Planet Fitness gymsRealising the value of TLC’s uninterrupted advertising opportunities, Lucozade has chosen to utilise TLC’s A4 Washroom Frames in TLC’s mall, cinemas and gym networks, large format Wall Corridor Wraps in Nu Metro and Ster Kinekor cinemas and Super-Sized Mirror Decals in the airport environment. Lucozade’s primary objective is to target adults between the ages of 18 and 45, living active, on-the-go lives, and getting them to engage with the brand through its competition creative.

Brett Tucker, TLC’s Joint Managing Director explains, “Our selected venues offer the ideal environment in which to promote Lucozade to active consumers. These environments are typically home to extended consumer dwell time, inevitably leading to the message being absorbed and understood, within close proximity to the point of purchase. The combination of platforms gives the campaign multi-facets from which to create brand awareness and launch its SMS competition to win an iPod Touch.

Using an SMS call to action enables us to track direct consumer response to the advertising, and we’re confident that our media will give Lucozade the desired interaction and talkability they require.”

TLC is an Unlimited subsidiary.

 This year, AMASA is once again looking for several candidates to participate in the AMASA Learnership Programme. The successful candidates will be employed and mentored by leading media companies, and remunerated and enrolled on the AAA media module and AMASA Media Planning Workshop.

AMASA’s core focus is to attract bright young minds into the exciting world of media, and ensure that the individuals not only excel, but remain within the industry.

Each year AMASA partners with South Africa’s leading media companies who mentor the ALP interns and fast-track their hands on experience. During the programme, the ALP interns will be trained jointly by both AMASA and the partner companies, with each intern receiving a six-month remunerated contract with a host company as well as free entrance to the AAA media course and the AMASA Media Planning Workshop.

AMASA’s Chairperson, Lyn Jones comments, “The ALP is our core reason for being, enabling us to deliver against our primary mandate of driving media education. The ALP calls to graduates who not only possess exceptional academic credentials, but outstanding potential. The ALP offers talented graduates a unique foot into the media industry and the opportunity to be mentored by some of the most respected professionals in the industry. Simultaneously, the ALP assists in curbing the talent shortage from an agency perspective.”

The ALP is open to any candidates with a tertiary qualification however preference will be given to graduates who have Higher Grade Maths, BCom, Marketing, Statistics and Research qualifications.

Application forms to be downloaded from http://www.amasa.org.za/burseryfund.phpcompleted and submitted without supporting documentation to AmasaALP@gmail.com by no later than 31 March 2012. Selected candidates should be available to commence employment in early May 2012.  

 “The Digital Media Relations Award is a new category for the 2012 PRISMS and will be awarded to organisations “for the successful use of digital media relations in a PR campaign,”” explains Catherine Larkin, PRISM Awards 2012.

PEAR is digitally minded with an open source foundation, making an affiliation to a digital media award obvious. PEAR’s focus in all aspects of its services is towards the shortest possible turnaround time and the highest level of technological and analytical innovation, at the most affordable price.

“With the growth of the industry defining field of digital media, PRISA is yet again pushing the envelope by recognising key players in this growing and highly innovative field. Who better to sponsor and present than the highly innovative and pioneering PEAR,” says Shanaaz Nel, CEO at PEAR.

PEAR will also present its media scanning and analysis capabilities, launching an exciting and unique breakthrough in the industry – automated brand recognition and analysis. This service gives the client a view of branding as an event is broadcast live in real-time.

“With PEAR’s affiliation with the PRISMs, delegates will be guaranteed at least 20 percent discount on their current media scanning contract should they sign with PEAR. This is also applicable to all PRISA members. This is going to be a remarkable year for not only PEAR, but for the entire industry, because of the great platform that digital media provides companies,” concludes Nel.

Dion studies the consumer mindset – their hot buttons and the social and retail trends which define future society.  Darren Katz, Director of Primall Media explains “Although Dion’s focus is on people; his interest intersects with Primall Media’s in the area of retail.  We have teamed up with him to develop an understanding of consumer thinking and behaviour through knowledge-sharing sessions with our clients.

Because of the space Primall plays in, we’ll be emphasising the retail trends angle going forward. We believe that a numbers-only approach to research gives an incomplete understanding and sometimes a misleading perspective of consumers. Through Dion’s knowledge, we aim to offer advertisers a holistic approach to retail media and the people who frequent the retail space.”

Dion is an innovator and creative thinker whose opinion is highly sought after in the South African business arena. While his feet remain firmly planted on African soil, Dion uses a global perspective to source new ideas, gauge the zeitgeist and identify cutting edge trends. His analyses enable him to specialise in tracking shifting social dynamics, and understand the consumer mindset.

According to Primall, the alignment commissions Dion as the Unlimited subsidiary’s brand consultant and activator of its vision and passion for the retail advertising arena. “Dion’s respected trend opinion was magnetic to our vision for Primall’s premium retail media offering,” adds Darren. “He is an invaluable force and by tapping into his intellectual capital, we will enhance our delivery of thought leadership and cutting edge media solutions in the retail space.”

Dion’s forte lies in identifying and analysing macro trends, including politics, economic indicators, youth culture, media, entertainment and the technology which affect social dynamics and therefore daily business interactions. With the workshops planned for Primall, Dion will extract this cross-section of data relating to the retail media environment and package the findings for Primall to re-assess the shifting social landscape and formulate new, forward thinking, marketing and business strategies.

“Primall’s primary objective is to offer premium advertising options in the finest malls. Aligning with the best minds in the industry elevates our ‘Only the Best’ positioning and gives us the competitive advantage,” says Darren. “Our positioning strategy draws upon several years of experience in the upper end retail advertising arena, and uses refined insights to strategically align clientele with exclusive retail spaces which they dominate.

Driven by Dion’s experience, we’re able to provide retail advertising solutions based on crucial insights behind the ever-changing relationship between brands, consumers and the communication channels that bind them,” concludes Darren.

Dion’s professional pedigree includes being a consultant for Nokia Global in Helsinki, managing JD Group CEO Change Management, creative interventions for AngloGold Ashanti’s urban tribes design competition auditions, Nederburg’s wine auction sensory experience and merging finance and fashion for the Sanlam Fashion stock exchange at SA Fashion Week.

He has also held positions such as Fashion Editor of Elle magazine , Fashion Director of True Love <http://www.whoswhosa.co.za/true-love-23336> Magazine, Television Presenter and Chief Judge of SABC 2’s Fashion Your Future <http://www.whoswhosa.co.za/fashion-your-future-sabc-2-8793> and Portal Editor of Fashion Portal-MTN <http://www.whoswhosa.co.za/fashion-portal-mtn-8791> , to name a few.

 “We have been looking after those in the industry for almost half a century,” says Sharlene Vallance, executive committee member. “Last year was a very difficult year for the ABF as the demand for help far exceeded our income. Many people are out of work and we receive requests daily for assistance. Although the ABF produced more fund raising events than ever, we still fell short of securing a healthy cash flow and ensuring that the organisation was able to increase our grants.”

 The ABF is urging all able agencies, marketers, media owners and communicators to support the ABF with cash donations to enable it to continue its vital support role. Donators will be provided with tax certificates and where requested, certificates for BEE ratings.

“Donations can literally mean the difference between providing a meal for a family and them going hungry,” says Sharlene. “We have families with babies who have requested help, out of work parents who would do anything to ensure that their children are fed and elderly people who are alone with no care and no income. Our social workers visit all our cases every month and provide a report back to the Validation Committee.

We are providing the most basic essential help,” she says. “The people we are assisting are your previous colleagues, creative geniuses of the industry in years gone by, your friends, and your mentors. Please support us so that we can help our industry.”

The ABF bank details are listed below, any support is appreciated.

Standard Bank

Branch code: 051001

Account number 022 653 767

 Current Editor-in-chief, Louise Marsland, will not be returning following on the birth of her baby daughter in January and her relocation to Cape Town. Louise has wished the AdVantage team well going forward: “AdVantage is a very successful brand with a strong legacy in the industry and this will continue under the new team. I enjoyed my time at the publication and am looking forward to new opportunities and my time with my daughter.”

Jacques Breytenbach, GM Media24 Business & Custom Magazines, thanked Louise for her contribution over the past three years. “We wish Louise every success in her new endeavours and all the best for the future. I have no doubt that her career will continue to grow from strength to strength.”

Under Marsland’s leadership, AdVantage and the team won a slew of editorial and publishing awards in 2010 and 2011 and was named Media24’s Best B2B magazine of 2011 at the annual Magazine Excellence Awards.

Danette Breitenbach was Deputy Editor of AdVantage magazine under Louise Marsland. She has worked in the magazine industry for 20 years. Before joining the AdVantage team she worked as a contributor on the publication for several years. Previously she worked at Primedia Publishing as a publisher and editor, as well as a new business development manager. “Danette is resourceful and has an in-depth understanding of the B2B publishing environment. We are confident that she and the team will exceed expectations and continue to deliver world class media, marketing and advertising content,” said Jacques Breytenbach, GM Media24 Business & Custom Magazines.

“I have long been one of Grazia’s biggest fans,” says Weakley. “Its irreverent mix of fashion, news and celebrity completely appeals to my sensibilities – who doesn’t want to be informed on all fronts in one singular glossy weekly package? I believe it appeals to the fast-paced urban landscape in which us 30-something women operate.

“Grazia has been a game changer in the international magazine market since it began syndicating its distinctive brand of fast fashion, news and celebrity and I look forward to translating its smart formula into one that is relevant for – and resonates with – our fashion-loving, globally-savvy female audience.”

Danielle Weakley is no stranger to the local media landscape. During the course of her 17-year career, Weakley has worked on a variety of media brands including newspapers, general interest women’s magazines and celebrity news. For the last year, she has been pursuing her own business interests, setting up a content consultancy, working particularly in the digital space. She continued to write for several glossy titles, both locally and internationally and she was the chairman of the 2011 PICA Awards.

“Danielle has all the qualities required for the mammoth task of launching Grazia. She is passionate about fashion and news and has excellent experience in both fast paced weekly publications and monthly glossies. Danielle is smart, strong, stylish and   unflappable, with an excellent sense of humor to boot,” comments Liezl de Swardt, GM at the Women’s Interest division of Media24 Magazines. “We are thrilled to have such a dynamic talent on board.”

]]> http://www.advantagemagazine.co.za/danielle-weakley-appointed-launch-editor-of-grazia-south-africa/feed/ 0 http://www.advantagemagazine.co.za/fm-associate-editor-dies/ http://www.advantagemagazine.co.za/fm-associate-editor-dies/#comments Thu, 16 Feb 2012 08:31:39 +0000 Gillian Abrahams http://www.advantagemagazine.co.za/?p=4947

Journalist Linda Stafford, 57, died on Monday 13 February surrounded by her devoted husband Basil and their three sons, Josh, Dom and James. Stafford was associate editor at the Financial Mail, and oversaw its popular lifestyle section, FM Life. 
She began her career at Habitat straight after Rhodes University, then became a founding journalist of Finance Week (now Finweek) and subsequently ran its leisure section for seven years. 
She then worked for Style for a few years before becoming Deputy Editor of The Executive magazine, a position she held for four years. Linda then joined the Financial Mail where she ran the leisure, profile and property sections.
“Hard-news reporters might sniff at lifestyle journalism, but there is enormous skill in doing it successfully. Linda was among the best: not just in her writing but also in recognising what readers wanted. Her enthusiasm for what she did was unbounded, ” wrote David Furlonger, Editor-at-Large, Financial Mail in a tribute to Linda.

Linda Stafford’s memorial service will be on Friday 17 February at 3pm at the Inanda Club.