor Roosevelt once said: “You learn by living. You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, ‘I lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.’
You force yourself to do the things you think are impossible – thus, I do all sorts of crazy things for fun when I am not in the office.
Industry profile: Fay Amaral
Posted on 16. Feb, 2011 by Graham in Personality Profiles
Biography:
Fay is the MD of Nu Metro Entertainment
She graduated with a Master of Business Management degree (cum laude) from Rand Afrikaans University in 2003 where she was awarded ‘Best Short Dissertation in Business Management’ as well as ‘Recognition of Exceptional Achievement’ for her MCom Business Management degree (cum laude). Prior to that, Fay received a Master in Psychology degree (cum laude) from the same university in 1998.
Before her role as managing director (MD) for Nu Metro Films, Fay was the marketing director for Nu Metro Home Entertainment and spent almost five years involved with Disney Music’s marketing and product divisions.
Nu Metro Entertainment, one of the most recognisable entertainment brands in South Africa, encompasses Nu Metro Cinemas, Nu Metro Films, Nu Metro Home Entertainment and Nu Metro Interactive.
What’s a typical workday for you?
Busy! My typical work day starts at 8 o’clock after I have dropped off my children. I spend my whole day working – I even have lunch at my desk – to ensure I leave the office by 5 o’clock so that I can spend time with my three kids and hubby. I try to maintain balance between my work and my home life as much as possible, despite my very demanding work hours.
What do you enjoy most about your portfolio?
I enjoy the variety of tasks in my day-to-day job portfolio. This is without a doubt the most fulfilling part of what I do. I like to tell people – if you sell a specific product then your typical workday will be pretty much the same all the time, with small nuances. However, we release over 800 titles onto DVD a month and have different projects happening all the time. Walking into a cinema and thinking, “We did this!” is extremely rewarding.
How do you handle work stresses?
I maintain a big focus on achieving balance between my work and home life. In the past, I have done the ‘stupid’ hours – staying up till crazy hours of the night working on assignments, and I learned through years that this is not ideal. I am big on lists to help me manage my workflow. I work with a strong team of people to help me get things done. They are all very supportive in sharing the workload. I also have a fabulous husband who I love to spend time out with, like playing golf, to help me relax. I have a great fun with my children and fully invest in the time I spend with them.
What has been your biggest professional challenge?
My challenge has been balancing my work and my family. I try my best to be a good wife, loving mother as well as a successful managing director. The most stressful part of my career was when I was working towards completing my MBA nine years ago.
How do you relax?
One of my favourite ways to relax is actually through watching movies. I know people believe that because I work in the movie industry, that I watch movies all day, but this isn’t true. I also enjoy going out with my hubby and friends for dinner.
Which are your favourite must-have printed media titles?
I am a big consumer of The Times online. With my busy schedule, I find it easier to access and read daily news in an online format. However, I do read the Sunday Times on a regular basis.
What is your favourite movie genre?
I enjoy watching comedy movies most.
What is the last movie you saw?
The last movie I saw was Brothers starring Natalie Portman, Tobey Maguire, and Jake Gyllenhaal.
Which 3D movies have you watched?
I have watched quite a few, many with the kids. The best ones I have seen must be Avatar and Despicable Me.
What recent movie that you have seen would you recommend and why?
I would recommend The Blindside with Sandra Bullock. The theme is a very relevant one. It deals with prejudices and highlights how easily people ‘box’ others.
What are some exciting developments in the SA movie scene?
Currently, 3D remains a very popular and exciting development in the movie arena. We have also recently installed the first local self-service snacking kiosk at the Monte Casino cinemas. We have receives many compliments about it so far. As South Africans, we tend to arrive shortly before a movie is set to screen, without really allowing extra time for purchasing snacks. Nu Metro has worked out that it generally takes between 3-5 minutes to serve a family. To accommodate for this, we came up with the idea of implementing a self-service counter. This really is a ground-breaking development, both on a local and international scale.