SOUTH AFRICA

[Biz Takeouts Podcast] 51: Online recruitment trends for South Africa and Africa

To find out more about the current trends in mobile search and mobile marketing for businesses in South Africa and Africa, listen to the podcast of last week's Biz Takeouts Marketing & Media radio show, which airs every Thursday from 5-6pm streamed live via 2oceansVibe Radio. [twitterfall] Read more >>

SOUTH AFRICA

[2013 trends] Africa's dynamic markets

[Obaika Consulting Team] The year 2013 for most brands, especially the ones coping with saturated markets in developed countries, will be a decisive one. Incorporating Africa into their corporate brand strategy, if they haven't done so, will be the better part of valour, so to speak. Read more >>

SOUTH AFRICA

[2013 trends] Africa poised for a great future

[Nandkishor Buty] As 2013 commences, afro-pessimism seems to cede to afro-optimism. There is a global consensus: Africa is poised for a great future. What will be the impact of Africa's growth on our industry? What will be the major trends of the year? In the business world, predicting the future is a crucial exercise. Read more >>

SOUTH AFRICA

[2013 trends] Out-of-the-box branding

[HKLM Exco Team] No, the concepts of "tribalism", "gamification" and "engagement" aren't a promo for the latest computer game, but are in fact the trends that will characterise the way companies and consumers interact in 2013. The branding industry is constantly developing and. while the following trends are evolutions rather than dynamic, short-term changes, we believe there are 10 areas that will define the brandscape over the next year. Read more >>

SOUTH AFRICA

[2013 trends] It's all Hype(r)

[Terry Levin] Colloquially, the word hyper is often used to convey over-the-top or excessive behaviour - as in "those blue Smarties made my child/dog/girlfriend really hyper". Additionally, over the last three or four decades, it has also come to mean linked. For the purposes of trend prediction, I will go out on a limb and predict that, from 2013, hyper will replace mega, uber and even inter as an urban prefix of choice. Read more >>

SOUTH AFRICA

[2013 trends] It is no longer business as usual

[Dave Nemeth] No matter how slow off the mark, we have all come to the realisation that, no matter what line of business we are in, drastic measures are needed in order for us to not only increase market share but also to survive. It is not, however, all doom and gloom and for those who are embracing innovation and prepared to experiment with new ideas, a lot of opportunity awaits to reconnect with consumers and rise above the negative economic factors. Read more >>

SOUTH AFRICA

[2013 trends] Opportunities for growth within marketing and advertising arena

[Johanna McDowell] There are a few trends to be aware of in 2013 which will help create opportunities within the advertising and marketing arena in South Africa. A number of these come from local and international intelligence. Read more >>

SOUTH AFRICA

[2013 trends] Insight into cinema in 2013

[Ryan Williams] I believe this year will be a positive one for cinema in South Africa, with a variety of influential trends taking hold of the industry. Digitalisation, 3D, blockbusters, increased attendance and on-the-mark cinema campaigns are all sure to contribute to a successful year. Read more >>

SOUTH AFRICA

[2013 trends] The year ahead for experiential marketing

[Mike Silver] It's that time of the year where agencies are asked to haul out the old crystal ball and provide pearls of thumb-sucking wisdom. Before we do so, it would be wise to see how history might repeat itself. Reflecting briefly, for experiential marketing, 2012 was quite a year locally and abroad. Oh, and mazeltov on surviving the Mayan apocalypse - it was touch-and-go for a second there. Read more >>

SOUTH AFRICA

[2013 trends] SA's youth trend-o-meter

[HDI Youth Marketeers Team] Young South Africa is savvier than ever before. If you are looking for a smart and discerning prosumer, this group of kids, teens and young adults will give you more kicks than you've ever bargained for. They know just what they are looking for from any brand, and this makes them that much more satisfying to please. Here are a few trends to look out for in 2013. Read more >>

KENYA

Kenya launches Tech City

Kenya's much touted first Technology City in Africa was commissioned by president Kibaki last week in one of his signature events before vacating office. Read more >>

SOUTH AFRICA

E-learning in 2013: Social learning

[Kirsty Chadwick] The e-learning industry is growing rapidly. A survey by Ambient Insight Research predicts that the worldwide market for e-learning products will rise from US$32.1bn in 2010 to US$49.9bn by 2015. As the web becomes increasingly mobile, so will the way we access our e-learning material. Ongoing improvements in technology and online communities have redefined what it means to teach, to learn and to be social. Read more >>

AFRICA

ICT-Nigeria Congress 2013 set for May

Hosey Global Conference will be holding the International Consumer Technology Congress 2013 (ICT-Nigeria Congress 2013) at the National Art Theatre in Iganmu, Lagos, Nigeria from 14-15 May 2013. The theme for the congress is 'Change Tradition Through Innovation'. Read more >>

SOUTH AFRICA

Vertical Limit Productions breaks into 2013 on an impressive high

[Issued by Vertical Limit Productions] True to form - and in keeping with their brand - Joburg-based activation company Vertical Limit Productions is blazing into 2013 with an extraordinary line-up of high profile events in the first quarter. Read more >>  visit press office >>

AFRICA

Building the media Africa needs

[Hloni Matsela] There has never been a greater hunger for information in Africa than now. A better educated, more prosperous and young population are eager for facts and opinions about everything from politics to the latest music. They want the chance to shape their own futures. Read more >>

AFRICA

The ONE Campaign aims to bring African voices to the table

As the current Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) expire in 2015, The ONE Campaign, an international grassroots advocacy backed by more than 3 million members worldwide, is launching an initiative to make sure the world's poorest people have a say in the development of the next set of goals to eradicate extreme poverty. Read more >>

NIGERIA

iROKOtv launches mobile app on Nokia Lumia

iROKOtv, the online distributor of Nigerian movies, announced the launch of a brand new mobile app for the platform, in an exclusive partnership with global phone manufacturer, Nokia. The app has been designed to give Nollywood fans and iROKOtv PLUS subscribers access to Nollywood movies on the go, and will be accessible on the Nokia Lumia Windows Phone 8. Read more >>

SOUTH AFRICA

The mobile retail revolution

[Bevan Ducasse] The 2012 African Mobile Factbook (Blycroft Publishing) revealed a few interesting revelations. We know that commerce in Africa is steadily becoming dependent on mobile. Some analysts are even predicting that Africa will become the world's first post-PC region of the world, with countries such as Botswana, Gabon and South Africa having a mobile penetration of more than 100%. And with mobile being such a pervasive, sophisticated, and personal device, comes new and exciting opportunities. Read more >>

AFRICA

Patience Akumu wins the 2013 David Astor Journalism award

[Racheal Ninsiima] Patience Akumu, a feature writer at The Observer has won the 2013 David Astor Journalism award. The award is given for a career of local and professional commitment, adherence to the highest ethical standards with the deep reverence for talent and resilience. Read more >>

SOUTH AFRICA

Win BIG in the BizBigBucks Competition and celebrate Valentine's Day your way!

[Issued by Bizcommunity] Come on, admit, you'd love R5000 in cash, right? Whisk your true love away for a romantic St Valentine's weekend... or not... Maybe it's that set of golf clubs you saw that need your fingerprints all over them... Well, here's your chance to do just that, and it's so easy... Read more >>  visit press office >>

AFRICA

Zuku TV's original content strategy pays off

In 2012, the Pay TV market became a great deal more competitive but with DStv Multichoice having acquired most of the existing exciting content, the challenge has been for challengers to come up with different content. This week saw one of the challengers (Zuku TV) sell one of the series it has commissioned - Tales from the Bush Larder - to Fox International. Read more >>

AFRICA

VIMN Africa joins forces with NTA

Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN) Africa (formerly MTV Networks Africa) has signed a landmark partnership and training agreement with Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Nigeria's national terrestrial network. Read more >>

UNITED STATES

Schmidt brands China "an Internet menace"

SAN FRANCISCO, USA: The Wall Street Journal reported last week that in his forthcoming book, Google chairman Eric Schmidt brands China as an "Internet menace that sanctions cyber crime for economic and political gain". Read more >>

UNITED STATES

Famous Yiddish newspaper relaunches website

NEW YORK, USA: It'll be computer scrolling, not ancient scrolls, for Jewish culture lovers when the world's most famous Yiddish newspaper relaunches its website on Monday (4 February) in a bid to stave off extinction. Read more >>

FRANCE

Most dangerous countries for journalists: Syria and Somalia

PARIS, FRANCE / DARMSTADT, GERMANY: On-going armed conflicts and insurgency make Syria and Somalia the world's most dangerous places for journalists, according to the annual figures on journalist deaths compiled by the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN-IFRA). Read more >>

UNITED STATES

The new age of digital publishing

[Jeanniey Mullen] We already have a month in the books for 2013. As I look at the next 90 days to nine months, I see an almost harmonic convergence of market conditions for digital publishing. It will be a time of great change, but digital publishing is having its breakout year. Read more >>

UNITED STATES

NYF: Television & Film Awards finalists for 2013 competition

NEW YORK, US: New York Festivals International Television & Film Awards, now in its 56th year of honouring the World's Best TV & Films, announced the 2013 Finalists. Read more >>

UNITED STATES

Microsoft's Office now in the clouds

SAN FRANCISCO, USA: Microsoft on Tuesday (29 January) began letting people subscribe to Office as a service in the Internet cloud, shedding the need to buy the popular productivity software on a disk. Read more >>

UNITED STATES

Apple doubles memory of iPads

NEW YORK, USA: Apple on Tuesday (29 January) unveiled a new iPad with twice the storage capacity of the existing model in an effort to sell iPads to companies that share large amounts of data. Read more >>

CANADA

WhatsApp breached privacy laws

OTTAWA, CANADA: WhatsApp's mobile messaging service used by hundreds of millions of people worldwide breached privacy laws in at least two countries, a joint Canadian-Dutch probe concluded on Monday (28 January). Read more >>

UNITED STATES

Exxon replaces Apple as world's most valuable company

NEW YORK, USA: Last week Apple was dethroned as the world's most valuable company as its shares continued to fall, dropping from a high of about US$700 to US$439 a share and giving it a market capitalisation of US$413bn. Read more >>

SOUTH AFRICA

SA will miss digital TV conversion deadline

South Africa will miss the 2015 deadline to convert its analog broadcasting signal to digital, according to a report. Read more >>

SOUTH AFRICA

HPCSA extends deadline for submissions on medical tariffs

The Medical and Dental Professions Board of the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) has extended by 21 days the deadline for submissions to determine guideline tariffs for medical and dental services. Read more >>

SOUTH AFRICA

More women employed by government

The number of women in all three levels of government has increased over the past 18 years, the SA Institute of Race Relations (SAIRR) said on Monday (28 January). Read more >>

SOUTH AFRICA

Korean set to ruffle German feathers

[Henrie Geyser: motoring editor] Hyundai's popular Santa Fe people carrier has moved up a number of notches on the large SUV status ladder and where it previously competed with the likes of Dodge Journey, Pajero Sport, Kia Sorento, Chevrolet Captiva and the likes, the newly-launched model now confidently also squares up to the two upper crust Germans, Audi and BMW. Read more >>

SOUTH AFRICA

Protea Hotel Kruger Gate begins final refurbishment phase

January 2013: Protea Hotel Kruger Gate, located just 100m from the Paul Kruger entrance to the Kruger National Park in Mpumalanga, will be completing the final phase of its renovations between 3 February 2013 and 15 May 2013. Read more >>

SOUTH AFRICA

Oh look, Darling - there's Evita!

[Brian Berkman: contributing editor, travel] South African olive oil is among the best in the world and is better than much of the stuff we import. I remember being transfixed by Marius Malan of Slaley Wines, which also produces olive oil, when he told of some of the practices that dupe us into thinking we are consuming olive oil that is Extra Virgin or, of greater concern, from the country of origin as stated on the bottle. Read more >>

SOUTH AFRICA

Fascinating Aïda's Cheap Flights Tour

[Eugene Yiga] "See them before you die," wrote British newspaper Mail on Sunday, "otherwise your life will have been meaningless." That's quite a strong endorsement for comedy cabaret trio Fascinating Aïda. But after seeing the Cheap Flights Tour at Theatre on the Bay, I'm starting to get a sense of why the reviewer was so thrilled. Read more >>