Third loss for Ireland/Davenport as SA Tourism follows Vodacom, BMW

by Herman Manson. Ireland/Davenport (a WPP agency) has suffered its third significant account loss in just over two months as South African Tourism follows Vodacom and BMW out the door.

Global brands seek value in staff-on-demand platform M4JAM

by Herman Manson. What value would a brand or marketing find in a staff-on-demand platform, you may ask? M4JAM offers access to thousands of consumers able and willing to provide real-time market research, mystery shopping and even product training.

Africa Dispatches: A luta continua, vitória é certa, M&G Africa

by Mandy de Waal. It has been just over a year since Zimbabwean-born media entrepreneur, Trevor Ncube, launched Mail & Guardian Africa. The chairperson of Alpha Media Holdings (AMH) says its success must be defined in terms of the investigative-news brand’s editorial achievements.

Motive: This One Time — a novel that makes the consumer both hero and villain

In the wake of a local press tour for the launch of her debut novel, This One Time, starring a social media influencer and a blue-chip beer brand, Alex van Tonder asks herself some questions interviewers who don’t have a marketing background might not have thought to ask.

Brand Politics: To lead or mimic? That is the brand question

by Alistair Mackay. Wouldn’t it be amazing if brands used the power of aspiration to encourage positive social change, as Castle Lager did with its ads in the 1990s?

#TheFutureByDesign: Going legit — the future of entertainment in Africa

a #TheFutureByDesign feature. Future By Design speaks to Afrinolly about its business and about the future of streaming content and entertainment in Africa.

Regular reads:

• Ad of the Week: Suzelle meets Nataniël at Checkers

• Talk Africa: Kenya on-air *NEW WEEKLY COLUMN*

• Global.Ad.Geeks: Clearasil ad hits the spot *NEW WEEKLY COLUMN*

• Shelf Life: Ask Afrika rewards SA’s iconic brands

• MagLove: The key to magazine covers that give you the chills

• Ad Feature: Is Premier David Mokhura superstar material?

• South African TV Ratings: 13–19 July 2015 (week 29)

Account moves:

• OKLB wins McDonald’s

• Butter Knife PR wins Piper-Heidsieck, Cointreau

People on the move:

• Neo Mashigo to leave Ogilvy & Mather Johannesburg

• Times Media appoints a new head of digital

• Gloo@Ogilvy Johannesburg appoints ECD

On the radar:

• Loeries entries by category

• Best of Global Digital Marketing Conference, Stellenbosch

• SMARTIES Awards shortlist announced

• Airbnb announces plan to accelerate growth in SA

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