Now expanding into the UK market! Make contact to find out what we can do to get you heard!

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Eye tracking reveals attention to advertising

One of the more effective means of measuring the levels of attention that consumers are placing on your print and online advertising, is to use eye tracking as a research tool. SPARK Media will this September be hosting Mike Follet from Lumen, an attention technology company based in London, to explore this evidence-based tactic.

“We are so privileged to be hosting Mike who will present to our Johannesburg audience on the 18th of September.  He will share the stage with EBI (Ehrenberg Bass Institute) senior marketing scientist Dr Virginia Beal.

We are excited to host two highly sought after presenters at one function,” says Gill Randall, Joint CEO of SPARK Media.  “Lumen works with publishers and advertisers to help them price and optimise the attention advertising receives. Eye tracking studies are revealing just how much advertising money spent is wasted against this measure, and we’re very excited to hear what Mike has to share with our clients and agency partners.”

Before starting Lumen, Mike worked at BMP DDB in London, Tribal DDB in New York and for the DDB group in Mumbai. He returned to the UK to work for Tesco’s advertising agency. Mike holds degrees from Oxford University and Imperial College, London.

 Regretfully this event is by invitation only.

For more on SPARK Media, visit our website or follow us on social media @sparkmediasa.

SPARK Media

Established in 2015, SPARK Media, a division of CTP Ltd, are experts in retail and location based marketing solutions. The company owns and represents a myriad of print and digital products that deliver locally relevant, effective audiences for advertising clients. SPARK Media are Strategic Partners in Audience Research and Knowledge and offer ‘Insights that Ignite’.

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Influencer Marketing should be a non-negotiable on the schedule

Jarred Mailer-Lyons, Digital Media Strategist at The MediaShop discusses movements in the Influencer Marketing space

Influencer marketing has become one of the fastest digital customer-acquisition practices. Due to the sheer power of the social endorsements, targeting options and utilising influencers with high engagement rates across multiple social platforms, influencer marketing has become a key element to marketing budgets, not only globally but locally as well.

At its most basic, Influencer Marketing is a hybrid of marketing tools, taking the concept of the celebrity endorsement and placing it into a modern day content-driven marketing campaign which focuses on micro and macro influencers. Micro and Macro influencers are a debatable topic but I tend to view it as follows…

 Micro influencers are everyday people and generally have less than 10 000 followers. These influencers will often ‘apply’ to become an influencer via an influencer dashboard on platforms like Brandnew IO, Indahash, Webfluential, Plum and R-Squared who pride themselves on authentic and premium social media accounts with high engagement from their fan base. These kinds of influencers usually have a good eye for photography, they’re authentic, generally cheaper and big brands can assist with setting them apart and creating a household name for them. On the backend, brands submit tailored briefs to these online influencer platforms for vetted and relevant influencers to respond to and then content is developed and approved.

Macro influencers are generally famous and carry a household name. These kinds of celebrities often have followers in the region of tens of thousands or millions. They are approached first hand by a brand or through Influencer Marketing agencies where they have existing working relationships. Brands will ask them to feature their product or service on their social media profiles, with a contextual headline mentioning the brand. By using macro influencers, a brand is positioned in front of millions of people and is great for driving brand awareness and visibility.

The main difference that sets influencer marketing apart is that the results of the campaign are usually dictated by the collaboration, involvement and mutual agreement between brands and its selected influencers.

Recent Adweek article boasts; “67% of marketers think influencer marketing campaigns helped them reach a more targeted audience, thus leading to more impactful results.”

In South Africa there are a number of players in the market, here is a snap shot for each of them – they all have significant local influencer bases, are technology based platforms and have excellent research and case studies on influencer audiences and campaigns. These tech players have the tools to discover the right creators and do full data tracking for campaigns with the influential content creators to maximize impact for brands, and drive results.

Brandnew IO

Berlin developed this global leader in 2016. This tech has worked with over 500 brands, completed over 2000 campaigns in 70+ markets. The newest entry to our market, the Brandnew platform runs campaigns across Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat and blogs. Brandnew has a global partnership with Universal Music Group and GroupM and looks to be very advanced, scalable and offers excellent insights and reporting from their dashboards.

For their research and case studies visit their blog here http://brandnew.io/blog/

Indahash

This Polish start up is 18 months old has run over 1,600 campaigns across over 70+ markets. This platform doesn’t offer YouTube or blogs but rather focuses on Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat. It has however made bold moves launching their own successful ICO (initial coin offering) in the crypto currency space. They’re app based and have more than 643,785 influencers registered on their platform. Indahash provides an automated solution for original content creations. This allows them to benefit from the enhanced engagement levels that come with influencers. Suitable for influencers of all sizes, it offers the possibility of working with the brands they love and monetizing their social following.

For their research and case studies visit here https://labs.indahash.com/category/case-studies/

Webfluential

They have recently given license rights to Nfinity Media (local player theSALT is also part of the stable) and have a largely self-service style set up for brands and agencies. Webfluential operates across Facebook, blogs, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube and in February 2018 they launched their influencer education platform, the Webfluential Academy (http://academy.webfluential.com/)

For their research and case studies visit here https://webfluential.com/influencer-marketing-examples

 Plum

A fully black-owned, trendsetting digital and social media agency, Plum prides itself on creating digital conversations. Its specialised approach ensures an amplified message for brands by knowing what’s technically possible and financially viable. The team’s knowledge of digital platforms enables them to develop the most impactful and cost-effective campaigns to meet their clients’ needs – from start-ups to blue-chip multinationals. What sets Plum (formerly “Plum Factory”) apart in the social and digital industry is its investment in nurturing young, aspiring digital and marketing creatives, introducing them to the science of digital, and enhancing their techniques to ensure cutting-edge delivery and a pipeline of trailblazing talent.

R-Squared

From initial planning to mission-related content specifications, to timing of deliverables, R-Squared Digital’s expertise in influencer marketing campaigns, partners with its clients to create a dedicated strategy. R-Squared Digital provides a multifaceted due diligence based on deep influencers’ audience insight, work quality and consistency, and relevance. Specific missions per influencer create maximum authentic engagement, and validations of each post before publishing guarantee brand safety, and are all part of larger campaign management design and execution processes.

For some of their work and case studies visit here https://r2digital.attach.io/H1Pz~gq3M 

There’s no doubt that Influencer Marketing has become a very interesting space to watch and that it will escalate in popularity really quickly. But brands shouldn’t forget that the key to influencer marketing is knowing how to develop an integrated strategy that taps into the key drivers of behaviour. We can then use these insights and align them to micro and macro influencers who have greater powers of persuasion through word of mouth recommendations within their communities.

 

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The MediaShop and Nando’s win Gold at Loeries!

The Nando’s #rightmyname campaign has won a Gold Loerie in the Media Innovation category, submitted by media agency The MediaShop and creative agency M&C Saatchi Abel.  The #rightmyname initiative saw Nando’s championing the cause for uniquely South African names to be recognised by spellcheck. #rightmyname encouraged users from diverse South African backgrounds to upload their names to an online database with the intention that on Human Rights Day this year (21 March) users could download the database and update their computer’s dictionary.

 “This magnificent accolade comes on the back of Media Strategist Maggie Pronto’s skilful negotiation with The Sunday Times which really brought this campaign alive,” says Kgaugelo Maphai, Managing Director at The MediaShop Johannesburg.

In a media first, The MediaShop negotiated with the nation’s largest newspaper to underline all South African names on their cover page and inside spread, sparking many to think that The Sunday Times had made a horrendous editorial error, only to be met with a full page ad explaining the campaign.

Maggie adds: “We have been absolutely delighted to work with creative agency M&C Saatchi Abel on this incredible campaign that garnered a 7400% ROI on our media spend, excluding the incredible social media engagement and online conversations that ensued,” she says.

For more on The MediaShop visit www.mediashop.co.za, like them on Facebook: The MediaShop, follow them on Twitter @MediaShopZA or LinkedIn.

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SPARK Media once again hosts international marketing scientist!

SPARK Media, members of the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute (EBI) will be welcoming Dr Virginia Beal, Senior Marketing Scientist, to our shores next month.

 “We are really looking forward to this highly anticipated annual event,” says SPARK Media’s Joint CEO, Gill Randall.

 The topic for this year’s seminar is ‘Making Media Work for Brand Growth’. “Virginia will discuss the essentials of media consumer behaviour, unpacking how marketers can optimise their media scheduling budgets, based on empirical evidence,” Gill explains.

 “As members of the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute for the last 16 years, we’ve had unbelievable access to a wealth of research on consumer and media behaviour,” says Gill. “It’s through this valuable membership that we’re able to share contemporary global and local insights with our clients and partners.”

 The seminars will be held on 11 September in Durban, 13 September in Cape Town and 18 September in Johannesburg. Regretfully by invitation only.

For more on SPARK Media visit our website www.sparkmedia.co.za or follow us on social media @sparkmediasa.

SPARK Media

Established in 2015, SPARK Media, a division of CTP Ltd, are experts in retail and location based marketing solutions. The company owns and represents a myriad of print and digital products that deliver locally relevant, effective audiences for advertising clients. SPARK Media are Strategic Partners in Audience Research and Knowledge and offer ‘Insights that Ignite’.

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Are You Telling Me, Or Are You Selling Me?

Nicci Jones, Digital Media Strategist at The MediaShop looks at keeping rogue influencers in (legal) checkEverything around us is for sale, from the airwaves that we listen to, to the TV programmes that we watch – even movies on the big screen have products snuck into them to subliminally drive our brand preferences. Our social media spaces are dotted with influencers who endorse products that they are paid to promote in a ‘non-intrusive manner’ – whether we’re aware of the brand affiliation or not.

Online influencers are a complex market, especially in the social media space where boundaries between public and private domains have become blurred and where we have perceived closer access to celebrities and role models that we have idolized since our teen years.

We can interact with these stars at the click of a button, and the choices they make inspire the choices that we make.

If social media trends are not on your radar, you might not have become aware of the influx of celebrities suddenly letting us into their lives and sharing with us their latest secrets to their brightest smile, or the smallest waist, or the longest hair. Social media celebrities have become increasingly industrious, and it’s hard to tell when they’re endorsing a product, or letting us into their personal lives. Ingenious managers (or in the case of the Kardashian/Jenner clan – momagers) have negotiated clauses into contracts that have managed to bypass the protection of consumers – you didn’t really think Kim and her clan whitened their own teeth, did you?

Consumers are rushing to buy products trusted (read: endorsed) by their favourite celebrities, increasing the revenue of both the product and the celebrity, with absolutely no regard for authenticity, trust or transparency.

Advertising, marketing and competition authorities have cottoned on to this lack of transparency, and have started taking influencers to task for being duty-free brand marketers. The onus has now been placed on the influencers to protect their integrity and authenticity when it comes to brand endorsement to their audiences. Although creating sponsored branded content allows them all kinds of creativity, influencers now need to comply with the law of disclosure, and the initial approach to online influencer endorsement no longer has the legs it used to.

Following in the wake of highly debatable and controversial rules and regulations of sponsored content set out by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) that were put into place in South Africa, online influencers need to disclose any sponsored brand content – for the protection of themselves and the brands they endorse, as well as ours. This places a large amount of responsibility in the hands of influencers, and those who don’t pay attention to the regulations run the risk of loss of credibility, as well as being heftily fined. After all, if you’re going to be the face of a product as well as an inspiration to many, you need to do so responsibly and be aware of industry best practice.

As a consumer, this might not soothe the taste buds as well as those endorsed detox teas do, so here’s a breakdown of a few best practice guidelines on all platforms, which we can now hold our influencers accountable for:

 Hashtags:

All sponsored content needs to be clearly labelled. If the influencers themselves cannot tell that the posts are sponsored, chances are that we can’t either – so hiding them in a blur of words won’t be considered as full disclosure. The following hashtags have been approved on all platforms – from Facebook to Instagram, Twitter and blogs:

  • #sponsored
  • #ad / #advertising
  • #affiliate
  • #promotion /#promo

*(The FTC has made a point of noting that hashtags that are not easily identifiable as sponsored content, simply don’t count. Sorry Kim – but your very cryptic #sp, #spon, and #spons just don’t make the cut anymore.)

Links and Handles:

  • Links to brand websites need to be fully visible without being shortened, and need to contain the brand name in any accompanying descriptions.
  • Brand @handles need to be included

Videos and YouTube:

  • The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) of South Africa denotes that all sponsored content needs to be disclosed to viewers in both the text and the startof each video.
  • When uploading videos, influencers are compelled to notify YouTube of sponsorship elements under a content clause/declaration.
  • Advertising needs to be disabled if the influencer feels this may clash with their sponsorship deal.
  • In the words of the FTC, a hyperlink is not enough, nor is a brief mention of a brand.
  • Live streams need to have endorsement information clearly displayed throughout.

Although these rules may seem excessive at first, they are necessary to avoid the repercussions of not abiding by them. Not following these guidelines could result in permanent bans from social platforms – and no influencer can afford for their social platforms to be negatively affected.

In case you need a few pointers on whether your influencers are ‘behaving’, the FTC has laid out this helpful set of guidelines so that you can hold them accountable for their endorsements.

The IAB UK has weighed in with their guide to best native online advertising disclosure practice, too – both guides are enforceable to the influencer market, and will help you as a brand, to protect yourself.

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Emerald challenges Eskom for local community

Emerald Resort & Casino, in conjunction with the Golden Triangle Chamber of Commerce has instructed their attorneys to issue an application against Eskom, seeking to review and have Eskom’s decision to cut the electricity in the Emfuleni district, set aside.

 Mark Hands, Resort Director at Emerald Resort & Casino says: “We would like Eskom’s decision to implement the upcoming power interruptions, scheduled to take place later this month, reviewed and set aside on the basis that Eskom’s decision is unconstitutional, unlawful, irrational and unreasonable.

Our communities and local businesses in the Vaal area are wholly dependent on Eskom for their power and to be without it would be disastrous financially,” he says. “We are simply standing up for local businesses and citizens in our surrounding areas. We would like Eskom to realise that its decision is legally unsustainable and in the process we want to ensure that jobs and industries are safeguarded. Additionally, a complete termination of electricity supply will lead to a shutdown of the water and sewage networks!

By opposing the shutdown we hope to assist the entire Emfuleni district to mitigate a situation that may impact individual’s safety and their daily lives – as an example students will not be able to study without proper lighting and the community at large need electricity for daily tasks.”

In its court papers, Emerald and other businesses in Emfuleni, have proposed to Eskom that the end-users of electricity pay directly to Eskom. This proposal is made as an alternative to the current situation where the end-user pays directly to the municipality, which, in turn must pay Eskom. According to Eskom’s current decision, Emfuleni make no, or insufficient payments to Eskom to cover its outstanding debt.

Eskom’s website states that the proposed shutdown is scheduled to commence on 24 August 2018. The areas in Emfuleni district to be affected include Vereeniging, Vanderbijlpark, Sebokeng, Boipatong, Tshepiso, Sharpeville and Evaton.

Emerald Resort & Casino.

Tel:                              016 982 8000

Website                       www.emeraldcasino.co.za

Facebook:                   http://www.facebook.com/Emerald.Resort.Casino

Twitter:                        https://twitter.com/emerald_resort

LinkedIn:                     https://www.linkedin.com/company/emerald-resort-&-casino/

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Emerald celebrates 20 years!

Who can believe that time goes so quickly! In September, Emerald Resort & Casino will be turning 20 years ‘young’. To celebrate, the Resort will be combining their birthday bash together with its annual Family Fun Day on the 23rd September 2018.“These past 20 years have been incredible and far beyond our expectations. It’s been a fantastic journey of growth and success in every area of the business including staff compliment, gaming technology and above all, service,” says Emerald Resort & Casino’s Marketing Executive Tanuja Gangabishun.

Emerald Resort & Casino is excited to share this day of celebration with all of their guests, friends and family. Enjoy live entertainment with the likes of Die Campbells, DJ Ossewa and many more local acts. Kids are catered for with free entertainment and will love the cute character Lollos, jumping castles and so much more. There will be a variety of food and beverage stalls with mouth-watering cuisine available.

“Guests are invited to take their time exploring our various food stations which include a potjie, spit braai and curry stations and even a dedicated ice-cream area to celebrate the warmer weather,” says Tanuja. “Our chefs have gone all out to cater to all tastes, with our main food attractions like lamb potjies, boerewors rolls, topside spit braai and chicken curries all served with great accompaniments.”

The Resort management is promising plenty of outdoor fun under the sun.

In conjunction with these celebrations, the Resort will be offering numerous specials to the public. These include, but are not limited to qualifying for a 20% discount when booking accommodation between the 21st and 23rd September 2018, while Aquadome and Animal World will only charge R20.00 entry to everyone under the age of 20. All birthday specials can be viewed on the user friendly website – www.emeraldcasino.co.za.

“Bring your friends, families and those big sunglasses to this massive birthday celebration,” concludes Gangabishun. “We would like to thank all our guests, fans, family members and Emerald team members for their on-going support thus far and here’s to many more years of adventure!”

For up to date information and happenings at Emerald Resort & Casino, visitors are encouraged to stay close to their Facebook and Twitter pages, or guests can visit www.emeraldcasino.co.za for more information on any of the events mentioned here.

Emerald Resort & Casino.

Tel:                              016 982 8000

Website                       www.emeraldcasino.co.za

Facebook:                   http://www.facebook.com/Emerald.Resort.Casino

Twitter:                        https://twitter.com/emerald_resort

LinkedIn:                     https://www.linkedin.com/company/emerald-resort-&-casino/

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Interpublic Group South Africa introduces Park Advertising, opens Meta Media

Chris Botha, current Group Managing Director of The MediaShop has announced the agency’s new central holding company Park Advertising. This entity will house two media agencies – The MediaShop and newcomer sister agency Meta Media.

 With immediate effect, Chris Botha assumes the role of Group Managing Director of Park Advertising, and will oversee the management operations of both businesses. The MediaShop’s leadership team comprising Kgaugelo Maphai (Johannesburg), Bonita Bachmann (Cape Town) and Arisha Saroop (Durban) will continue in their roles. The management team of Meta Media will be announced in due course.

“The MediaShop and Meta Media will operate independently of each other, in their own offices, with their own management team, directors and client bases. Meta Media will operate in both Johannesburg and Cape Town, and plans to officially open later this year,” says Chris.

“This strategy is part of our overall growth plan for our network and to provide more opportunities for our people. The fact that everything came together in the year of our 30th birthday is a bonus! We’re incredibly excited at the journey ahead and thank our team, clients and media owner partners for helping us get to where we are today.”

The MediaShop will retain its Level 1 BEE rating at 55% black ownership. Meta Media will also be a majority black owned Level 1 agency through Interpublic Group South Africa’s local shareholding.

For more on The MediaShop visit www.mediashop.co.za, like them on Facebook: The MediaShop, follow them on Twitter @MediaShopZA or LinkedIn.

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SPARK Media celebrates the life of Andy Stanton

SPARK Media is celebrating the life of long-time colleague and close friend Andy Stanton who tragically suffered a fatal heart attack earlier this month.

The Johannesburg celebration of Andy’s life will take place this Thursday the 16th August. Please join the team at Baron on Main in Bryanston from 4pm to share your memories of Andy with his friends and colleagues.

Gill Randall Joint CEO of SPARK Media says: “For so many of us, the world we live in lost some of its sparkle when the booming voice of the great Scotsman, Andy Stanton was silenced forever. His beautiful heart stopped beating, doing what he loved, playing a round of golf, surrounded by friends.

Andy was one the gentlest giants who had an infinite capacity to care about his fellow man and show kindness with every human interaction. He lived his life as an example to us all; with love, passion and a deep sense of humility. He has left a legacy in so many places including the newspaper and advertising industry, the soccer fraternity and the golfing world.

Dear Andy, on behalf of the SPARK Media family, we want you to know that you were cherished and adored by so many of us and our team will feel your loss forever.”

SPARK Media DNA

Established in 2015, SPARK Media, a division of CTP Ltd, are experts in retail and location based marketing solutions. The company owns and represents a myriad of print and digital products that deliver locally relevant, effective audiences for advertising clients. SPARK Media are Strategic Partners in Audience Research and Knowledge and offer ‘Insights that Ignite’.

 

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AMASA Award entries open

The Advertising and Media Association of South Africa (AMASA) has announced that entries for the 2018 AMASA AWARDS are now open and that an exciting new award, the AMASA AGENCY OF THE YEAR AWARD, has been added to the programme.

The annual AMASA AWARDS celebrate excellence in media strategy, media planning and the creative and innovative use of the media mix. A panel of expert judges will be looking for entries that demonstrate sound insights, creative thinking, innovative strategy, impeccable implementation, and outstanding and measurable results.

Media practitioners nationwide are invited to submit entries showcasing their best campaigns implemented between 1 July 2017 and 30 June 2018. These will be judged in a number of different categories and will compete for the renowned Roger Garlick [u2] Grand Prix, which is presented for the best work overall.The newly introduced AMASA AGENCY OF THE YEAR AWARD will be presented to the agency that achieves the greatest number of points for both shortlisted work and awards achieved.

The top awards in the 2018 AMASA AWARDS programme are: 

  • NEW: AMASA AGENCY OF THE YEAR: This award recognises the most awarded agency in the awards programme and includes a motivation to a senior panel of experts[u3] .
  • ROGER GARLICK AWARD: This award is presented for the best overall campaign of the year.

The other categories in the programme are: 

  1. BEST INTEGRATED CAMPAIGN: FMCG
  2. BEST INTEGRATED CAMPAIGN: TRANSPORT
  3. BEST INTEGRATED CAMPAIGN: B2B
  4. BEST INTEGRATED CAMPAIGN: FINANCIAL
  5. BEST INTEGRATED CAMPAIGN: PUBLIC SERVICES
  6. BEST INTEGRATED CAMPAIGN: TRAVEL, ENTERTAINMENT & LEISURE
  7. BEST INTEGRATED CAMPAIGN: RETAIL (INCLUDING E-COMMERCE & QSR)
  8. BEST INTEGRATED CAMPAIGN: MEDIA
  9. BEST INTEGRATED CAMPAIGN: OTHER CONSUMER GOODS (INCLUDING DURABLES & TELCO)
  10. BEST BRANDED CONTENT CAMPAIGN
  11. BEST EXPERIENTIAL/EVENT CAMPAIGN
  12. BEST ONLINE CAMPAIGN
  13. BEST SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGY
  14. BEST USE OF MOBILE
  15. BEST USE OF TECHNOLOGY/DATA
  16. BEST SPONSORSHIP
  17. BEST CONTRIBUTION BY A MEDIA OWNER
  18. BEST TACTICAL USE OF MEDIA
  19. BEST TRADE MARKETING
  20. BEST PRO BONO CAMPAIGN
  21. BEST USE OF A SMALL BUDGET ( UNDER R150K)
  22. IGNITION AWARD FOR STUDENTS (STUDENTS ONLY)

How to enter:

  1. Visit the AMASA AWARDS[u4] page on the AMASA website.
  2. Download the AMASA AWARDS 2018 entry form from the website and complete your entry.
  3. Obtain a letter of consent from the clients whose campaign/s you are entering for consideration.
  4. Gather all supporting documentation. If this includes a link to a video hosted online, ensure that the URL (web page address) is included on your entry form.
  5. e-Mail your entry form and supporting documentation, including your letter of consent and proof of payment, to AMASA.Awards2018@gmail.com.
  6. Entry forms and supporting material will only be accepted in digital format, and only via the e-mail address provided.

 For any further information about the AMASA AWARDS entry process, please email: AMASA.Awards2018@gmail.com

Special notes:  

A maximum of five supporting documents are permitted per entry. This excludes the entry form but includes photographs, videos and .pdf documents submitted in support of the entry.

Entrants are welcome to enter the same campaign into various categories if they would like to do so. They are also encouraged to submit a video supporting their entry, but this is not a requirement.

Campaigns entered should be authentic and signed off by the relevant client.

Entries should indicate how the campaign delivered on the quantifiable goals set in the media plan and how it generated sound commercial results.

 Costs:

The cost for a general entry is R1,700 and the cost for an Ignition entry is R800 EXCLUDING VAT. All entries must be accompanied by proof of payment. AMASA’s banking details are given on the entry form.

The Awards Ceremony:

The awards will be made at the prestigious AMASA Awards Ceremony Gala:

Date:        10 October 2018
Time:        19:00 for 19:15
Venue:      The Hilton, Sandton
Tickets:     R750 per person or R700 per person for a table of 10

Ticket sales open 15 August 2018. The price includes a three-course plated dinner, a bottle or wine per table and entertainment.

Category details: 

Best Integrated Campaign 

Campaigns entered for consideration in this category must demonstrate the use of two or more types of media (e.g. screens, digital, outdoor etc.). They will be judged on how well the chosen media types are integrated and entries must demonstrate how successfully the different media types complement and build on one another to communicate the brand’s overall message.

Judges will be looking out for evidence of media-neutral planning, in which the best insights and thinking have resulted in the use of a media mix that demonstrates creativity, consistency of brand message and achievement of the client’s objectives. Entrants should please specify any third-party contributions on the relevant campaign.

Best Integrated Campaign: FMCG

This category encompasses all fast-moving consumer goods, including beer, wine, spirits, liqueurs, cocktails, tea, coffee, still and carbonated drinks, juices, mineral waters, chocolates, sweets, chewing and bubble gum, potato crisps, nuts, milk, yoghurt, ice cream, cream, butter, cheese, eggs, margarine and spreads, cakes, biscuits, desserts, sugar, jam, honey, peanut butter, bread, flour, baking ingredients, breakfast cereals, meats, fish, seafood, soups, delicatessen products, fruits and vegetables, rice, pasta, sauces, oils, spices, herbs, pre-cooked and prepared meals, baby foods and baby milk, detergents, cleaning products, air fresheners, insecticides, foil and other food packaging, light bulbs, batteries, paint, varnish and wood protectors adhesives, tools, garden tools, pet food and pet care products, soap, shower and bath products, deodorants and body sprays, skin and nail care products, oral hygiene products, toilet paper, tissues, nappies, shaving products, insect repellents, diet products, adhesive plasters, skin remedies, condoms, pregnancy tests, contact lenses, vitamins, alternative therapies and medicines, and virility drugs.

Best Integrated Campaign: Transport

This category encompasses all vehicles and related products, including cars, jeeps and four-wheel drives, pick-up trucks, vans, lorries, motorbikes, tyres, auto products and services, spare parts, accessories such as in-car hi-fi, petrol stations, petrol, oil, breakdown and servicing companies, car dealerships, and car finance and leasing

Best Integrated Campaign: Other Consumer Goods (including durables & telco)

This category encompasses all consumer durables, including consumer electronics. It includes house and garden furniture, washing machines, dryers, dishwashers, fridges, freezers, cookers, microwaves, kitchen utensils, appliances and crockery, glassware, bed and table linen, baths, showers and toilets, wall and floor coverings, televisions, cameras, video cameras, film, hi-fi equipment, personal stereos, CD players and MP3 players, DVD and Blu-ray players, personal phone equipment such as mobile phones and smartphones, tablet computers, musical instruments, sports equipment, bicycles, boats and caravans, toys, board games, computer games, game consoles, home computers, clothing, footwear and accessories, sportswear, handbags, belts, luggage, jewellery, watches, sunglasses, and spectacles.

Best Integrated Campaign: Financial

This category encompasses all providers of financial and related services, as well as all providers of property, building and infrastructure services and products. These include banks, building societies, credit cards, current and savings accounts, mortgages and loans, investment companies, health and building insurance, car insurance, pension and retirement plans, real estate investment, building development, and road construction.

Best Integrated Campaign: Public Services

This category encompasses consumer telecommunication services, internet service providers, cable and satellite providers, TV providers, directories, postal services, electricity, gas, power and water utilities, private education institutions, private healthcare providers and clinics, providers of optical services, providers of medical and dental services, prescription drugs, hearing aids, hospital aids, hospital and dental equipment, psychiatrists, sex therapists, plastic surgeons etc.

Best Integrated Campaign: Travel, Entertainment and Leisure

This category encompasses all transport, travel and tourism service providers and related products, including airlines, train and bus companies, cruise lines, travel agencies, tourist boards, hotels, resorts, city and bus company promotion, car hire, travel passes, leisure and theme parks, gyms, health and diet clubs, sporting events, music festivals, orchestras, exhibitions and shows, nightclubs, bars, museums, art galleries, cinemas and theatres, golf and country clubs, the National Lottery, and gambling.

Best Integrated Campaign: Retail (includes e-commerce & QSR)

This category encompasses all retailers, including e-commerce and QSR providers. These include home shopping networks, restaurants, fast-food outlets, department and specialist stores, supermarkets, DIY stores, pharmacies, opticians, hairdressers, beauty salons, laundry service outlets, estate agents, photo-processors, video and DVD rental stores, mail-order companies, online shopping sites, and auctioneers.

Best Integrated Campaign: Media

This category encompasses newspapers, magazines and supplements, books, records, CDs, cassettes, DVDs and Blu-ray discs, TV and radio stations, networks and programming, and movies.

Best Integrated Campaign: B2B

This category encompasses business phone and computer equipment, office furniture and stationery, accountancy, conference and events services, business postal services, courier services, employment agencies, and agriculture and manufacturing equipment.

Best Branded Content Campaign

This category focuses on content creation and is open to all brands, agencies and production organisations that are dealing with brands in order to devise, create and distribute branded content. The work involved may have been executed for broadcast or for distribution in the online video market. It may also have been delivered via publications or through apps. It could be ‘native’[u5] or exist as independent scalable content.

The judges will be looking for innovative content that aligns with the brand’s strategy and values, and which addresses a clearly-defined marketing challenge. The way in which that content is leveraged – whether through licensing and rights selling or through engagement in social media (as evidenced by shares, likes or other engagement metrics) – will be an important consideration in judging. This category is all about ‘owned’ media.

Best Experiential/Event Campaign

This category recognises brands that deliver experiential campaigns for consumers via events, stunt advertising, guerrilla marketing, projections, and roadshows or through sponsorship of an existing events property. The experiential campaign must be fundamentally physical in its core, but should include virtual elements.

Best Online Campaign

This category recognises campaigns that demonstrate an understanding of the digital landscape and have been integrated into it. It covers all forms of digital media, including the web, mobile media, apps, blogs, IPTV, and gaming and search. Its reach extends into affiliate marketing and campaigns should demonstrate great examples of interaction using digital media’s unique properties. Judges will be looking for campaigns that have successfully made use of digital media in a creative and innovative way, and which have been executed with a high level of quality in order to promote the brand and its message to target audiences.

Best Social Media Strategy

This category rewards innovation in social media strategy. The winning campaign should be able to demonstrate great results through the use of social media. It may have been delivered via a social media platform or via an online initiative using existing or new social networks. It could also be a campaign in which an initial idea, experience or message has been actively distributed and/or adapted by a participating key audience to positive brand effect using social channels. Entries will be judged on the creative use of social platforms and a sound understanding of online consumer behaviour, and should all be backed up by substantive metrics that prove campaign success. Judges will be looking for examples of fantastic consumer-driven campaigns, community building, targeting, engagement, and conversational marketing strategies.

Best Use of Mobile

This category recognises the innovative use of mobile channels to reach and engage consumers. Any form of mobile media will be considered, including mobile apps, .mobi sites, mobile content or any form of mobile advertising, provided it shows how the advertiser has used mobile in a creative and engaging way to obtain great results based on clear objectives.

Best Use of Technology

This award will be made to the campaign that is seen to exploit new technology to its full potential in the marketing environment. The winning campaign should be able to demonstrate a good brand/technology fit and show innovation in the use of the new technology to reach an audience or multiple audiences. This category is open to any existing media channel or any new one created by the use of the technology. Judges will be focussing on the innovative nature of the technology and how it has been applied to meet a specific marketing challenge.

Best Sponsorship

This category focuses on campaigns that promote a brand’s value and position by going beyond traditional advertising channels and by using generated content. They may include, for example, the seamless integration of a product into a television programme or advertiser-funded programming (AFP). The judges will be looking for campaigns that use sponsorship as the primary element in the communications strategy and will focus on the part of the campaign owned by the agency that contributed most to the success of the sponsorship.

Best Contribution by a Media Owner

This category recognises the efforts made by media owners, when partnering with advertiser clients, to connect directly with target audiences. Judges will be looking at partner behaviour, innovative strategies, and the creative application of ideas. Entries will be judged on the level of creative thinking involved, the depth of consumer insight, and the level of success for the client. The winning campaign could be based on a multi-platform strategy or could be a single execution. The entrant must be the media owner.

Ignition Award

The Ignition Award is aimed at current students, and rewards the best example of work submitted from media and advertising students.

Best use of a Small Budget (<150k)

This category recognises the most creative and far-reaching campaigns executed on a shoe-string budget. The judges will looking for ingenuity when it comes to getting clients the most bang for their buck!

Best Pro BonoCampaign

This category honours outstanding campaigns developed on a pro bono basis and focusing on causes as varied as environmental protection, wildlife conservation, child abuse and road safety. The judges will be looking for campaigns that have not only raised money which have also publicised important issues.

Best Trade Marketing Campaign

Primarily for media owners, the Best Trade Marketing Campaign category seeks to celebrate the exceptionally creative trade campaigns that typically target media agencies and clients directly. Entrants will have to be clear about what the objectives of the campaign were and about how they achieved what they set out to do. Judges will be looking for originality, innovation and a clear understanding of how the execution linked back to the organisation’s media offering.

Best Tactical Use of Media

This category recognises the tactical use of one media channel only. The judges will be looking at the entrant’s ability to use innovative thinking in order to make one particular media channel stick out and deliver results for the client.

Media Agency of the Year

All entering companies will score points based on the number of campaigns shortlisted, the number of highly commended awards received, the number of gold awards received, and the points received for winning the Grand Prix. Once all scores have been tallied, a shortlist will be generated, after which each company will need to present to an expert jury, which will decide the final Agency of the Year winner.

 

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