INDEPENDENT RESEARCH AND OPINION

www.themediaonline.co.za YEARBOOK 2021

TheMediaYearbook2021_Cover.indd 1 12.04.21 09:27 Untitled-3 2 2021/04/06 4:29 PM Untitled-3 3 2021/04/06 4:30 PM Untitled-3 1 2021/04/06 4:24 PM 22 MEDIA AGENCY: AFRICA 46 MAGAZINES: SOUTH AFRICA Media has the potential to be the There’s no doubt the country’s biggest catalyst for human connection magazine sector has been Contents and change, and we know it, hard hit, but some publishers writes ROXANNE BOYES. are rolling with the punches and making a plan, 24 MEDIA AGENCY: GLOBAL writes SANDRA GORDON. 5 FROM THE EDITOR If there’s a single best practice to On the record working with in-house teams, it’s 50 DIGITAL PUBLISHING: the focus on ensuring that agency SOUTH AFRICA 6 PRESS OVERVIEW teams are closely connected to The upshot of the pandemic The question is, how do you get them, argues BENOIT CACHEUX. was massive increases in audiences to recognise the role of online readership, says a diverse media in a democracy? 27 AUDIO AUDIENCE MEASUREMENT RIAAN WOLMARANS, as online The other side of the story is, This year, the BRC is moving from publishers embraced technology how do you get journalists to a radio measurement paradigm to an and a mobile-first approach. heed and listen to audiences? audio measurement model, to ensure DR GLENDA DANIELS has it captures the full spectrum of 52 PROGRAMMATIC: some answers. audio, writes GARY WHITAKER. SOUTH AFRICA A solid, integrated martech 8 MEDIA AGENCY OVERVIEW 31 RADIO: SOUTH AFRICA and adtech stack is an Performance is key in making Radio in South Africa experienced essential driving force in the South African 2021 media sweeping changes in 2020, achieving business (not just ecosystem successful, and says TIM ZUNCKEL, who marketing) objectives, agencies have the opportunity believes there’s a shift in needs JOE STEYN-BEGLEY believes. to design what good looks like, and required skills in 2021. writes CLAUDELLE NAIDOO. 53 DIGITAL ADVERTISING: 36 STREAMING: AFRICA SOUTH AFRICA 12 CREATIVE OVERVIEW YOLISA PHAHLE is bullish Change will happen at a dizzying If we want to drive business growth about the growth of streaming in pace, and it will be happening in 2021, we need to be proactive, Africa, pointing to research that everywhere at once – from not reactive. We need to move predicts it will grow fivefold by 2025. privacy and policy decisions to out of last year’s shadow, says addressability and attribution, UYANDA MANANA. 40 TELEVISION: GLOBAL says PAULA HULLEY. Covid-19 necessitated change at 15 AFRICA OVERVIEW breakneck speed for brands, says 57 OUT OF HOME: SOUTH AFRICA The Africa Brand Summit asked, NICOLE GREENFIELD-SMITH, who The pandemic prompted many what investments, technologies, discusses Thinkbox TV research on OOH operators to look inwards, skills, policies and leadership how broadcasters adapted to adversity. says SIMON WALL, whose are needed to help turn the efforts to use his infrastructure situation around? Convener 42 PUBLISHING: SOUTH AFRICA to support SMEs created a SOLLY MOENG answers. The truth is print now offers unique trigger moment for his business. niche audiences of extremely 20 MEDIA AGENCY: SOUTH AFRICA valuable and loyal readers, writes 59 OUT OF HOME: GLOBAL Let’s lean in to hope, but let’s do JOSEPHINE BUYS. OOH media was it with eyes wide open, and include disproportionately impacted scenario planning against what 44 NEWSPAPERS: SOUTH AFRICA bythe crisis, but the good we now know about the effects Not all newspapers are on their knees news is that the global OOH of the virus on absolutely in South Africa, says BRITTA REID market is forecast to grow at

IMAGE:SUPPLIED everything, says KAGISO MUSI. as she looks into local papers. 14.9%, writes BEN MILNE.

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INDEPENDENT INDUSTRY INTELLIGENCE www.themediaonline.co.za On the record… PUBLISHED BY Arena Holdings his time last year…” Never Hill on Empire, 16 Empire Road before has that innocuous (cnr Hillside Road) little phrase had such Parktown meaning. We were just Johannesburg about to put the 2020 2193 “issue ofT The Media Yearbook to bed when Postal Address: PO Box 1746 EVERYTHING changed. Only the latest Saxonwold Johannesburg contributions to come in mentioned the big 2193 C-word. We were just about to enter level fi ve Telephone: +27 11 280 3000 hard lockdown, and many of us, in our naivety, thought the coronavirus would be conquered and life would return to almost normal. EDITORIAL A year later, as I write this, we are just about to put The Media Editor: Glenda Nevill Yearbook 2021 to bed. This time, our stories pay homage to the [email protected] Content Manager: Raina Julies resilience of the media industry, and how it is dealing with the [email protected] massive changes brought about by the pandemic. Our loose Sub-Editor: Anthony Sharpe theme is ‘Revive, recalibrate, refresh’, and those media companies Content Co-ordinator: Vanessa Payne that have survived have done just that. Contributors: Roxanne Boyes, Sadly, many didn’t make it through the fi rst year of Covid-19. Benoit Cacheux, Dr Glenda Daniels, Some were already battling, dealing with the ongoing impact of Sandra Gordon, Nicole Greenfi eld-Smith, digital transformation and its ripple effects on advertising. The Paula Hulley, Claudelle Naidoo, Uyanda Manana, pandemic hastened their demise. Others rallied, embracing the Ben Milne, Solly Moeng, Kagiso Musi, Yolisa Phahle, Britta Reid, Joe Steyn-Begley, challenges of working from home, Zoom or Teams meetings, virtual Simon Wall, Riaan Wolmarans, Tim Zunckel pitching and events, and new ways of selling and communicating. In our own small way, The Media magazine too has changed. DESIGN We’ve transitioned to digital magazines, with limited print runs for Head of Design: Jayne Macé-Ferguson Project Designer: Anja Hagenbuch special occasions. We’ve updated and increased our online databases, as these are our most important currency in this digital world. SALES The Media Online’s numbers soared in 2020 – as did many publisher Sales Manager: Tarin-Lee Watts [email protected] platforms. Now that the (media) world is back at work (albeit still from +27 79 504 7729 home or in some kind of hybrid WFH model), most publishers have Sales Administrator: Neesha Klaaste reported numbers stabilising from the lofty heights we experienced in the fi rst few months of lockdown. PRODUCTION We wanted the 2021 issue of to tell the Production Editor: Shamiela Brenner The Media Yearbook Advertising Co-ordinator: stories of our sector, and how the different businesses within the Johan Labuschagne media industry learned to survive, adapt and change. As always, we’ve sourced content from South Africa, the continent and abroad MANAGEMENT to offer our readers a wide perspective on the year that was, and General Manager, Magazines: Jocelyne Bayer the year to come.

The Media. Copyright: The Media. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced Got to love it. in any form without written consent of the publisher. The publisher is not responsible for unsolicited material. The Media is published by Arena Holdings. Glenda The opinions expressed are not necessarily those of Arena Holdings. All advertisements/advertorials have been paid for and therefore do not carry any IMAGE:SUPPLIED IMAGE:SUPPLIED endorsement by the publisher.

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05_TheMediaYearbook2021_EdsNoteInfoPanel.indd 5 14.04.21 10:20 Recalibrate, refresh and revive journalism for South Africa’s democracy How do we adjust local journalism for the better? DR GLENDA DANIELS has some ideas.

ecalibration, refresh buttons for executives), the Covid-19 pandemic jobs over the past decade, starting and revivals occur through entered, some media retreated and with the economic downturn of 2008. the disruption seen in the retrenched, some closed down, but Researcher Reg Rumney’s report flux, fluidity, and especially then some outfits (for example Daily examining the impact of Covid-19 on job experimentation (hard paywall, Maverick) did counterintuitive things, losses in journalism, released in June 2020, Rsoft paywall, no paywall) around how hired more staff and even launched found that more than 700 journalists were journalism is to be paid for in a media a print edition. But even this was done retrenched in the first few months of the ecosystem that is shifting to online, not through old business models, but pandemic, and that local news lost the with concomitant social media through another kind of experimentation most, with 80 community newspapers and disinformation. or innovation: social/corporate closing down. Then, of course, there’s the question of partnerships or membership models. how to get audiences to recognise the role THE MEDIA LANDSCAPE of a diverse media in a democracy. The THE BAD NEWS: JOB LOSSES, other side of the story is this: how to get CYBER-MISOGYNY, DISINFORMATION HAS BECOME MORE journalists to heed and listen to audiences. What else has changed? The media THREATENING FOR WOMEN Just about everything has changed landscape has become more threatening WHO CRACK HIGH-PROFILE for journalism in the age of new media: for women who crack high-profile it’s the era of social media and big tech corruption-busting stories. Misogynists CORRUPTION-BUSTING STORIES companies gobbling up the advertising. see women as easy targets; yet women And, untaxed as they are, they are have not left the space. The media By July 2020 a new round of laughing all the way to the bank. An landscape shows an appalling anti-feminist retrenchments was announced when offshoot of this is mainstream journalists backlash against women journalists, seen Primedia declared job cuts. The Primedia being retrenched in droves, while in how they are trolled online, and even Group has 786 full-time employees but newsrooms are run as 24/7 engines, with threatened with rape and murder when has not given a job cut figure. In July 2020, anxiety and burnout the norm. Another crooks in power act against them, aiming Media24 announced it would retrench ‘trend’ is that no one has any winning, to intimidate them into silence. about 510 employees. This followed an fixed idea on how to pay for journalism. Covid-19 could not have arrived at a SABC announcement that about And so experimentation continues. worse time for journalism. State of the 600 jobs would be cut (now reduced In this age of declining media company newsroom reports from 2013-2020 to 300 as the broadcaster continues to

profits (okay, no profits, just fat salaries show that journalism steadily shed tussle with the communications minister). IMAGE:SUPPLIED

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06-07_TheMediaYearbook2021_OpenerPress.indd 6 12.04.21 09:38 PRESS OVERVIEW

These figures add up to 1 810. With Trusted brands with refreshing twists Primedia additions and the 1 200 will survive this era where change is freelance jobs the SABC is threatening the new normal – for example excellent to cut, that would climb to over 3 000. journalism, getting facts right, subscribing These retrenchments signify a diminishing to codes of ethics prescribed by the diversity of voices, and therefore Press Council of South Africa, and democracy and the public are the losers. investing in training journalists. Those companies that invest in such training THE GOOD NEWS: RECALIBRATION will end up being trusted. AND REVIVAL IN POLITICS, LAW AND ETHICS There appears to be no threat against THE SANEF-COMMISSIONED media from Cyril Ramaphosa as head of INQUIRY INTO MEDIA state. In January 2021, he was signatory ETHICS AND CREDIBILITY, to the launch of the first online platform HEADED BY RETIRED aimed at improving the protection of journalists and affirming freedom JUDGE KATHY SATCHWELL, of expression, together with the African FOUND THAT OUR Union and UNESCO. DEMOCRACY NEEDS Last year he sent back the Protection INDEPENDENT JOURNALISM of State Information Bill (Secrecy Bill) to parliament, spotting the unconstitutionality MORE THAN EVER in it. The ANC has in recent years gone silent about its resolution for a Media Those who are keen to adopt Appeals Tribunal, which would hand diversification of race, gender, age and over ultimate governance of media sexuality, across class biases too will to parliament. also survive. Those who have transparency In February, investigative journalism of funding as a policy will also do well, unit amaBhungane scored a major as this helps to engender trust. victory when the courts ruled in its Those who take seriously the favour in the Regulation of Interception mantras of ‘audience first’ and ‘listening of Communications and Provision of journalism’ – which are now popular Communication-related Information concepts in academic media studies Act 70 of 2002 (RICA) case. Journalists around the world – as they pertain Dr Glenda cannot be bugged any more; state spies Daniels to journalism’s role in a democracy have to prove to the courts first why will thrive. this is necessary, and have to inform And people who consume mainstream journalists they are being tailed or Of concern, the Satchwell report noted news, and are on social media (right, bugged because they are under that newsrooms are often factional. that’s just about everyone) need suspicion of criminality. This arises from national politics playing refreshment in reliable and factual media. The SANEF-commissioned themselves out in newsrooms and That’s one constant in this age of flux, inquiry into media ethics and credibility, media companies. fluidity and disinformation. headed by retired judge Kathy Satchwell, Clearly, we find some journalists wish found that our democracy needs to adhere to professional codes and independent journalism more than ever. ethics as set out by the Press Council, Dr Glenda Daniels is an associate professor The inquiry also found breaches of ethics and some who side with political factions in Media Studies at Wits University. Being for brown envelopes, plagiarism and in the ruling party – which shows in the a writer, editor, researcher, lecturer, author, fake news, among others, but ultimately stories they produce. Independent feminist and media freedom activist, she also serves on the Press Council and on asserted that the media in South Africa Media withdrew from the Press Council SANEF’s council.

IMAGE:SUPPLIED cannot be accused of being corrupt. in 2016.

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06-07_TheMediaYearbook2021_OpenerPress.indd 7 08.04.21 11:18 08-09_TheMediaYearbook2021_OpenerMediaAgency.indd 8 to clientsuccess models holdthekey Agency operating to clientsuccess 8 I H MEDIAYEARBOOK THE 2021 There were some positives for mediato takeaway LUEL NAIDOO CLAUDELLE themediaonline .co.za believes thisyear agencies ableto from 2020, and more for those holds plenty perform atperform their peak. their peak. Naidoo Claudelle for theirclients. provided environmentcatastrophe astable structures torespond tothisglobal media agenciesthathadsolidoperational paused, redirected,orcutcompletely, settle inandwhilecampaignswere being initial onset. to As thepandemicstarted There was defi nitelysomelightafter the SILVER LININGS versus that plannedfor mostbrands. year on anegative 10-20% mediainvestment forecasting toendthe resulted intheindustry budgets arethefi rsttobereconsidered. This times,marketingduring uncertain andmedia at thetime,andbasedonmy experience thatwe wereof uncertainty dealingwith was consideringthelevels understandable, to delivermeasures. ‘costcontainment’ This pandemic was aroundredesigningstrategies that we faced at thebeginningof point ofview, oneofthebiggestchallenges to namebutafew oftheimpacts. oureconomy destabilised – most importantly created consumerandbusinessfl ux,and as alcoholandsport,disrupted schooling, down many key performing sectorssuch reshaped mediaconsumptionpatterns, shut that in turn createdamassof uncertainty T As Irefl ect fromamediaandbusiness in many othercountries,which hard lockdown inSouth Africa as The pandemicbroughtabouta fond memoriesfor theworld. he year 2020doesnotbringback 08.04.21 11:19

IMAGE: SUPPLIED MEDIA AGENCY OVERVIEW

This stability and specialist support BUSINESS OPERATING MODELS WILL PERFORMANCE, PERFORMANCE guided many brands in how to focus on CONTINUE TO DELIVER GROWTH AND MORE PERFORMANCE growth and put the consumer journey Innovation has been a buzzword in the The year ahead looks bright and exciting at the pulse of the marketing ecosystem. media industry over the years and many in South Africa. TV will continue to drive The conversion from uncertainty to agencies have got it right. I have seen how reach, content will be key, digital will stability led to the South African media agency operations with diversified product enhance other media platforms and industry ending on a much better note offerings including advanced technologies, grow YoY by at least 30-40% in 2021 than predicted early in 2020. integrated workforces and specialist skills (my assumption based on 2020 trends), have gained fair market share for clients radio will keep pushing digital innovation, THE CONVERSION FROM and the media sector in 2020. I foresee ecommerce will have a larger base, this trend continuing in 2021, with many and so forth. UNCERTAINTY TO STABILITY agencies that have not yet remodelled or LED TO THE SOUTH reshaped their businesses quickly getting AGENCIES NEED TO FOCUS on board. Agencies of the future cannot be AFRICAN MEDIA INDUSTRY ON BUILDING FORMULAS ENDING ON A MUCH BETTER complacent or reactive to market forces. The evolution of the consumer, THROUGH POWERFUL DATA NOTE THAN PREDICTED pandemic or not, dictates that we need AND ANALYTICS IN ORDER EARLY IN 2020 to be agile enough to change and predict TO SHOWCASE BRAND OR change, and keep our media partnerships GroupM’s This Year, Next Year: Global flexible to accommodate change. I believe BUSINESS PERFORMANCE 2020 End-of-Year Forecast Report indicates that the only way to provide this stability IN MEDIA that overall media investment declined by to brands/clients/staff, and to deliver 5.8% worldwide. This figure is very similar incremental YoY growth is through flexible We keep looking at which media to how many brands ended the year in and diversified operational structures. platforms will work best or grow South Africa, which was stronger than exponentially in 2021 in terms of forecasted at the start of the pandemic. FROM DATA SERVICE PROVIDERS reach and other audience ratings, but When we compare these figures to TO CONSUMER ENABLERS I do not believe these numbers will South Africa’s GDP, StatsSA reports that For the longest time we’ve spoken about be good enough to establish growth. the economy showed steady progress the high costs of data in South Africa I believe agencies need to focus in Q3 2020 with an annualised growth being one of the biggest challenges on building formulas through powerful rate of 13.5%, and an annual year-end we face, especially for digital media data and analytics to showcase brand figure of -5.8%. transformation. In 2020 digital media or business performance in media – These figures directly correlate to our went from ‘transforming slowly’ to irrespective of whether ROI modelling approximate media investment decline ‘developing instantly’ and showing results. is in place or not. and suggest that South African media Data is one of the commodities enabling Performance is key in making the investment gained steady traction, consumers in South Africa today – more 2021 media ecosystem in South Africa ending the year strong as we were in so in this new normal world in which successful, and agencies have the line with GDP. we are living. opportunity to design what good Digital media was a key driver in I foresee partners in this space working looks like. maintaining high levels of media hard to ensure that all South Africans investment. As consumer patterns and have access to data and services, cost Claudelle Naidoo is the managing director behaviours shifted, we saw the rise of effectively, before the end of 2021. This of MediaCom South Africa. Her experience video on demand, content extensions will further enable us to do two jobs in in the marketing, media and research from traditional media platforms to online, the media ecosystem: first, to connect industries across Africa spans more a huge spike in social media consumption and engage with consumers when most than 20 years. She believes her passion as person-to-person socialising became effective without having to worry about for research, data, and analytics is the driving force behind her career growth more and more restricted, and the access to data being a threat; and second, and development, coupled with a hunger boom of ecommerce – Nielsen reported to showcase the power and role of and eagerness to learn from experts, teach that 30% of all South Africans were each medium at any given moment in a others and grow alongside people.

IMAGE:SUPPLIED shopping more online. converged media ecosystem.

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08-09_TheMediaYearbook2021_OpenerMediaAgency.indd 9 08.04.21 11:19 Untitled-1 2 2021/04/08 2:55 PM Untitled-1 3 2021/04/08 2:55 PM Uyanda Manana Out of the shadows The brands that want to thrive moving forward will be those that recognise the importance of experiences, service, collaboration and inclusivity, writes UYANDA MANANA.

he new normal’, ‘pivot’, ‘work from home’, ‘shift to digital’, ‘now more than ever’. The advertising, communications and creative industries in 2020 T ‘ were nothing if not dominated by clichés, bandied about in circumstances so fraught, so unexpected, that just surviving the year was considered an achievement. It was fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants stuff as we grappled with the impact of Covid-19 on our businesses and lives. From the looks of it, 2021 is not going to be any easier. There is no magic switch. This year is likely to be even tougher and more demanding personally and professionally. But it has to be different; if indeed there is a ‘new normal’ out there, we have to acknowledge, understand and work with it. Reacting was last year’s default; this year requires a lot more

from us. IMAGE:SUPPLIED

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12-13_TheMediaYearbook2021_OpenerCreativeAgency.indd 12 08.04.21 11:20 CREATIVE ADVERTISING OVERVIEW

Our ethos as a digital agency is HELPING VERSUS SELLING, but also most importantly with their biggest that conversation drives advocacy and BRANDS AS A SERVICE asset: their customers. Marketers who advocacy drives business growth. This has Consumers are looking for brands that want to appeal to today’s consumers need never been more important in our industry, will make their lives easier, brands that to master the art of inclusivity in their Out where the focus will increasingly be on go beyond merely selling, brands that are marketing efforts. Finding simple and brands becoming conversation leaders. of service. Forbes listed Shine Distillery, innovative ways to have consumers adopt They will move from being either in Portland USA, as one of the brands the brand mission and purpose as their not known or talked about – or being that got this right in 2020. The distillery own is incredibly powerful. Consumers perceived as no more than the sum started making and giving away hand become your media, wilfully and happily of the of their products or services – to sanitiser during an acute shortage. propagating your promises in a meaningful being brands with purpose, brands This was made possible by using the and believable way. Get your audience to that transcend categories and shape first batch of alcohol produced but often do the talking to drive up positive sentiment conversations in society. It certainly takes thrown out. Closer to home, SAB and deliver growth for your brand. bravery and stepping out of comfort did something similar, donating alcohol shadows zones, but if 2020 taught us anything, it is from its breweries to help manufacture FINDING SIMPLE AND the importance of courage and resilience. more hand sanitiser. Both were innovative There are four key, practical takeaways ways of building brand awareness while INNOVATIVE WAYS TO HAVE to help brands become purposeful supporting the community. CONSUMERS ADOPT THE conversation leaders. It’s also important for brands to recognise BRAND MISSION AND that their employees can either be their EXPERIENCES REPLACE BRAND greatest advocates or most powerful PURPOSE AS THEIR OWN PROMISES AND MESSAGES detractors. Being of service needs to be IS INCREDIBLY POWERFUL Communication in 2021 is far less about internally focused as well. Take Google, saying hello and making an offer. It has which created a Covid-19 fund to enable I love the quote from Howard Gossage: to be about how we can use tech and contract workers to take sick leave when “Nobody reads ads. They read what interests innovation to create experiences and quarantined, and Twitter providing them, and sometimes it’s an ad.” And value that ensure our customers never employees cover for additional childcare it’s never rung truer. We can’t know what have to say goodbye. Brand messages expenses incurred due to schools the rest of 2021 has in store, but we also and promises are no longer effective on being closed. can’t wait for the year to happen to us. We their own; consumers are looking for need to take what we have and carve out experiences that are seamless, COLLABORATION a space where we become valuable and convenient and allow for escapism. The real magic happens when brands interesting to our audiences and communities, Brands will need to demonstrate their partner with entities with a common sparking conversations that are meaningful promises through authentic experiences purpose – it allows for more compelling and useful right here, right now. and rich, immersive, value-based creative, better reach and, if you really If we want to drive business growth in 2021, communication. This is where a focus nail it, far-reaching impact on people’s lives. if we want this year to be really different, on CX and UX will also play a vital role Lifebuoy is one of the few brands we need to be proactive, not reactive. We in how we help our clients build that properly leveraged the benefits of need to move out of last year’s shadow. sustainable brands in 2021. collaboration in 2020 when they partnered It can’t merely be about shifting with the Global Handwashing Partnership marketing budgets and brand messages for the ‘H for Handwashing’ campaign. Uyanda Manana is managing director onto digital platforms, but rather how our The movement literally changed the of Conversation LAB, a full service ‘born audiences experience our brands within conversation we have with our children digital’ agency founded in 2012 with offices in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban and this space. Why should they trust a brand around critical hand hygiene, and further London. Conversation LAB consistently and why should they keep coming back? entrenched the brand’s purpose and delivers highly effective digital campaigns They will continue to trust their inner position within communities across Africa. for blue-chip clients with relentless circles and networks more than Adcept accountability. Sister agencies in the group A or B. Brands will need to back up their INCLUSIVE MARKETING include strategic communications firm Power LAB and paid media consultancy promises in unique and innovative ways Brands should look to collaborate not only Media LAB.

IMAGE:SUPPLIED to build trust and indeed talkability. with suppliers, partners and other brands,

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12-13_TheMediaYearbook2021_OpenerCreativeAgency.indd 13 08.04.21 11:20 Untitled-3 1 2021/04/06 4:25 PM AFRICA OVERVIEW 2020: a year of endings, a year of beginnings SOLLY MOENG looks back on the successful execution of the first hybrid Africa Brand Summit.

020 was one long emotional arrest harmless citizens taking roller coaster of a year for lonely walks on beaches or jogging many people. We moved alone in deserted areas, with no risk from consternation when the of bringing harm to anyone. coronavirus pandemic was fi rst As organisers of the annual Africa announced, 2 to trepidation as casualty Brand Summit, we remained calm as numbers grew and people close or known we watched the evolving situation quite to us became affected – some of them closely, staying in regular contact with subsequently dying from it – then hope bodies such as SA Tourism, the South when the curve fl attened and casualty African Association for the Conference numbers began to stabilise and drop, Industry, and the Tourism Business followed by the progressive easing of Council of South Africa in order to inform lockdown restrictions. a decision to cancel, postpone or modify There was also a lot of anger at the planned 2020 event. government for imposing a blanket It was supposed to be hosted in lockdown, with some of its June as a traditional, full-on movement and trading face-to-face summit in restrictions not making Cape Town. Cancellation any sense in the fi ght and postponement against the spread of Solly to 2021 were Moeng the virus. This anger right at the was further fuelled bottom of by the conduct our list of of some senior considerations, politicians, who and would behaved as if the only have been restrictions were triggered if we not meant for were convinced them, and by that conditions the overzealous for hosting the drive by some event in any members of the form during security forces who 2020 would have were too eager to been negative.

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15-16_TheMediaYearbook2021_OpenerAfrica.indd 15 08.04.21 11:22 AFRICA OVERVIEW

A CHANCE FOR SOMETHING NEW LOOKING BACK In 2020, the anchor discussion was the Throughout the time, we were also In hindsight, deciding to go ahead with the Food Value Chain Space, from agriculture driven by a desire to do something new 2020 Africa Brand Summit was a brave through agro-processing, logistics, and positive during a year that we knew decision when considering the costs and cross-border transportation, storage and would be spoken about for many decades difficult funding environment in which retail. It falls under the broader Integrated to come. While 2020 will be classified many businesses had been forced to halt Africa Economic Development umbrella. alongside 1918, known for the Spanish their trading and go for months without Africa is a net importer of food crops, a Flu that took many lives across the globe, being able to generate revenue. totally unacceptable situation given the we wanted to remember it as the year Many, especially in the broader potential that lies in the continent turning during which we pushed back against hospitality and informal sectors, were into a more self-reliant net exporter giving up and embraced new, innovative crippled forever and forced to shut down of food crops. platforms for hosting an African event and let go of many employees, which of global proportions. led to the destruction of millions of THE RAISON D’ÊTRE We announced during March that livelihoods and rising unemployment. OF THE AFRICA BRAND the 2020 Africa Brand Summit would Some of the summit’s past sponsors be postponed from the first week of also found themselves in rather difficult SUMMIT IS TO IDENTIFY June to the first week of October, then financial situations, having been impacted AND STUDY THE ROOT continued to assess the evolving situation by poor trading conditions and forced to CAUSES OF THE PERENNIALLY before deciding on what format the prioritise internal needs, especially the event would take. Not long after that, we support of their own employees, NEGATIVE PERCEPTIONS announced that it would be hosted as ahead of supporting the summit. AROUND AFRICA hybrid summit, with a maximum of 50 The decision to proceed was seen by delegates attending the face-to-face part some people as brave and admirable, We asked: “What investments, of the event in Cape Town while others and by others as almost reckless. In technologies, skills, policies, and would livestream from across the world. the end, however, we managed to leadership are needed to help turn the The fixing of delegate numbers at the host a successful hybrid event with situation around?” The outcome of this face-to-face venue was done in line with livestreaming and technical teams and other discussions is summarised in published health and safety protocols co-ordinating speaker and delegate the formal report of the 2020 Africa such as temperature checking, regular engagement from Cape Town and Brand Summit. hand sanitising and the need for Chennai, India. There were minor This discussion was also taken to physical distancing. co-ordinating glitches on day one, the Zambia at the end of November 2020, sources of which were quickly identified where I was invited by the Minister of THROUGHOUT THE TIME, WE and corrected to avoid a repeat on Information and Broadcasting to lead day two. With strict health and safety a discussion on territorial and country WERE ALSO DRIVEN BY A protocols in place at the venue, not a branding, with a focus on Brand Zambia

DESIRE TO DO SOMETHING single case of Covid-19 was reported to help the country reposition itself. IMAGES:SUPPLIED NEW AND POSITIVE DURING A during or after the summit. YEAR THAT WE KNEW WOULD PULLING UP THE ROOTS Solly Moeng is an experienced holistic brand manager and media professional BE SPOKEN ABOUT FOR MANY The raison d’être of the Africa Brand specialising in reputation management, DECADES TO COME Summit is to identify and study the stakeholder engagement strategies, root causes of the perennially negative strategic communications, PR and During the two-day event, speakers, perceptions around Africa, at home and media relations. As a destination brand management expert, Moeng founded and panellists and delegates livestreamed abroad, and to recommend changes that currently convenes the fast-growing Africa from South Africa, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, must be made over time to progressively Brand Summit. Moeng lived and studied Egypt, Hungary, Bulgaria, Switzerland, eliminate these perceptions while in France (where he obtained a French Finland, India, the United Kingdom, enhancing the positive ones. The summit master’s degree at the Université de Canada, the USA, Botswana, Italy, Spain, also identifies areas where Africa Franche-Comté, Besançon) before working in Canada and the US as SA Tourism’s Portugal, Benin, Zambia, Burkina Faso, performs below its potential and marketing manager and country manager.

Malaysia and more. proposes ways to change this. IMAGES:SUPPLIED IMAGE:SUPPLIED

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15-16_TheMediaYearbook2021_OpenerAfrica.indd 16 08.04.21 11:23 Untitled-3 1 2021/04/06 4:26 PM A diamond in the rough As things get tougher and tougher here in South Africa, isn’t it time to give these often neglected African markets a bit more serious consideration, asks MARK KNOCKER?

recently came across a graph with no more than R900.00 for a 30-second some information I had not seen prime time morning slot on any of the before. It revealed that in addition to commercial radio stations and only the Botswana Pula being a stronger R540.00 on the Government-owned currency than the South African Rand, RB2 radio station. I they also have a higher per capita income There are also a number of great than South Africa. (See tweet on right) print publications on offer in Botswana. I am often told by the retailers I have The Government publishes a Monday-to- worked with over the years that the Friday tabloid-sized newspaper distributed first store they opened in Botswana nationally, which is free of charge. outperformed any other single store based Its main aim is to communicate in South Africa. daily to all the government employees Many of these retailers have since (income earners) with tender notices opened multiple stores in Botswana. and government posts as well as the I see opportunity in Botswana for brands news of the day. That’s 80 000 copies and retailers to boost their sales in this of this newspaper reaching a desirable often neglected market. target market. Botswana offers a market with A half page full colour advert would 2.33 million people who have money cost you no more than R6 800.00. There to spend. From an advertising and a media is also a weekly publication you will perspective, it’s a fairly easy market to get see around town in any office you visit, your head around, understand as well as especially on a Friday, called the Botswana cover comprehensively. Advertiser. It prints 95 000 copies each Simplified, the market looks something week and is distributed widely across the like this. There are two home grown free- country free of charge. to-air television stations offering national The other misconception is that clients I am told that the President as well as coverage. One station belongs to the often think they can’t afford to be on his ministers and other important Business Botswana government and the other to television if they only have one store people receive their hand delivered copy a privately owned media group. There are in Botswana. But look at what your each week. Its handy A4 size ensures four commercial radio stations, one of money buys you: a prime time 30-second it has longevity. which is government owned. Again television spot will cost you less than One of the retailers I work with, uses these will give you comprehensive R5 400.00 on BTV and only R2 500 on the this publication frequently because it

coverage of Botswana. privately owned YTV. Radio will cost you works brilliantly for them. Both these IMAGES:SUPPLIED

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publications offer sizeable reach for a population of two million when compared to print orders in South Africa vs population size. Any product available on the shelves here in South Africa in any of our big four retailers are also available in Botswana, as these retailers all have stores there as well. The point I am trying to convey is that not only Botswana but Lesotho, Eswatini and Namibia are all rand-linked economies offering similar opportunities to Botswana. Not all brands are easily able to quantify the number of units they have sold in these markets. From my experience that is because these brands know how many units they sent to the export departments of retailers A B or C or D but don’t actually know what was sold at these stores or informal markets in Botswana, Lesotho, Eswatini or Namibia.

ANY PRODUCT AVAILABLE At a glance, Botswana’s media penetration ON THE SHELVES HERE IN SOUTH AFRICA IN ANY OF OUR BIG FOUR RETAILERS ARE ALSO AVAILABLE IN BOTSWANA, AS THESE RETAILERS ALL HAVE STORES THERE AS WELL

Often markets like Lesotho or Eswatini don’t even feature on an advertising schedule when brands do their annual plans. As things get tougher and tougher here in South Africa, perhaps its time to give these often neglected markets a bit more serious consideration? A good idea is to find a partner who can help you get the best from your media investment in these countries!

Mark Knocker is the founder

IMAGES:SUPPLIED of Marnox Media. At a glance, Botswana’s media landscape

themediaonline.co.za THE MEDIA YEARBOOK 2021 I 19

18-19_TheMediaYearbook2021_MARNOX_PartnerContent.indd 19 14.04.21 10:21 virus means when things get bad – hopefully giving us some room to anticipate and plan scenarios around ourselves and work.

Leaning into RECONNECTING There was one very specific area the lockdown had a big impact on, and that was connections with family and friends. This has to do with how our humanity 2021 with manifests in ourselves and at work. 2020 brought us back to us. We often throw around the word ‘ubuntu’, but generally don’t really live its core. Last year, however, was more ubuntu-esque – the hope and eyes calls to check in on people, making sure neighbours and strangers had food, drive- through birthday celebrations, the deliberate smiles with our eyes at the shops, the virtual office awards, the funny (and embarrassing) wide open moments during Zoom calls, virtual baby KAGISO MUSI looks back on the lessons – big and showers, the financial sacrifices many made to save many ships, and the very small – we learned in 2020, and how they can help many intentional moments of happiness us navigate life and marketing this year. that were created.

THE LEVEL AT WHICH A ast year, 2020, was a far cry on a mental roller coaster of emotions, BRAND PERFORMS HAS AN from what we hoped for and many of which were negative. IMMEDIATE CONSEQUENCE expected. It was the year we It became necessary to rethink our FOR THE POTENTIAL toasted to ‘20-plenty’, but little did goals in order to create and maintain we anticipate that the plenty we hope, do away with feeling rudderless TO RETAIN JOBS were L about to have was of a different and the fear of the unknown, and enter kind. It was the year that brought us 2021 focusing only on what was within 2020 also reminded us of the value of our Tiger King and a US election that felt our control. partnerships. We as an agency are proud more like a farce. It was the year of Lockdown was thrust upon us and we that we have a literal open-door policy; accelerated poverty and increased did not know what to expect, so we hurled every day is open day for our media gender-based violence, and definitely ourselves into it without much of a plan. owners. During lockdown, we lost good a year of many life lessons. Now we have the opportunity to plan a ground on the day-to-day interactions that It also spelled the beginning of a little better. We have the advantage of had been built in the office where media beautiful journey of self-discovery and experience and knowledge of what this owners could pop in without a meeting, building foundations for some, as well just to have a chat. as birthing many a home chef and This resulted in media owners only TikTok artist. IT BECAME NECESSARY TO engaging with us when they, or we, Over and above the negative state RETHINK OUR GOALS IN ORDER requested a meeting. Without the daily of our economy from previous years, TO CREATE AND MAINTAIN open-door interaction, media owners lost the unprecedented upheaval of the touch with our clients’ immediate needs Covid-19 pandemic had serious social HOPE, DO AWAY WITH FEELING and we lost touch with immediate updates and economic effects for us both RUDDERLESS AND THE FEAR on their innovations, ideas and them

individually and collectively, setting us OF THE UNKNOWN catching briefs ‘in the air’. IMAGE:SUPPLIED

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This is why water cooler moments potential to retain jobs. Never has are a thing: there are worthy insights this been more pronounced and clear Kagiso Musi is group managing director of Meta Media South Africa, which focuses one gets from ‘random conversations’ than now. on analysing and uncovering insights that no brief can provide. As we continue to navigate 2021, from the most granular forms of data, and So, starting at the end of 2020 and the focus should be beyond marketing utilising that data to help clients win. A going forward into 2021, one of our goals metrics and questions, and rather on an graduate of the AAA School of Advertising, was to be proactive about continuous appreciation by marketers and agencies Wits Business School and University of Roehampton, Musi is also a member of engagement beyond ‘the brief’ – a specifi c alike of pure business survival and the MAC Transformation Charter Council engagement for ourselves and our media understanding what it takes to ensure that and a trustee on the board of Young owner partners. This represented a win survival. This is what our business goals Entrepreneurs South Africa, a member of for them, a win for us and, more should be built around as agencies, and the G20 Young Entrepreneurs’ Alliance. importantly, a win for our clients. specifi cally as media agencies. The triad relationship of client/agency/media owner cannot exist if one of STARTING AT THE END OF the legs is broken. 2020 AND GOING FORWARD So this year, let’s INTO 2021, ONE OF OUR lean in to hope, GOALS WAS TO BE PROACTIVE but let’s do it with eyes wide ABOUT CONTINUOUS open, and ENGAGEMENT BEYOND include scenario ‘THE BRIEF’ planning against what we now BEYOND MARKETING METRICS know about On the client side, never has there the effects been more of a time for agencies to of the virus on act as an extension of the marketing ourselves, our department than now (and for the colleagues, our client to be willing for that to happen). brands and our Being fl ung into uncertainty for the industry. This will allow brands we represent, together, has us to react better as the brought us much closer. Now more effects of the virus have their so than ever before, the sales funnel way with us, and indeed also holds specifi c importance for marketers prepare us for future shocks. and agencies alike. We have seen many good businesses close shop, go into Kagiso business rescue or reduce budgets Musi to shadows of their 2019 scales – this has become about brand survival. The general consensus is that businesses in ICU generally do away with marketing budgets, which means reduced marketing teams, which means no requirement for agency partners (try as we might, scientifi cally proven, to convince clients that in a recession brands that spend, thrive). The level at which a brand performs has an

IMAGE:SUPPLIED immediate consequence for the

themediaonline.co.za THE MEDIA YEARBOOK 2021 I 21

20-21_TheMediaYearbook2021_MediaAgencySA.indd 21 08.04.21 11:24 2021 and #MediaThatMatters: an important year for the media industry We all know how powerful media can be. ROXANNE BOYES contemplates what we could achieve if we used that power for good. SOCIAL MOVEMENTS One example, which affected all African nations, was the #BlackLivesMatter his article is not about media Habitual nature stopped. movement. It questioned and reset social trends or forecasts for the And for the first time in years, we conversations, opinions and behaviour coming year, as I’m sure were present, as the silence awakened surrounding deeply embedded social there will be countless loud thoughts and reflections. You might constructs. This affected hundreds of prediction pieces written think that people – or as we like to call millions of people today, as well as on T that. It’s about something of far them, consumers – have thoughts all the their futures and the futures of the next greater importance: our position and time, but this was different. Consumption generations to come. our purpose as people within the was replaced by contemplation, which The movement reflected a similar media industry. became a catalyst. pattern to that of the #MeToo movement, It’s a topic rarely discussed in annual It was this collective awareness and which collectively empowered women, reports, but a critical component of the mindfulness of these thoughts that their bodies and their rights. our next steps into 2021. shook the world harder than any The same applies to the various Last year was undoubtedly different, pandemic ever could. micro-movements that developed we are all well aware of that, but what These thoughts traversed the globe during Covid-19 promoting care for made it profound was the silence that through media, and then became actions – all, especially the vulnerable and the submerged society. Billboards projected actions that shape-shifted social structures weak with #StaySafeStayHome and to empty highways, newspapers were and will be recorded in history books for #FlattenTheCurve, which encouraged love left untouched shelf upon shelf, coffee generations to come. Our world was in for thy neighbour, shifting from a local to machines in once-crowded cafés clear need of mass change on multiple national and then international scale. collected dust, and shopping centres had fronts and this is where the media These movements developed in a not one pair of feet amble through their industry stepped up, in full force. matter of days and created ripples that will

aisles to pop a product in a trolley. This is what blew me away last year! last lifetimes. That is the power of media! IMAGE:SUPPLIED

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IF WE CHOOSE TO CREATE And if we do not proactively act on this position of great potential in a way COLLECTIVE CHANGE AS that moves our world forward, our STRATEGICALLY AS WE upcoming consumers, the Generation LAUNCH A NEW BEER, THEN Zs of the world, are well aware of our position and will soon hold enough WE COULD BE IN FOR AN purchasing power to demand it. If ASTOUNDING NEW REALITY anything, that in itself is one of my forecasts for the near future. Media, the most infl uential WITH GREAT POWER… platform on earth, can and should You, reading this article right now, work be used for so much more than in an industry that is the agent for the selling products and posting selfi es. change we so critically need in the world. It has the potential to be the biggest This is how we need to approach 2021 – catalyst for human connection with knowledge of the infl uence, power and change, and we know it. and responsibility we hold in our hands. It’s a platform we have perfected What if we used the same media and chosen as our profession, so how channels and communication strategies now can it contribute towards our currently being used to convince people individual and industry purposes? to exchange their hard-earned income It’s a very big thought, but we for a soda also to convince millions are very big by nature, and as the of people to buy and plant one tree voice of the largest brands in seedling? What if we used the same he world we now need our media channels and communication own voice, hopefully one that strategies currently being used to can add signifi cant value. make certain brands social status So, as we look to revive, symbols also to make single-use recalibrate and refresh our plastic and littering socially taboo? industry post this pandemic, let’s do so in a manner that makes the MEDIA, THE MOST next movement INFLUENTIAL PLATFORM ON #MediaThatMatters, EARTH, CAN AND SHOULD shall we? BE USED FOR SO MUCH MORE THAN SELLING PRODUCTS Roxanne AND POSTING SELFIES Boyes

There are many issues that need to be solved, some so widespread that it seems almost impossible, but Roxanne Boyes is a media strategist who has spent time studying the faculties of we have found the power to create economics, environmental and behavioural such large shifts before, so it only makes sciences and marketing. She is based in sense that we continue to fi nd the power Kenya, and splits her time between her fi rst to shift them in a positive direction in love – strategy – and spearheading Vizeum’s SME incubator within East Africa. Since the the future. If we choose to create very start of her journey, she has set her collective change as strategically as we focus on the African continent as a strategist launch a new beer, then we could be working across 27 different regions.

IMAGE:SUPPLIED in for an astounding new reality.

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22-23_TheMediaYearbook2021_MediaAgencyAfrica.indd 23 08.04.21 11:25 How agencies and brands can build highly successful relationships BENOIT CACHEUX examines how in-housing affects the relationship between agencies and clients.

recently had the pleasure of joining working together as a joint team. CLIENTS RECRUITING MEDIA an agency-brand fi reside chat at It could be called in-housing, but we TALENT FROM AGENCIES: AN the latest Programmatic Pioneers see it as a positive evolution of the OPPORTUNITY OR A THREAT? virtual event, titled ‘Thinking agency and client partnership. It’s an interesting evolution as it partnership, not service: How can means the marketplace is becoming agencies I and brands build collaborative ACHIEVING INTEGRATION AND progressively more competitive for relationships to ensure mutually benefi cial ALIGNMENT BETWEEN IN-HOUSE recruitment. Traditionally, we had to focus and highly successful alliances?’ Andrew AND AGENCIES on being attractive versus other agency Lowdon, director of agency services The better models for in-housing have groups. We now have to be competitive at ISBA, moderated the event. I was this integration and alignment at heart, in a wider context. However, being joined on screen by Richard Bettinson, so if there’s a single best practice, it is a glass-half-full sort of person, I see this director of media strategy and planning the focus on ensuring that agency teams as extremely positive: increased expertise for EMEA at Hilton. These are some of are closely connected to in-house teams, on the client side allows us to have the areas we discussed. rather than in-house teams working more sophisticated conversations, do more directly with clients’ teams. This more innovative things and generally ACCELERATION OF THE IN-HOUSE connectivity drives not only best practices move faster. TREND AND THE ROLE OF AGENCIES such as better audience planning, but also The topic of in-housing has not taken reporting and analytics with more data WHAT’S THE MEANING OF over our conversations with clients. consistency and campaign intelligence. TRANSPARENCY – THE MOST-USED We still think it’s an important topic, The latter is critical in ensuring there is WORD IN MEDIA? but the majority of our clients are not one version of truth across both the We want to ensure that our clients have accelerating their shift to in-house agency team and in-house team. full visibility of how their marketing models. We believe there’s a widespread budgets are invested, whether it’s for realisation that taking all media in-house agency fees, media spend, tech costs, and is a very diffi cult task in terms of talent, IF THERE’S A SINGLE BEST so forth. This is critical and one of the core processes like fi nance and overall PRACTICE, IT IS THE FOCUS ON pillars of our organisation, Publicis Groupe. ways of working. However, we are ENSURING THAT AGENCY TEAMS We completely agree that this is critical building hybrid models that create a in any agency/client relationship. Over the much deeper connectivity, with teams ARE CLOSELY CONNECTED TO last few years, the focus has been around

made up of clients and agency talent IN-HOUSE TEAMS programmatic and transparency. IMAGE:SUPPLIED

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24-25_TheMediaYearbook2021_MediaAgencyGlobal.indd 24 08.04.21 11:26 GLOBAL MEDIA AGENCY

Traditionally, agencies have been while managing directly their in-house INCREASED EXPERTISE ON THE more concentrated on the demand side, activation of media. CLIENT SIDE ALLOWS US TO but we have now taken an active stance on helping to solve transparency issues THE IMPACT OF IN-HOUSING AND THE HAVE MORE SOPHISTICATED on the supply side. Zenith’s involvement AGENCY ROLE FIVE YEARS FROM NOW CONVERSATIONS, DO MORE in the ISBA programmatic study is a As you’ve probably gathered, we do not INNOVATIVE THINGS AND great testament to our commitment believe that all media will move in-house. to transparency. However, we see a future where agencies GENERALLY MOVE FASTER and clients work very closely together THE ROLE OF DATA IN OUR THINKING, on defi ning the right integrated model. We’ve talked about hybrid models and we NOW AND IN THE FUTURE see them as the future, where the ways Data has played a central role for many of working and processes are engineered years and has driven the growth seen in together, and they drive a much deeper programmatic investments. However, level of connectivity between agencies it’s true that we are seeing an and clients. This hybrid approach allows evolution in its sophistication, with clients to focus on the performance of an increasingly higher volume of their business, and agencies to provide fi rst-party data being used versus their expertise in strategy, execution and the third-party variety. We’re technology as we increasingly move seeing clients very focused to a world of automation. on building second-party data partnerships, which we believe will be critical in the future and Benoit Cacheux is global chief digital give brands partnering together a offi cer at Zenith. He is responsible for unique asset. We’re also gearing helping defi ne global clients’ acceleration plans when it comes to advertising in the up for the changes coming with digital age. Cacheux’s focus ranges from the gradual disappearance of building the right data and technological trackers such as IDFA or third-party capabilities through to delivering new cookies. Getting ready for this new operational models for media activation, with the objective of driving superior future now is essential! growth for global organisations from a range of sectors such as FMCG, pharma, GOING IN-HOUSE AND automotive, appliances, luxury, eyewear LOSING THE BENEFITS OF A and beauty. He’s passionate about the CLIENT/AGENCY RELATIONSHIP latest ways of driving commerce, and innovation in marketing related to If the client really wishes to go in-house, machine learning and blockchain. we would always recommend that they build their in-house operations with the support of the agency, and Benolt effectively create a Cacheux hybrid model where the agency, in-house team and client team work together with common goals. A connected framework would allow a client still to benefi t from their

IMAGE:SUPPLIED agency’s expertise,

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24-25_TheMediaYearbook2021_MediaAgencyGlobal.indd 25 08.04.21 11:26 YOU HAVE TO BE IN SCREENS TO BE SEEN

THE MEDIA’S JUNE 2021 ISSUE SHINES A SPOTLIGHT ON ALL THINGS SCREENS. From television and streaming, to mobile and digital out of home - and of course, the BIG one, video - we highlight the latest trends, issues and developments in these important media sectors.

To be part of this popular issue, contact Tarin-Lee Watts on [email protected] or call her on 079 504 7729

INDEPENDENT INDUSTRY INTELLIGENCE

026_TheMediaYearbook2021_HouseAd.indd 26 07.04.21 15:06 BROADCAST RESEARCH Keeping research relevant Future-proofing currency he year that was required us research in line with the to run a fully comprehensive request to innovate and operate outside changing landscape became for proposal. This allowed suppliers in of our comfort zones. We were the market to come forward with best presented with myriad challenges paramount in 2020, says practice proposals that would safeguard that could have made progress GARY WHITAKER. and future-proof the study. impossible T had we not chosen to seek This year we are moving from a out opportunity in the face of adversity. radio measurement paradigm to an

Covid-19 and the accompanying lockdown Gary audio measurement model to ensure laws and regulations, including media and Whitaker we capture the full spectrum of audio, advertising, impacted all sectors. which includes linear and non-linear radio Market research, under normal consumption as well as channels such circumstances, is an area that is continually as podcasting. under scrutiny due to its importance in In 2020, in terms of television, we saw strategic decision-making. It is, for all a steady increase in online streaming and intents and purposes, an essential service use of digital. Measurement of online in the media and advertising industry. viewing habits is a core focus for the Currency research is arguably the most Broadcast Research Council (BRC) in 2021. scrutinised due to its impact on revenue streams for broadcasters and advertisers THE FUTURE IS FUSION alike. Therefore, a core requirement of A monumental win in 2020 came in the this research is accuracy, which in turn form of Fusion 2020, which answered requires that it be able to keep up with CURRENCY RESEARCH IS the call of the media industry to bring a and adapt to changing circumstances. merged dataset to the market, including Future-proofi ng our currency research ARGUABLY THE MOST television data, products and brands, in line with the changing landscape SCRUTINISED DUE TO ITS and insights into online behaviour. In therefore became paramount in 2020. IMPACT ON REVENUE STREAMS partnership with the Publisher Research As the pandemic hit and level 5 Council and Nielsen, the BRC was able to lockdown ensued there was no doubt ensure these hitherto unseen data points that we would see fl uctuations in audience some form of critical face-to-face interaction, were incorporated into TAMS. data for both TV and radio – a huge namely interviewing In 2021 we will focus on the next disruptor being the changes to people’s respondents for the Radio Audience possible iteration and investigate the daily routines and habits. People were Measurement Survey (RAMS) and possibility of incorporating RAMS data no longer commuting to and from work; maintaining the inner workings of the into Fusion. working hours were altered by home panel for Television Audience schooling, family life, and restrictions on Measurement Survey (TAMS). Gary Whitaker is CEO of the Broadcast movement, social interactions and the We were therefore faced with an urgent Research Council of South Africa. He has like. The shifts in routines and habits led need to replace face-to-face methodologies over 17 years’ experience in the fi elds to shifts in media consumption: mainly with virtual methodologies for both RAMS of market research, media strategy, and traditional and digital marketing. He has an increase in listening and viewing. and TAMS. While the TAMS panel remained held positions at AC Nielsen, Millward stable and within acceptable levels of Brown, Mindshare, Nestlé S.A., MTN and SAFEGUARDING RAMS AND TAMS health, RAMS did not stand up well to the Publicis Media. Whitaker’s core focus is Both the television and radio currencies lockdown landscape as all fi eldwork ceased. delivering accurate data to enable the deep were impacted as the makeup of the After careful consideration by all relevant and meaningful consumer insights that form the basis for sound strategies.

IMAGES:SUPPLIED IMAGE:SUPPLIED underlying research methodologies involved stakeholders, the decision was made

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27_TheMediaYearbook2021_BRC.indd 27 08.04.21 11:27 Untitled-3 1 2021/04/06 4:27 PM SPONSORED PARTNER CONTENT Algoa FM: Standing out from the rest Eastern Cape media house, Algoa FM, makes sure it stands out from the rest, asking advertisers, ‘What can we do for you?’

lgoa FM has developed a “Research and experience also show is the ‘Great Deal Promotion’, in which reputation among national that they trust Algoa FM presenters, advertisers provide at least three special and regional advertisers for who are all local celebrities, each with offers. The offers are made available its hands-on” approach to a loyal following. Advertisers benefit before and after the event day in order supporting marketing drives. from this relationship as products spoken to comply with Covid-19 protocols and A“What makes us stand out from other about or endorsed by the presenters to increase the return on investment. media houses is that we partner with the are also seen as trustworthy by our “This promotion speaks directly to client to take ownership of the campaign,” on air, online and on the ground our footprint’s psyche. Any retailer will tell says sales manager Dennis Karantges. audiences,” he says. you that we (the people of Algoa country) He says the energy the Algoa FM team A new retailer leveraged off this are particularly attracted to special offers,” devotes to campaigns is captured in relationship when it opened its first says Algoa FM managing director, the media house’s slogan – “fun is a store in Port Elizabeth. The client asked Alfie Jay. serious business”. Algoa FM to craft a campaign that would He encourages local and national Established as a radio station 35 years introduce listeners to the new store and advertisers to tap into the understanding ago, Algoa FM has grown into the biggest its products, create thorough awareness that Algoa FM has built up over its media house serving the region from the of their physical address, grow Facebook 35 years in business by helping clients Garden Route to the Wild Coast and inland likes, create engagement in a fun and to connect with the people of through the Karoo. In addition to being the informative way and, of course, ensure Algoa Country. biggest private commercial radio station product sales – all during lockdown. “What works in Gauteng or KZN in the region, Algoa FM now has a very Based on the success of their August will not necessarily have the same impact strong online and social media presence, launch, the client booked two additional in the Eastern Cape or the Garden Route. supported by its ‘on the ground’ presence campaigns in 2020 – one to promote There often is a better way for client and involving the on-air personalities. a second store opening (in October) agency to invest their marketing budget. The sales team works with advertisers to and another to promote their festive Generic ‘one size fits all’ approaches can craft campaigns that deliver a measurable season specials. also harm brands. return on investment, according to Fans get to meet presenters regularly “We’re always happy to discuss Karantges. “Because we live here and during broadcasts or crossings from the campaigns and try something new if it’s are fully integrated into the local business premises of clients, such as the retailer in going to add value to the fun element sector, we understand the market. question. Packages range from full-blown of being part of the Algoa Country “We also conduct formal research,” he live broadcasts to high-energy crossings family,” says Jay. “Most of our sales adds. Independent research commissioned from the presenter, who also interacts consultants have become local by Algoa FM found that people in the with the crowd. experts in the fields of radio and online Eastern Cape have become more Algoa FM is constantly innovating and communication. What’s more, their conservative in their purchasing, choosing creating fresh new ways for advertisers advice and consultative approach is

IMAGE:SUPPLIED products they know and brands they trust. to reach their customers. An example part of the package we offer.”

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SPONSORED BY

030_TheMediaYearbook2021_Radio2021Ad.indd 30 07.04.21 15:07 RADIO: SOUTH AFRICA

Radio isn’t on mute, so turn it up! While last year was a trying one for the radio industry, it also once again proved its value and agility, writes TIM ZUNCKEL.

f there was a year to prove that radio The 2020 radio landscape changed thinking, being lonely and getting sick – is tenacious, agile, tactile and versatile, daily as stations and practitioners set radio did it all. 2020 was it. Add elements of care, their best-laid plans and strategies aside, The true agility of the medium was compassion, fun and understanding and recalibrated their programming plans highlighted by the fact that there weren’t alongside information, entertainment to serve audiences and communities huge recalibration shifts, but rather and I news, and you really do seem to have much-needed information at the peak constant change and calibration as the the perfect media ‘friend’. of the pandemic. daily needs changed. While the country was changing gears The year put focus on the value of Besides the obvious, there were other between lockdown levels, making sense well-planned broadcast systems, solid challenges too. We saw many broadcast of the new normal and telling the person technical staff and in-tune programming groups undergo organisational change, on the other side of their buffering teams. Empty studios, remote with retrenchments sweeping the screens, “You’re on mute, we can’t hear connections and rejigged programming industry. A shift in needs and required you,” radio was turning up the volume and plans saw the radio industry embrace the skills, a changing consumption landscape delivering a message that was loud and collective psyche of their communities. and commercial pressure have seen clear to audiences and advertisers: Working at home, being removed from many experienced practitioners within

IMAGE:SUPPLIED “You can depend on me.” loved ones, sharing moments, laughing, organisations unemployed.

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31-33_TheMediaYearbook2021_RadioSA.indd 31 08.04.21 11:31 The short-term effect is devastating on the individuals, but I believe in many THE COMMUNITY instances the need to refresh and push SECTOR REMAINS A F5 at station level is key to ensuring KEY PLAYER IN THE long-term survival. I do think that as things settle this year, we will see those RADIO SPHERE with unique skills in sales, marketing and operations add value as organisations feel the effects of shrinking teams. The need for campaign/project-based assistance and input will grow, and there will be a revival of creativity, ideas and energy. Those who can, will.

IT STARTS WITH COMMUNITY The community sector remains a key player in the radio sphere. Financial challenges have been mitigated by ad hoc funding, government spend and support from the Media Development and Diversity Agency (MDDA), and these interventions have managed to keep the transmitters on for many community broadcasters. It is heartening to see a push from the MDDA in the sector to address sustainable funding models and operational management training. There is no doubt that community radio is a pillar of society and a key contributor to the media sector.

AS THINGS SETTLE THIS YEAR, WE WILL SEE THOSE WITH UNIQUE SKILLS IN SALES, MARKETING AND OPERATIONS ADD VALUE AS ORGANISATIONS FEEL THE EFFECTS OF SHRINKING TEAMS

Community radio continues to be a source of talent development and identifi cation. As a sector I think they have a right to be slightly less than enchanted with their commercial counterparts who snatch and recycle. Tim Talent development, in all facets of the Zunckel audio entertainment and delivery value

chain, remains an issue. IMAGES:JOSHUA COLEMAN/UNSPLASHSUPPLIED,

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The next year will see more lockdown. Reaching people in their MY MESSAGE TO YOUNG, opportunity unfold in the on-demand homes and offering constant value space, and as the industry slowly, very allowed the industry to remain ASTUTE AND CREATIVE slowly, chips away at DAB+, the need commercially attractive. The commercial PRACTITIONERS IS THAT for fresh and unique talent, ideas and sector has indicated that there were THE BROADER INDUSTRY concepts is more pressing than ever. definite declines in revenues, but the HAS YET TO REFRESH THEIR My message to young, astute and shift to online eventing and concerts, as creative practitioners is that the broader well as very lucrative airtime deals and THINKING ON TALENT industry has yet to refresh their thinking discounted airtime, has led to revenue on talent. There has never been a better being maintained. Considering the scale time to leverage your own talent and of businesses closing down and job notably quiet in the last year compared create in your own space. If there is one losses, the radio sector has certainly to previous years and regimes. Were lesson to learn from older broadcasters, shown economic resilience. the right decisions made and has the it is not to allow your future Minister of Communications audio career to be dictated by had her final say yet? established broadcasters; the ICASA continues to regulate audio business is expanding and with often-unwieldy policy it needs your refreshing inputs. that allows for a fair degree of interpretation. There are KEEP LEARNING still commercially awarded Research remains a space that licenses in the Free State and enjoys budgetary consideration the Eastern Cape that have at a commercial level. The yet to go live and a variety of insights coming out of various other compliance issues that organisations point to similar plague the industry. As an trends. Radio is trusted, organisation they face major audiences are consuming in developments in the tech and different places and on different frequency spaces that must be devices, there is digital hugely challenging to address. platform traction, and When the sanitiser bottles audiences enjoy the content and thermometers get packed and promotions offered. away and the industry is able The Broadcast Research to meet again, I’m sure there Council (BRC) is looking to will be stories to be told. I’m refresh its approach to audience also hoping that as a business data and this will certainly be an we will take an opportunity area that broadcasters will be to acknowledge the vital role keen to follow. For community played by our industry in the media and SABC Radio, BRC most challenging times the Radio Audience Measurement is TUNING IN TO THE FUTURE modern world has seen. crucial to prove value for clients, as With face masks still replacing pop Radio isn’t on mute. Mamela. We both the public and community sector covers, what else does 2021 hold? can hear you. In the words of Queen, operate in a generally research-lite or The SABC will continue to be an “Radio, someone still loves you.” absent fashion. The data is also key organisation in flux. Colleagues who have for clients and agencies to help better survived the onslaught of the S189 will inform the buying and placing tell you that the Auckland Park facility Tim Zunckel is a media consultant, creative of campaigns. is notably empty. Has the organisation programmer, trainer, problem solver Radio’s tactile approach in 2020 retrenched the right people and are and lover of audio who is always keen to engage, and share thoughts and ideas. allowed it to offer value to businesses they now better suited to become @TimZunckel

IMAGES:JOSHUA COLEMAN/UNSPLASHSUPPLIED, looking to innovate in the heart of sustainable? The SABC board has been

themediaonline.co.za THE MEDIA YEARBOOK 2021 I 33

31-33_TheMediaYearbook2021_RadioSA.indd 33 08.04.21 11:32 Untitled-3 1 2021/04/06 4:24 PM SPONSORED PARTNER CONTENT OFM and its loyal listeners Any chance to learn something should be met with an open mind if we are to unlock future opportunities. While 2020 was dubbed ‘stifling’, there was a silver lining amid the dark cloud of Covid-19 for media and, most especially, for radio.

e learned that while online users have increased almost consumption is getting stronger,” said everything was falling 2% year-on-year to 1.745-million online Nick Efstathiou, CEO of the Central Media apart and credible news users by December 2020 and a further Group, holding company of OFM. was hard to come by, 260 000 unique online streams. This This translates to the absolute value of OFM was a brand excludes the ambitious podcasting audio. Where there is engagement, there Wrelied upon by its audience for accurate planned for 2021, which includes an is a prospective solution, and radio sits at and trustworthy information related to association with leading podcast the table of this digital revolution. Audio the coronavirus. publisher, Wondery. remains inescapable and OFM intends We learned that radio listening was up to build on the legacy of its last 35 years by 30% (Kantar) by May 2020 and that WHAT DOES THIS ALL MEAN? in audio. 71% of Central South Africans listened OFM is creating an ecosystem where the to more radio than usual, during the then brand and listeners can find and access WHO IS OFM? lockdown, across all of OFM’s available each other across various and different OFM is Central South Africa’s premier platforms – radio, mobile and desktop apps. platforms. We know that in 2021, OFM commercial radio station offering a mix The absence the Broadcast Research listeners indicated that they are likely to of music, news and entertainment. Council’s (BRC) Radio Audience listen to more radio, and streamed audio The station serves the influential SEM Measurement Survey meant that OFM services, than they did in 2020. 7-10 market with a footprint across the had to inform itself about its audience and • 54% of OFM listeners indicated that Free State, Northern Cape, southern their media consumption habits. The last they are likely to consume more radio Gauteng and North West. The brand is reading pinned OFM’s 7-day cume at • 65% indicated that they already listen synonymous with the people of central 315 000 listeners. The pandemic forced to more radio between 06:00 and South Africa and covers the full spectrum the brand to be more insights-driven than 09:00 and that many kept their radio of listeners from urban youngsters to ever before. Our independent research tuned onto OFM from 6am, in the pensioners, from working moms and dads studies and insights paved the way for car, at home and at work. An insight, to successful professionals, and from rural more agile products that met a demand revealed time and time again from the communities to agricultural producers. that otherwise would have not necessarily BRC RAMs, is that OFM has one of OFM offers a number of niche features have been discovered. the highest instances of time spent – including an agricultural programme, But radio is more than an extended aerial listening over 7 days – 20.97 hours agri news twice a day, entertainment and with a tuner and speaker. The modern age • 16% indicated that they are likely sports features. Our audience is incredibly has given radio the opportunity to expand to consume more streamed loyal and supportive. OFM enjoys one and meet its audience in cyberspace. audio offerings. of the highest instances of time spent OFM has spent much of the last “The study indicates the absolute listening to the radio in South Africa. three years aggressively investing in and strength of radio and audio consumption, OFM is part of the Central Media developing adjacent digital platforms listener engagement, and the loyalty Group with its head office is located in including social media, desktop and mobile OFM listeners have toward OFM. In Bloemfontein, with a studio in Welkom. apps, as well as a revamped website and 2021, OFM turns 35 years young and the

IMAGE:SUPPLIED streaming service, OFM Stasie2. OFM’s station can be proud that radio and audio www.ofm.co.za.

themediaonline.co.za THE MEDIA YEARBOOK 2021 I 35

35_TheMediaYearbook2021_OFM_PartnerContent.indd 35 08.04.21 11:40 36-37_TheMediaYearbook2021_StreamingAfrica.indd 36 for 2021 in Africa streaming What toexpect from 36 I THEMEDIA YEARBOOK 2021 themediaonline.co.za CHANGING WHAT in thenext years, five reports African streaming marketissetto grow five-fold streaming nowat theforefront of itsfuture, the a seismicshiftover thelastyear andwith hasundergone industry The entertainment RATHER THAN PEOPLE WERE HOW PEOPLE LOCKDOWNS WATCHING, CHANGED WATCHED Phahle Yolisa Yolisa could threaten the survival ofcinemas. could threatenthesurvival Max aswell asintheatres,amove that opting toreleaseitsbiggesttitles onHBO increasingly blurry, with Warner Bros. and over-the-top (OTT) platforms became gamble Quibifolded inDecember. thebillion-dollarshort-format mobile launched heavy-hitting new titles,and millionsubscribermark. 200 Apple TV+ February andOctober. Netfl ixcrossed the to 73millionsubscribersbetween Peacock. Disney+ grew from20million AT&T’s HBOMaxandNBCUniversal’s hasacceleratedrapidly.streaming services with friendsandfamily, theadoptionof the shops,cinemaoreven tomeetup unable togochurch, weddings, funerals, people aroundtheworld stuck athome, has beenextraordinary. millionsof With industry, particularlythestreamingsector, mask-wearing andsocialdistancing. L Additionally, thelinebetweentraditional In 2020globally, we saw the launch of The impactontheentertainment new lifestyle involving lockdowns, we’ve hadtoadaptaradical has changed onagloballevel as need toreiteratejusthow much ooking back at2020,there’s no OIA PHAHLE YOLISA . 08.04.21 11:39

IMAGE: SUPPLIED STREAMING: AFRICA

One just has to take a look at the ONE JUST HAS TO TAKE The MultiChoice group has also had number of streaming titles nominated to innovate, with 2020 seeing the release for Golden Globes to see how much A LOOK AT THE NUMBER of the DStv Explorer Ultra and the the power dynamic has shifted from OF STREAMING TITLES announcement of the DStv Streama. traditional Hollywood to the big NOMINATED FOR GOLDEN Both devices allow users to add streaming streaming players. GLOBES TO SEE HOW apps like Showmax, Netflix and Amazon Prime in addition to DStv. ON THE CONTINENT MUCH THE POWER Ultimately, people want to be When it comes to Africa, we are DYNAMIC HAS SHIFTED entertained with stories that reflect their seeing similar trends. The reality FROM TRADITIONAL lives, languages, hopes and fears, so is that doing business in Africa is it’s not just in our technology that our challenging, something that MultiChoice HOLLYWOOD TO THE BIG business has had to adapt to a growing has learned over the last 30 years. STREAMING PLAYERS streaming African market. Showmax Infrastructural issues aside, the has put a lot of energy into growing and complexities of multiple languages, people watched. For those individuals curating our South African and African cultures, currencies, banking systems who may have been curious about catalogues, and have seen steady growth and regulatory frameworks make streaming before, lockdown saw them in local content viewership across the it a complex continent in which take the plunge and sign up to see what continent over the last 12 months to thrive. This is our home, however, streaming on-demand was really all about. as a result. and we continue to thrive and learn how best to navigate the challenges INNOVATION STATION WE’VE HAD TO BECOME that are inherent to the opportunities. What all of this has meant for us as MORE AGILE, MORE External analysts at Digital TV a fundamentally African streaming Research predict that the African business – operating in 46 African STRATEGIC AND HAVE HAD streaming market is set to grow five countries and a number of diaspora TO PUSH THE BOUNDARIES times larger by 2025, maturing to markets – is that we’ve had to change OF INNOVATION 12.96 million subscribers, up from the way we work. We’ve had to become 2.75 million in 2019. These numbers more agile, more strategic and have had Hyper-local content remains a point to a great opportunity before to push the boundaries of innovation. strategic differentiator for the us, and we remain bullish. It remains essential that we address MultiChoice Group, with close to Bringing global trends closer to home, consumer needs, create excellent 2 000 hours produced in the first half in South Africa the impact of 2020’s content that Africans love, and deliver of the current financial year, bringing Covid-related lockdowns on Showmax it to our customers in the way they the group’s total local content library was dramatic. There was a 50% spike want to watch it, with best-in-class to around 60 000 hours. in active users and a doubling in play technology and a compelling, As streaming continues to accelerate, events on the platform in South Africa personalised streaming experience. we’re in the exciting position of leading during the strictest lockdown period Last year, a big focus was launching the way with an Africa-first OTT offering across all categories – international Showmax Pro, which adds live sports that is designed for local markets. series and movies as well as local streaming from SuperSport as well as live movies, series and kids’ content. music channels and news to the existing Rather than changing what people entertainment offering. We are seeing Yolisa Phahle is CEO of General were watching, lockdowns changed how positive uptake in South Africa as well Entertainment for MultiChoice Group as key markets including Kenya, Africa. She oversees entertainment strategy for MultiChoice, including channel Nigeria and Ghana. acquisition, channel production, sales and EXTERNAL ANALYSTS AT Showmax also became the first distribution, and local production. With DIGITAL TV RESEARCH PREDICT streaming service to make mobile roots in South Africa, but born in the UK, downloads possible for offline viewing Phahle was a successful musician before THE AFRICAN STREAMING returning to South Africa in 2005, taking and to launch a mobile-only plan, MARKET IS SET TO GROW FIVE on M-Net’s Channel O and turning it into a move that has since been followed Africa’s leading music channel.

IMAGE:SUPPLIED TIMES LARGER BY 2025 by the other key players.

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36-37_TheMediaYearbook2021_StreamingAfrica.indd 37 14.04.21 11:33 Untitled-3 1 2021/04/06 4:27 PM SPONSORED PARTNER CONTENT Openview’s set-top

box brings wi-fi The satellite TV provider’s partnership with Vodacom is bearing connectivity home fruit for its customers.

penview, the free satellite Africa are multifold and life-changing. On “With our core pillar of ‘Inclusion for all’, television service and part a social level, Openview Connect can help we always make sure to partner with like- of the eMedia Investments households stay in touch with friends and minded brands that share our values around group, is pleased to family. Besides providing instant access to technology’s opportunity to enable innovation announce the launch of its news and information, e-learning platforms and inclusivity,” Tar-Mahomed adds. “We are very O own wi-fi enabler (dongle), Openview like Vodacom e-School, free-to-browse excited to partner with Openview to help Connect, in partnership with Vodacom career websites for job seekers and even bridge the digital divide in this country and as the prepaid mobile data provider. parenting advice are all available free of transform the lives of all South Africans.” Through the Openview set-top box, data charges. Openview customers can RICA their Openview Connect will enable Openview executive Mmatshipi Vodacom prepaid SIMs by downloading wi-fi connectivity in homes that remain Matebane explains further: “Introducing the the My Vodacom App and clicking on the unserved by fibre networks. It is poised to product into the market bears testament ‘RICA a Friend’ tab. They also have the provide first access with a simple, practical to how we always strive to provide our option to RICA in person at any participating solution that brings immediate benefits customers with the best TV and information Vodacom outlet. to any Openview household not yet solutions. With our business projections The partnership with Vodacom will connected through fibre or other means. channelling us towards three million home allow Openview customers to benefit from Target homes can also benefit from wi-fi activations in the near future, we believe Vodacom’s ConnectU platform, which gives connectivity on a pay-as-you-go basis. that Openview Connect will upscale our all customers on South Africa’s leading The Openview Connect data dongle product offering to both new and existing network access to specific zero-rated will drive increased connectivity for customers. We welcome Vodacom on sites such as jobs, education, health and families across South Africa and act board and look forward to a fruitful social portals, at no cost. This is in line with as a plug-and-play hotspot for Openview- partnership of two healthy properties.” Vodacom’s vision of connecting people to enabled homes that wish to Get participate equally in a digital society. Connected and Stay Connected. For DEMOCRATISING TECHNOLOGY Currently enjoyed by over two million a once-off fee of R599, Openview Rashid Tar-Mahomed, managing executive households nationwide, Openview has customers can connect up to 10 devices for unbranded channels at Vodacom, says, been a go-to family brand that ticks the simultaneously with operating data rates “Vodacom has connected millions of boxes for obligation-free world-class of up to 150Mbps speed on 4G LTE – South Africans for over two decades, and entertainment and continues to deliver lightning-fast compared to most home we are fully committed to forging ahead on the promise with Openview Connect. fibre connectivity options. with our mission to democratise access The brand extension wi-fi connector to technology. Our vision is to be a leading will be available at leading retailers in CONNECTING PEOPLE techno business that connects everyone to South Africa. The tangible benefits this connectivity critical information and resources for

IMAGE:SUPPLIED can bring to communities across South a better future. Visit http://connectu.vodacom.co.za/

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39_TheMediaYearbook2021_ETV_PartnerContent.indd 39 14.04.21 10:22 Nicole Green eld-Smith If Covid-19 has taught us anything, it’s that adaptability is needed not just to thrive, but also to survive. This has certainly been true in business, where the mettle of marketers has been thoroughly tested since the start of the pandemic, writes NICOLE GREENFIELD-SMITH.

ovid-19 necessitated change at breakneck speed for brands. Priorities shifted, consumers began to behave – and feel – differently, and marketing strategies C had to turn on a penny to accommodate the state of flux brought about by various lockdowns. To delve into this further, Thinkbox – the UK marketing body for TV advertising – commissioned Work Research to explore what the Covid-19 crisis really meant for marketers. At the end of 2020 they conducted interviews with 12 senior clients, who reflected on the pandemic’s impact on their businesses, and revealed their perspectives on what changes they foresaw in their approach to marketing throughout 2021 and beyond. Six clear themes emerged from the research (there’s also a short film summarising each theme, which you can you view at www.thinkbox.tv).

TUNING IN TO THE MOOD OF THE NATION The Covid-19 crisis created a distinct need for enhanced social awareness, as advertisers were required to tune in sensitively to the Adapting to emotional state of the nation. Marketers quickly had to assess the appropriateness of their messaging as the world turned upside down – and kept on changing. Tone became a critical factor and adversity many marketers talked about the pressure of

empathetically reflecting the national mood. IMAGE:SUPPLIED

40 I THE MEDIA YEARBOOK 2021 themediaonline.co.za

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Broadcasters also quickly adapted communities. And third: ensure that the TV WAS VIEWED AS A RELIABLE with virtual programming and socially brand comes out of the crisis stronger distanced audiences. TV advertising than it went into it. In other words, take AND EFFECTIVE VEHICLE FOR gave many brands a way of aligning actions today that our team members and BUILDING BRAND AWARENESS themselves with what the British public customers will remember for a lifetime.” AND TRUST ON A MASS SCALE were going through. Ben Newbury from Yorkshire Tea REACH AND GROWTH highlighted the position that many One of the most radical shifts Covid-19 that Covid-19 really accelerated our plans advertisers found themselves in: “We instigated was in consumer behaviour, by about three years. So within a matter always had to take that healthy sense particularly when it comes to purchasing. of weeks we had activated a lot more check of ‘What’s really going on?’ And For many advertisers, a positive benefit of platforms, channels and retailers to start [we knew] we were going to get this lockdown was a growth in their consumer driving ecommerce.” right or wrong before we pressed go. base as customers either chose, or were It paused a lot of stuff that we made. forced, to deviate from their usual brand SIGNALLING We held it, and we held it, until we felt preferences and try something new. The All media are not created equal. Different the time was right to go live.” inevitable challenge is how to make those media channels signal different qualities changes stick – or win back the customers about the brands that advertise on them. TONE BECAME A CRITICAL that were lost due to the pandemic. The importance of trust, quality and This challenge is causing marketers brand strength has been amplified FACTOR AND MANY to refresh their thinking around mass throughout lockdown. MARKETERS TALKED reach, their distinctive assets, and light These signals are entrenched in TV – ABOUT THE PRESSURE OF consumers in 2021. and its advertising – and help explain why EMPATHETICALLY REFLECTING Amy Butterworth from Tesco highlighted the medium was so valued throughout how things have shifted: “Targeting the pandemic. TV was viewed as a reliable THE NATIONAL MOOD eally changed from a sub-segment of and effective vehicle for building brand society to everyone who does a shop – awareness and trust on a mass scale. BRAND AND RESPONSE no matter where to be honest – everyone It was also unique in the way it helped The balance between brand and who needs to buy food, so basically the people feel good again due to its ability to response was brought into sharp whole population.” harness the power of positive emotion. focus by Covid-19. Advertisers were These attributes were of huge benefit to forced to rethink their campaigns, FAST-FORWARD advertisers throughout lockdown. often at incredibly short notice – firstly The pace of brand change has been Chris Ladd from Nationwide said: because the hard sell no longer seemed unparalleled since lockdown started. One “I can’t believe there won’t be some appropriate, and secondly because trust client described it as “10 years of change long-term benefit from us having market and mental availability became even in one”. presence in the medium that has always more crucial in the post-Covid world. Evolution went into overdrive, leading to given off a sense of trust and stature.” It made sense that marketers turned to many brand initiatives that were previously the channels that consumers were most unimaginable. Ultimately, businesses likely to see and trust. Payback was also changed because people changed – Nicole Greenfield-Smith is research content lead at Thinkbox, the UK’s marketing crucial as brands needed to generate and the effects weren’t just limited to body for television. Greenfield-Smith has immediate sales but also shore up their advertisers. Innovation was also at the commissioned, managed and worked brand health in the longer term, heart of the broadcasters’ agendas. New across virtually every one of Thinkbox’s to withstand any future lockdowns. programme formats, ways of watching and research projects – many award-winning – since she joined the company back in Simon Wallis from Domino’s summed an increased use of rich back catalogues 2006. She began her career in media after it up the attitude to marketing during meant that TV stayed relevant for both completing her masters degree in Research Covid-19: “We used three guiding audiences and advertisers as everyone Consultancy. She worked for several principles as some kind of compass. adjusted to the pandemic way of life. organisations including Ebiquity, Flextech First: keep serving our customers and Gayle Noah, from L’Oreal, said: “We’d Television, the BBC and Accenture before landing the role at Thinkbox and finding looking after our people. Second: build already started on the ecommerce her spiritual home.

IMAGE:SUPPLIED brand preference and look after our journey many years ago, but I would say

themediaonline.co.za THE MEDIA YEARBOOK 2021 I 41

40-41_TheMediaYearbook2021_GlobalTV.indd 41 08.04.21 11:42 42-43_TheMediaYearbook2021_PRC.indd 42 2 millionreaders onaverage per month or download theapp.Only Subscribe now on Major shifts inmedia readers source atrustworthy of information, writes Print continuesto exposure offer advertisers to adiscerningaudienceand a result. Advertisers abruptly stopped reads andprintcirculationssuffered as homes, were unabletobuy theirfavourite halt. Consumers,largelyconfinedtotheir printing pressesanddistributiontoa The suddeninitiallockdown brought transformation acrossallmedia. A It’s nosecretprintsuffered in2020. as acatalystfor digital that lockdowns acted Council (PRC) confirms by thePublisher Research d Tracker research conducted Netwerk24.com As theLARGEST DIGITAL SUBSCRIPTIONNEWS SERVICE IN AFRICA, R99 you cantrust to bring you

pm / every story, every fact, every day Audience Measurement Survey, which became acatalystfor exactly that. and for thepublishingsector, thepandemic I have alsochampioned acceleration– digital extremely valuable (justlike vinyl records). print willnotdie;itbecomeniche and PRC, I’monrecordwithmy firmbeliefthat Advertising Bureau (IAB)priortojoiningthe became earlycasualties. printbrands and somelong-standing advertising duringtheinitialuncertainty 15millionpage views The PRC produces thebiennialPublisher As thefounding CEOoftheInteractive in Afrikaans.

OEHN BUYS JOSEPHINE / highly engagedaudience While itlevelled outsomewhat, theYoY the pandemicandlockdown restrictions. largely duetoconsumersseekingnews on readership atthebeginningoflockdown, shifts inadspendandconsumerbehaviour. trackeran adspendandactivity tostudy During lockdown we embarked onproducing migration ofreadersfrompapertoscreen. pandemic weseeingthe hadalreadystarted across multipleplatforms. Before the accurate measureofreadingbehaviour provides areadingcurrency todeliver an This showed amassive surgeinonline

. / 71000+subscribers 08.04.21 11:43 CMY CY MY CM Y M C K

IMAGE: SUPPLIED print-ad-printready.pdf 12021/02/0314:35 PUBLISHING

tracker comparing 2019 to 2020 shows environment for advertisers. In this age embraced the creation of excellent content that news sites retained 30% more of misinformation and disinformation, across platforms will not only survive, but readers online. I believe brand-safe media environments thrive as consumers cautiously emerge The PRC’s pioneering FUSION will become a priority for brands from lockdown into the next phase. research, which fuses multiple data sets with integrity. Readers are alive and well. Some are to create more informed and insightful So, while readers such as me who still simply transitioning from paper to screen, audience measurement research, proves enjoy the tactile, uninterrupted while a signifi cant number switch between that readers (vs viewers, listeners or experience of our favourite print and digital platforms on a daily basis. glancers), continue to read. They are newspaper and magazine titles This means it’s all about trusted and simply shifting their reading habits online. will continue to buy printed carefully crafted content, whether While we celebrate the sustained media, others, especially consumed in print or online. migration of readers online, the truth is younger people, will print now offers unique niche audiences continue to build their Media and marketing pioneer Josephine of extremely valuable and loyal readers. relationships with their Josephine People who continue to buy print titles favourite brands online. Buys Buys is CEO of the Publisher Research Council. Her diverse career has placed are true brand fans, a select group that With online her at the forefront of embracing media otherwise can be diffi cult for other media marketing set to move in a variety of industries (and platforms), to reach. Now more than ever, print offers from cookie-based from publishing and entertainment advertisers a targeted medium aimed at behavioural targeting to agencies and the public sector. Her experience spans sales, marketing, reaching discerning consumers. to contextual marketing brand development and ecommerce. Print has long been, and continues to in the privacy age, @jozib_sa

IMAGE:SUPPLIED be, recognised as a trusted, brand-safe publishers who have print-ad-printready.pdfprint-ad-printready.pdf 1 2021/02/031 2021/02/03 14:35 14:35

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42-43_TheMediaYearbook2021_PRC.indd 43 08.04.21 11:43 44-45_TheMediaYearbook2021_NewspaperSA.indd 44 sector: localnewspapers The resilient print 44 I THEMEDIA YEARBOOK 2021 Britta Britta Reid recent Audit BureauofCirculations (ABC) fi guresfor Octoberto contact andhurtingpockets.contact The curbing mobility, creatingfear of by more thantwo-thirds. top 15 weekly titlesdropped Then the pandemicstruck, December 2020 starkly December 2020starkly themediaonline.co.za 18 topdailieshalved andthe combined circulationofthe medium for advertisers, writes medium foradvertisers, hyper-local content forreaders, andthusaninvaluable Local newspapers remain aninvaluable source of a diretimeofit:the refl ected thisimpacton weekend newspapers had decades, paiddailyand newspaper sales:dailies demise ofnewspapers. dropped by 38.1%, Over thepasttwo narrative aboutthe dominant, doom-laden fortunes counterthe attention becauseits T deserves deserves market that newspaper sector ofthe here isa DELIVERED DIRECTLY TO THE READER’SHOME BASED ON THE FREESUBSCRIPTION MODEL, THE BULK OFLOCAL NEWSPAPERS (97%) ARE about it”. “make moreofasonganddance houses shouldtaketheopportunity to local newspapers getslost:thesales around opines thatthegoodnews story Grant, businessunitheadat The MediaShop, the numberofsoldnewspapers. Gareth were stilldistributedregularly–3.3times an average of4 812 788localnewspapers second halfoflastyear, shepointsout, head ofmarketing atSparkMedia.Inthe on distribution,accordingtoRobyn Bishop, only 22%ofthenewspaper market based 45.7% over the previous year. weekends by 36.1%andweeklies by printing anddistribution. funding covers thecostsofpublishing, attractiveness toadvertisers, whose they basedontheireconomic serve Publishers have selected thecommunities delivered directlytothereader’s home. based onthefreesubscriptionmodel, The bulk oflocalnewspapers (97%)are GROWTH PRUNING AND LOCAL AND FREENEWSPAPERS – It isagloomy picture, butitrefl ects RTA REID. BRITTA 08.04.21 11:44

IMAGE: SUPPLIED NEWSPAPERS SOUTH AFRICA

Accustomed to recalibrating of a kaleidoscope of unique and different informative stories, writing understandable distribution according to economic communities. These publications deliver ‘news-you-can-use’ articles. development, these publishers responded relevant, hyper-local content that cannot Editors in the network of offices swiftly to Covid-19, discontinuing some be found anywhere else around service connected service organisations and aid titles, converting some paid titles to free, delivery, school news, community, and schemes with families left destitute and and amalgamating some titles to ensure social and sport events. They act as hungry. Local newspapers have continued that viable areas were still appropriately watchdogs on community issues. Their to provide invaluable support through the serviced. Though this pruning reduced weekly delivery supports the way people varying levels of lockdown. overall distribution by some 13%, live and shop – week to week. the total combined circulation of the ENTRENCHED HABITS remaining newspapers was reasonably SUPPORT IN THE PANDEMIC Referring to ROOTS 2019, Bishop says stable, slipping by only 4.3%. Grant argues that lockdown gave these that even before Covid-19, South African The largest newspaper in the country local newspapers a new prominence shoppers preferred to shop close to home, is now Taxi Times, with an ABC figure for their fearful and working-from-home ideally travelling not more than 13 minutes of 144 940. It is an anomaly in this readers, who needed information about for food and groceries. Shoppers also liked category, being distributed free to taxi which businesses were operating and to plan their shopping, with 90% doing commuters rather than direct to home. under what trading hours. These readers so – up from 78% in 2013. needed an antidote to fake news and Kantar’s Covid-19 Barometer testifies DISTRIBUTION AND were more comfortable with a delivered to both these habits being amplified during READERSHIP RESEARCH publication than a purchased one. lockdown. A concern with price has been It is this free distribution that some acerbated, with 72% of respondents media decision-makers regard with THESE PUBLICATIONS saying they now pay more attention to caution. TBWA media manager Anastasia DELIVER RELEVANT, it. These observations suggest that local Taylor suggests that this might be the newspapers have a heightened relevance reason these titles are sometimes HYPER-LOCAL CONTENT for shoppers going forward. overlooked. If someone buys a title, THAT CANNOT BE FOUND they are likely to read it; if they are ANYWHERE ELSE AROUND ADVERTISING ROLE given one for free, she wonders if the Lord describes community papers as motivation to read it is as strong. Richard SERVICE DELIVERY, SCHOOL “almost the sole domain of the retail Lord, media and operations director NEWS, COMMUNITY, AND insert”, while Chris Botha, group managing at Meta Media, concurs, saying they SOCIAL AND SPORT EVENTS director for Park Advertising, says, “they should be taken “with a pinch of salt”, give advertisers real intensive coverage as it means publishers are “handing Local newspapers were also of a community with a leaflet”. out more papers, or adding new papers where people turned for support and According to Nielsen’s January – and areas”. reassurance: Tasmia Ismail, general December 2020 ad investment reading, The major industry players have manager commercial for Ads24 Media local newspapers now take 43% of the addressed this concern. Caxton has Solutions, cites the reactions of gratitude newspaper investment vs sold dailies’ 41% a long history of funding credible research and relief that readers expressed in and weeklies/weekends’ 16%. However, to prove average issue readership of response to the PE Express’s headline: they currently garner 68.6% of their support local print titles and provide consumer “Lockdown: You’re not alone, we’re in from retailers – a category that constitutes insights. Kantar conducts the ROOTS it together!”. 21.61% of total ad investment. study among 27 553 purchase Irma Green, national group editor decision-makers in urban areas. Ads24 for Caxton Local Newspapers, recounts Britta Reid spent decades working for partnered with Caxton for the 2019 how they instantly had to find the media agencies and owners across the tudy, including 16 additional areas to best way to keep their communities fields of insight, strategy, implementation cover their publications. informed during lockdown level 5, and leadership. Always a devoted mentor, Bishop makes the point that the establishing a national task team to she now relishes the opportunity to share success of local newspapers is built publish to their 57 websites, monitoring her experience and views with curious media professionals through writing, on the still-relevant insight that South what readers were most worried training and consultation.

IMAGE:SUPPLIED Africa is not homogenous but made up about and turning their questions into

themediaonline.co.za THE MEDIA YEARBOOK 2021 I 45

44-45_TheMediaYearbook2021_NewspaperSA.indd 45 08.04.21 11:44 Reimagining magazines With the sector taking strain long before the disruption of the pandemic, magazine publishers have had to get creative in order to survive, and perhaps even thrive, writes SANDRA GORDON.

Sandra Gordon

020 was a ghastly year for the sector waited for 2020, as circulation and 2020 is recognised as the year in which media, particularly the publishing advertising revenue had suffered steady the rules of publishing were rewritten, sector. Magazine publishers who declines over the previous five years. The legacy practices were changed and reacted quickly and positively to revenue model that had served publishers established relationships were disrupted. challenges are able to face this well was way past its sell-by date, and Embracing technology, reconfiguring year 2 with realism and a dose of optimism. onerous contracts to publish international distribution channels and creating higher During May 2020 both Caxton glossies at the mercy of volatile exchange levels of value for readers took publishers Magazines and Associated Media rates became nooses around the necks out of their lethargy and into a world Publishing announced they were closing of publishers. Airline magazines were of collaboration, consumer-centricity, up shop. In hindsight, it’s a wonder the grounded and dozens of smaller niche brand consciousness and fresh

shake-up in the magazine publishing titles simply drifted away. business models. IMAGE:SUPPLIED

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46-47_TheMediaYearbook2021_MagazinesSA.indd 46 08.04.21 11:45 MAGAZINES

On a decidedly more positive note, produce magazines based on a fee per IT’S A WONDER THE SHAKE-UP during the lockdown South African edition. Given a budget and the freedom readers embraced multiple content- to choose who they want on their team IN THE MAGAZINE PUBLISHING reading platforms and the published of content creators has meant the SECTOR WAITED FOR 2020, AS word now finds itself at the top end of company has “a flexible cost base” CIRCULATION AND ADVERTISING the SEM scale. and dedicated teams who can bring REVENUE HAD SUFFERED their own ideas to the table and deliver NO MORE RUNWAY the “huge need for niche-interest STEADY DECLINES OVER THE Minette Ferreira, general manager of content like gardening and crosswords; PREVIOUS FIVE YEARS lifestyle and news at Media24, is both we are seeing fantastic sales of these pragmatic and upbeat about the future stand-alone products”. clients such as Pick n Pay, with whom as she and her team have been Of the advertising sales front, Ferreira she was in deep discussions to find following a strategy of reinvention says: “A small, full-time team handles a solution to “mitigate the significant and repositioning over many years. media agency sales for Huisgenoot/YOU/ costs associated with printing “Suddenly, in 2020, the runway DRUM and we expanded the outsource half-a-million copies”. remaining for our four-to-five-year plan model to travel titles, True Love, Sarie They worked on altering the business evaporated, forcing dramatic change,” says and Tuis/Home. Focus, a vested interest model, building and launching a Fresh Ferreira. “The lesson I learned most was in success and strict performance Living website within five days and always to think forward and not look for methods are supported by shared switching from a free monthly (for Smart excuses not to change when you can resources like our creative studio. Shoppers) to a paid-for quarterly with see the sands of time running out.” Direct sales now play a big role in a print order of 50 000. Following an One of Media24’s first tasks was to revenue. These titles are not classic omnichannel model, Fresh Living is exit from licensing agreements to publish big agency sales, and selling creative now available in print (currently selling Hearst titles such as Men’s Health and solutions rather than just a page ad is 38 000 copies per issue) and the full Runner’s World. Then titles such as seeing good results.” magazine can be downloaded for free. Sarie and Fairlady moved to six editions Clients are offered an array of content It also suits advertisers, who can reach a year, and Tuis and Home to eight; and platform opportunities including Fresh Living readers in print, online, on this decision was accompanied by events, digitorial, advertorial, and social channels and in-store. Carstens further cover price increases. television. Advertising sales exceeded busied herself further with the launch expectations in the last quarter of 2020. of a cooking channel, Just Cook at ESPECIALLY NOW, WITH Home SA with Justine Drake. AUTHENTIC CONTENT WILL WIN Despite many challenges, Carstens COVID-19, AUDIENCES ARE Lani Carstens is group managing director describes 2020 as a good year. “We TIRED OF BULL; AUTHENTIC at John Brown Media, part of the collaborated with our sister agencies within CONTENT THAT FILLS A REAL dentsu Group. She stays alert to global dentsu and have fortunately won significant trends, listing some of the standouts new business in the digital content space. HUMAN NEED WILL WIN as inter-agency collaboration, increased Especially now, with Covid-19, audiences omnichannel focus and purpose-driven are tired of bull; authentic content that “These moves placed the onus on content “backed by proper use of data fills a real human need will win.” us to ensure and improve quality,” says and insights, and which responds to a Ferreira. “For example, with Fairlady we human need. Video and podcasts will have upped the number of pages and continue to dominate”. Sandra Gordon is CEO of Stone Soup South Africa. Founded in 2002, the company is expanded the content offering; it is Although Carstens describes the 100% women-owned and managed boutique easier for consumers to find cash for a future of magazine publishing as tough, agency, specialising in bespoke public relations luxury purchase every two months.” she adds, “Print is not dead: we just strategies and plans, communications, The overall result has been a 20%+ launched a new magazine for Old Mutual reputation management and events. Gordon increase in copy sales since August. called Nine Yards, targeting SMEs was the founder of The Media magazine and The Media Online, before selling the publishing Another significant move saw Media24 and entrepreneurs.” company, Wag the Dog Publishers, to Arena magazines adopt an outsourced staff While operating under lockdown she Holdings in 2019.

IMAGE:SUPPLIED model. Editors were offered contracts to kept in close contact with her staff and

themediaonline.co.za THE MEDIA YEARBOOK 2021 I 47

46-47_TheMediaYearbook2021_MagazinesSA.indd 47 08.04.21 11:45 Untitled-3 2 2021/04/07 2:56 PM Untitled-3 3 2021/04/07 2:56 PM Doubling down From the ashes of last year’s across-the-board disruption arose an opportunity for digital news on digital publishers to shine, writes RIAAN WOLMARANS.

year ago, in January 2020, RECORD NUMBERS South African news websites were reporting on the new OF READERS coronavirus outbreak in FLOCKED TO China – of interest, but OUR WEBSITES not A all that dramatic for a country down TO CONSUME at the southern tip of Africa. Little did anyone know how quickly, and how badly, VERIFIED, RELIABLE Covid-19 would disrupt our news industry. INFORMATION Less than three months later, the ABOUT THE CRISIS country entered a full lockdown. News publishers scrambled to ensure staff could work from home, and that reporters and editors had the right paperwork to carry on as essential workers. At Arena Holdings, the immediate effects included not being able to print our magazines, including Financial Mail. Newspaper printing continued, but distribution and sales became a nightmare. Retail outlets were closed, distribution Riaan Wolmarans routes became unviable and readers who routinely bought newspapers were confined to their homes, instantly breaking that habit. Customer support suffered when our external call centre shut down. We made quick technical changes to ease access to our e-editions (PDF replicas of our print editions) and marketed these online to our readers. Take-up was healthy but shady characters started distributing these for free on WhatsApp, so we had to prevent the printing and copying of

e-edition pages. IMAGE:SUPPLIED

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50-51_TheMediaYearbook2021_DigitalNews.indd 50 08.04.21 11:46 DIGITAL PUBLISHING

Most calamitously, though, advertising So what lies ahead for digital publishing understand how the combination of revenue – especially in print, which in 2021? We will keep making the most of our technology and quality content can accounts for the bulk of news publisher the success of our websites in the past convert a reader into a subscriber, how revenue in this regard – disappeared year in terms of both general readership to identify potential subscribers and overnight as advertisers faced the and digital subscriptions. Three of our make them an enticing and well-timed disruption of their own industries. This main focus areas, which should also ring subscription offer, and how to ensure sparked urgent internal cost cutting true for other subscription-driven news existing subscribers do not cancel. at news publishers to protect cash publishers, are as follows. All of this data requires careful flow, including cuts to salaries and but speedy real-time collation and retrenchments. QUALITY – CONTENT AND TECHNOLOGY interpretation to be presented to editors, Digital ad revenue also collapsed, We have to keep improving the speed reporters, management, the circulation but in many aspects seemed to have and quality of our reporting to retain team, marketing and more, so they can recovered by year-end, while print still our more than 10 million digital readers make informed decisions. We have a data bore the wounds of diminished per month, to entice them to use our team focused solely on developing our circulation and revenue losses. websites often and for longer periods, efforts in this area, which is the backbone and, most importantly, to convert some of our digital subscription strategy. A VOTE OF CONFIDENCE of them into paying subscribers. Yet all was not doom and gloom. Most This is not an easy task given how MOBILE FIRST publishers’ website publishing systems newsroom resources have dwindled, As expected, more of the country’s already allowed staff to work from but it is made easier by our ever-evolving news consumers accessed our websites anywhere, so work was not interrupted. in-house digital publishing systems, and only via their mobile devices during Record numbers of readers flocked to by adapting our newsroom planning lockdown. On TimesLIVE, that spiked our websites to consume verified, reliable systems and workflows to the demands as high as 90% of our audience. information about the crisis. At Arena, of the digital era. News publishers have to think we interpreted this as a vote of mobile first at all times. Any website confidence in the trustworthiness of ANY WEBSITE DEVELOPMENT development must prioritise ease of our titles and the technical reliability consumption on phones and tablets, as of our websites, including TimesLIVE, MUST PRIORITISE EASE OF should the way we present and publish SowetanLIVE and BusinessLIVE. CONSUMPTION ON PHONES our content. Fast and reliable apps are Even though we made our coronavirus AND TABLETS, AS SHOULD a cornerstone of any mobile publishing coverage free to read, our lockdown THE WAY WE PRESENT AND strategy, and competition in the local subscription special proved popular amid news app market is hotting up: the newly rising public acceptance of having to pay PUBLISH OUR CONTENT updated Business Day app has more than for quality online news (a trend boosted doubled its readership in just two months, by recent paywall roll-outs at the Citizen We also keep innovating and improving for example. and News24, and the Daily Maverick’s our technology – often via strategic In summary, though the first year of voluntary support model). partnerships with external partners – to the pandemic brought much tragedy and Digital subscription revenue is a core make the consumption of digital news, disruption, it also created an unexpected focus at Arena Holdings. It is a sustainable as well as central processes such as but welcome opportunity for our digital way to keep our titles from failing as many signing in or subscribing, as seamless news industry to shine. The challenge in others have in the past year, especially in as possible for our readers. the next 12 months will be to hold on to the devastated local magazine industry. those gains and turn them into much- To sustain the spike in subscriptions DATA AND SUBSCRIPTIONS needed revenue. from March onwards, we had to improve Within the constraints of privacy internal processes more rapidly than legislation, we now gather more data expected. This included our technical about the behaviour of our digital readers Riaan Wolmarans is head of digital: subscription systems, and our ability to and subscribers than ever before. This media at Arena Africa. He is an analyse data gathered on our websites goes much deeper than simply knowing experienced editor and manager with skills in digital publishing, website and use the results of this to grow our how many readers visit our websites management and production.

IMAGE:SUPPLIED subscriber base. or which articles they read. We must

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50-51_TheMediaYearbook2021_DigitalNews.indd 51 14.04.21 08:42 ADVERTISING TECHNOLOGY Smarter, more targeted advertising Martech and adtech are

increasingly essential DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION CHALLENGES and advisories to guide their investment driving forces in achieving Understanding martech deployment: strategies, optimise their marketing and business objectives, The challenges faced include cost involved advertising activities, and improve their (with Covid-19 pressure now applied) and overall customer experience. These writes JOE STEYN-BEGLEY. a clear understanding of the most relevant advisories, like Carbon1, can evaluate adoption approach. and assemble the right technology and Decision-makers: The decision to people, identify gaps, and streamline ow, more than ever, there is a invest in technologies such as a robust the management of data accessibility, clear demand for responsible customer data platform is often made defi ning the path to achieving ambitious and accountable spending on at executive level with less input from business and marketing objectives. advertising, with insightful the individuals who would essentially Tangible results: By deploying the and attributable reporting. utilise these technologies, and thus most suitable martech solutions, Rapid N digital transformation has spurred could potentially guide far better organisations can gain an extremely the desire to invest heavily in martech and implementation and functionality. in-depth understanding of their clients. adtech – but to what extent and in which Data accessibility: With the much- By leveraging multiple data points order of priority need to be defi ned clearly. discussed and deliberated looming sunset captured during the normal course of Looking back, it is safe to say that of customer tracking through third-party customer interactions, they can create programmatic adoption in cookies, as well as increasing pressure to advanced marketing and advertising South Africa has boomed become compliant, a cohesive strategy strategies that give them a previously over the past few years. that facilitates cross-channel customer unobtainable level of infl uence over each Although implementation interaction will now only be possible with individual shopper’s path to purchase. is now arguably on par a CDP or similar tool that allows you to Executing strategy adjustments with our European centralise your audience strategy. informed by these insights is critical counterparts, the initial when looking to implement fundamental resistance to early MARTECH OPPORTUNITIES changes for the better, increase ROI adoption and lack of Receptiveness to progressive and maintain a healthy ecosystem of

immediate interest from solutions: Extreme changes in customer information. IMAGE:SUPPLIED the C-suite have resulted consumer behaviour have encouraged in a potential decision-makers to fast track the adoption After spending over 15 years in the negative of new technologies that can revive trenches of digital marketing, leading longer-term and ultimately safeguard their businesses multiple teams to achieving record- impact. from future pitfalls. Technologies such breaking revenue fi gures, winning as media measurement and marketing numerous awards and playing a intelligence tools and the insights they pivotal role in a number of highly successful mergers and acquisitions, Joe provide can answer many of the Joe Steyn-Begley has recently Steyn-Begley questions businesses face today. spearheaded the launch of Carbon1 out Advisory services: Most leading of renowned digital specialist Mark1. organisations have turned to consultancies

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52_TheMediaYearbook2021_DigitalAdTech.indd 52 08.04.21 11:47 DIGITAL ADVERTISING The dichotomy of digital in 2021: an industry galvanised by Covid-19 The stakeholders in the digital marketing ecosystem need to pull together to face its challenges and capitalise on opportunities, writes PAULA HULLEY.

ith more than 346 million new internet users coming online globally, 2020 opened up the digital gates – including access, W interactivity, and engagement. This phenomenal growth resulted in the equivalent of 10 years’ innovation in a mere six months. Local publishers saw a surge in monthly traffic, with News24, Fin24, the Citizen and Business Insider showing a month-on-month increase of more than 50% in unique browsers over the height of lockdown as we searched for credible updates in real-time online. This was combined with radical bursts of a global, collective energy that saw historical structures and ideologies being re-evaluated and recalibrated, redefining almost everything we know, even if Paula we cannot fully articulate these Hulley monumental changes just yet. Our industry has been faced with equally significant challenges, and as the obstacles completely online or keep our physical first-party? Do I keep my career path linear (and opportunities) of last year still hang in space as our primary customer touchpoint? or do I specialise and branch out into an the air of this one like a thick fog, we Do we bring all our staff back to HQ or expertise-driven field? find ourselves asking myriad questions remain a predominantly work-from-home In my experience, and as we build the about the nature of our businesses and business? Do we stop using third-party bridge to better fortunes out of the year that

IMAGE:SUPPLIED personal lives: Do we move our business data completely and move it all to was, the answer is in fact to choose both.

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53-54_TheMediaYearbook2021_DigitalAdTrends.indd 53 08.04.21 11:48 DIGITAL ADVERTISING

As Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) in major markets globally, delivery WE NEED TO REMIND THE Global CEO David Cohen so aptly puts partnerships for rapid fulfilment are it, “Our ability to meet the very large now essential for all brands. In what WORLD OF ALL THAT THE changes ahead depends on how much we ways will this play out in South Africa AD-SUPPORTED INTERNET are willing to rise to the occasion. We can’t in the year ahead? HAS PROVIDED – AND shrug and go back to business as usual. As 4. How do I engage thee? Let me CONTINUES TO PROVIDE an industry, we must reset our mindset. count the ways. While the goal of We need to remind the world of all that marketing remains ‘create a customer’, the ad-supported internet has provided the way to do so is through participation all marketing, media, platforms, ad – and continues to provide. The endless via ongoing communities, social selling, technology and marketing technology drumbeat of negativity about tracking, live virtual events, classes and other segments to identify relevant growth privacy, fraud and fears of Big Tech will forms of active involvement in the brand opportunities and deliver cross-purpose continue in 2021. When naysayers shout, – tactics that will experience hyper solutions. Whether solving for brand ‘What good is digital?’ the answer is: growth as Covid-19 propels them safety, viewability or benchmarking online plenty. The free and open web that helped into the mainstream. ad spend in South Africa, it is the uniting us all get through 2020 is indispensable.” 5. Make it streamable, make it of all the various industry stakeholders shoppable, and make it fast. that enables the IAB to empower the THIS IS NOT THE YEAR TO GO Media advertising will increasingly media and marketing industries to focus on driving participation in live thrive in a digital economy. IT ALONE. MORE SO THAN events. Successful publishers, “We must reset our commitment IN ANY YEAR IN RECENT brands and experience providers to working together as an ecosystem,” MEMORY, 2021 IS A TIME will partner to create live experiences says Cohen. “We must park our egos WHEN THE ENTIRE ECOSYSTEM and enable shopping directly. and our pride of ownership at the door The growth of free, ad-supported, and pull together. The most challenging – PUBLISHERS, AD TECH, streaming TV will boost the usage industry problems we face – cross- AGENCIES, AND BRANDS – of shoppable media. screen measurement; identity resolution; MUST COME TOGETHER TO 6. Brands must be data companies balancing privacy, personalisation and that make things, not the other safety; and more – won’t improve unless MAKE SENSE OF IT ALL way around. Consumer-facing we all work together. Ready or not, companies cannot remain competitive 2021 is here. When the industry looks NAVIGATING DISRUPTIONS without growing their first-party back at this moment in 10 or 20 years, Some of the most notable disruptions relationships and first-party data. we won’t remember what ended; from the IAB Global Brand Disruption instead, we’ll remember what started. Report that we can expect to navigate LET CHANGE BRING US TOGETHER This is our moment. What we make locally in the year ahead include: “Change will happen at a dizzying pace, of it is up to us.” 1. The fastest-growing brands of and it will be happening everywhere 2021 will be store-less, data-rich, live, at once – from privacy and policy Sources: DataReportal, July 2020; ITU, 2019 participatory, entertaining, localised decisions to addressability and attribution IAB 2020 Global Brand Disruption Report IMAGE:SUPPLIED and streaming. across every imaginable device, to the 2. Small brands will continue to convergence of video and commerce gain market share. All the trends in in consumers’ living rooms, to an Paula Hulley joined the IAB SA as CEO production, distribution, retailing, and unstoppable drive for diversity across the on 1 July 2018, with more than 15 years marketing make small brands more industry,” continues Cohen. “This is not of experience in building brands and consumer-engaging experiences. She competitive against large brands. the year to go it alone. More so than in joined digital agency Gloo in its first year That said, big brands’ scale, any year in recent memory, 2021 is a time of inception, going on to become MD of recognition and trust still give when the entire ecosystem – publishers, the Cape Town office and then MD of the them significant advantages. ad tech, agencies, and brands – must integrated business, Gloo@Ogilvy, 3. You cannot delay grati cation. come together to make sense of it all.” post the merger with Ogilvy in 2015. Hulley then became head of innovation With Walmart and Amazon competing At the IAB we call this the ‘big and digital for Ogilvy Cape Town. to make two-hour delivery the norm tent’, with our membership crossing

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53-54_TheMediaYearbook2021_DigitalAdTrends.indd 54 08.04.21 11:48 Untitled-1 1 2021/04/09 2:26 PM SPONSORED PARTNER CONTENT Embracing the coddiwomple With the future an uncertain destination, Relativ Media finds purpose in the journey.

oddiwomple: “To travel Through collaboration and an opening this past year to not only rebase and in a purposeful manner up of communication for all to have a rethink but also expand. With bigger towards a vague destination.” voice, not only are we learning from and bolder iconics on highways, the The past 12 months each other, but we are also sparking rights to Uber South Africa, and a have brought with them those passion points again. Is growing network of super regional a C sequence of unexpected challenges programmatic DOOH going to be and regional malls across the country, to both business and families alike, a hit or miss? What process do clients Relativ Media can now assist brands teaching us several crucial life lessons. follow when deciding to select one with shopper engagement en route Change is inevitable and comes with vendor over another? Are shoppers and through to point of purchase. myriad scary unknowns, but it also still identifying with brands through We feel that investing in data delivers opportunity for those who ecommerce vs bricks and mortar through ROAD and Broadsign, while embrace the challenge of their immediate engagement? Are media agencies expanding our DOOH offering in key surroundings and circumstances in order collaborating within their teams and locations, has been pivotal in the to focus on the road ahead, adjusting driving the best results for clients immediate industry need, and the course as needed along the way. through truly integrated strategies results from OMC speak for themselves. The media industry has always across all channels? We have geared ourselves for the craved collaboration, innovation, most personal and targeted consumer knowledge sharing and partnerships WE HAVE GEARED journey placement we have ever had. that are trusted, even more so through Growth is possible when you have the Covid-19. In the past we were all so busy OURSELVES FOR THE right people and are willing to learn from responding to either client or agency – MOST PERSONAL AND each other, supporting each other from to achieve more reach with less budget, TARGETED CONSUMER start to finish. more innovation with no time, more And who’s to say things should digital with no creative – that we didn’t JOURNEY PLACEMENT go back to the way things were? often give ourselves the space as an WE HAVE EVER HAD Dropping the barriers in the boardrooms, industry to find ways to do the undoable. asking all the ‘silly’ questions, learning Relativ Media identified with these With the recent mobility reports from each other – it’s all completely needs and created a space for real showing an over-performance of 8% possible now that we have merged engagement among industry experts, on the norm of baseline residential the human experience with our opening their virtual doors to the traffic and only a -4% on workplace newfound digital availability. So, while industry through The ‘Relativ Room’, traffic, we can identify that the way the initial destination of choice might a bimonthly platform for all agencies traffic is moving has changed somewhat; not have been reached and the and client partners to debate hot however, the levels are very similar coddiwomple continues, we can topics, stress points and potential to those shortly before our first only speak to where we are and obstacles faced by the industry. lockdown. Relativ Media has used learn from where we’ve been.

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56_TheMediaYearbook2021_RELATIVE_PartnerContent.indd 56 08.04.21 11:49 OUT OF HOME SOUTH AFRICA How Covid-19 led an outdoor media owner As what goes up must come down, people indoors will come to look inwards out again, and out of home media will be waiting for them, Simon says SIMON WALL. Wall

hat becomes of a category built on selling audiences when there is no audience? When billboards that once proudly W proclaimed brand messages, gleaming in the sunlight on roadsides, no longer have commuters to communicate to? When consumers are told to stay at home – yet as the name suggests, the very nature of your industry relies on consumers being out of their homes? Like so many industries that are reliant on the inherently social nature of human beings, when lockdown was announced last year, our entire sector was forced to rethink how we did business. Tractor Outdoor celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, and I’m proud to say that coming from the most diffi cult year we’ve ever faced, we’ve grown up as a business. Not only have we proven our mettle, but we’ve also seen our priorities shift along with the goalposts as it becomes clear what is truly important.

FROM COMPETITORS TO COMMUNITY Over the past few months it was exciting to see a rising spirit of collaboration, as media owners came together as a

IMAGE:SUPPLIED community, rather than as competitors.

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The industry realised that in order to There is nothing quite like a larger-than-life be paid in full, as they too have their own survive, we needed to work together billboard in an iconic, high-traffic location – families to provide for. We recognised the to find creative solutions to the and I don’t expect we’ll say goodbye to it importance of protecting our ecosystem, challenges we faced. any time soon. and we knew that in order for our broader We’re all too familiar with the ‘We’re community to survive, we needed to do in this together’ messaging that’s been LOOKING OUTWARDS, THEN INWARDS our part. brandished across every medium known In 2020, we launched the Tractor Outdoor The SME campaign also became a to man, and while its repetition may have SME Advertising Fund, with the intention pivotal or ‘trigger’ moment for us, which rendered it a platitude, the sentiment is of supporting businesses that were led to a shift in our entire approach to true for our industry. Partnerships between hardest hit by the pandemic, also providing business. We’re now in the process of operators, smaller suppliers, media SMEs with free advertising via our media obtaining our B Corporation certification, owners and clients were born – a silver network in an effort to help them which is granted to companies that lining that saw us come together to ensure survive lockdown. meet the criteria of balancing profit the survival of our category, which will and purpose. Our responsibility to continue long after the virus has left us. THE ACCELERATION OF shareholders will remain, but there’s now a greater emphasis on the role we play ACCELERATION OF DIGITAL DIGITAL HAS ALLOWED within our community, as we recognise No 2020 reflection would be complete DOOH TO DEMONSTRATE our potential to create ripples of change without a nod to the increasingly ITS MASSIVE POTENTIAL that will positively impact the social and important role that digital plays in a new, environmental fabric of our country. low-contact world. How does this look AND THE BENEFITS IT OFFERS in the world of outdoor media? Innovation TO BRANDS BY ALLOWING THE FUTURE OF OUTDOOR in the sphere of digital out of home FOR REFINED TARGETING Outdoor media is resilient. We’ve seen it (DOOH) media, of course. WITHIN A HIGH-REACH, with past crises such as World War II and Programmatic buying is a well-known the Great Depression: once the threat concept internationally, but less so in HIGH- FREQUENCY MEDIUM lifts, people come out in their droves. South Africa. The acceleration of digital As an industry we’re well positioned to has allowed DOOH to demonstrate its Jared Osmond of King James Cape ride out the storm, and those businesses massive potential and the benefits it offers Town summed it up perfectly when he that survive will bounce back stronger to brands by allowing for refined targeting said, “Clients want to be top of mind and with the resilience to navigate within a high-reach, high-frequency medium. when times are good, they need to be top future challenges. We’re one of the first to offer a of mind when times are bad.” We were While 2020 was tough and it will programmatic approach to DOOH buying, fortunate in that our business remained be a while longer until things start enabling a marketer to bid against other in a solid position, and we felt that it was to improve, the Queen of England’s competing businesses for the same target our duty to help other businesses that words – illuminated on outdoor media at audience – effectively buying impressions needed support, using the resources Piccadilly Circus, one of the most iconic on a cost per thousand basis via an at our disposal. outdoor locations of all time – continue advertising exchange. And this is only The initiative was well received, and to resonate: “We will be with our friends the tip of the iceberg; I expect to see a we’ll build on this in the year ahead. As we again; we will be with our families again;

lot more innovation in this space in future. celebrate two decades in business, we’ve we will meet again.” IMAGE:SUPPLIED We also recently became the first committed to helping another 20 SMEs specialist OOH media owner to join in 2021, in the hope that they too will the Interactive Advertising Bureau someday celebrate their 20th anniversary. With a career spanning almost two decades and multiple continents, Simon South Africa, a move that demonstrates When lockdown was first announced, Wall is CEO and a founding shareholder of an increasing ‘blurring’ between the we committed to keeping every staff Tractor Outdoor – one of the largest offline and online world. member on payroll. However, the independent media owners in South Will the classic billboard become a expectation was that employees would Africa, specialising in connecting brands Covid-19 casualty? While traditional OOH treat everyone on their own ‘personal to consumers through its network of OOH and DOOH inventory. He has a degree in may have taken a knock, there’s still a payroll’ the same: domestic workers, marketing from the University of Cape Town.

crucial place for it in a post-pandemic world. gardeners and so on would continue to IMAGE:SUPPLIED IMAGE:SUPPLIED

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INDUSTRY SECTORS for OOH THAT HAVE BEEN BEN MILNE takes a look IMPACTED THE at PSI owner dentsu’s new HARDEST BY forecast for ad spend in COVID-19 WILL 2021. The good news is ALSO SEE that with the predicted THE BIGGEST BOUNCE-BACKS recovery of auto and passenger traffic, the global OOH market is forecast to grow at 14.9%.

lobal advertising investment is forecast to grow by 5.8% globally in 2021, according to the fi rst dentsu Ad Spend Report since the global pandemic G began. The report combines data from 59 markets and anticipates that $579-billion will be spent globally, with all regions enjoying positive growth to offset a fall of 8.8% in 2020. Western Europe (7.5%), Asia-Pacifi c (5.9%) and North America (4.0%) will see particularly strong growth fi gures, which will be driven by increasing investment in key countries such as India Ben (10.8%), the United Kingdom (10.4%) Milne

IMAGE:SUPPLIED and France (8.9%).

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The accelerated shift to digital that SO WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR OOH? and resilience of the medium. Growth advertisers made in response to the With restrictions on social activity, OOH is forecast to be driven by digital OOH, significant restrictions placed on media was disproportionately impacted which continues to evolve quickly, both people’s lives through lockdowns will by the crisis. The good news is that in terms of offer (including programmatic also endure. Digital will account for with the predicted recovery of auto and capabilities) and demand (advertisers’ use half of all spend for the first time, passenger traffic, the global OOH of this medium). with social (18.3%), search (11.0%) market is forecast to grow at 14.9%, While a return to growth will be and video (10.8%) expected to benefit the fastest-growing media channel welcomed all round, the road to recovery the most. (except cinema). It is expected to recover for marketers should be supported Meanwhile, the return of major 50% of the loss suffered through the by investments in ways that will put sporting events that were delayed last pandemic by the end of 2021, taking consumer intelligence at the heart of year such as the Tokyo Olympics and spend in the OOH market to around 88% their business strategies. We know Paralympics, and UEFA European Football of the levels seen in 2019 and putting it on from our own CMO survey that Championships will also represent a course for a full recovery to pre-pandemic understanding consumer behaviour in significant driver of growth. TV is set levels by the end of 2023. a post-pandemic world is the biggest to benefit in particular from these live Looking at regional variations in the challenge marketers face. events as advertisers look to capitalise forecast, a clear pattern emerges: regions For OOH to capture the spend on the huge global audiences they hardest hit in 2020, such as Latin America growth forecast fully it is imperative draw. However, with continued travel (growth rate of -42.6% in 2020 vs 2019), that the sector continues to invest in restrictions likely, the growth opportunity are forecast to grow at faster rates in understanding consumers’ changing that these events normally represent for 2021 (51% growth forecast in the case relationships with the medium. What out of home (OOH) is likely to be lower of Latin America) than those who were will be the impact of new travel and work than previously expected. less impacted like Asia-Pacific (-15.9% patterns that emerge in 2021? What is in 2020 vs 2019), which is forecast to the balance between urban and sub-urban FOR OOH TO CAPTURE grow 8.2% in 2021. impressions and impact in a world where A more important signal of recovery is people live more locally? Which of the THE SPEND GROWTH the speed at which each region can get observed changes are temporary and FORECAST FULLY IT IS back to pre-pandemic levels of spend. which will persist? IMPERATIVE THAT THE Examining the situation through this lens, Helping brands and marketers navigate we can see that all regions of the world the impact of these changes to OOH, SECTOR CONTINUES TO will recover to around 88% of 2019 levels along with giving them confidence in INVEST IN UNDERSTANDING in 2021, with the exception of Europe, audiences returning to our medium CONSUMERS’ CHANGING which will take longer to recover, reaching (supported by data), will ensure our RELATIONSHIPS WITH 83% of 2019 levels, and Asia-Pacific, the channel not only remains relevant in Middle East and Africa, which are 2021 and beyond, but is also better THE MEDIUM all forecast to recover more quickly positioned than before. to more than 90% of 2019 spend levels Full dentsu Ad Spend Report

Industry sectors that have been this year. January 2021. IMAGE:SUPPLIED impacted the hardest by Covid-19 will also see the biggest bounce-backs. A V-SHAPED RECOVERY Based on analysis in eight markets, the Covid-19 has presented our industry Ben Milne is managing director of Posterscope’s international division, PSI. He has worked for travel and transport (28.4%), media and and the world at large with unique and Posterscope for the last 20 years in various entertainment (14.5%), and automotive unprecedented challenges that will planning, strategy, innovation and leadership (13.8%) sectors will all grow significantly no doubt leave a lasting legacy. It has roles across the UK, Russia, China and recently after being hit hard by the pandemic. accelerated the pace of change and the Japan, where working alongside the dentsu Inc. OOH division he established Posterscope There will also be consistent levels of ongoing digital transformation across our in Japan. The World Out of Home Organization growth for sectors such as technology industry and society at large. is the only global Out of Home Association, (6.0%), finance (5.6%) and telecoms OOH will experience a relatively working to promote and improve the OOH (4.8%), which all proved relatively V-shaped recovery, which serves to industry on behalf of its members.

resilient in 2020. demonstrate the strong fundamentals IMAGE:SUPPLIED

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