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Author: Mark

I could have danced all night

More than a year has passed since the launch of SPARK Media. Remember the SPARK Media dance-off, aptly named Strategically Come Dancing?

 Contestants, supporters, partners and friends reminisce and remember the evening fondly. “Who can believe that our fantastic launch happened well over a year ago,” says Gill Randall, Joint CEO of SPARK Media. “People still talk about it, reminisce and comment on it when we visit media agencies and, of course, the video clips are saved forever, on YouTube.”

Just as dance is a fluid and strategic partnership between two partners, so is the relationship with our clients – and based on this concept of synchronised partnerships, the launch party drew together over 500 friends, clients, marketers and media agencies.

We asked some of the contestants (a year down the line) who competed, what they learnt about their partners. According to Ilsa Grabe, she was dropped once by Tumi but learnt to trust her again, while Nivasha Pillay said that she learnt so much about Matteo Zambetti and that he was the best support she could have asked for. Wayne Bishop, part of the overall winning duo on the night, states that his partner Yamkela has the strength of a lion when it comes to determination.

“As the saying goes ‘practice makes perfect’, we have evaluated and refined our product offerings over this past year, but remain committed to our core vision – bringing clients insights from evidence-based research to keep them growing their brands. But nobody said that had to be boring, so we add a little fun!” concluded Randall.

To re-live the night’s magic, visit SPARK Media’s YouTube channel and to see all the dance moves and videos:

Contact SPARK Media on 010 492 8390, visit www.sparkmedia.co.za, follow us on Twitter – www.twitter.com/SparkMediaSA or connect with ‘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’.

Digital Briefcase strikes marketing trifecta with website

Digital Briefcase, a division of the national media sales powerhouse SPARK Media, recently assisted in the design and implementation of the www.crownjewels.co.za  website and in the process were able to not only showcase their digital and creative work to an international audience, but also support local environmental education through the Kirstenbosch Environmental Educational Appeal.

“As part of our CSI commitment we sponsored the design and implantation of this website alongside PHD Network, as we felt that the initiative spoke strongly to us in terms of education and ‘doing good’ for the environment,” says Kristin Louw, GM at Digital Briefcase.

This private sector initiative has been set up to enable substantial numbers of school-goers and university students from disadvantaged communities to receive environmental education in the world’s most inspiring outdoor classrooms.

The call to action of this website is a drive for bids to purchase a full collection of exclusive jewellery in order to fund the needs of SANBI (South African National Biodiversity Institute) to support environmental education. The short-term funding target for the Kirstenbosch Environmental Education Appeal is $2.6 million to enable all the gardens to get up and running with buses and other essential equipment and funds to cover entrance fees and staff salaries for the first two years.

The website has been designed to be informative and user friendly while showcasing the one of a kind, world class jewellery collection. The collection has been designed exclusively for this cause by seven leading award winning jewellery designers and craftsmen, inspired by the fauna and flora from The Cape Floral Kingdom, the smallest, but richest in biodiversity of the world’s six floral kingdoms. To view this exquisite collection, please visit www.crownjewels.co.za/the-collection.

“We are a proudly South African company that  has been happy to support this worthy CSI initiative that we believe will make a lasting impact on the preservation of our beautiful country,” concludes Louw.

Digital Briefcase is passionate about helping businesses of all sizes build profitable, engaged audiences. As lives are spent online, there are increasingly more ways than ever to reach potential customers. This can be daunting but the Digital Briefcases’ suite of online marketing tools makes it easier to reach the right people at the right time when they are in the market to buy.

 To contact Digital Briefcase, call 010 492 8378 or email info@digitalbriefcase.co.za. Their website can be viewed at http://digitalbriefcase.co.za/.

 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’.

Buy-Buy Brand Loyalty

If you’re a marketer and believe that your brand has 100% loyal consumers, you are sadly mistaken. This is according to SPARK Media and data backed by Caxton’s urban community survey, ROOTS 2016, the largest quantitative survey of its kind in South Africa. 

“We know from our affiliation and close dealings with marketing scientists at The Ehrenburg Bass Institute, the world’s largest centre for research into marketing, that buyer behaviour at an individual level is random but that aggregated buyer behaviour can be predicted, very accurately, as is the case in any random system,” says SPARK Media Joint CEO Gill Randall.

ROOTS 2016 shows that of the 2.4 million PDM’s (Purchase Decision Makers) who have shopped for shoes and clothing at Edgars, 40% have also shopped at Mr Price, Woolies (36%), Truworths (4%), Jet (21%) and Ackermans (18%).

“Every brand’s market comprises of heavy, medium, light and non users,” says Gill. “It also stands to reason that your customers are everybody else’s customers who sometimes buy from you. It all comes down to mental and physical availability and a brand’s ability to be thought of in a buying situation by as many people as possible, on as many occasions as possible.”

She goes on to say that studies of hundreds of categories reveal that more than 50% of profits come from light buyers (not 80-20 as we have been lead to believe). “Let’s take Coke as an example. 63% of profits come from people who drink just one Coke a year, simply because there are so many of them.”

“Even in the banking sector, customers are shared with competitors,” she says. “27% of PDMS who have a bond with African Bank, have a Standard Bank savings account and 20% have a Capitec savings account. 12% of PDMS who have a bond with ABSA also have a FNB Cheque account and 19% of PDMS who have an ABSA student loan also have a FNB savings account.

As a result, Randall stresses that marketers shouldn’t profile brand users when planning their target market, but rather category users – coffee drinkers as opposed to Nescafé drinkers for example.

“Growth for a brand comes largely from acquiring new customers, as opposed to existing customers buying more often. So, mass reach of a category is much more cost effective than investing into frequency strategies with existing customers. That’s not to say that existing customers shouldn’t be in your sights, but never at the expense of finding new ones.”

“The irony is that heavy or regular users of any brand need less nudging to buy an already ‘salient‘ brand.”

Topline ROOST 2016 data is available on www.sparkmedia.co.za

Is your number one focus on sales? You’re doing it wrong.

There’s one thing that keeps consumers coming back to your brand and that’s whether they have a good experience and interaction with the service or product in question. For repeat business, talkability and real brand salience, marketers need to be focused one thing – the consumer experience.

After just completing the 2016 Sani2c I’ve had a bit of time to reflect on this year’s ride, ignoring all the aches and pains of three days in the saddle. I look in awe at what the organisers have put together over the last 12 years which includes unwavering dedication and focus that brands, marketers, sales teams and media people should identify with and relate back to their own areas of expertise.

Across all the various divisions that came together to create the end product of the Sani2c, all are totally focused on one shared vision; to give participants the ride of their life.

This manifests itself into a number of areas from race registration to the accommodation, food preparation and much more. The event comes together through collaboration and the cohesion between the community of landowners, farmers, local villagers, family and friends to ensure an experience seldom seen or experience these days. They are all too aware that the better the experience for the riders, the more likely that the event will be spoken about for months after. The riders themselves become the real advocates for the race, not the race itself. This holds true in any business as it stands to reason that the better the experience by your customers the better your business will do.

Also, the ride would be nothing without the unwavering support of the existing riders as well as all the new riders that have managed to get into the race. Although the event takes place in May, entries for the following year open in June and all the riders that have done the event before are given first option to renew. For most of us it’s not even a discussion about renewal, it’s about where we’re going to find the money to participate. In August the entries are opened to the public and there is a mad dash to secure a place. I stand to be corrected but these additional entries are filled up within the day. Bringing it back to marketing terms, your existing customers need to remain a core focus for your business and others will jump at the opportunity to work with you.

Although in plain terms this is just another MTB Race, it means so much more to the community the race applies to. For me it’s summed up best in its Mission Statement:

  1. To responsibly organise a multi-day, paired mountain bike event that attracts the interest of both local and international competitors. We aim to bring the challenge of this multi-disciplined event within reasonable reach of all levels of athlete.
  2. Through associated sponsorship and media interest, we aim to promote employment through tourism and conservation of this area for the benefit of its people and the event. By co-involvement of the local communities, we strive towards creating jobs where local worthy organisations are paid by the event to provide services to the event and thereby raise funds for the organisation. The event will strive to educate upskill and develop innovative ways to create opportunities for previously unemployed local residents along the route.
  3. I know I have gone the long way around to explain some simple facts but the three key take outs that I want you to remember are:
  4. This speaks volumes to the organisation as a whole and what they are trying to achieve. To put it into context, in 2005 when the race first started R325K was paid out to the various beneficiaries. In 2015 R8.3M was paid out to the relevant parties excluding additional money spent around tourism, accommodation and job creation. So although the race in its purest form is simply a MTB event it’s a whole lot more. Often as a business we lose sight of what is important and how people around us can benefit from a simple gesture and focus.
  1. Ensure your consumers/customers have the best possible experience they can with your brand. This takes continuous work and refinement.
  2. Look after your existing customer base but never become complacent.
  3. There is a bigger picture than just your profit margin, look after your staff, benefit others and the growth you set your selves will come.
  4. Just some additional facts around the race…
  1. 11 000km are travelled by the organisers setting up the route each year.
  2. 225 000 litres of hot water is provided for the riders over the event.
  3. 20 schools and 8 other organisations are beneficiaries of the race.
  4. 6000 man days are spent preparing the route each year.
  5. The riders consume 1000 loaves of banana bread, 2.4 tons of potatoes, 400kg of rice, 1 200 dozen eggs, 20 000 cups of tea, 160kg of rusks, 2000 litres of milk.
  6. Happy riding……

We’ve got an app for that…

Avtaar Mohanlall, Digital Media Strategist at The MediaShop says that there will always be a place for brands and people to innovate. At the moment it’s all about the App! Big ones, small ones, clever ones and some that don’t seem to have a point. While some companies tweak existing apps, others innovate and build applications based on new requirements.

By now we’ve all interacted with a lot of different apps. Whether it’s related to sport, photography or weather there are many different apps within the same category that offer only a slightly different experience, if at all! For example, the recent launches of Instagram Stories is, let’s face it, pretty much SnapChat in its infancy, and Google has just launched a new video chat app called Duo which is meant to rival Apple’s FaceTime. I’m beginning to wonder if we don’t have any more imagination or creative ideas? Have we got nothing else to do other than copy another person’s idea?

Well, after reading a few articles I can safely say we are nowhere near running out of stuff to invent or re-invent. If you take a look at innovations like SnapChat, Uber and Airbnb they’ve just found a way to re-use what has always been available, the difference is they’ve streamlined the process between consumer and product in a really clever way.

A product like Slack is an innovative app that’s quickly revolutionising how businesses operate, by being the modern equivalent of an internet chat room for teams. Log in to communicate with your colleagues in public channels or private groups, share files, or work off the same document. The app is geared toward businesses large and small that need a way for their employees to communicate internally. While this may not replace email completely it is changing the way we currently communicate within an organisation.

It’s not just apps or services that are innovating, consumers themselves are reinventing the way they research, browse and shop. Websites have had to evolve from being purely desktop driven, to incorporating Mobi Sites, to being fully responsive by allowing consumers to access their content from any device.

It’s only a matter of time before TV commerce becomes a reality and consumers start shopping from their Smart TV’s which again, will force brands to reinvent themselves for that device experience! Of course the topic that any techie will talk to you for hours about is Virtual Reality (VR) – and globally e-commerce giants eBay are leading the retail innovation by creating the world’s first virtual reality department store.

The process started roughly 12 months ago and has been consistently tweaking the system in order to meet consumer needs. The concept is surprisingly simple with users requiring a VR headset, an iOS or Android device and the ‘eBay Virtual Reality Department Store’ app. The user chooses the departments they would like to shop in and browses around, resulting in a custom made virtual store based on the user’s shopping history and departments selected.

It sounds amazing, but they’ve basically taken the Spotify or Apple Music model where playlists are suggested based on your song choices and plugged it into a different device and format.

In closing we have nothing to worry about when it comes to brands, products, apps, devices or anything for that matter, innovating itself to meet consumer needs. As long as the world keeps spinning we’re not going to run out of anything new anytime soon because our needs and requirements are constantly changing, or do consumers change their needs based on how the world is innovating? I’ll let that sink in

SPARK Media launches Print Fashion Week!

SPARK Media is declaring war on anyone who says that print is boring by proclaiming that the 5th – 9th September was Print Fashion Week!

“Saying that print is dead is like saying that no-one’s wearing sexy Chanel jackets anymore,” says Justine Williams, SPARK Media’s Strategic Sales & Marketing Director. “In fact, this season it’s all about the label and the layered look, not to mention tailored cuts, prints and belly bands.”

SPARK Media last week visited media agency partners to demonstrate its latest print innovations which are bringing sexy back into print.

“Our print products are all about creativity, inventiveness and flair,” says Justine. “Our range gives modern advertisers everything they need to make a fashionable statement in a media type that delivers. For example, we’ve introduced the Layered Insert which as the name suggests, is an insert of three distinct sizes that seamlessly layer over each other.

Our chic Belly Band is a new addition to our collection and our wraps have been refined. The Powernote has two sides to every story. Peel off the sticker and unveil a tailored marketing message beneath it – or, even better, incorporate a QR code for a truly unique and interactive experience.”

SPARK Media and Caxton Printers have taken innovation one step further with their  ‘Digiquill’ which gives marketers the option to print individual messages on every pre-printed product. “Just imagine the possibilities,” she says, “You’ll never see the same outfit twice.”

“Just like a comfortable pair of jeans, these print fashion statements will become an integral part of any client’s strategy.”

To contact SPARK Media call 010 492 8390, visit www.sparkmedia.co.za, follow us on Twitter – www.twitter.com/SparkMediaSA or connect with ‘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’.

Jason Goliath represents for SPARK Media

 SPARK Media teamed up with comedian, actor and MC Jason Goliath and gave him the most unusual brief – to share media research at Mindshare’s Huddle initiative.

The Huddle provides media owners with an opportunity to engage directly with Mindshare’s teams and clients with the purpose of showcasing their services and strengths but in an innovative way.

“We went through a pitch process along with several other media owners to be part of the annual Huddle initiative. We had a lot of fun while briefing Jason to present an overview of ROOTS to a very savvy marketing and media audience but in a fun and memorable way, and boy did he deliver,” says Justine Williams, SPARK Media’s Strategic Sales & Marketing Director.

“The end result was a 20 minute stand up comedy session where Jason expertly intertwined ROOTS insights into his comedic routine. He was able to get salient points across including that ROOTS offers buyer behaviour insights at a local level.”

For instance, while taking a stab at race, religion and vegetarians, the comedian surreptitiously shared geographical, marketing and retail data with the audience.

“We’ve had very positive feedback from those who attended and importantly, received queries from clients that we hope will open doors for us to share this valuable data with more of South Africa’s marketing and media professionals.”

To contact SPARK Media call 010 492 8390, visit www.sparkmedia.co.za, follow us on Twitter – www.twitter.com/SparkMediaSA or connect with ‘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’.

 

SPARK Media celebrates its 1st birthday

One year ago NAB, Caxton’s local newspaper’s national advertising sales company, and Habari Media, specialists in digital sales, joined forces to form SPARK Media as a brand new media sales powerhouse. One year down the line the company has reinforced its core business as experts in localised retail marketing.

 “We have over the past year done a lot of soul searching, gaining and losing team members and partnerships but now we’re extremely pleased to be living our true purpose in print and online, and that is to be the go-to team for retail and location based marketing solutions,” says Gill Randall, Joint CEO.

The company recently announced the appointment of long standing staff member Marc du Plessis as Joint CEO and that COO John Bowles will be stepping down from his current role. John will still be working with the SPARK Media team in Cape Town while getting his new business off the ground: Turn Left Media.

“SPARK Media has always taken the best practices of online and print and grounded these in evidence-based research, with a vision to share valuable consumer behaviour insights to help our clients grow their brands, and that won’t change,” says Gill.

Moving forward SPARK Media will continue to represent local traditional and digital media platforms, namely Caxton owned local newspapers and online assets as well as current and future partners that are in line with their clear objective of delivering locally relevant, effective audiences for advertising clients.

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

Kodak launches massive print innovation with Caxton CTP and SPARK Media

“This is the biggest news for print in a very long time,” says Olav Westphal, Sales Director of SPARK Media. “The Kodak Prosper S30 Imprinting System represents the first variable print technology on African newspapers. It’s a game changer for retailers and all advertisers.”

“Newspapers have always been a mass media channel and due to the technology involved a single run will produce exactly the same content. This technology allows all printed Caxton products to create real interactive advertising in print form that is hyper targeted and hyper localised. Because the basis of the technology is digital, information (the advertised deals or promotions) can by updated in real time. Retailers will effectively be able to create direct one to one connections between ads and consumers but in a print format.”

The innovation effectively closes the loop from print to digital allowing a consumer to access a special deal, discount or service through a special unique numbered code or barcode that is printed in a specific Caxton newspaper. That will then take the consumer to the advertiser’s website where the deal can be activated and further details obtained from the consumer.

“The imprinting system will be seamlessly added directly on to our current printing presses eliminating the need to disrupt the manufacturing process,” says Olav.

Through the unique advert on every newspaper, additional opportunities include gaming and contests, interactive adverts, variable promotion by location and unique daily access codes to specialised online content. Each display advert is assigned a unique code which opens the doors to a variety of creative campaigns, in-store promotions, discounts, website visits and lucky draws.

An example is a reader logging onto an online site and entering their distinctive code, completing an information form and automatically receiving a discount coupon or being automatically entered into a bigger competition.

“Blue sky thinking, images, maps, QR codes and serial numbers, the sky’s the limit now!” he concludes. “We are beyond excited to be the first in Africa to be able to offer this innovation, in black and white for now, to our advertisers and to be at the forefront of print’s next move. Exciting times ahead, we look forward to fantastic feedback from our advertisers.”

For more information on SPARK Media, visit www.sparkmedia.co.za, contact them on 010 492 8329, or connect on Twitter @sparkmediasa or on Facebook at SPARK Media.

SPARK Africa incorporated into SPARK Media

SPARK Africa, a long standing division of Caxton CTP Publishers and Printers has been incorporated as an additional business unit into SPARK Media. The division will continue to represent the 18 publications across 6 African countries.

“The move was a natural progression for SPARK Media to integrate this division into our 360° print and digital offerings,” says SPARK Media CEO Gill Randall.

“SPARK Africa represents community focused African based newspapers that are credible and reliable information sources in the countries they serve. Since 2006 these products have been providing local editorial and advertising content that is extremely relevant to their countries and communities within growing economies. Now, the division has the added advantage of extra resources, facilities and personnel to support these products.

SPARK Africa represents newspapers in Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

For more information on SPARK Media, visit www.sparkmedia.co.za, contact them on 010 492 8329, or connect on Twitter @sparkmediasa or on Facebook at SPARK Media.

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