Brand Politics: Seeing red - what EFF teaches us about brand-building

by Alistair Mackay. I can think of very few brands that have risen to prominence as quickly as the EFF has. The political party has done it by applying some fundamental marketing principles, and some clever guerrilla-marketing tactics.

Indy Ad Exec: Why ad agencies don't collaborate

by Tom Fels. Why, in this day and age, in one of the most innovative fields of the economy, are advertising agencies averse to collaborating with their peers? And, given the right circumstances, what amazing new results could be achieved through effective partnering?

eBay intensifies Gumtree SA investment

by Herman Manson. Claire Cobbledick has moved out of the adland bubble and on to client side. Formerly the MD at storied Cape Town agency The Jupiter Drawing Room, she now reports to eBay as head of marketing for its Gumtree SA classifieds brand.

Tech Law: Digital marketing should focus on trust, not sales

by Paul Jacobson. Digital marketing's purpose may seem to be persuading customers to buy a brand's products and services but I am beginning to think that is just a by-product of digital marketing's true purpose.

Tuned: L'Oreal, in touch and in tune with African hair

by Thabang Leshilo. As a woman who's been braiding her hair since six, I can tell you that ethnic hair care is not something L'Oreal is famous for among African consumers. So where and how would it go about building a credible relationship with consumers?

BrandMapp steps into market research breach

by Herman Manson. WhyFive, the market research firm launched by Stuart Lowe, the former MD of media house Ramsay Media, is stepping up its market presence as the sector is faced by uncertainty about the future of AMPS.

Regular reads:

• Ad of the Week with Oresti Patricios: Changing the world, one school at a time

• Shelf Life with Louise Marsland: New eco-friendly household cleaning range

• MagLove with MediaSlut: Setting your MARK in stone

• Design Annotator with Uno de Waal: 16 Jozi galleries, a music hackathon and the InAWE Residency

On the radar:

• NAB tender out for Radio Audience and Currency Survey

• Account wins: Saatchi & Saatchi Synergize gets Betterbond, Clickatell, Hi-Tec, AA

• Primedia to close down digital agency Prezence

• The New Age cancels Media & Marketing page

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