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The bright value of Local News Networks

In a recent educational and awareness campaign for national power provider Eskom, SPARK Media demonstrated the value of hyper local online educational content to areas that would benefit from a new power development, exceeding expectations in the process.

The Caxton Local News Network (LNN) comprises of 77 hyper local online news sites across South Africa and is often first with breaking news.

“To take advantage of the hyper local aspect that the LNN offers, Eskom targeted the provinces of Limpopo, Mpumalanga and North West to educate, inform and influence local consumers  to become legal, safe, smart and paying consumers of electricity by intensifying efforts around its behavioural change campaign, ‘Operation Khanyisa’,” says SPARK Media’s Joint CEO Marc du Plessis.

“Eskom faced unique challenges in the different provinces but through the use of our LLN sites we were able to communicate the possible issues regarding electricity theft and how it affects and impacts the community. Secondary objectives included educating readers with regards to service delivery.”

For a period of seven weeks, LNN websites across the three provinces carried articles, placed strategic content on their social media platforms, website advertising and mobile sticky banners.

“We expected to achieve good results for the client, but were exceptionally pleased with the average time readers spent on the articles and advertorials,” says du Plessis. “Average time spent on articles during the campaign and across the sites increased by nearly 30%, indicating that the information and educational campaign supplied by client was being taken note of.”

Other interesting stats included excellent click through rates (CTR) and impressions served.

“It is only through our research and core understanding that people shop locally that we can deliver communication in an online environment where consumers are already primed to receive and engage with the advertisers content,” concludes du Plessis.

To find out more, to connect, discuss or engage with SPARK Media, call 010 492 8390, visit www.sparkmedia.co.za, follow us on Twitter – www.twitter.com/SparkMediaSA or find ‘SPARK Media’ (sparkmediasa) on Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram.

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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Cultural appreciation starts with every one of us

South Africa’s vastly divergent make up of cultures means that we cannot assume to know everything about our fellow South Africans. By learning more about each other, we evoke a greater sense of peer to peer understanding, more beneficial communication and we can collect vital insights into different cultures. These insights can be used not only on a personal level but for businesses and marketers to correctly engage with their target markets.

To this end, media strategy and buying agency The MediaShop has initiated a string of Cultural Appreciation sessions in the agency where one culture is explored each month amongst staff. The first presentation explored the Xhosa people, their nuances, traditions, language, social norms, food and lifestyle. The meal served on the day in the staff canteen was traditional Xhosa food.

Kgaugelo Maphai, Johannesburg MD says: “As a business and as individuals, we realise that we need to have a deeper understanding of the broader South African people. There is a lot we can learn just from our own staff and their varied backgrounds. The insights gleaned from these ongoing sessions will also be taken into the work that we produce for our clients. A better understanding of a person’s culture makes for markedly more effective advertising.”

“We’re an agency wanting to be driven by insights and not just by the research tools that are available to us,” he says. “This initiative is just the beginning of a much larger insights entrenchment plan within the agency. We’ll be exploring various diverse cultures that exist within SA including Jewish, Indian, Coloured, Muslim backgrounds, each with their own wonderful nuances that we need to tap into.”

Kgaugelo goes on to say that we assume that black people are homogenous, that black people all have the same traditions and social norms. “That couldn’t be further from the truth.  Our Cultural Appreciation sessions will allow our staff, including our black staff, to learn more about other black people’s cultures and nuances.”

Insights gleaned from the first workshop include:

  • Amaxhosa are the second biggest Nguni nation in South Africa
  • They mainly reside in the Eastern and Western Cape with the most prominent towns being Umtata, East London (Emonti), PE (Ebhayi) and King Williams Town (Eqonce).
  • The initiation process for boys is called Ulwaluko, after which boys are accepted as men. The initiation for the transition from girls to women is Intonjane.
  • Hello – molo
  • Thank you – enkosi or ndiyabulela
  • You’re welcome – wamkelekile

Lisa Ganamfana, Digital Campaign Manager at The MediaShop, and originally from the Western Cape was part of the first presentation team. She adds: “The whole point of these culture presentations is for us as the staff of The MediaShop to get to know each other a bit better than we already do. There is no better way to appreciate a person than understanding their culture as it is a big part of who they are.

The presentation also created some kind of curiosity in people’s minds because they went on to Google and to find out more,” she says. “Additionally, it assists us with insights that go into our campaigns for our clients and makes a huge difference to the work we present to clients.”

“Our Cultural Appreciation sessions take place at our monthly staff meeting. Our next presentation is focusing on the Indian culture. We’ve also partnered with SABC Radio to bring their presenters in as language specialists to teach staff how to pronounce certain words. Our first session saw us hosting Amaza Ntshanga from Umhlobo Wenene.

We’re very excited to see the change these sessions will have on our team and in the work we produce over the coming months, and we look forward to learning a ton of new insights,” says Kgaugelo.

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

Do it once more with meaning!

Do it once more with meaning says Maggie Pronto, Media Strategist at The MediaShop

We’ve heard it all before: “our consumers are distracted”; “they are multi screening”; “there is too much clutter”; “ad avoidance is on the rise”. Yes of course it’s all true but what are we as the advertising industry doing to change the way in which we communicate to consumers, without throwing additional capital at the dilemma?

Although there may be multiple solutions – I believe that the best way to stand out is to utilise advertising that really connects with people (notice the word ‘people’, not consumers, not target markets, but rather real people). This includes a shared human emotion or as communication strategists like to call it a “human truth” – something that is relevant and has real meaning to a person.

Advertising is powerful, and if executed properly it can enhance the way we see the world – it encourages us to think, to feel and consider the issues around us in a new light. The best advertising does more than sell things – it changes minds and facilitates meaningful experiences thereby affecting the way we communicate.

Howard Gossage said that “advertising justifies its existence when used in the public interest – it is much too powerful a tool to use solely for commercial purposes.”

Here are a few examples of ads that were relevant when they aired some many years ago – and still remain relevant to this day.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TlqsF0jcoz4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PnDgZuGIhHs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UmW_VtdOyNM

There are many methods and techniques used by the advertising industry to try and break through the clutter, but creative work that has real meaning to an individual, which touches on real life experience, where the “that could be me!” moment happens – is remembered.

Whichever way you look at it, if brands create something with meaning, that has meaning to a person’s life, they’ll be left with a creative piece of work that speaks to emotions and makes those that have been touched by it speak and share on your behalf. These brand advocates account for more value than any budget can buy. You can count on that!

 

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Emerald Resort & Casino is Hot on Your Wheels!

Over R1 million in cash, Free play and a brand new Nissan Hardbody NP300 is up for grabs at Emerald Resort & Casino! The Hot on Your Wheels promotion is running until the 30th of September with R60 000 being awarded every Wednesday until the end of the promotion.

“This is one case where it may sound too good to be true but it’s not, a vehicle like this can change a life,” says Tanuja Gangabishun, Marketing Executive at Emerald Resort & Casino. “The culmination of Hot on Your Wheels will be one customer winning that beautiful Nissan Hardbody worth over R300 000 on the 30th of September and we can’t wait to hand over the keys to that lucky guest.”

The mechanics are simple. Guests receive one draw ticket for every 50 points they earn playing any of the casino’s tables or slots. Weekly draws will take place every Wednesday at 13h00 and 21h00 on the casino floor and a spot in the final play-offs will be won.

“A total of 10 tickets will be drawn every Wednesday to maximise the chances for more of our guests to walk away with cash and Freeplay,” says Tanuja. “Remember that you have to be ‘in it to win it’, so we look forward to seeing our guests on the casino floor!”

Emerald Resort & Casino is a licensed gambling venue. Winners know when to stop. Only persons over 18 are permitted to gamble. National Problem Gambling Counselling Toll Free Helpline 0800 006 008.

Emerald Resort & Casino.

Tel:                              016 982 8000

Website                       www.emeraldcasino.co.za

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

Twitter:                        @emerald_resort

 

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PAMS – the innovative Reading currency

With PAMS (Publisher Audience Measure Survey) in field this month, the PRC (Publisher Research Council) discusses the advantages of the survey’s inclusion of brands, large sample size, innovative flooding technique, multi-platform measurement and other highlights.

 The purpose of PAMS is to provide an innovative “Gold Standard” Reader Audience Measurement founded on global best-practice and local experience.

“The primary objective of the survey is to measure and track audiences across all reading platforms to enable the buying and selling of advertising. We (the publishing industry) felt that the high RPC (Readers Per Copy), so prevalent in AMPS, had to be addressed in order for us to get closer to the truth,” says Peter Langschmidt, consultant to the PRC. “Other elements in the brief to Nielson included the ability to fuse our currency survey to ES (Establishment Survey), IAB data and the PRC mobile reader panel.”

The face-to-face interviews in 10 000 households will be flooded to produce a sample of around 20 000. One of the biggest costs in any survey is actually getting to, for example, a household in Viljoenskroon, so why not take advantage of interviewing everyone in the house while the interviewer is there? Hence flooding which doubles the sample size, but not the cost.

To achieve a new and improved reader currency, newspaper prompts will be regionalised, so as not to waste time with publications unavailable in an area. For example, what’s the point of asking a Johannesburg based resident if they have read The Argus? Available publications are represented in both print and online formats, allowing respondents to simply select read titles.

Traditional readership methodology had the interviewer asking the respondent if they had read any of a long list of publications. In order to appear well read and informed, the respondent would reply in the affirmative to at least a few, normally unread, titles. This verbal barrage led to ‘respondent fatigue’ and the ‘halo effect’ of answering at least some titles positively contributed to over-claiming. The PRC has addressed this by handing the tablet, containing the mastheads of the titles, to the respondent allowing them to select titles in complete privacy.

“We believe that this, together with other changes we have implemented like reading or glancing at titles for longer than one minute, will go a long way in addressing the readers per copy issue,” comments Langschmidt.

Other improvements in the survey include ‘time spent reading’ for each publication to gauge  loyal and regular reader measure, as well as a new visual frequency scale based on actual publishing intervals, and not a standard 4 or 5 point scale.

One of Print’s biggest strengths is that a single issue is read on multiple occasions, unlike other channels, like radio for example, where there is only one opportunity to hear per spot. PAMS asked readers about the number of times they pick up a single issue. “We’re hoping that the PAMS results will mirror other studies we have conducted this year where the average OTS of two is achieved in a single issue advert. This effectively halves the CPT of newspapers and magazines,” says Langschmidt.

PAMS also measures if and how inserts are used by readers.

With the exclusion of brands from the Establishment Survey the PRC took the decision to include many brands from major adspend categories. These include cellular networks, financial institutions, automotive, and retail – food and grocery, furniture and clothing.   For detailed information regarding the brands and products, please contact the PRC or download the PAMS questionnaire from the website.

All the usual demographics (Language, Literacy, Gender, Age, Ethnic Group, Income, Education), geographics (Province, Community, Metros) will be available complete with LSM and SEM measurements. These together with other frequency and recency questions form the fusion variables, or ‘hooks’ into the ES, IAB and other data, including the Nielsen CPS household panel.

“Obviously the questionnaire is set, but the PRC looks forward to engaging with everyone regarding the questions asked in PAMS and looking at possible additions to be added to the next survey,” concludes Langschmidt. “We want to achieve the most complete measurement of reader audiences, across all platforms, to inform effective advertising investment.”

The survey fieldwork began on 11 July 2017 and the full PAMS data release and launch will happen in early February 2018.

For additional information and research on reading, visit www.prc.za.com.

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Got extraordinary talent? Read further!

Emerald Resort & Casino is searching for the hottest new local talent and will be hosting a ‘Talent Search’ competition on 12 August 2017 where entrants stand a chance at winning a performance contract with the Resort.

Are you the next Susan Boyle, musician Tokio Myers who won the recent Britain’s Got Talent series or Craig Lucas, winning SA’s The Voice?

“We know that there are many talented people out there and if they can sing, dance, juggle, paint faces, tell jokes, perform tricks or keep an audience riveted with great entertainment, then  this competition is definitely for them,” says Emerald Resort & Casino’s Marketing Executive, Tanuja Gangabishun.

Registration for the Talent Search must be completed on or before 4 August 2017.  The competition is free and the registration forms can be downloaded from Emerald Resort & Casino’s website at www.emeraldcasino.co.za.

Programme for the Talent Search on 12 August. (Times may change, depending on the number of registrations received)

12:00 – 13:00 – auditions for jugglers, buskers, face painters etc

13:00 – 14:00 – auditions for singers

14:00 – 15:00 – auditions for bands

15:00 – 16:00 – auditions for rare talent

Emerald Resort & Casino will provide a small PA system (one cable microphone, one small speaker and a CD player for backtracks only). Any additional equipment required for the act must be provided by the entrant. Should entrants be shortlisted for a second audition, they will be notified in writing within seven days after the audition.

Contestants are asked to familiarise themselves with the terms and conditions of the competition which can be viewed at http://www.emeraldcasino.co.za/events/talent-search-at-emerald-resort-and-casino. Contact events@emeraldcasino.co.za for more information.

Emerald Resort & Casino.

Tel:                              016 982 8000

Website                       www.emeraldcasino.co.za

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

Twitter:                        @emerald_resort

Blog:                            http://www.emeraldcasino.co.za/emerald-resort-and-casino-blog

 

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Emerald Resort & Casino warms Boipatong and Sebokeng this Mandela Day

Emerald Resort & Casino’s team members were more than happy to brighten the communities of Boipatong and Sebokeng this Mandela Day.

A team of 50 enthusiastically painted the Boipatong Community hall and offices before cooking and feeding 600 community members. The team were welcomed and introduced to the community by NAFCOC President, Bongani Dlamini.  The Resort thanks the local ward councillors and SAPS for their support in the planning and assistance throughout the day.

Happily covered in paint, the team visited Nyakallong Home for the Disabled in Sebokeng, where they washed windows, planted vegetables and prepared a braai for the residents.  This week, Emerald Resort & Casino will return to repair the ceiling and paint the home’s roof and present clothing that has been donated.

“We’re so pleased to have made a small difference in these communities,” says Tanuja Gangabishun, Marketing Executive for Emerald Resort & Casino. “We had an incredibly warm welcome from the residents of Boipatong and it was also extremely heart warming to see the unreserved way in which our team members rose to the challenge of spending time with and enriching the lives of our fellow South Africans.”

As a gesture of gratitude, Emerald team members were treated to a dance display from the children in the Boipatong community which the team thoroughly enjoyed.

“Although Mandela Day, and what it means to this rainbow nation, always has a special place in our hearts, we know that assisting others is an all year round endeavour,” says Tanuja. “As such we are consistently involved in other CSI projects, some of which include a Sanitary Towel campaign where Emerald Resort & Casino will be supplying 600 school girls with sanitary towels for a year.

We also work closely with local orphanages that are invited for a leisure day out at Aquadome and Animal World throughout the year,” she says.

Emerald Resort & Casino.

Tel:                              016 982 8000

Website                       www.emeraldcasino.co.za

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

Twitter:                        @emerald_resort

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TLC and Hubble partner on dynamic new digital platform in Uber vehicles

Indoor media advertising specialists and Primedia Unlimited subsidiary, TLC, has partnered with Hubble, Uber’s in-vehicle interactive entertainment partner, to sell video content advertising on their platform.

“TLC has the exclusive rights to sell high viewability video on Hubble’s interactive touch screens in Uber vehicles,” says Greg Bruwer, TLC’s Managing Director. “It’s an ideal platform on which to engage on a one-on-one basis, with tech-savvy, early adopters in the high income market.”

Uber passengers spend 20 minutes on average in the vehicle, own a credit card (in many cases multiple cards) and a smart phone. With nothing to do but engage with content, it’s the ideal immediate call-to-action platform.

The fully interactive advertising platform offers high quality video and interactive content in a captive environment with measurable ROI. Content includes documentaries, comedies, neighbourhood insights, news, sport, weather and things to see and do within Johannesburg and Cape Town. Like the traditional media platform on television, commercials are flighted in between standard content without being intrusive.

Statistics have shown the level of engagement on Hubble’s screens to be 75 times higher than traditional digital advertising. Considering that the user is always in control, it virtually guarantees a positive experience from interested passengers.

“We are extremely excited about this partnership and the initial feedback from the market has been very promising,” concludes Bruwer.

For more information on TLC offerings contact greg@tlc-media.co.za or visit www.primedia-unlimited.co.za

TLC Unlimited

TLC (Targeted Lifestyle Communication) introduced the concept of washroom advertising to the South African market in 1996, and has since become the sole player in this media arena offering a plethora of in-mall and washroom advertising platforms such as standard and talking frames, cubicle wraps and treadmill branding to mention a few. More recently, TLC has expanded its portfolio to include a number of new businesses which are housed in TLC Unlimited (under Primedia Unlimited) namely TLC; Salon Media; and Fitting Exposure. Visit www.primedia-unlimited.co.za or www.tlc-media.co.za for more.

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Women hold South Africa’s purse strings

“Did you know that in the past few years in South Africa, women have purchased more PCs, cars and TVs than men? Marketers should have no further doubt that South African women hold the purse strings and SPARK Media has just the right product to reach this lucrative female market,” says Digital Manager of SPARK Media Ashleigh Footit.

 “Over the past few months our team has been working hard to perfect an offering that is aimed solely at women that hold significant influence over brands. We’re very pleased to launch SPARK inspiHer – a new women’s online lifestyle network, spanning the entire Caxton media group. The women’s online lifestyle network reaches up to 4 million women every month,” she says.

“Whether its fashion and beauty, décor, celebs, finance, news, shopping, relationships, cars or any other passion point, we know what women want and can deliver quality content they can trust, using brands that they’ve depended on for decades.”

SPARK Media aggregates audiences across its entire network and can distribute an advertiser’s message in a credible way in a brand-safe environment; to the women that marketer’s really want to reach. With SPARK inspiHer, brands can target the RIGHT audience, by interest category, with the RIGHT message in the RIGHT place at the RIGHT time.

“Advertisers have the opportunity to partner with SPARK Media to create engaging content that will drive their message across our platforms, no matter the category,” says Ashleigh.

Through SPARK Media, Caxton journalists will create engaging white label content and videos that really talk to the needs and interest of its female users. The content will then be published on relevant websites within the SPARK InspiHer network and will be boosted to targeted audiences through display, newsletters and social media platforms namely Facebook and Instagram.

“Through our journalist’s understanding of the tone and style of each publication, the client’s content is seamlessly integrated into the format of each branded platform,” says Ashleigh.

“It is our belief that SPARK inspiHer will compliment and strengthen our existing offering aimed at the lucrative female market. Our SPARK Media team is on hand and ready to maximise our advertiser’s brand engagement with this powerful audience.”

To find out more, to connect, discuss or engage with SPARK Media, call 010 492 8390, visit www.sparkmedia.co.za, follow us on Twitter – www.twitter.com/SparkMediaSA or find ‘SPARK Media’ (sparkmediasa) on Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram.

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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Indoor Pool Party features DJ Speedsta this July at Emerald Resort & Casino

Last month’s inaugural Hot Beatz indoor pool party held at Emerald Resort & Casino’s popular water park Aquadome was such a resounding success that the Resort is hosting a second event on the 28th July.

“We were completely overwhelmed by the positive feedback received from our guests through social media and direct feedback that we’ve decided to make indoor pool parties at Aquadome a regular feature,” says Emerald Resort & Casino’s Marketing Executive, Tanuja Gangabishun.

“This month on the decks are DJs Speedsta, Classic Tank, Pepe, T-Skull, Soul Mo, Jozi the HipHopGuru, Costa Deep and a performance by Masedi.”

The transformation between daytime pool fun to night-time rocking party venue has to be seen to be believed. “A special VIP area with brilliant panoramic views of the Aquadome, which includes a private bar, is ideal for guests who want to party the night away with a higher vantage point,” she says.

VIP tickets are R250 per person while general entrance tickets are R150 each, available through Computicket.

Emerald Resort & Casino.

Tel:                              016 982 8000

Website                       www.emeraldcasino.co.za

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

Twitter:                        @emerald_resort

Blog:                            http://www.emeraldcasino.co.za/emerald-resort-and-casino-blog

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