INDEPENDENT INDUSTRY INTELLIGENCE
Regional
Radio:
Real Reach, Real
poweR, Real issues
bRand Me,
gen Z
The mulTiscReen,
mulTiTasking
geneRaTion
Nick Efstathiou
Still
Renee Redelinghuys contentiouS,
but RaM data
doeS the tRick
in the hotSeat:
Sabc’S Vuyo
MtheMbu
Filling the
blank SpaceS
aS billboaRdS ISSUE 182
Nick Grubb ReSuRge
Karl Gostner
Contents
June 2019 Issue 182
Features 21 the evolution of radio tech 34 no more blanks as resurgent
08 raM research still contentious Radio ad tech hasn’t seen the billboards make their mark
Now in its sixth year of operation, same level of investment as other Posterscope’s latest research
the Broadcast Research Council’s marketing technologies, but is into the out of home sector
Radio Audience Measurement crucial for the radio revolution. reveals that solid fundamentals
research is still a topic of debate. are vital despite the razzle-dazzle
24 saBC radio on the verge of of new innovations.
13 an engaged audience is an making magic
invaluable asset The latest RAM data shows SABC 40 sound data delivers
Regional stations create a strong radio stations thriving, despite ‘functionagile’ insights
and personal bond between the broadcaster’s financial woes. We live and work in a quantum-
listeners and their favourite, Agencies and advertisers weigh shift ‘mediaverse’ where
focused radio brands niched by in on what needs to be done to ‘functionagile’ media insights
area, interests or community. create some magic. must embrace the reality of
platform-agnostic audience
18 radio’s digital sidekicks 30 sage advice on the state of measurement.
The rise in listening to radio radio play from radio veterans 44 From millennials to centennials
and other audio services on South Africa’s radio veterans
connected devices has created have a lot to say about why the A new generational cohort has
new commercial opportunities medium continues to survive and stepped in to grab the spotlight
in the form of digital audio thrive, even in an era of digital – and word has it that Gen Z
platforms. supremacy. is set to be the most disruptive
generation in history.
regulars
04 ed’s note
On the record… Righting the
good ship SABC.
05 Bites
Media by the mouthful.
06 Who are you?
Shani Kay, creator of SA Inc.
48 the Hotseat
Vuyo Mthembu was recently
appointed as SABC spokesperson,
bringing new energy to the role.
44 48
Cover
Renee Redelinghuys, managing director, Heart FM (top left); Nick Efstathiou, chief executive officer, Central Media Group
(top right); Karl Gostner, chief operating officer, Primedia Broadcasting (bottom left); Nick Grubb, chief executive officer,
Kagiso Media (bottom right).
All information contained in the radio station listings was provided by the stations themselves.
The Media accepts no responsibility for any incorrect information contained in any of the listings.
ContaCt InForMatIon
Station manager: Vukile Zondi
[email protected]
Programme manager: Mimi Kesaris
[email protected]
Brand sales manager: Nthabeleng Nhlapo
[email protected]
Station phone: 031 584 5300
Advertising enquiries: [email protected]
Media enquiries: Khulekani Shandu
[email protected]
statIon InForMatIon
Core audience: 18-34 years old
Typical listener: Young, urban, black adult
Broadcasting area: All over KwaZulu-Natal
Total past 7 days listenership (BRC RAM, Jul-Dec 2018): 1 394 000
Advertising policy: Nine minutes of adverts per hour, three ad
breaks an hour (the duration of which depends on amount of
airtime sold in that hour)
Broadcast language: IsiZulu and English
Format: Urban, music radio station
Most popular show: The Uprising, Monday to Friday, 06:00–09:00
Cost of flighting a 30” advert during this show: R8 190
Material requirements: MP2 or MP3
Digital and social media reach:
Facebook: 299 215 followers
Twitter: 249 945 followers
Instagram: 58 600 followers
Website: www.gagasiworld.co.za, 19 000 visits per month
P 2 The Media | wagthedog.co.za
THE UPRISING
with Felix Hlophe, Njabs Zwane & Khaya Dladla
Mon - Fri, 06h00 - 09h00
The infotainment packed afternoon breakfast show.
The perfect light hearted choice to start a day’s work.
The Media | wagthedog.co.za P 3
ed’s note
edItor
on tHe reCord… rIgHtIng tHe saBC Glenda Nevill
I started writing this note while watching new MPs being sworn [email protected]
in to the sixth parliament, led by a (hopefully) business-friendly ContrIButors
President, Cyril Ramaphosa. He promised a ‘new dawn’ when Britta Reid, Gordon Muller,
he took over from the disgraced former president, Jacob Zuma Iza Grek, Livia Brown, Lucinda
back in February 2018, and we can only hope that now that he Jordaan, Michael Bratt
has the mandate to lead the country, this will apply to all things
media too. laYout
The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) was Ideaology:
all but destroyed during the fourth and fifth parliaments. A design | advertising | digital
succession of ministers did nothing to halt Hlaudi Motsoeneng’s Art director:
crude mission to decimate the public broadcaster. Former Darren Rosenberg
public protector Thuli Madonsela laid bare the rot in her
devastating ‘When Governance and Ethics Fail’ report. Those ProduCtIon
of us (the public, the media, the advertisers) desperate for Michelle Pretorius
a thriving, excellent broadcaster, devoted to delivering its [email protected]
mandate to entertain and inform millions of South Africans, watched aghast as the SABC buckled advertIsIng sales
under the pressure, while a few brave individuals fought for its soul. Kalyn Fagan
The relationship between the Zuma administration and the media was fraught, to the extent that
ANC politicians referred to the fourth estate as the ‘opposition’. And the more the media exposed [email protected]
060 642 5177
corruption and state capture, the more the captured threatened a Media Appeals Tribunal and
draconian laws designed to muzzle freedom of speech. Vanessa Tiddy
Ramaphosa’s ousting of Zuma, and the subsequent slow but steady moves towards righting [email protected]
the state, have started a healing process at the SABC, and there are encouraging signs coming 072 789 9800
out of the broadcaster, not least the efficient and professional handling of its communications by
spokesperson, Vuyo Mthembu (who features in The Hotseat in this issue). And who would have PuBlIsHed BY
thought that cynical journalists of my acquaintance tuned in to SABC News’ election coverage Wag the Dog
over that of its commercial rivals. Publishers (Pty) Ltd.
SABC Radio was particularly devastated by Motsoeneng and his clumsy local content diktat, so (011) 447-7740/1
recalibrating it is taking some time and its heads weren’t ready to share their plans with us just yet. 243 Jan Smuts Avenue,
Nevertheless, Britta Reid canvassed the views of agencies and advertisers to take their temperature Parktown North,
where the fortunes of SABC Radio are concerned. Johannesburg
Other stories in our mid-year issue include a look at radio technology, radio’s digital sidekicks,
regional radio stations, and analyses of the country’s billboard sites, and of South Africa’s digital PuBlIsHer
consumers, as researched by Nielsen. Sandra Gordon
[email protected]
082 450 8113
The Media, got to love it.
Glenda
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P 4 The Media | wagthedog.co.za
BItes MEDIA BY THE MOUTHFUL
Ias ClarIFIes CoMMents Made In storY on BlaCk-
oWned MedIa agenCIes
Johanna McDowell, CEO of the Independent Agency Search and Selection Company (IAS) has clarified some comments
she made regarding transformation in a story published in the April 2019 issue of The Media magazine, ‘Slow progress
with black-owned media agencies, but change is on the way’. She refers to paragraph four in the article.
“Those comments regarding the larger media agencies were made in direct response to the question around ‘100%
black-owned and run media agencies being in entrepreneurial hands’.
“IAS wishes to point out that the larger internationally owned and locally owned media agencies have made great
strides in their black ownership and management structures and, although they may not be 100% black owned or 100%
black managed, the statistics below are very positive:
• The MediaShop is 52.8% black owned and 39.71% black female owned and is a Level 1 contributor to BBBEE.
• It is also run by black management at all levels, including top management, with Kgaugelo Maphai as MD of
Johannesburg and Bonita Bachmann as MD of Cape Town. It has a very progressive transformation process
throughout the agency with shares in employee hands, as well as individual shareholders and a small trust.
• Mindshare is a global entity as part of GroupM and has a Level 1 BBBEE status. Further progression regarding the
percentage of black ownership is expected in 2019.
• Mediology is a Level 2 BBBEE wholly South African agency and one of the few independent media planning and
buying media agencies in South Africa.
• Dentsu Aegis Network is a global network, which consists of a number of media brands, including Carat and
Vizeum. The DAN network in Sub-Saharan Africa is headed by Dawn Rowlands. It is 51% black female owned with
Level 1 BBBEE.
• BBBEE levels do not tell the whole story of course. Whether an agency is a Generic, a QSE or an EME has a huge
bearing on the value of the BBBEE status.
• In addition, how the shares are held by black shareholders can differ from agency to agency depending on their
transformation policies. Over and above that, the BBBEE rulings change on a frequent basis and these rulings are
expected to continue to evolve.
• Our role at IAS is to try and stay abreast of these changes within the codes and within agencies in order to be able
to provide answers to clients who want to know more about agencies during the selection process. Our process
helps to explain the complexities of ownership.
• The IAS trusts that this clarifies the comments made and wants to assure the agencies mentioned that no harm or
disparagement was intended to any of them.”
ooPs, It Was aIleen not
Paula…
The Media wishes to apologise to Aileen Lamb, managing
director of New Media Publishing, and Paula Hulley, CEO of the
IAB. In the last issue of the magazine, we mistakenly published a
photograph of Hulley as Lamb’s author photo in her story, ‘The
human connection: Content marketing beyond the channel’.
The mistake happened during the editing process when we
were renaming photographs for upload into the relevant
folders. We apologise to both women.
Aileen Lamb
The Media | wagthedog.co.za P 5
BITES: Who ARe you?
WHo are You?
I aM sHanI kaY
Filmmaker Shani Kay created SA Inc, a TV series being broadcast on e.tv, SABC 2, Mzansi Magic, and Business Day TV. It’s
all about celebrating South Africa’s successes. It was developed and created with Business Leadership SA and Brand South
Africa, with several major corporates taking part in the project, and focuses on the role of business in the strategic delivery
of global goals.
What set you on the road to creating the series, sa Inc? How hopeful are you for our future?
I have always been dedicated to the cause of making an impact in this country that I love and finding ways to align the agenda of
business and society towards productive and mutually beneficial ends. Six years, 120 stories and 30+ countries later, the impact and
potential of this type of communication content is abundantly clear: well-told, character-driven, human-centered stories are profoundly
effective at educating, inspiring and shifting perceptions.
Fast forward to January 2018 as South Africa emerges from the era of ‘he who shall not be named’. My bucket of hope starts to fill once
again and the time has come to bring this powerful storytelling mechanism to our home shores. Because, despite its myriad of problems,
challenges and obstacles, we have some awe-inspiring stories to tell. And so the idea was to shift the spotlight onto some of these
positive stories and, in doing so, start changing the conversation, from the boardroom to the shebeen, on what was happening and what
was possible in South Africa. I am thrilled to say that South Africans, both corporate and public, were ready to share and embrace this
new narrative. We have gone to air with our first 18 stories, with another 20 currently in production and the movement grows.
What were the main challenges in telling the stories in sa Inc?
The key challenge remains for South African business to see their contribution beyond the realm of corporate social investment (CSI).
Sustainability will only come from that which is core to business strategy. And whilst social impact interventions
are undoubtedly necessary and important, viewing business as a national asset is about its role in transforming
industries, creating jobs, helping enterprises to grow and becoming integrated into big value changes,
growing skills, shifting the gender and race balance, expanding the tax base, and effectively growing
the economic pie to the inclusive benefit of the country. This requires a sense of purpose beyond just
financial profit and a long term vision for the future.
What three things can’t you live without?
Travel, chili and my kids – not in that order.
Who is your superhero and why?
I would have to say Dr Seuss. A creative genius and astute philosopher of our time who found a way
to entertain and intrigue using both narrative and visuals to set the context for some very powerful
and important messaging. He is my muse for the power of a good story – and the inspiration for my
own body of quirky verse.
In five years’ time you will be…
Sadly, still trying to make sense of this crazy world where there is enough to go around, but the
distribution remains all skewed. And still promoting the idea that profit is not a swear word, but that
obscene profit really is.
More positively though, I will be working with progressive corporations to understand and
embrace the win-win benefits of integrated value creation as part of their core business
strategy; in a South Africa where economic growth is strong and poverty and crime are on
the decline; and proudly looking back on the campaign we built that helped move South
Africa forward into this potential. Hopefully, I will also be planning a trip to explore
some exotic destination on my bucket list.
P 6 The Media | wagthedog.co.za
MAGIC828
GET TO KNOW...
MUSIC RADIO
ContaCt InForMatIon
Station manager: Acting CEO Wakeel McLahclan
[email protected]
Programme manager: Graeme White
[email protected]
Sales manager: Brigitte Sierra-Petrick
[email protected]
Station phone: 021 001 4828
Advertising enquiries: Brigitte Sierra-Petrick The Western Cape’s
[email protected]
fastest growing radio station
statIon InForMatIon
Core audience: Listeners in Western Cape from all race groups,
male and female age 25-49, LSM 8-10
Typical listener: The Magic listener is around 35, fiercly passionate Playing timeless hits and memories all day everyday.
about music, loyal to the core, and not just an audience member.
You’re part of the Magic Family, stretching from the Magic Magic828 Music Radio plays more than your music,
Kingdom and around the world
we’re playing the soundtrack of your life.
Broadcast area: Entire Western Cape from border to border with
an AM signal, Magic can be heard in even the most remote areas
of the Western Cape
Total past 7 day: 178 000 (FGI 2018)
Advertising policy: 12 minutes an hour Turn up
Broadcast language: English the Radio
Format: Playing timeless hits, delivering magical musical memories
LISTEN NOW ON 828AM
and great entertainment to our listeners every single day from the
70’s. 80’s, 90’s and 00’ LISTEN NOW ON 828AM
Straight from the Magic music vault, hit after hit after hit. If you
love great music you’ll love Magic. We’ll rock your world, get you
on the dance floor, and then we’ll slow it down just right at night
Most popular show: Breakfast show with Guy McDonald
Cost of flighting a 30-second advert during this show: R2 600
Material requirements: MP3, MP2 or WAV
Digital and social media reach:
Facebook: 12 850 likes
Twitter: 12 418 followers
Website: www.magic828.co.za
The Media | wagthedog.co.za P 7
/MAGIC828MUSIC
RADIO MEASUREMENT
MIxed reaCtIons to BrC’s
raM researCH
Radio Audience Measurement (RAM) research by the Broadcast Research Council (BRC), now in its sixth year of operation,
is still contentious. BRITTA REID canvasses views on its real value, and what media owners have done to stabilise and grow
ad sales during this period of change.
When the first January – June BRC RAM study was launched Besides noting that broadcasters have used the data to adjust
on 25 August 2016, the narrative was about the transformation of shows and make changes on their stations, West highlighted its
the RAM system. effect in a rate card setting, stating “where listenership dropped, I
Claudelle Naidoo, head of insights and new business director have seen (the) decreasing of rate(s)”.
at MediaCom, was on the technical evaluation committee, so Van Rensburg suggests that vox pops and case studies of
her view was an internal one from a research angle rather than a listener events seem to carry greater weight as a sales tool,
sales perspective. She recalls that it “was very exciting… knowing adding that “broadcasting groups seem to favour their own
how much effort was put into delivering a tool that was as proprietary data, preferring to use this to sell to clients”.
representative as possible of the South African universe, as well as Concurring with this, Trish Taylor, chief executive officer of
radio consumption”. Primedia Broadcasting Western Cape, confirms they do use “a
From an agency perspective, PHD’s group data manager, variety of (our) own online data, including podcast downloads,
Howard West was aware that the BRC invested in making sure streaming figures, and digital views to name a few, to ascertain
that the data was as accurate as possible. “So, when the new data audience responsiveness… and conduct our own qualitative and
came out, I knew it was a truer reflection of the radio landscape,” quantitative research to use multiple data points to further fine-
he confirms. tune our radio assets… multiple data points also greatly assists
Anne Van Rensburg, managing director of Vizeum Cape Town, advertisers with deeper insights about our audiences”.
recalls the launch brought some Primedia Broadcasting’s chief
interesting and useful new operating officer, Karl Gostner,
insights into radio listenership, says the impact of the new
after a lifetime of same-old data. unDeR SAARF, The WhiTe SegMenT methodology on the company’s
“Specifically, the introduction oF The RADio univeRSe hAD Been talk stations was surprising, but
of listening across device and he remained “concerned that BRC
location and evidence of heavy, DiSPRoPoRTionATeLy LARgeR doesn’t adequately get to high-
loyal listeners listening to stations end, affluent audiences”.
for longer periods of time, In this, they are not alone:
brought a refreshing new perspective,” she says. Bunce says, after collaborating with independent researchers,
By contrast, Alu Sixishe, national sales manager at The Media that a large share of United Stations’ audiences fall within the
Connection, confessed that her thought at the time was one of wealth belt of LSM/SEM 8-10, earning more than R30 000 per
shock, “because the numbers came back unexpectedly lower month. The low representation of this sector in the sample has an
overall, with a few stations showing slight growth while others inhibiting effect on clients with global mandates that investments
dipped quite significantly”. United Stations’ managing director be made based on cost benchmarks, and guidance can be
Rivak Bunce pragmatically points out that “it stands to reason that construed as biased ‘owned data’. He notes the value of case
the data looked different. Under SAARF, the white segment of the studies to prove to clients that their platforms are able to deliver
radio universe had been disproportionately larger than what was the results they require, as well as working with clients “to trial
revealed by BRC RAM’s census-style approach”. our inventory and deliver results”.
Preferring proprietary data Community stations not impressed
Itumeleng Lethoko, head of media and market intelligence at Hot 91.9FM managing director, Lloyd Madurai, is pretty blunt in
Mediamark, believes the BRC data assisted them in differentiating his assessment: “The BRC RAM has not helped community and
their brands from key competitors. Even more tangibly, the smaller market stations,” he says unequivocally. For these stations,
understanding of audience availability outside of the usual he argues “conducting studies on a micro level in primary
drive time shows meant they were able to “create cost effective broadcast areas will result in a much smaller margin of error, as
packages for the weekend and mid-morning shows which we well as investing in digital platforms for research and incentivising
were able to monetise and generate revenue”. respondents with more aspirational incentives”.
P 8 The Media | wagthedog.co.za
RADIO MEASUREMENT
Sixishe and The Media Connection’s CEO, Nkopane Maphiri, Both Lethoko and Bunce note the ongoing evolution of the audio
are keen to find a lasting solution to this challenge, and say they landscape, citing the example of the growing need to track time
are prepared to facilitate dialogue with the organised community shifted listening.
broadcasting sector, prospective funding partners and the BRC to The latter holds up Nielsen and Edison Research as delivering
deliver an independent and credible community sub-study. “some great wins internationally in terms of audience listening
Stephanie Sullivan of OMD Cape Town has concerns over the measurement for all audio listening touchpoints”, providing
use of Stats SA’s definition of metropolitan municipalities, which greater clarity in terms of a “share of ear currency” and a better
she argues has reduced overall sample share in provinces such
as Northern Cape. She also highlights that there appears to be a total ad investment declines
correlation between listenership changes and language sample Source: nielsen
fluctuations for certain stations, an anomaly she suggests could R44.0
be resolved by setting language quotas for sampling.
It is issues such as these that have led the industry to be R40.9
“50/50 on whether or not we believe in our currency research”, R40.2
as Naidoo puts it. She argues that “as an industry we are meant
to drive performance and results for brands”. This requires the
“interrogating, interpreting and packaging of this research to Billions
a) drive consensus and research leadership as an industry and
behave as one, and b) ensure that the data itself is consistently
audited and sense-checked against population developments,
changes, and the reality of what is happening in South Africa”.
Many in the media sector have picked up her call for the future
proofing of currency data. West voices the desire for “a bigger
sample, especially in metropolitan areas where there is a larger
concentration of radio stations” and questions whether hybrid ye Aug 16 ye Aug 17 ye Aug 18
surveying employing a technology solution could assist in this.
Continued on pg 12
The Media | wagthedog.co.za P 9
Get the most out of your
Brea fast
with Darren, Sherlin & Sibs
WEEKDAYS
6-9am
THE MOST MUSIC. FEEL GREAT. The Media | wagthedog.co.za
P 10
ContaCt InForMatIon ContaCt InForMatIon
Programme manager: Stephen Werner Programme manager: Tessa Van Staden
[email protected] [email protected]
Marketing manager: Saskia Hickey Marketing manager: Saskia Hickey
[email protected] [email protected]
Station phone: 021 446 4700 Station phone: 021 446 4700
Advertising enquiries: Advertising enquiries:
JHB: Anthony Popper – [email protected] JHB: Anthony Popper – [email protected]
011 506 3656 011 506 3656
CTN: Omesh Authar – [email protected] CTN: Omesh Authar – [email protected]
021 446 4805 021 446 4805
statIon InForMatIon statIon InForMatIon
Core audience: Cape Town, SEM 7-10, age 25-54 Core audience: Cape Town, SEM 8-10, age 35-64
Typical listener: Kfm 94.5’s audience is premium, diverse Typical listener: CapeTalk’s listeners are discerning, active citizens
and upwardly mobile. They are digitally connected, fun and who want to know what’s happening in the world around them.
adventurous. They enjoy spending time with family and friends, They are educated, knowledgeable, financially savvy, travel
getting active and staying healthy frequently and appreciate the finer things in life
Total past 7 days listenership (BRC RAM, oct 2018-Mar 2019): Total Past 7 Days Listenership (BRC RAM, oct 2018-Mar 2019):
944 000 68 000
Adspend (nielsen, Apr 2018 – Mar 2019): R463 198 824 Adspend (nielsen, Apr 2018 – Mar 2019): R107 527 047
Advertising policy: 9 minutes per hour Advertising policy: 10 minutes per hour
Broadcast language: English & Afrikaans Broadcast language: English
Format: Adult contemporary music Format: News talk radio
Most popular show: Kfm mornings with Darren, Sherlin and Sibs Most popular show: The Breakfast Show
Cost of flighting a 30” commercial in this show: R11 579 Cost of flighting a 30” commercial in this show: R3 646
Material requirements: High quality MP3 / WAV files Material requirements: High quality MP3 / WAV files
Digital & social media reach: Digital & social media reach:
Facebook: 194 025 likes (Apr 2019) Facebook: 42 931 Likes (Apr 2019)
Twitter: 345 606 followers (Apr 2019) Twitter: 227 843 Followers (Apr 2019)
Website: Website:
Kfm.co.za – 97 051 unique monthly visitors (Apr 2019) Capetalk.co.za – 267 947 unique monthly visitors (Apr 2019)
Ewn.co.za – 3 919 668 unique monthly visitors (Apr 2019) Ewn.co.za – 3 919 668 unique monthly visitors (Apr 2019)
The Media | wagthedog.co.za P 11
RADIO MEASUREMENT
radio share climbs While currency research needs to keep pace with the evolving
media landscape, Gostner sums it up, saying, “We believe the
Source: nielsen
BRC does a great job within tight constraints of representing
17.8% radio listening across the length and breadth of South Africa”,
continuing that it provides a credible, research-based currency,
17.4%
15.9% which is critical in a media world that is increasingly driven by
data.
He cautions that it is difficult to draw a direct line between
Share the BRC data and revenue generation, but believes that the
demonstration of length of time which people listen to individual
radio stations, as well as location and device listening, have
helped to maintain radio’s share of spend overall. In fact, in a
particularly stressed period, radio has grown its market share.
Having spent some decades
working in media agencies,
ye Aug 16 ye Aug 17 ye Aug 18
Britta Reid now relishes
the opportunity to take an
independent perspective
understanding of audience migration. He suggests that such a on the South African media
step-change would enable broadcasters, agencies and clients
to create more relevant messages and contextually deliver world, especially during
content that audiences want to spend more time engaging this time of radical research
AFSTEREO Wag The Dog Half Page Advert 3.pdf 1 2019/06/04 10:13:57 transformation.
with… (broadcasters) will also leverage the insight to inform
programming and content line-ups”.
Are you a . . .
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Y
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MY Musician?
stations/channels
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K Compare own and competition music playlists, high Royalty Calculation
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The Media | wagthedog.co.za
P 12 company in South Africa and Botswana for a DEMO:
Audio Extractions and AVE calculation
www.afstereo.com • +27 10 500 1111 • [email protected]
REGIONAL RADIO
AFSTEREO Wag The Dog Half Page Advert 3.pdf 1 2019/06/04 10:13:57
Are you a . . .
Radio Station or TV-Channel?
Let us help fix spot flighting errors with our overnight Media Agency or Direct Advertiser?
media audits, called Error Reporting Post Campaign Analysis based on actual broadcast loYaltY delIvers an
Increase your sales by analysing your competition’s Automated Campaign Ratings in near real-time
Exclusive Advertisers Client and Competitor Audio/Visuals archived for 2-years
Use our CPM + Sold-Out insights report to fix your rate InvaluaBle asset: an engaged
C Campaign Audits, called Compliance Certification
card
M Use our Sold-Out report for rate negotiations
Compare your advertisers spend on competition and Invested audIenCe
Y
stations/channels
CM Record Company, Record Label, Composer or
Analyse Year-on-year advertiser spend on competition The voice that you know, the news that you trust, the music that makes you feel alive, the conversations and communities
MY Musician?
stations/channels you understand and that nurture and nourish you… these are attributes of radio that keep listeners tuning in, writes GLENDA
CY Featured Singles airplay reporting NEVILL. Sometimes they’re niched by location (regional radio) or by interest (Magic828 vintage ’80s and ’90s music anyone?)
When subscribing to Error Reporting, get your Online
Streaming for FREE invested audience.
CMY Full repertoire reporting or by community (language, religion); but these loyal listeners deliver to the stations an invaluable asset: an engaged and
K Compare own and competition music playlists, high Royalty Calculation
rotation tracks, charts and new songs Of course the nuts and bolts matter. The localised weather in campaigns that rally listeners to help in times of acute crisis or
reports, the explanation of why traffic is insanely backed up, news shortage, says Grubb.
SAMPRA/SAMRO automated reporting and royalty that is local and relevant. But there’s more to it than that, says Jacaranda FM’s Good Morning Angels initiative, propelled by its
calculation Kagiso Media CEO Nick Grubb. There’s the fact that “talent and engaging and award-winning breakfast show host Martin Bester
station outreach projects create strong personal and emotional and his team, primes listeners for doing good, managing to raise
Involved in PR? bonds between the listener and their favourite radio brand”. extraordinary levels of money and help whenever, and wherever
Jacaranda FM and East Coast Radio both participate proactively it is needed.
24/7/365 Broadcast audio/visuals archived for 2-years Contact the ONLY independent broadcast media monitoring
company in South Africa and Botswana for a DEMO:
Audio Extractions and AVE calculation The Media | wagthedog.co.za P 13
www.afstereo.com • +27 10 500 1111 • [email protected]
REGIONAL RADIO
Dennis Karantges Karl gostner Renee Redelinghuys nick efstathiou
When three children died after a walkway collapsed at the and rich analysis that is not always possible for stations with a
Driehoek School in Vanderbijlpark, Bester and his team stepped broader mandate”, says Gostner.
in and raised an astonishing R865 000 during the show. Such is In central South Africa, OFM rules the airwaves. Nick Efstathiou,
the power of the Good Morning Angels initiative that three young CEO of Central Media Group, says while the diverse communities
mountain bike riders hit the dirt roads between Cape Town and the station serves range across the Free State, southern Gauteng,
Pretoria on a fundraising quest, #MilesForAMillion, to raise over a Northern Cape and North West, there is “a distinctively shared
million rand to boost its coffers. Hendrik Steytler, Deon Brink and mindset that unites central South Africans irrespective of where
Ivor Potgieter arrived at the station’s Off the Beat ‘n Track event they live, their lifestyle, age, or even ethnicity”. This, he says, is in
after completing their 11-day mission, and yes, they raised the their approach to life, “defined by a focus on what really matters
money. and striving for greater balance”. It’s an approach “underpinned
As Grubb points out, regional and local radio stations forge by a strong corporate citizen with solid family values, respect for
strong connections with listeners that national stations often religion, and the importance of time spent in the company of
battle to emulate because of their massive footprints. Radio’s friends”.
strength and enduring popularity relies on its relevance, The Eastern seaboard is home to Algoa FM, which also reaches
he says. News and information will be more targeted to its the Garden Route, including the towns of Knysna, George and
listeners’ context. “Where national stations succeed is where the Mossel Bay, since its footprint was extended in December 2011.
community they serve is defined by something other than locality Advertising sales manager, Dennis Karantges, says there is “a
– for example, the success of Ukhozi, which targets a language personal interaction between the broadcaster and listeners
and cultural grouping spread across the country.” through an amalgamation of on-air, online and on-the-ground
Chief operating officer of Primedia Broadcasting, Karl Gostner, products”.
says its Eyewitness News offering gives its regional stations (702 While the station’s on-air product is “lifestyle focused
and 947 in Gauteng, and CapeTalk and Kfm in the Western Cape) towards adults who enjoy popular contemporary music and
a “unique edge against both regional and national stations by have the resources to treat themselves regularly to quality life
offering a credible, breaking and independent news source”. experiences”, as Karantges says, it’s positioning as a “responsible
And, he points out, it has become a leading and award-winning, and committed corporate citizen” has established it as a trusted
national, digital news brand too. partner in the lives of people.
The stations themselves are mandated to make a meaningful It’s flagship event, the annual Algoa FM Big Walk for Cancer,
impact in the cities in which Primedia operates. They should is now in its 21st year. It is, says marketing manager Toinette
“spread joy, laughter and connections, while ensuring that Koumpan, the biggest mass participation charity event in the
listeners are empowered with information and analysis of the Eastern Cape. Added to this is the Algoa Cares CSI initiative,
world around them. The fact that we are deeply entrenched in started over 30 years ago as an on-air feature, which has now
the regions in which we operate enables us to give a textured grown into a rallying point of support for local, non-profit
P 14 The Media | wagthedog.co.za
REGIONAL RADIO
organisations with their mission to assist and empower those
in need, especially the most vulnerable. “We use the power
of radio and digital to increase awareness, influence positive
change and inspire development within our broadcast footprint,”
says Koumpan, adding that the station also helps co-ordinate
emergency support for communities affected by floods or fires.
Across the country in South Africa’s economic heartland ContaCt InForMatIon
of Gauteng, YFM is charged with entertaining the province’s
youth demographic. It’s their well-earned reputation for being Ceo: Lyndon Johnstone – [email protected]
pioneers in breaking new music and artists, as well as promoting Programme manager: Penny Ndlovu – [email protected]
established South African music, that keeps urban youth tuning Station phone: 011 403 1027
in. “The station is synonymous with trendsetting in urban youth Advertising enquiries: United Stations – [email protected]
culture, developing and nurturing talent that have become icons
in the eyes of young people and beyond,” says Kenneth Molefe,
the station’s sales manager. statIon InForMatIon
This youth segment is digitally savvy. They “live on their
smartphones and on social media,” says head of digital, Hilton Core audience: High net worth (HNW) individuals, corporate
Tarrant. This, he says, is what young people in urban areas do. decision-makers, owners of small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs)
“The station has among the highest portion of listeners who listen and professional practices
to the station on their smartphones, and they do so primarily Typical listener: Classic 1027 has an affluent, well-educated
through live streaming,” he adds. The station’s app “plays a listenership, with 78% of all Gauteng listeners predominantly in
critical role in how we drive live streaming, on-demand content LSM 8-10
consumption, as well as interaction from our most-engaged
listeners,” Tarrant explains, which is why the station produces and Broadcasting area: Classic 1027 is a greater Johannesburg
tailors specific content for audiences across its social media and metropolitan radio station
owned digital platforms.
Heart FM’s Renee Redelinghuys says as a niche station, “we Fgi figure (Mar 2019) past 7 days : 175 000
believe we are truly representative of our diverse, vibrant and Advertising policy: Four advertising breaks per hour, with two
colourful community that is Cape Town. We are reflective of our adverts per break
audience; we speak to and understand them intimately. We are a
trusted member of the community with 47% of our audience only Broadcast language: English
listening to Heart FM”.
Format: Classic 1027 broadcasts classical and crossover classical
music that appeals to the South African audience
owning the Mother City
With access to such loyal listeners, ad spend should follow. Most popular shows: More Music Breakfast for music and Classic
But does it? Redelinghuys says the station’s main challenge Business with Michael Avery for business programming
is that “niche audiences are often misunderstood and key
decision makers often turn a blind eye to an audience they don’t Cost of flighting a 30” advert during these shows: R3 000
understand. There needs to be a shift in mindset and advertisers Material requirements: MP3
need to bear in mind that media is consumed differently by
different audiences”, she says. Digital and social media reach:
“As a result of these misconceptions, even though we are able Website: classic1027.co.za
to offer the same reach at a better cost, we find that brands often
support the more ‘established’ stations,” she says. Nevertheless, CLASSIC 1027
she adds, “For advertisers, our value proposition is that Heart FM INFOGRAPHIC 45
owns the Mother City and its vibrant, colourful community. Our FGI 175 380 (LSM 8+) 24% 76%
listeners are fiercely loyal and brand savvy.” LISTENERS AVG AGE
Grubb reckons regional and local stations have better 29%
penetration of mid to upper income consumers than nationals. 51% 43% EXCLUSIVE
LISTENERSHIP
WHITE BLACK
“So, while booking a national campaign on one national station * OTHER GAUTENG RADIO = 23%
may be easier, it rarely offers competitive audience reach per
region compared with booking across a spread of regional 1% 5%
commercial stations,” he says. But he does worry about the INDIAN COLOURED MARRIED SINGLE
growing impact of digital competitors on radio’s share of the 55% 24%
advertising pie, and of course, the performance of South Africa’s R29 132
AVG. HOUSEHOLD INCOME
economy.
89 000
ONLINE STREAMERS
The Media | wagthedog.co.za 15-25 25-34 34-49 50+ P 15 PER MONTH (UNIQUE)
8% 30% 34% 28% DSTV 857
67% 66%
CAR RADIO
SOURCE: FGi mid Feb ‘19 – mid Mar’19 (879 sample, 18+, LSM 8+)
REGIONAL RADIO
For Gostner, the challenge that Primedia Broadcasting faces
in attracting radio ad spend is not so much a Primedia challenge
as it is a radio challenge. “The digital giants – Google and
Facebook – have offered customers the allure of highly targeted
and measurable campaigns,” he says. “In a world of increasing
financial accountability, the hard measurement offered by these
ContaCt InForMatIon mediums provides a veneer of accountability and, as such, radio is
pushed hard to increase its measurability.”
Ceo: Nick Efstathiou – [email protected] But he is heartened by signs that “intangible, values-driven
Sales manager: Alda Fourie – [email protected] criteria that ensure the editorial integrity of the platforms are
Station phone: 051 505 0900 regaining importance and so sophisticated advertisers are
increasingly balancing the targeting capabilities offered by digital
Advertising enquiries: Jenny Ghoos – [email protected] with the reach and credibility offered by established, premium,
mass media brands”.
statIon InForMatIon Molefe believes the perception is that YFM listeners do not
have disposable income, but research shows this is not the case.
Core audience: 25 to 49 years old, SEM 7-10 He cites results of a 2018 Youth Dynamix digital survey of 24-29
year olds in Gauteng: 58% get money from working part-time
Typical listener: 30 something, typically female, lifestyle-oriented, or full-time; one quarter have a side job or own a business to
enjoys family time, loyal and aspirational
supplement their income; 96% plan to invest in the next 12
Broadcasting area: Free State, Northern Cape, North West and months, while 90% want to get insurance policies in the next 12
southern Gauteng months; and 70% or more of millennials are the primary purchase
decision makers for cellphones, personal care items, transport,
Total past 7 days listenership (BRC RAM, Jan-Dec 2018): 236 000 clothing, shoes and accessories, and banking.
Advertising policy: 11 minutes per hour Algoa FM’s listeners are the prime audience in the Eastern Cape
for consumer goods, entertainment and holidays because they are
Broadcast language: English and Afrikaans highly mobile and have disposable income, Karantges says. Not
only does the sales team work closely with local businesses, but
Format: Adult contemporary hits from the ‘80s, ‘90s, ‘00s and now the station offers its own team of graphic designers, copywriters,
Most popular show: The Big Breakfast with Martin van der Merwe voice-over artists and events experts to assist clients in the
conceptualisation, design and rollout of focused campaigns.
Cost of flighting a 30” advert during this show: R4 620 Excl. Vat “Our experienced social media team opens up new markets
and information channels for advertisers. As with the on-air
Material requirements: WAV or MP3
advertising, our social media is strategically focused to optimise
Digital and social media reach: communication with existing and potential customers,” says
Facebook: 115 000 likes Karantges. “Local SMEs benefit from this expertise as advertisers
Twitter: 57 900 followers have enjoyed great success with local campaigns.”
Heart FM has also gone the in-house creative route. “Creative
Website: www.ofm.co.za director, Nick Feinberg, has instilled a creative culture at the
station by appointing a pool of great talent and fostering an
App: Android and Apple
environment where creatives are able to express themselves
while staying true to the integrity of client objectives,” says
Redelinghuys, adding that the in-house creative team understands
their audience and can create tailor-made campaigns that
mobilises it.
Local advertisers trust OFM to deliver its high quality,
economically active audience, as those listeners invest in local
products and services, says Efstathiou. They become lifelong loyal
customers and friends, he says, while “national advertisers see
central South Africa as a massive growth opportunity”.
He sees OFM as having a key role in ensuring they understand
“the niche audience; their likes and dislikes; needs and wants.
OFM’s challenge in attracting ad spend relies on our ability to
share insights, being made a marketing partner and not just
another platform, to be personally invested in clients’ needs and
return value back to them.”
P 16 The Media | wagthedog.co.za
THE KINGS DRIVE
with SPHEctacula and DJ Naves
Mon - Fri, 15h00 - 18h00
The infotainment packed afternoon drive time show.
The perfect light hearted choice to wrap up a day’s work.
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The Media | wagthedog.co.za P 27
The Media | wagthedog.co.za
DIGITAL MEASUREMENT
BrIngIng togetHer radIo and
dIgItal In PerFeCt HarMonY
Traditional radio content and advertising can no longer only be found on a single medium, being paired with digital as more
and more people are recognising the value of this relationship, writes MICHAEL BRATT.
Recent research by Radiocentre, the industry body for music and personalities that listeners are loyal to, and still has a
commercial radio in the United Kingdom, highlighted how the huge audience and mass reach. Social that is driven by radio and
rise in listening to radio and other audio services on connected its influential personalities, provides the ability to have one-on-
devices has created new commercial opportunities in the form one interactions and the power to humanise your brand. Uniting
of digital audio advertising placed into streamed or downloaded your message across both channels also increases the amount of
audio content including radio, on-demand music services, and eyes and ears paying attention to your message,” Bunce adds.
podcasts. It also showed how using radio and digital in tandem With digital dominating people’s lives (think of the amount of
can optimise the effects of a media campaign. time spent on social media and big tech platforms) it makes sense
Rivak Bunce, managing director of United Stations, believes it is for radio to spread its reach as much as possible into this sphere
common knowledge that radio and digital are excellent partners. as well.
“Radio reaches and influences a much wider audience, while As Franz Kruger, adjunct professor of journalism at Wits
digital helps the advertiser engage with interested prospects who University and director of the Wits Radio Academy, explains,
are actively seeking the product. By combining radio and digital, “Broadcast radio stations need to make use of as many
you can get the best of both worlds,” he elaborates. opportunities in the digital space to connect with audiences, both
The same is true for radio and social media. By combining for income purposes and simply because audiences are using so
these two, stations are able to extend their reach even further. many more different kinds of media than before. Radio needs to
“Radio is unmatched by any media for its blend of local content, be where its audience is, it’s as simple as that.”
P 18 The Media | wagthedog.co.za
DIGITAL MEASUREMENT
the digital sidekicks
There are numerous ways for radio content and advertising to live in the digital space.
From station live streams and apps to podcasts and social media channels, all of them
not only offer more ways for the on-demand consumer to access content, but also
allow the stations more opportunities to engage with their audience. This includes
entries into competitions, feedback on shows and presenters, ideas for topics as well as
input from the audience on topics being discussed on-air.
Measuring return on investment
But radio’s increased reach through digital channels means absolutely nothing if its
value and contributions are not practically measureable.
For station live streams, podcasts, and apps, success is generally measured by the
number of people who are tuning in and/or downloading. For social media channels,
engagement is the critical factor, including follows, shares, likes and comments.
For independent media consultant Tim Zunckel, the most valuable metric for radio
digital advertising is feedback from the advertiser that it worked. “If they got more feet
into a store, sold more products, got more enquiries, it’s the physical stickiness of the
campaign, when you can see it did its job,” he says.
He applauds South African stations for realising that radio content shouldn’t
just be copied and pasted into the digital world. They define their digital platforms
with bespoke content, and hire specialists to create it for them. Still, Zunckel isn’t
completely convinced that concrete sales models for these digital platforms have been
found. “They are being sold as part of a radio package, buy on-air and we’ll give you
digital as added value, but we haven’t worked out how to sell them individually,” he
comments.
Advances in methods of data gathering and analysis now mean that radio stations
can tell you so much about their digital audience. “They can be measured in real
time and accurately – we can check how many people have downloaded our app Charis Coleman
and are using it, and on what device even. We know who is listening exclusively on
live streaming. And we consistently measure our social media channels and track
engagement and reach every week and month,” says Jonathan Lumley, promotions
manager for East Coast Radio and Jacaranda FM.
Increased advertising revenue
Aside from increased audience reach, digital platforms offer radio stations more
opportunities to generate advertising revenue.
“Most radio stations offer a variety of digital advertising options beyond adverts
on their sites, such as in-stream audio adverts, video adverts, podcasts, and branded
content,” says Charis Coleman, head of digital content at Kagiso Media. “Radio can
create that one-stop digital marketing service, putting the client on-air, but also
in email campaigns, on search engines and across social media with targeted ads
on Facebook, Twitter, and other social channels, as well as connecting with social
influencers.”
However, she cautions that before advertisers and stations determine if their digital
marketing campaign is a success, they need to set achievable goals, determining a
quantifiable result, and which metrics are most important to them (is it organic traffic
to a website, total campaign reach, referral traffic, engagement, or entries or sign-
ups?).
But there is a downside to radio stations playing in the digital space, as Kruger
cautions, “What is complicated is that sometimes these other platforms (Facebook
being a prime example) derive their own income from radio activities, and the
commercial benefit for the radio station itself can be lost.”
online-only stations
This model changes slightly when one looks at online-only stations. “It always starts
with the numbers game – ‘how many people will I reach?’ In the minds of many clients
and agencies, the more people that see or hear my advert, the more effective it will Rivak Bunce
be. This is where we need to flip the measuring of an effective audience number on its
The Media | wagthedog.co.za P 19
DIGITAL MEASUREMENT
head,” says Emma Jane Robson, director of online radio sales house, Awake Online.
The company uses its trademarked Cost Per Listen model to stress quality of
audience over quantity. She elaborates that while radio streaming numbers are bound
to be smaller in comparison to traditional radio, it’s important to consider the market, its
mindset and its level of engagement.
Someone who has actively chosen to go online to find a radio stream will be a more
receptive listener, because they have actually chosen to listen and engage with the
content. Generally its niched nature also makes it more relevant and targeted for an
audience.
Most radio stations have implemented robust digital presences and offerings
alongside their traditional on-air programming. Lumley refers to radio and digital as
“great bedfellows”, concluding, “In the recent past, the focus from agencies has been to
steer their clients to some form of digital advertising. This has alarmed some radio sales
people, but our digital offerings in radio are strong and are available for clients to be
aligned with.”
Michael Bratt is a multimedia journalist for Wag
the Dog. He previously worked at several high
profile media houses including CNBC Africa and
Tiso Blackstar Group. He obtained a Bachelor of
Journalism Degree with Honours from Rhodes
University. He has been an active member of
Toastmasters for the past nine years, currently
serving as Immediate Past President of the Benoni
Club. He is also the current Deputy President of
the Johannesburg Chapter of the Professional
Tim Zunckel
Speakers Association of Southern Africa.
P 20 The Media | wagthedog.co.za
RADIO TECH
tHe IMPortanCe oF ad
teCH In radIo
Ensuring that advertisers get what they paid for, optimising return on investment, and digital distribution of content are key
functions of ad tech, which is constantly evolving to greater heights. MICHAEL BRATT explores this crucial technology in
the context of radio.
Radio ad tech consists of two aspects. Firstly, systems that
enable advertisers/agencies to automate the buying process, and BRAnDS AnD AgenCieS ARe
secondly, tracking systems that make radio as a media channel ReCogniSing The iMPoRTAnCe
measurable (for digital brands).
From a global perspective, some exciting developments oF AuDio in MeDiA PLAnS, AnD AD
are taking place. For example, in Germany, the first artificial
intelligence-based radio planning tool is now available TeCh WiLL heLP DRive ThiS
(AdPerform from audio CC).
“At DCMN we have been more focused on the analysis part. With a wealth of data available, and ad tech serving it in
Our data science team developed a model to track indirect convenient breakdowns, the popular saying is that data is king.
marketing effects triggered by traditional media channels, such However, it is only the right data at the right time in usable
as radio, OOH and TV,” says Sebastian Göritz, director of offline formats; data that can be used to make quick and accurate
marketing at DCMN. “This helps a lot in order to run and optimise business decisions.
offline marketing campaigns and optimise towards performance
KPIs.” the way forward
Locally, Quentin Stewart, managing director of AFSTEREO (one As time passes, so radio ad tech will continue to evolve, and
of the leaders in radio ad tech in South Africa), posits that lack of analysis models will need to be adapted for the changing media
investment is hurting the space. landscape. As Göritz adds, “Analysis will become more and more
“Compared to other mainstream media, not nearly enough has sophisticated. Determining the indirect effects on offline media,
been invested in ad tech for radio over the past five to 10 years. such as radio, globally is only the beginning. As an advertiser, I
The unique selling proposition for radio is pretty much the same also need to know what was driving the campaign’s success in
today in comparison with 10 years ago.” detail (which of the placed spots contributed towards the impact,
This means that the same processes, methodologies and which times of day/days of week, which spot versions perform).”
outdated systems are serving the industry, enabling new and On the local front, Jordaan points to the lack of a single source
additional competitors to take hold throughout the industry. for measurement. “The biggest challenge radio broadcasters face
Radio stations are going to have to increasingly look and behave is the lack of credible audience measurement. There is currently
like technology and data companies to effectively combat this no single source of truth, with multiple tech vendors all providing
marketplace evolution and modernisation. their own reports to advertisers on avails and audience insights.
“In the near future we are hoping to see the creation of a local
the right metrics streaming measurement service to be the standard for audio
But not all audio ad tech is created equal. “With real industry consumption data and to provide credible, validated data that is
challenges, such as fraudulent traffic, embellishment of inventory translated into traditional and digital metrics, enabling publishers
avails and lack of transparency, it’s more important than ever of all kinds to quantify the size and scale of their audio audience
to partner with tech vendors that can provide peace of mind at global, national, and local levels.”
to publishers and advertisers so that every ad dollar can be Despite the shortcomings, which will hopefully be rectified in
accounted for,” Julian Jordaan, commercial director of 365 the near future, improvements in technology and user experience
Digital, explains. have raised radio’s prominence. Brands and agencies are
He identifies six key metrics for audio campaign success: recognising the importance of audio in marketing strategies and
Cume, Session Starts, Average Active Sessions, Active Sessions, media plans, and ad tech will help drive this. It will lead to more
Total Listening Hours, and Average Quarter Hour. opportunities for advertisers to reach the right person, in the right
For Stewart, advertising effectiveness starts with delivery. place, at the right time, with the right message, which is critical
“Delivering on what clients requested and are paying for. Listener in this age of customisation and targeting. Alongside this, audio
engagement is also a very important metric.” programmatic developments will soon also integrate audio fully
into the digital ecosystem.
The Media | wagthedog.co.za P 21
947 AMPLIFIES
THE ENERGY OF JOBURG.
Female 45% SEM9 - 10 61%
Male 55% SEM 7 - 8 26%
SEM 5 - 6 8%
B W C I
15 - 24 21% Black 28%
25 - 34 25% White 51%
35 - 49 31% Coloureds 11%
50+ 23% Indian or Asian 10%
OUR LISTENERS
BRAND
CONCIOUS
DRIVEN EARLY ADOPTERS 947
DIVERSE
RESPONSIVE
BREAKFAST
FUN
CLUB
ADVENTUROUS
FINANCIALLY
SOCIAL MEDIA SAVVY RESPONSIBLE
Visit www.primediabroadcasting.co.za
P 22 @PrimediaSales The Media | wagthedog.co.za
947 AMPLIFIES
THE ENERGY OF JOBURG.
Female 42% SEM9 - 10 61%
Male 58% SEM 7 - 8 30%
SEM 5 - 6 6%
Female 45% SEM9 - 10 61%
Male 55% SEM 7 - 8 26%
SEM 5 - 6 8%
AIC W
B W C I 25 - 34 18% White 46%
35 - 49 38% AIC 57%
50+ 34%
15 - 24 21% Black 28%
25 - 34 25% White 51%
35 - 49 31% Coloureds 11% OUR LISTENERS
50+ 23% Indian or Asian 10%
EDUCATED
CURIOUS
DRIVEN OPEN MINDED
DIVERSE
OUR LISTENERS AFFLUENT RESPONSIVE
ENTREPRENEURS
BRAND THINKERS
CONCIOUS
INFLUENCERS AND DECISION MAKERS
EARLY ADOPTERS
DRIVEN 947
DIVERSE
BREAKFAST
RESPONSIVE
FUN
CLUB
ADVENTUROUS The
FINANCIALLY
SOCIAL MEDIA SAVVY RESPONSIBLE Breakfast Show Visit www.primediabroadcasting.co.za
with @PrimediaSales
Bongani Bingwa
Visit www.primediabroadcasting.co.za
@PrimediaSales The Media | wagthedog.co.za P 23
SABC UPDATE
saBC radIo Has tHe PotentIal
to Create MagIC, But MuCH
Work needs to Be done
The SABC is emerging from years of upheaval and mismanagement. BRITTA REID investigates what the public broadcaster’s
radio division is doing to use its assets to best effect, and what the media industry believes it should be doing.
If ad investment was the only measure of a broadcaster’s graPH 2
health, Nielsen’s figures for the 12 months ending February 2019
would certainly augur well for SABC Radio. It was a period of the majority of saBC stations delivered double digit growth
muted growth for the media industry (+3.2%), while the radio Source: nielsen ye FeB 2019
sector nudged slightly ahead (+5.3%). Radio 2000 42.1%
By contrast, SABC Radio grew by 9.8%, with the African Thobela FM 32.5%
Language Service stations delivering a sterling 15.9% growth, Motsweding FM 25.0%
while the balance of the portfolio increased by a modest 3.3%. Phalaphala FM 23.4%
The cash cows, Metro FM, Ukhozi FM and Umhlobo Wenene FM, SAfm 20.1%
performed solidly, and some of the smaller stations such as Radio
2000 and SAfm delivered significant improvements. Though, Ligwalagwala 19.1%
5FM delivered a notably poor performance. As independent radio Lesedi FM 15.9%
consultant Tim Zunckel pointed out recently in a piece on The umhlobo Wenene FM 13.5%
Media Online, commercial stations need a station manager, a ukhozi FM 11.6%
programming manager, a sales manager, a music manager, and a Munghana Lonene 11.6%
sales and promotions co-ordinator to function optimally.
-30.0% -20.0% -10.0% 00.0% 10.0% 20.0% 30.0% 40.0%
graPH 1 graPH 3
ad investment growth remained muted over the previous year only two stations showed significant declines
Source: nielsen ye FeB 2019 Source: nielsen ye FeB 2019
Total 3.2% Metro FM 8.4%
Television 4.7% RSg 7.5%
Radio 5.3% ikwekwezi FM 7.2%
Print -3.4% Lotus FM 6.2%
out of home 4.1% trufm -5.1%
Cinema 15.1% 5FM -20.1%
-5.0% 0.0% 5.0% 10.0% 15.0% -30.0% -20.0% -10.0% 00.0% 10.0% 20.0% 30.0% 40.0%
P 24 The Media | wagthedog.co.za
SABC UPDATE
Warren Bedil Kgaugelo Maphai Marissa himraj
But SABC is in a financial quagmire after three years of initiatives and changes in the radio division to improve its output.
operating at a loss. Less than 20% of the registered TV licence This is to be welcomed as trust in the SABC is low among
database actually pays the fee, staff costs are out of kilter and the marketers and advertisers. Some of the harshest critics preferred
demands of its public service mandate are onerous (projected to to remain anonymous. But a top 20 radio advertiser was
cost around R2.5 billion by 2020/21). Over three quarters of its outspoken in saying, “I don’t have confidence in SABC Radio
revenue is derived from advertising (71%) and sponsorship (6%). currently. They don’t adapt to the times. They want to sell
In the strategic roadmap that SABC presented to parliament advertising space at a high cost, but don’t come to the party with
in September 2018, it identified the need to focus on initiatives client specific solutions… Other media houses are solutions driven
aimed at “growing audiences, driving costs down and growing as they know clients need more for their buck.”
revenue without compromising the delivery of the mandate”. A media agency implementation planner/buyer complained
While it undertook to safeguard its “high-flying brands” such as that it was a frustrating experience dealing with the SABC, but
Ukhozi FM, Metro FM, Umhlobo Wenene FM and Lesedi FM, it called out “the guys who do the actual bookings of spots onto
recognised the need to turn around others that have “significantly their system and then issue us with contracts” as “generally quite
and consistently lost audience in the past two years – SAfm, efficient”. This person felt that the right staff and management are
Radio 2000, Lotus FM and Good Hope FM”. The need to develop not in place, continuing, “There is no substance and/or training to
digital opportunities to engage audiences and increase revenue back up the rather empty promises SABC makes around service
opportunities was also identified. The caveat was that any levels and the type of staff they employ… we deal with about
such turnaround strategy requires investment in research and three levels of staff and not one of those levels can make any ‘real
marketing. time’ decisions – everything has to be escalated.”
There is a solid understanding of what needs to be done, but Having worked at SABC as an account executive some 20 years
there is a marked reluctance to discuss progress in these areas. ago, Kgaugelo Maphai, managing director of The MediaShop
Head of radio, Nada Wotshela, the general manager of strategy JHB, comments, “We want account executives/managers
for radio, Johan van Rooyen, and the general manager of radio that understand their product (stations and audiences) inside
sales, Theo Madolo, initially undertook to answer questions, out” and can give “key input around sponsorships, features,
but later declined through a spokesperson. Warren Bedil, acting presenters, time channel environment and other non-traditional
group executive of SABC Commercial Enterprises, was prepared opportunities”. Facilitating this would require SABC Radio to
to indicate that it was probably premature to engage on the relook at the structure of their sales teams. Furthermore, he
topics because the organisation is currently looking at various
Continued on pg 28
The Media | wagthedog.co.za P 25
ADVERTORIAL
saBC radIo stIll Boss
oF tHe soutH aFrICan
aIrWaves - BrC
The latest Broadcast Research Council time spent listening level of 20 hours.
(BRC) data release on Radio Audience With a massive 4,372 million weekly
Measurement 2018/2019 confirmed SABC listeners, Metro FM remains the number
as the giant of the airwaves, with eight of one commercial radio station in the
the top ten radio stations in South Africa country. Three SABC radio stations, which
housed within the national broadcaster’s have a presence in Gauteng, have managed
stable. to retain the top three station positions in
According to the BRC, SABC Radio reach the province, with Mero FM recording an
remains relatively stable when compared audience share of 18%, Ukhozi FM 12% and
to the previous release period (July 2018 Lesedi FM 10%. The programming and line-
– December 2018), with SABC radio now up changes at Radio 2000 also secured a
reaching a whopping 36.4 million listeners, significant 51.8% year-on-year increase in
compared to 35.8 million listeners in the weekly cume listenership for the station,
last release. which is currently delivering 671 000
The survey highlights why Ukhozi FM inclusive of all adults across all races per
remains the towering giant of radio in week.
Africa, with an unparalleled weekly cume Mandated content remains the
listenership of 7,670 million (All Adults cornerstone of SABC’s public broadcasting
15+). This means that the station’s listeners services, which provide a wide variety
spend an average of 23 hours per week (3 of compelling content and thematic
hours 18 minutes per day) tuned in to their programming in all 11 official
favourite station. On the southern tip of languages, keeping listeners tuned
the country, Good Hope FM has also made in. This has resulted in SABC radio
solid gains with a weekly cume listenership stations consistently achieving
of 680 000 from 487 000 in the last the highest loyal listening levels
release. in the country.
The data also reveals that Ikwekwezi For advertising
FM, Lesedi FM, Munghana Lonene FM, opportunities contact your
Phalaphala FM, RSG, Thobela FM, and SABC Account Executive.
Umhlobo Wenene FM exceeded the weekly
P 26 The Media | wagthedog.co.za
The Media | wagthedog.co.za P 27
SABC UPDATE
SABC iDenTiFieD The neeD
To gRoW AuDienCeS AnD Performance of saBC radio stations in
latest BrC raM data
DRive CoSTS DoWn WiThouT
CoMPRoMiSing iTS MAnDATe The October ’18 – March ’19 BRC RAM data shows a
buoyant picture for radio: overall weekly listening has
believes the lack of proactivity is a significant opportunity cost nudged up to 91% compared with 89% in the previous
for the broadcaster and argues, “Some of their policies need to period.
be reviewed because they were written many years ago and are With SABC having eight out of the top 10 stations in South
often a constraint to innovation”. An example he cites is the SABC Africa, based on audience size, it is not surprising that its
policy around news preventing it from accommodating one of his portfolio is looking healthy.
clients’ disruptive campaigns. The portfolio comprises 18 stations. Only one, X-K FM,
On a more upbeat note, Merissa Himraj, chief strategy officer does not provide reliable audience measurement due to the
of Wavemaker, believes the “SABC Radio team on the ground is small size of the community it serves – the San people in
passionate about their products and really do try to meet client Platfontein in the Northern Cape.
requirements”. Unfortunately, she points out that there does 70% of the remaining stations showed positive growth,
seem to be a lot of red-tape as you go higher up. “The team are with the greatest increases predictably coming from the
not empowered to make critical decisions… this could impact smaller stations. Seven of the stations identified as the
revenue if a client is wanting a quick yes or no.” She believes Premium 8 (Metro FM, Ukhozi FM, 5FM, Umhlobo FM, Lesedi
that “a lot of work has gone into rebuilding SABC Radio”, and FM, Motsweding FM, Thobela FM) in the SABC Strategic
comments on an openness to discussions around flexible Roadmap delivered audience growth. Only RSG dipped
sponsorships, and client-centric solutions. slightly. As these are high demand, key revenue generators,
SABC still commands over 70% of the South African adult this bodes well for the public broadcaster’s turnaround plan
radio listenership, which means, as Maphai points out, it is the presented to parliament.
one media owner truly reflective of South Africa’s demographics The Dynamic 7 turned in a patchier performance. Good
from a provincial point of view, and dominates in most provinces, Hope FM, trufm, and Lotus FM showed solid increases.
with the exception of Western Cape, due to the strength of the By contrast, Ikwekwezi FM, Ligwalagwala FM, Munghana
African languages. While these stations were unaffected by the Lonene FM, and Phalaphala FM posted losses, with only the
infamous Hlaudi 90/10 local content directive, Maphai points out latter being significant.
that most of the ALS stations are still attracting young listeners
between the ages of 15-24. They have around a quarter of their oct’18 - Mar’19
audiences within this age group, which, he argues, augurs well for station 000’s Change
them in the future and runs counter to the trend of young people Lotus FM 181 29.3%
switching off from mainstream media.
Himraj believes that SABC has a sound plan in place, but trufm 207 26.2%
cautions that radio listening audiences are shrinking as a whole Radio 2000 671 16.3%
and that it is not enough to rely on family influence and habit- SAfm 174 10.8%
driven audiences. She argues the SABC “might need to revisit
the way it is taking its stations to the nation – roadshows and Good Hope FM 628 8.3%
continuous engagement need to be more aggressive to build 5FM 674 6.6%
audience memory for stations” and that it needs to own the “local
is lekker” narrative. It has the advantage of the biggest footprint, Thobela FM 2 978 5.9%
“they just need to deliver something refreshingly different to their Motsweding FM 2 546 5.6%
audiences”. Metro FM 4 372 4.7%
Maphai highlights the “huge opportunity” of also having TV,
saying “the day they can consolidate and show the listener/viewer Umhlobo Wenene FM 5 409 3.7%
journey and come up with packages across TV and radio – they Lesedi FM 3 196 2.3%
will win big and give more value”. He is clear about the steps they Ukhozi FM 7 670 2.0%
need to take to be competitive e.g. investing in digital platforms,
podcasts and other assets. Munghana Lonene FM 1 020 -1.2%
Ultimately, he takes an optimistic stance saying, “SABC Radio Ligwalagwala FM 1 074 -1.5%
has the infrastructure, audiences, and penetration like no other RSG 1 170 -2.5%
medium – they just need to believe in their assets and think big
and ultimately create magic. If they do half of this, they should Ikwekwezi FM 1 029 -2.9%
be able to thrive and do well commercially as a state-owned Phalaphala FM 778 -16.5%
broadcaster.”
P 28 The Media | wagthedog.co.za
ContaCt InForMatIon ContaCt InForMatIon
Programme coordinator: Wanda Bam Senior programme manager: Wilma Van Schalkwyk
[email protected] [email protected]
Station phone: 021 917 7000 Station phone: 012 334 1200
Advertising enquiries: Kosie Burger Advertising enquiries: Audrey Badenhorst
[email protected] [email protected]
statIon InForMatIon statIon InForMatIon
Core audience: Christian, English and Afrikaans Core audience: Christians who speak English, Afrikaans and
vernacular languages
Listenership: 60 000 (independent research, 2018)
Listenership: 200 000 (independent research, 2018)
Typical listener: 25-55 years old, LSM 6-10, 76% female, 24% male
Typical listener: 25-55 years old, LSM 6-10, 50% female, 50% male
Broadcasting area: Cape Town – Northern and southern suburbs,
Cape winelands/Boland and beyond Broadcasting area: South Africa
Advertising policy: Max of 16 per hour – 4 ads every 15 minutes Advertising policy: Four minutes of adverts an hour
Broadcast language: English, Afrikaans, Xhosa and Zulu Broadcast language: One-third each: English, Afrikaans and
vernacular languages
Format: Christian talk radio, 60% talk, 40% music
Format: Christian talk radio station that uses social media
Most popular shows: Spektrum with Johann Els and 729 Breakfast extensively
– Get Up & Go with Wanda Bam and Brad Kirsten
Most popular shows: Dagbreek, Good News Time & Spectrum
Cost of flighting a 30” advert during this show: R525 Excl. Vat
Cost of flighting a 30” advert during this show: R950 Excl. Vat
Material requirements: MP3
Material requirements: MP3
Digital and social media reach:
Facebook: 26 000 likes Digital and social media reach:
Facebook: 218 000 likes
App: 2 000 downloads
App: 13 500 downloads
Website: capepulpit.co.za
Website: radiopulpit.co.za (30 000 unique visitors a month)
Brad Kirsten and Wanda Bam Sipho Kaleni and Johann Els
The Media | wagthedog.co.za P 29
RADIO ROCKS
radIo staged to survIve
and tHrIve
Veterans of South African broadcasting share their thoughts with IZA GREK on why radio still rocks, and has survived and
flourished in a digital age.
Despite the all-consuming abundance of digital media, radio
still occupies a premium spot in the hearts and minds of listeners. an illustration of return on Investment (roI) (assumes
It gives them a sense of place; a context for where they are right information provided by client)
now; it entertains, educates, informs and advises.
“The job of radio is to deliver to the listener, making the Clients average sale R1 000
emotional connection on a minute-to-minute basis,” says Ashraf Multiplied by the closing ratio 1:4
Garda, SAfm radio host.
“Radio is a highly-relevant medium that gives the listener a Equals the sales value per prospect R250
connection and context to their immediate surroundings,” says
Lance Rothschild, radio, marketing and media consultant, and Multiplied by the profit margin 50%
convener of the Liberty Radio Awards. Rothschild reckons it also Equals the cash value per prospect R125
has the ability to move people to take action – so it’s a great call-
to-action medium. “With the wealth of information that listeners Divided into the amount of the schedule R100 000
are willingly sharing, radio has a far more granular, vivid picture of Equals the number of customers needed to break even 800
WHO is listening,” he adds. “This is far more important than how
many.” • Thus, it would take 800 new customers per month to break
Managing director at Hot 91.9FM Lloyd Madurai agrees. He says even on an investment of R100K per month. Every additional
his station delivers on the quality of the audience rather than on 100 customers is worth R12 500 per month, which equates to a
the quantity. “We understand our audience on a micro level and return of 12.5%.
are able to deliver this lucrative audience to our advertisers in a • Multiply that by 12 months and you have an ROI of 150% p.a.
cost-effective way.”
Information supplied by Stan Katz
always about the ads
Rothschild believes that in terms of advertising, radio should doesn’t attract listeners (as some stations have found out by
particularly focus on local businesses and be more flexible in being seduced by social media followings as opposed to skill and
structuring packages for advertising clients. “Sales need to be talent).
more solution orientated and less ‘spot-filling’ orientated,” he And Katz adds another layer to the argument: “Unfortunately,
says. celebrity has become equated with talent. Too many presenters
International radio coach and mentor, Stan Katz, posits that wing it and the result is a less than entertaining show – show
the biggest complaint advertisers have with radio reps, is that prep is key, and rule of thumb is an hour of preparation for every
they just don’t understand the client’s business. “Sales reps are, hour on air.”
unfortunately, in many cases, woefully underqualified to sell the The host is important and has some influence, but the
benefits of this powerful medium,” he believes. station/brand should always be bigger than the sum of its parts,
Madurai says some specifics of radio never change, despite its Rothschild adds. “Increased attention (increased cume) are of
other channels. “Apart from the programming and production importance to advertisers who want to maximise their reach of
consistency, which shapes the overall sound of the station, prospects. Thus, a great line-up, coupled with excellent content
the line-up plays a vital role in attracting advertisers who want will contribute positively to sales.”
to align their products to specific DJs, shows and features. A Garda says programming and marketing should work together
well-executed live read, made conversational by a morning or and read the trends to attract advertisers.
afternoon team almost becomes an endorsement on-air, in the This means that competitions, storytelling, requests, events
same manner you take advice to buy something because your etc are all necessary to increase time spent listening (TSL) by
friend recommended it!” keeping the audience engaged, Katz adds. An important metric
Rothschild has some reservations on that score, saying an for advertisers is how many people are listening per quarter hour.
impressive line-up of great talent is worthless if the content Passive listening “consigns the station to the background”.
P 30 The Media | wagthedog.co.za
BUSINESS FOR GOOD
THE ROLE OF CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
The rise in social media engagement has encouraged a climate of direct CONTACT INFORMATION
access to and engagement with our target audience, albeit listeners, con-
sumers or customers. And in a world of conscious consumers brands are
held far more accountable than ever before. Programme Manager: Vernon Nel | [email protected]
National Sales Manager: Shireen Robinson | [email protected]
Today, most consumers like to support brands that have integrated social Advertising Enquiries: Thando Mayamo | [email protected]
and environmental concerns into the mix, by way of ethically sourced pro-
duce, environmentally-friendly practices, supporting disadvantaged com- Station Phone: (021) 406-8900
munities and providing job creation, to name a few.
However, while there’s no clear definition of Corporate Social responsibil- STATION INFORMATION
ity (CSR), we can all agree that it’s no longer good enough as a side-line
project, but rather a way of life.
CORE AUDIENCE: 25-49 years old, SEM 7-10
Business growth is a social lever to harness the full capacity of what we are TYPICAL LISTENER: Community-centred with strong family ties, socially
as companies, in terms of what matters today – making a difference.
aware and committed to enjoying life to the fullest. Listeners are generally
At HEART FM we are truly representative of the diverse, vibrant and colour- brand conscious and fiercely loyal to the Heart FM brand.
ful community that is Cape Town, and believe we speak to and understand BROADCASTING AREA: The greater Western Cape Region – Cape Town
our audience, intimately. We are a trusted member of the community, but
we take this responsibility very seriously. and Surrounding Areas, Drakenstein, West Coast, Swartland,
Overberg and Overstrand
With this, comes the unique opportunity to be agents of change, creating TOTAL PAST 7 DAYS LISTENERSHIP
a platform for our listeners, partners and clients to be involved with and
make a difference in our communities. (BRC RAM, Oct 2018 - Mar 2019): 768,000
ADVERTISING POLICY: Nine minutes of ads per hour and three ad
breaks an hour
BROADCAST LANGUAGE: English and Afrikaans
FORMAT: A commercial mix of soul, pop, old school, R&B and house music
catering to a diverse audience.
MOST POPULAR SHOW: Heart Breakfast with Aden Thomas,
Monday to Friday 6-9am
COST OF FLIGHTING A 30-SECOND ADVERT DURING THIS SHOW: R4 830
MATERIAL REQUIREMENTS: MP3 + WAV
Our 16DaysForYouth initiative was created to tell the stories of struggling
communities throughout the Western Cape and to mobilise listeners to
support them. The initiative aids these communities by feeding, fixing,
building and changing the environment for the better.
Heart FM believes these opportunities serve as a platform to connect with
listeners, while bringing together Capetonians with diverse backgrounds
to interact and be a part of the change.
HEART BREAKFAST WITH ADEN THOMAS | 6AM-9AM
RADIO ROCKS
Lance Rothschild Stan Katz
Still, Madurai argues, the passive audience is who stations sell Why radio survives
advertising to. “Audience participation is not generally more than Radio listenership is far bigger than just in-car listening,
10%. This audience is important to the station for the overall vibe Rothschild says. “BRC RAM tracks how (and where) people listen
and on-air interactions. They are also the best brand ambassadors to radio. Most mobile phones have an FM receiver which enables
for stations,” he explains. tuning in to FM radio – at a very low battery consumption rate.
Rothschild’s view is that active engagement creates a more This, together with the ubiquity of listening devices, ensures that
intimate relationship between the listener and the programme/ radio not only survives – but thrives,” he says.
station. “This is one of the goals of programmers – to convert Because it is an intimate medium, Madurai says, where there
listeners to fans, and thus to members of a community, or as one is a relationship between a listener and their favourite presenter,
station termed it ‘emotional stakeholders’.” “radio becomes part of people’s lives, like a best friend. It
will always be the original social network – we just called it
thoughts on streaming ‘watercooler talk’ back then!”
On the topic of streaming, not all radio buffs are in agreement. Radio continues to innovate and evolve, and that’s what keeps
Madurai says Hot 91.9FM’s streaming platform is vital to grow people tuned in and loyal. “For the listener, the messages they
an audience, especially for smaller footprint terrestrial stations. “A receive from the radio are translated onto a personal ‘screen’
good audio processed stream allows us to attract audiences and with the images vivid and real to the individual,” says Rothschild.
advertisers outside of the FM broadcast footprint,” he adds, which “Because radio engages the imagination, because radio is
contributes to revenue. ubiquitous, because radio is real-time – it will continue to rock.
And he gives a great example: “We are currently conducting a Roll with it!”
case study with Qantas Airways, placing their specials on flights Katz has the last word. “As long as human beings crave
from Australia to South Africa and Mauritius between midnight companionship and as long as radio doesn’t lose its ability to
and 5am on-air because we have a large audience streaming Hot tell stories that engage the listener’s imagination and tug at their
91.9FM in Australia. We believe these ads hit the right target and emotions via the magical power of Theatre of the Mind, radio will
will deliver a huge ROI for Qantas on an overnight time-channel.” continue to rock!”
With global streaming, all time channels can be primed to attract
advertising and allows the re-purposing of content, Madurai adds.
Ever the contrarian, Rothschild says online radio is not a
business – it’s a hobby. “Show me any station in South Africa (or
in fact the world) that broadcasts exclusively via the internet, that iza grek is an editor,
is making real money,” he challenges. Online-only radio impacts sub-editor, blogger and
when the station is a special purpose vehicle that targets a award-winning journalist
community with a specific common intention, he says. based in Johannesburg.
“One of the reasons that online-only stations fail to make a Her interests include
dent in the marketplace is that they are not offering anything media and advertising,
special that the listener cannot obtain free of charge over the air. personal development,
There are costs to tuning in to online radio – those being data psychology, and lifestyle and
and also the cost of battery life,” he points out. organisational development.
P 32 The Media | wagthedog.co.za
ContaCt InForMatIon
Programme manager: Baydu Adams
[email protected]
Advertising enquiries: Dennis Karantges
[email protected]
Station phone: 041 505 9497
statIon InForMatIon
Core audience: Algoa FM targets affluent individuals who indulge
in good living in the Eastern Cape and along the Garden Route
Typical listener: Open to new experiences, adventurous, loves the
outdoors, community focused, passionate about life and loyal to
Algoa FM
Broadcasting area: The station’s broadcast footprint stretches
across the Eastern Cape and Garden Route
Total past 7 days listenership (2019 BRC RAM): 435 000
Advertising policy: Algoa FM usually allows for up to 12 minutes of
advertising per hour
Broadcast language: Predominantly English
Format: Adult contemporary
Most popular show: Daron Mann Breakfast on Algoa FM, 6AM–
9AM, weekdays
Cost of flighting a 30” advert during this show: R5 049
Digital and social media reach:
Facebook: Algoa FM 94 587 likes, Algoa FM news 136 974 likes
Twitter: 23 293 followers
Instagram: 9 217 followers
Website: 1 237 050 unique page views on algoafm.co.za
(2019, six month average)
The Media | wagthedog.co.za P 33
OUT OF HOME
tHe soutH aFrICan ooH landsCaPe’s
sPeCtaCular evolutIon
The latest research by Posterscope into South Africa’s out of home landscape reveals a media sector that is thriving as it
evolves. LIVIA BROWN analyses the findings.
This year marks my sixth year at Posterscope and within the OOH Although we are in the midst of some very exciting changes in
industry. I can’t help but feel a sense of real pride at how much OOH, it’s important not to lose ourselves completely in the razzle
has changed not only within our business, but also how the OOH dazzle of these new developments. Before riding the location
industry and landscape has evolved, and how exciting it has been data wave, let’s acknowledge the stabilising factors within the
to be part of this change. I couldn’t have joined the industry at a industry and the growth achieved from the solid base of the
more pivotal time. fundamentals of OOH.
Looking back to August 2017, we have seen a 3.7% increase
Key themes driving this evolution are: in the number of billboards from 12 800 sites to 13 300 sites
• The rapid growth of digital OOH in March 2019. It’s fantastic to see some strong growth in the
• The dynamic creative capabilities of digital OOH Western Cape with the number of sites increasing by 4.7% from
• The introduction of true OOH measurement by the Out of 2018 to 2019 (Source: Outdoor Auditors, State of OOH Report,
Home Measurement coucinlOMC March 2018 & 2019).
• The amplification of location marketing intelligence services, Occupancy of sites is also something that needs to be
driven by the explosion of location data considered and how this impacts on spend across the industry.
• Mobile OOH When comparing the occupancy rates provided in the latest
P 34 The Media | wagthedog.co.za
The Media | wagthedog.co.za P 35
OUT OF HOME
south africa’s billboard market has had a strong resurgence in the last six months;
the percentage of blank sites has dropped by 16%
this number excludes
Blank sites as a % of total sites self-promotion (an
additional 2.3%)
40
+42%
30 29% 30% 29% 30%
27%
24% 24% 23% 23% 25%
20 17% 18% 19% 19% 17%
10
0
Jan ‘12 Jul ‘12 Jan ‘13 Jul ‘13 Jan ‘14 Jul ‘14 Jan ‘15 Jul ‘15 Feb ‘16 Aug ‘16 Feb ‘17 Aug ‘17 Feb ‘18 Aug ‘18 Feb ‘19
# of sites 9 469 9 558 10 087 10 436 10 702 10 845 11 276 11 867 12 329 12 453 12 702 12 405 12 706 13 041 13 189
audited
State of OOH Report, March 2019 (Source: Outdoor Auditors) according to Nielsen, in January 2016 at R118 814 614.17, with
in relation to Nielsen OOH spend (keeping in mind that not all 27% blank sites. In February 2019, the market is lifting nicely
media owners report figures to Nielsen for OOH, so these figures compared to February 2017 and 2018 with OOH spend at
are a guide) we see some trends starting to emerge and the R104 023 592.00 with only 25% blank sites, which is the lowest
correlation between peaks and dips in occupancy vs. OOH spend. number of blank sites since January 2015.
Over the past six years we have seen the highest spend, The growth to the industry is significant and this has paved the
site occupancy vs. ooH spend
R140 000 000 35%
R120 000 000 30%
R100 000 000 25%
R80 000 000 20%
R60 000 000 15%
R40 000 000 10%
R20 000 000 5%
R0 0%
January 2014 January 2015 February 2016 February 2017 February 2018 February 2019
out of home (nielsen spend) Blank sites % yoy (outdoor Auditors: State of ooh Report, March 2019)
P 36 The Media | wagthedog.co.za
The Media | wagthedog.co.za P 37
OUT OF HOME
way and guided some of the more significant developments to
the growth of digital OOH, which for Posterscope has meant the
introduction and implementation of dynamic advertising in South
Africa, through LivePoster.
The implementation of this technology means that the local
industry is now able to execute digital OOH in the same way
that global markets have been able to for some time now, and
it is starting to see the same types of results for clients on these
campaigns. Photo courtesy of Provantage Media Group
We are delivering global OOH best practice locally and it is an
exceptional transition to be a part of.
LivePoster’s digital development director, Adam Cherry recently
published an article titled ‘How advertisers can get dynamic
with digital OOH’ referencing some of the benefits of dynamic
advertising;
“This trend will only continue as more advertisers recognise the
benefits that dynamic can add to their OOH campaigns, such as:
• Dynamic allows a brand to speak to its audience in the way
that they want, providing consumers with more reactive
and relevant content. OOH has traditionally been known as
a broadcast medium that enables a brand to tell a story, but
with dynamic the story or message can be tailored to the
moment, the location and the context.
• Dynamic increases the performance of OOH campaigns.
People are subjected to a staggering 10 000 brand
messages a day across all media channels. One way to cut
through this clutter and be more memorable is to ensure
that your brand message is as relevant as possible, and
we know through proprietary research that over 50% of
people expect DOOH advertising to be more relevant to what data and technology has done to cement the path to the
them. Furthermore, campaign research across 12 separate future of OOH.
campaigns delivered by Posterscope, demonstrates that Growth in social data, mobile data and merging online and
making an ad message more relevant increases message offline behaviours has meant growth in consumer data, and as
memorability by over 40%. Sales increased too. When this is becoming more available we are able to use tools and
Pimm’s created a live feed using wi-fi footfall trackers in location data to better understand where people are and what
nearby pub gardens to show post work commuters where they are doing in these places.
to quench their thirst on a hot summer’s evening, it created We can use this rich consumer understanding to shape and
a strong affinity with the summer and saw sales increase inform our approach to OOH like never before.
by 13%. A direct result of using localised OOH media and
dynamic copy. The future of OOH is bright!
• A centralised ad serving platform allows brands to react to Don’t blink or you’ll miss it!
situations in real-time. During last year’s World Cup, Heinz
featured topical content reacting to specific tournament
moments. For example, the creative messaging “Swe –
Done” went live within 30 minutes of England winning the
quarter final.” Livia Brown manages
Posterscope’s Cape Town
I wouldn’t be able to conclude this piece without mentioning office. Her focus is on driving
my favourite child, location data (and yes parents, I know I’m not the location data agenda
supposed to play favourites, and I love all my data babies equally, across the business. Brown
but there is one I love just a little bit more). holds a Communications
It’s hard to read any industry article these days without the Science Degree from
terms “data”, “location data”, “data explosion” or the infamous “big UNISA and has been with
data” being referenced and this article will be no different. Posterscope since 2013,
Why? It’s simply impossible to ignore the current state of where working her way up through
our industry is and where we are going without acknowledging the comapny.
P 38 The Media | wagthedog.co.za
ADVERTORIAL
FIndIng anotHer level oF value
In CoMMunItY radIo
Take what you thought you knew influential staff and human resources that the retailer should bring
about marketing and throw it out back into their stores. The Media Connection presented a report
with yesterday’s Pikitup collection. that in our opinion, was more comprehensive and valuable than
The business world has changed any other generic report available.
forever, and it’s still evolving.
Forward-thinking brands must stay The secret lies in embracing psychographics, not demographics
on their toes to stay ahead, aligning Demographics is aging, and not gracefully - an old-school
with the pulse of new technology marketing technique that’s swiftly dying.
and keeping in step with South The problem lies in making assumptions that are outdated and
Africa’s niched and emerging old-fashioned. Undermining consumers is the biggest, costliest
markets. mistake marketers can make in the 21st-century. The bigger
The reality is that advertising picture is far more detailed and diverse than it was 20 years ago -
decisions are made by executives even as little as two years ago.
who genuinely don’t understand If you’re wondering why no one’s responding to your weekly
the markets they are trying to speak Facebook specials, it’s time to transition into a psychographics
to. Call it a dose of unconscious mindset. While similar to demographics, psychographic
incompetence, which is not an insult information delves deeper into the behaviours and passions of
but a reality. Then spice up the complexity of advertising decisions your audience - from habits to hobbies, values, spending habits,
by throwing creative agencies and media agencies into the mix, and more. While demographics describe WHO the buyer is,
the two of which are seldom singing off the same hymn sheet in psychographics covers the WHY - a critical approach discussed
terms of roles, responsibilities, timelines and messaging. by Simon Sinek in his “Start With Why” philosophy. It’s not about
Enter The Media Connection and it’s community radio their age, marital status, or income. It’s about WHAT they want,
partners. Nobody understands consumer behaviour and the and WHY.
impact of socio-economic and psychographic variables within
communities, like their very own mouthpieces. Nobody can Time is of the essence
inform communication strategy and content in a more relevant The clock is ticking, and time is also a critical factor when it comes
and authentic way than a community’s very own radio station. to running campaigns. Some of the world’s most successful
The reach and targeted exposure offered by the more than 200 marketing campaigns are ticking time-bombs, like Nike’s 90-day
community radio stations nationally, has long since been realised sprint drop. We live in a world where the average human attention
by South Africa’s big corporates. However, it’s the next layer, the span is officially lower than that of a goldfish.
human element, with its access to hearts, minds, opinions and Ultimately, the dawn of the new world is intertwined with the
insights that community stations can offer. apocalypse of the old one. The world you, and we, used to know
Three weeks ago, one of the big hitting retailers in South has bitten the dust. We are living in the era of rule-breaking,
Africa commissioned The Media Connection to propose a border shattering, and limit stretching.
communication strategy for two of their struggling stores. At The Media Connection, we understand the power of local
Leveraging off internal genius and the relationships with and the communities that weave the fabric of our South African
community stations, a meeting and insights recce was set up. The society. As content creators, we work hard to stay on top of
depth of understanding of the management at the community evolving technologies and capture intelligent data through
radio stations was astounding. The strategy was informed by activations, AI software, face to face engagement and beyond.
deep insight into competitor analysis, perception of community Step into the future and discover how you can use psychographics
members, messaging themes and tactics, and even as specific as to crush the competition and come out on top.
The Media | wagthedog.co.za P 39
DIGITAL RESEARCH
PartICIPato, ergo suM:
I sHare, tHereFore I aM
For the first time, South Africa took part in Nielsen’s global Digital Consumer Survey in 2019. GORDON MULLER’s take on
it, is that we live and work in a quantum-shift mediaverse where ‘functionagile’ media insights must embrace the reality of
platform-agnostic audience measurement.
The Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity studies, like AMPS in the past and even the Establishment
and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) recently reported that one million Survey (ES) today, which continue to report media consumption
of Earth’s species face imminent extinction and that immediate in mutually exclusive audience silos, such as listenership,
‘transformative change’ is needed to save the planet. Unless we readership and viewership, are not equipped to survive in a
embrace the need for the same transformative change in the media environment increasingly focused on agile and functional
South African advertising industry, we might just have to add insights.
media planners to that extinction list. Let’s call them ‘functionagile’ insights.
In today’s digital landscape, large scale, monolithic research You can no longer plot meaningful, long-term, linear
P 40 The Media | wagthedog.co.za
DIGITAL RESEARCH
media consumption trends any more than you can trend the So transformative change in a post-AMPS landscape is well
metamorphosis of a caterpillar into a butterfly. We live and underway, but none of these definitions encompasses the reality
work in a quantum-shift mediaverse where functionagile media of simultaneous, multi-platform consumption. They don’t answer
insights must embrace the reality of platform-agnostic audience simple questions like ‘what other media do you consume while
measurement. you are watching TV or listening to radio?’ and they specifically
That the industry has begun to address this agnosticism don’t encompass our use of online social media as a parallel
is evidenced in the evolving audience definitions for various narrative to whatever we happen to be watching on TV at any
platforms. point.
internet Cafe
While Commuting
33%
At Work
Millennial 62%
Public Spaces
62%
gen X
Born free Place of Learning
87%
94% At home
98%
Boomer & beyond
For instance, in AMPS the definition of newspaper readership Participato, ergo sum. I share, therefore I am.
meant that a respondent had to have read or paged through any The case for embracing digital communication platforms,
copy of a measured title. It was a measure of ink on fingers. In and for the integration of digital content into marketing and
the ES and the Publisher Audience Measurement Survey (PAMS) advertising campaigns, is widely accepted, but much of this
the definition of newspaper readership has become platform- acceptance has historically been intuitive rather than informed by
agnostic: sound marketing data. The Nielsen Digital Consumer Survey 2019
By reading, I mean that you personally read or looked at any (DCS_2019), conducted and published in South Africa for the
part of these newspapers, articles or websites. It does not first time, now provides a unique set of functionagile insights into
matter whether it was a paper copy, or if you read it online on how, where and when digital consumers (Digicons) are watching
your computer, cellphone or tablet. and engaging with online content.
Quota-controlled on key demographic variables (age, gender,
The old AMPS definition of listenership (personally listening to population group and province) and weighted to IHS population
a radio) has expanded beyond the confines of the radio set to estimates, the online survey yields a sample of 1 104 users aged
include other formats: 15 years and older, which is fully representative of the frequent
online population. All data in the survey focuses explicitly on the
By radio listening, I mean that you personally hear or listen to online population, and because there is no analysis of digitally
radio. It does not matter for how long you listen or how – via unconnected consumers, the data is drawn primarily from large
a radio set, computer, a cellphone, etc. urban and metropolitan areas.
The ubiquitous nature of digital media is evidenced by the
The ES definition of TV viewership now encompasses fact that over 90% of all Digicons access the internet every day,
streaming and includes devices beyond the TV set itself: spending an average of 33 hours a week online. Central to this
narrative is mobile phone penetration, with 93% of Digicons
By TV viewing, I mean that you personally watch any form regularly accessing the internet via a smartphone.
of TV (whether broadcast or streaming). It does not matter It is not these absolute figures in isolation that provide the
for how long you watch or how – via a TV set, computer, a insight however, and DCS_2019 is best viewed through the lens
cellphone, etc. of born frees, millennials, Generation X, and boomers & beyond.
The Media | wagthedog.co.za P 41
DIGITAL RESEARCH
digicons: daily media platform activity
91%
71% 72%
62%
57%
53%
41%
34% 34%
27%
Radio Radio newpaper news Magazine Magazine Live Tv v TvoD Any Tv or Social
online Print online Print online online video online Media
For boomers & beyond, internet usage tends to be a home-based point of embarkation when planning a TV or video campaign.
activity (98% access the internet from home) while the more Increasingly, from an advertising perspective, the key to
economically active Generation X balances internet usage across understanding Digicons’ TV and video behaviour lies not in
home (94%) and work (62%). measuring eyes on screens, but in evaluating their response
Born frees and millennials, on to advertising. While 22% of Digicons claim ‘most of the time’
the other hand, are characterised to not act as a response to seeing an ad on TV, 65% claim to
by enhanced digital mobility and respond in some way most of the time. 41% claim they conduct
continuous internet grazing. 87% a subsequent online search. 32% assume the role of brand
of born frees access the internet advocate, or possibly brand detractor, and tell other people
in public spaces, including about the branded communication they have been exposed to.
places of learning (62%) and 16% even claim to ‘most often’ respond to seeing an ad on TV by
104.2 FM while commuting (39%), but the making an online purchase.
ubiquitous nature of free wi-fi has Generally speaking, online engagement as a response to TV is
rendered the dedicated internet more discernible in digital natives than in digital immigrants.
café superfluous (32%) for these Only 31% of boomers & beyond claim to respond to seeing an
Pretoria FM is an Afrikaans, digital natives. ad on TV, compared to 70% of millennials and 74% of born frees.
community station whose The media landscape in Participato, ergo sum. I share, therefore I am.
audience are passionate about South Africa may have changed It is often said that for whales, there is only one ocean. Equally,
news, entertainment, current inexorably, but to sketch the it might be said that for consumers, there is only one campaign.
events and music. We broadcast digital landscape to the exclusion The Nielsen Digital Consumer Survey 2019 provides many of the
24 hours a day on 104.2 FM in of other traditional media missing pieces required to complete the South African landscape
jigsaw puzzle and presents a holistic picture of the digital
platforms is premature. DCS_2019
Gauteng and are available on illustrates clearly the balance and consumers’ shifting engagement with media and technology.
DStv channel 887, as well as on interplay between traditional and
the internet and mobile phone digital media consumption and gordon Muller is head coach
applications worldwide it’s this balancing act that perhaps at GSM Quadrant. In his
provides some of the most 40 year advertising career
interesting insights.
Core audience: Middle to he helped lead a number
92% of Digicons claim to use
higher age, male: 53% | female: the internet whilst simultaneously of international advertising
47%. 40% talk, 60% music watching TV and, of these, 88% agencies, including McCann-
Erickson, Bates and Ogilvy.
claim to most often use their He served on the boards
station phone: smartphones for this purpose. of Saatchi & Saatchi, the
012 543 0120 The assumption of a collective MediaShop and most recently,
and passive TV viewing audience as MD of OMD South Africa.
is quite simply no longer a fixed
Website:
P 42
www.pretoriafm.co.za The Media | wagthedog.co.za
The Media | wagthedog.co.za P 43
STUDENT MEDIA
Brand Me, gen Z: MarketIng FroM
MIllennIals to CentennIals
Just when we got the hang of millennials, Gen Z steps into the spotlight as the cohort with the spending power and
influence to top all other generations. LUCINDA JORDAAN unpacks how brands can reach and engage with what is set to
be the most disruptive generation of them all.
South Africa’s ‘youth bulge’ – with more than half of the millennials at its forefront, they’ve had to head back to the
population now younger than 24 – raises many interesting drawing board and recalibrate. This is because a new generational
scenarios for the future, especially given that the youth have cohort has stepped in to grab the spotlight – and word has it that
greater freedom of expression (and the platforms to do so) than Gen Z is set to be the most disruptive generation in history.
ever before. It also brings the power of this generation into sharp “Millennials are now in their 30s and well into their working
focus, especially in socio-economic terms. While unemployment careers, and we’ve coined the term ‘centennial’ to describe this
figures (27%) are staggering, what’s also notable are the spending new cohort, born from 1994 onwards,” explains Marc Kornberger,
power and influence of these youngsters – and just how adept CEO of youth marketing and graduate recruitment agency,
they are at shifting the goalposts. Student Village. “The differentiating factor between them and
Brands and marketers have dug deep into the impact of the millennials is that they were born into a world of digital; they see
digital revolution – and just as they’ve gotten to grips with the the web as a body part, as something that’s always been there…
P 44 The Media | wagthedog.co.za
STUDENT MEDIA
comes to clothes or fashion, sneakers are the first thing that they
PuTTing SouTh AFRiCA’S youTh judge and are judged on; you can buy a top and pants from Mr
inTo one BuCKeT iS noT FAiR – Price, but your sneakers have to be branded.”
MiLLenniALS ARe TeCh-SAvvy AnD Multi-platform reach
For brands hoping to successfully tap into this market, it’s
gen Z ARe TeCh-innATe essential that they understand not only generational differences,
but also the various socio-economic factors that further
While millennials had to get used to this world of digital, for differentiate the student market, says Hoon. “Gen Z in South
centennials it just is. It represents everything to them in terms of Africa is still very different, with different socio-economic
entertainment, education and communication.” pressures that affect the youth. For instance, we know that our
Waldi Hoon, general manager and executive producer of audience at Stellenbosch University is different than at Wits.”
student media at BOO! Surprising Media Solutions, agrees: Boo! Media launched Campus TV across several South
“Putting South Africa’s youth audience into one bucket is not fair African universities in February, and is rapidly expanding their
– but what I’ve seen is that millennials are tech-savvy and Gen Z national footprint. With its primary function being a strategic
are tech-innate. They have always had access to information on communication tool for universities to reach students, Campus
anything, and can’t imagine life without it.” TV also offers sustainable, third stream revenue generation, with
So much so, adds Kornberger, that when asked which of the an advertising platform for brands to target this market directly.
five senses they would be prepared to lose if they had to choose With 68 screens across five universities, content for each
between one and their phones, one replied: “I’ll keep my phone campus is tailored to their specific audience requirements
and lose my sense of smell.” – a crucial component in reaching this highly individualised
generation, notes Hoon. But how and where you reach them is
segmented spending power as crucial. “Gen Z is the multitasking, multiscreen generation;
Understanding a generation is one thing; stereotyping them is
another, which is what most brands did with millennials. Lumping an influential exponent
digital natives across different age groups together as one
homogenous group. It’s a mistake ‘woke’ Gen Zs won’t easily
stand for. So it’s even more vital to identify the ideals, drives and This year’s annual Sunday Times Generation Next Awards
influences of different segments of this powerful market. (held at the Sandton Convention Centre on 13 June),
According to HDI Youth Consultancy, South Africa’s 30 million boasted a brand new category: ‘Coolest Online Influencer’.
youth have a direct spend of over R120 billion per annum of their Hardly surprising, says Bongani Chinkanda, CEO of HDI
own disposable income – in sharp contrast to their parents, who Youth Solutions – who conducted the study for the awards
may have a higher earning power, but are struggling to keep programme – 63% of marketers have increased their
afloat in a dire economy. Gen Z, born between 1995 and 2009, influencer budgets in 2019.
makes up more than half of the total youth segment, at just over “We’ve always had influencers – in the black community,
15 million individuals. Of these, 11.6% are students (according to it was the lady who knew where all the specials were – so
Stats SA), who boast spending power of R35 billion. This should it’s not a new phenomenon, but what digital has done is
put them directly on most brands’ radar – which is why research to formalise it. Globally it has grown and can’t be ignored
into the youth market is proving an invaluable tool to connect anymore. Look at Ninja (Richard Tyler Blevins), for example:
with them. he’s a gaming streamer, the first to have been named as one
of the 100 most influential people. When we launch a game,
students: saving to splurge once Ninja plays it, people want to buy it.”
Student Village conducts regular research into youth and their Globally though, the celebrity influencer trend is declining,
latest insights, the Youth Culture report released in April, offers thanks to a lack of trust in the internet, says Chinkanda. “The
a few surprising understandings of students classified as the internet has 100% first world penetration, yet only about 4%
new centennial. “What we’re seeing this year is that students of people trust what they find online. Now, nano and micro
are saving more than ever before: 21% of students are saving influencers, with less than 50 000 followers are perceived
50-60% of their income – the highest it’s ever been since we as more authentic, speaking to passion points rather than
started the research (2009),” notes Kornberger. Attuned to the posting randomly.”
economy, unemployment and their parents’ struggle for survival, South Africa’s attachment to its celebs – Bonang, Boity,
centennials value money, and are not averse to hustling for it, Minnie, Refilwoe, Maps, Cassper have massive followings
with entrepreneurship also on the rise. – is tied to our history, says Chinkanda. “Young people
This, adds Kornberger, by no means infers that they’re not are seeing it as a career, and following these people; their
spending – and splurging – where they see fit. “With a monthly aspirations are weaved into our story of democracy, freedom
spend of R2 944, they are still spending more than the average and economy. Seeing a young black child born in Mahikeng
South African.” They’re also discerning about where and how grow up to become a global celebrity and ambassador for a
they’ll indulge. “Most of them save for a handset, and when it vodka brand (Cassper Nyovest)…”
The Media | wagthedog.co.za P 45
STUDENT MEDIA
they can spread their attention across multiple activities – but it’s three themes; everybody has a different theme, an individual
not good enough to have all your content plastered across every fingerprint… if brands can crack it and get into that feed, then
media point; you need to carefully consider each distribution they have won big time.”
platform, and how the audience is interacting with it – so Clearly, when it comes to reaching Gen Z, interaction is
interlinking platforms offers the ultimate return on investment.” key – and, says Kornberger, social media’s limitation is that it’s
still rather impersonal: “It doesn’t tap into our senses.” This is
activating tailored messages where the power of activations comes into play, especially for a
Campus TV, says Hoon, is an information portal that offers a generation that venerates experiences.
complementary, marketing platform that integrates well with “Gone are the days when you could come to a campus, put up
existing effective solutions like campus radio, social media or a gazebo and a table and hope things will happen. This shows
activations. “It’s not in competition with other forms of media, a lack of care – and students are more alert to that than ever
they all work together. For instance, we had a campaign at before. So brands that come to a campus and create experiences
Stellies, where we were advertising the product on TV, with a win – and the more immersive and interactive they are, the more
competition on radio, and a static media component: we asked effective,” he adds.
students to take photos and send them in.” Activations, adds Hoon, are a fantastic amplification tool for
Social media is undoubtedly Gen Z’s communication platform brand messaging. “It’s hard to ignore: it’s in your face in your
of choice. “When students were asked about where they get space – you don’t get to swipe left.”
the latest updates on their favourite brands, 94% said social Regardless of how and where brands reach and engage with
media,” says Kornberger. But making an impression on them Gen Z, the content of that message is vital to its rather discerning
takes more than just generic posts and requires, like activations, audience: “It’s very important that brands understand that and
some immersion. “The goal is to be a part of users’ feeds; to slide honesty is key when speaking to them, as they will see through a
into their home screen. Instagram, for instance, has an explore lie immediately,” stresses Hoon.
button that reveals who their users are, by showing their top
P 46 The Media | wagthedog.co.za
STUDENT MEDIA
Brands that fail to understand the value of authenticity for the
highly sceptical, anti-fake news Gen Z will rapidly come up short,
not least because this generation has realised their power as both
consumers and influencers, and are not shy to use it. “Influencer
marketing is playing a massive role in how young people are
making their buying choices – and students are now considering
and recognising themselves as being influencers,” explains
Kornberger, noting that when students were asked if they had to
adopt a label to describe themselves, the answer was invariably:
‘Then call me influencer’.
Influencer regulations and roI
In the UK, the Advertising Authority has decided to regulate
influencers because consumers couldn’t tell the difference
between paid adverts and influencer posts.
In SA, says Bongani Chinkanda, CEO of HDI Youth Solutions,
the challenge is that brands will start pushing back in terms of
impact and measurability and how it translates to sales. “They’ll
question the efficacy of having a celeb influencer going to the
Durban July: how effective was that post… And how did it convert
to sales? As influencer agencies, we need to find the matrix
whereby people are able to quantify ROIs – that’s where we are
now.”
advice to brands
Authenticity and purpose-led marketing are the big takeaways
from youth to brands, says Chinkanda. “They want to consume
brands that they believe understand the issues they face daily:
gender, femicide, education… this married very closely with
brands needing to develop their authenticity, which needs to lead
into their purpose in the bigger narrative of the issues affecting
the youth in South Africa.”
Instead of competing with culture, advises Chinkanda, brands
need to immerse themselves in it, locate themselves in the
conversation, and be part of it.
The recent IAAF ruling against Caster Semenya is a case
Who is gen Z? in point: shortly after the announcement, the 2018 video
of Discovery’s celebration of the popular athlete as their
ambassador went viral again, as the country mobilised its support
Generational cohorts are not defined by age, but by birth for the Olympic medallist. Discovery took a blueprint from Nike,
year. Referencing a group to a stage of life (i.e. students) Chinkanda reckons, who in their Colin Kaepernick campaign
is what causes confusion, as generations get older in “showed that their influencer is not just a voice, but a partnership
groups – but groups pass through various stages of life. – and when their influencer is in trouble, they are backing them,
So regardless of your age, you will always belong to the because ‘this is our person’.”
generation you were born into.
The current breakdown:
Baby boomers: Born between 1944 and 1964, they’re now
55-75 years old. Lucinda Jordaan is an
gen x: Born between 1965 and 1979, they’re now 40-54 independent writer,
years old. researcher and editor with
gen Y: Millennials, born between 1980 and 1994, they’re extensive experience in all
now 25-39 years old. media, covering various
gen Y.1 = 25-29 years old fields from academia and
gen Y.2 = 29-39 years old finance to education and
gen Z: Born between 1995 and 2015, they’re now 4-24 lifestyle.
years old.
The Media | wagthedog.co.za P 47
tHe Hotseat With: Vuyo Mthembu
Vuyo Mthembu is the newly appointed spokesperson for the SABC, taking charge of communicating
with the media after years of working under the broadcaster’s former head of communications. She
has brought a new energy to the role, but also has her work cut out for her as the public broadcaster
undergoes massive change and grapples with financial issues.
I am 39 years old and so far in my career… I have been Your pet hate is… When someone lies. I believe that taking
provided with immense opportunities by my organisation to accountability even when you have done wrong is important.
develop myself. Mistakes happen and what is key is being able to be truthful so that
a solution can be found, if need be.
What excites you most about your new position at the
saBC? To be able to put forth the SABC’s position on matters of What scares you most? Not being able to live up to my full
interest to the South African public, in a manner that is honest potential because of fear and letting others around me down.
and transparent. I believe I will continue to meet people who will
positively contribute to my growth, not only as a professional but Your best qualities are… I love helping those around me if I can,
personally as well. and if your heart and actions are in the right place, I am a very loyal
individual.
What will be your key challenges
in this role? The SABC serves a Your worst qualities are… I can be too hard on myself as I want
diverse society and one of the key perfection, but no one is perfect. So I have to learn to be more
challenges will be to ensure that forgiving of myself when I make mistakes.
whatever message is sent to the
public is not misconstrued, and that a perfect day would be… Sailing along the coast of eastern South
the facts of the matter are covered Africa with my family. Although, I have to say that I am more used
in a manner that is objective and fair to the Mediterranean Sea.
by the media.
Your personal motto is… Do unto others as you would have
What are some of the most them to do unto you.
important lessons you’ve
learned on your media a perfect day would be…? If I have completely fulfilled my public
journey? It is important service tasks which are bestowed upon me at my workplace. The
to respect whoever you bonus for me is spending time with my baby boy after a long day
interact with, regardless at work.
of their position, as
you never know who If you could have dinner with someone living or dead, who
holds the key to what would it be? Lauryn Hill. Her album, The Miseducation of Lauryn
you need and if you Hill, came out in 1997, when I was in high school and her music on
expect respect, you that album has shaped my perspective on some issues… till today,
must be willing to that album resonates with me.
give respect. I have
also learnt that the gadget/s you can’t live without and why? My cellphone as
hard work pays it serves as a multi-functional tool. I am able to access my emails,
off, and nothing diary and I love being able to check what is happening in the world
comes easy. in an instant.
the quality you Your addiction is… Lounging on the couch, watching TV.
most respect
in people is… Your death row meal would be... Beef stew, sweet potatoes,
Having respect for avocado and dombolo.
others and loyalty
are qualities I value in the rest of 2019 will be… Quite exciting from a work perspective
others. as the SABC is undergoing a period of transformation.
P 48 The Media | wagthedog.co.za
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