South Africans can become our best ambassadors
This week, South Africans will be exposed to the responses to the Active Citizens' Campaign launched by Brand South Africa early this year which asked all South Africans to create a "vision of a country they want to live in." The responses form the next step of the campaign in which the International Marketing Council (IMC), custodian of brand South Africa, continues the national conversation with South Africans on the role they will play in ensuring that the country reaches its full potential.

New SOS Children's Village for SA
When South Africa won the bid to host the 2010 FIFA World Cup, it was selected as one of the six countries to benefit from a new SOS Children's Village. This joint venture by FIFA and SOS Children's Villages was launched in 2004 to help children in need on every continent to find a loving and protective home. Known as “Six Villages for 2006”, this campaign has culminated with the new Rustenburg Village official opening on Heritage Day recently. For more information, go to www.sosvillages.org.za.

Feeling the pinch? - Artifact Advertising
It seems that rising prices, decreasing spend and salaries are the talk on everyone's lips nowadays. Budgets are shrinking and big business and SME's alike are tightening their belts. However, during these dark times, we thought that we would take this opportunity to give you a few tips on how to make your marketing rand go further...

iKineo grows Gateway Theatre of Shopping's innovative CRM programme - iKineo
The Gateway Theatre of Shopping is one of Africa's largest malls and a destination for millions of regular shoppers. iKineo has been working with Primedia Lifestyle, the marketing team responsible for all the Old Mutual Investment Group Property Investments' malls, to grow its pioneering CRM programme - Gateway Imagine.

How does business intelligence work?
How does the small to medium business owner gauge the relevance of information management tools for their organisation without racking up potentially costly bills? This is a question which Synergy Business Intelligence (BI) sets out to solve with the release of its free e-booklet ‘Making Business Intelligence work for you', available from www.synergy.co.za. Explains Christo Bredenkamp, Synergy BI MD, “... [I]t is our intention to introduce the concepts and benefits of BI, as well as to highlight some potential pitfalls of a BI implementation to the company owner who is looking to improve decision-making with the support of tools that cut through the clutter.”

Great Stock's exciting Corbis SNAP game - Great Stock!
Great Stock! has addressed the growing appreciation of design amongst advertising, design and editorial clients with the launch of their Corbis SNAP game.

SA political debate alive online, too
[Gino Cosme] Thanks to social media and user-generated media, individuals like you and I are drawing attention beyond the media to important political insight and opinion that could shape our tomorrows. In America alone, more than 60 million people rely on the Internet for political news and electoral debate. And if a look at South African blog aggregator Amatomu has anything to say, South Africa is abuzz with discussion around issues that affect this country's future.


Telkom rolls out 3G network
South African telecoms company Telkom will over the next month deploy its own third generation (3G) wireless network across the country. This will bring the fixed-line operator closer to providing its customers with fully converged information communication technology solutions, reports Southafrica.info.

BitDefender points out a new mix of spam techniques - Holton & Associates
BitDefender researchers have detected a new wave of spam messages advertising medication for sex life improvement, such as male enhancement drugs. The novelty of this spam campaign resides both on its amplitude and on the mix of delivery confirmations the unsolicited e-mails request.

Can eCRM close the online conversion gap? - Ensight
Online advertising trends suggest that many online marketers are focusing on customer acquisition at the expense of customer conversion. Among the reasons suggested for this are the complexities of typical online conversion processes. Product and Marketing Director for emarketing software developer Ensight, John Ginsberg, explains how sophisticated eCRM solutions are helping marketers close the conversion gap by getting the right prospects into the sales cycle at the right time.

Social networks - don't try to fit a square peg into a round hole - Acceleration
[Richard Mullins] It's hard to avoid social networks these days. If you're in marketing, wherever you turn, you are bound to encounter some kind of discussion about them and the promise they hold for advertisers.

Grind earns its degree in coffee - Grind Mobile Coffee
Attracting good people to your business these days is no easy task. Price Waterhouse Coopers wanted to stand out on its university recruitment drives, projecting an approachable, vibey image that would attract students to its stand. What better way to do this than by having the ideal social lubricant on tap - coffee.


Tickle your tastebuds
This year's Taste of Joburg features the fare of 15 of Johannesburg's top restaurants, 9 - 12 October 2008, at the Montecasino Outdoor Event Venue. Cuisine from some of the cities' most talented chefs ranges from African to Asian, Italian to fusion. An added dimension will be the performances of Watershed (which recently released its latest album, "Staring at the Ceiling") 10 - 12 October.

New segmented lifestyle magazine launches
Lebone Purge Media is launching IZZiT, a new bi-monthly lifestyle magazine that addresses the needs of people of mixed heritage (coloured or ‘brown'), in October 2008. Billed as an historical first for South Africa, the magazine is expected to also have secondary readerships in the broader context of the SA landscape and the diaspora.

Election campaign goes mobile
The UDM 2009 election campaign kicked off on Wednesday, 8 October 2008, with a media briefing with UDM president Bantu Holomisa. Also launched was UDMConnect, which accommodates both cellphone and online-based party membership and communication in the style of commercial ‘customer care' models. Intended to revolutionise the way people sign up for party membership and receive party communiqués, UDMConnect enables South African ‘customers' to become a member of the political party, without the drudgery of filling in forms, or appearing in person at branches; communicate local community problems via SMS to the UDM, enhancing the party's ability to follow up, effect constituency work and keep in contact with voters; log problems on the website, or update membership information; and be informed of local UDM activities.

Cape's second largest cycling event unveils new mountain bike route - Die Burger
Following a very successful inaugural cycle race last year, Die Burger Cycle Tour has launched its plans for this year's event. The event will take place in and around Stellenbosch on Sunday 30 November and is the final seeding opportunity for the 2009 Cape Argus Pick n Pay Cycle Tour.

Taxi talk, township lingo
Over the past two months South Africa's ‘see for yourself network', Cell C, contracted ComutaNet to nationally brand 250 large load Quantum taxis. In addition, ComutaNet branded 125 taxis as part of Cell C's vibrant “Township Lingo” campaign. Both taxi design formats enlightens consumers about Cell C's extensive network footprint.

Following the experts at Frieze Films to BP - Frieze Films
Currently flighting on TV is Director Tony Baggott's new spot for BP, an engaging commercial from Frieze Films that allows us to, quite literally, follow the experts.

The hot new frequency in Limpopo
[Tshepiso Seopa] This time last year, Capricorn FM was only a dream that had yet to materialise. As Limpopo Province's first commercial radio station catering for the black urban market, Capricorn FM only went on air for the first time on 27 November, 2007 and has exceeded its goals, with 1.5 million listeners in its first year.

Reputation, reputation, reputation
[Max Henderson] In this global economy, where the news is filled with the current economic meltdown, a consumer has to wonder what and who you can trust to see you through the tough times. The decision-making behind investing your hard-earned cash or what property to buy will ultimately be made on a company's reputation.

Top PR success strategies and best-practices - Encyclomedia
Learn the top practical publicity skills to enhance and expand your understanding of traditional and online media at the PR Success Strategies For Your Business Conference on 20 November in Cape Town.


Platinum Public Relations celebrates five years of success - Platinum Public Relations
Armstrong, in all his glory, is revered for his words: “One step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” We embrace such milestones with enthusiasm and pride, for when humanity makes progress, it is cause to celebrate.

Poor crisis planning for infectious diseases puts South Africa at risk - Crisis Communications Consultancy
With the death of four people from an as yet unknown (at the time of writing) viral haemorrhagic fever, accompanied by wide-ranging speculation about a possible outbreak of the disease, companies need to ensure they monitor their employees and update their crisis communications management plans with immediate effect.

Knock-on effects of increasing petrol price
[Charles Foster] This article was born out of the frustration undoubtedly felt by many in South Africa who have to brave daily traffic jams to work. From someone who has lived in the same house and worked in the same suburb for more than 15 years, the route to work and back is indelibly etched into my memory.

Pointeq's Windward System Five software offers you a complete rental solution - Pointeq Teqnologies
Pointeq's Windward System Five software was specifically designed to provide solutions for rental businesses and is fully scalable to meet the needs of any size operation.

Countdown to Engen Dynamic Cycle Challenge - Octagon South Africa
Excitement mounts as the final preparations are in full swing for the second Engen Dynamic Cycle Challenge, taking place with the beautiful backdrop of Nelson's Creek Wine Estate in Wellington on Saturday 11 October, 2008.

African films televised in nine countries
Nine African films made by local filmmakers from nine African countries are being broadcast across the region between September and October 2008.