Media Update [the blog]

It's just not news

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 14:05:44 GMT

The latest news, as has been said, can now be gleamed from social media… apparently. In an editorial desk piece I wrote recently, I commented that we can’t really consider social media updates as news. My main argument against this is that the faces/identities that are on social media networks belong to individuals or corporate identities. Everything that comes out will be firstly, subjective, and secondly, has not withstood or been tested against criteria such as balance and fairness. True, this is not necessary for a private page. However, it is not news. The upside to this much discussed debate is that it isn’t all bad news. One can certainly get up to the minute updates, and mobilise emergency relief or support to needed areas much faster. Leads can be picked up on with the wide availability of information out there now. However, it’s still not news.

To agree or disagree, post your comments below....
[Added: 10 Mar 2010]

“For all the Selinah’s out there …“

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 11:35:33 GMT

Ogilvy Johannesburg held a breakfast on 2 March, at Salsa in Illovo, in recognition of its powerful television commercial for non-profit organisation, the Topsy Foundation.

Ogilvy Johannesburg says this was a ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ opportunity. “This time, we were not ad makers, we were part of something special, part of a miracle,” said Fran Luckin, Executive Creative Director for Ogilvy Johannesburg. She added that, “The reason why we are here today is that this miracle, ARV treatment, is something that is available to hundreds of thousands who have HIV/AIDS, and we want to make this possible.”

“ARV treatment is not a cure for HIV, but like with other chronic diseases, such as diabetes or asthma, you have to take your medicine and continue treatment for life. There might be side effects to the treatment, but at the end of the day, it is this treatment that will help you to live a long and healthy life. This works in the same way with ARV treatment for HIV/AIDS,” said Silvia de Jager, Executive Director at the Topsy Foundation.

“Did you know that you can take somebody who is very sick, in the last stages of AIDS, put them on ARV treatment, and with the right care and support, they can go from the point of near death, and turn around to nearly full health in 90 days? This is called the Lazarus Effect,” said Luckin. Ogilvy identified that in all research that had previously been done on AIDS, this hopefulness had not been told. The 95-second commercial, produced in conjunction with Egg Films, tells this hopeful story and documents the success of ARV treatment. The film is brought to life by telling Selinah’s story.

Selinah is an HIV/AIDS sufferer, who was filmed waking up every morning for 90 days. She was instructed to look at a particular spot on the ceiling, hold it for two to five minutes, and then she would go about her normal day – no visual tricks or animations were used. The ad plays in reverse sequence, and begins on day 90, where we see a ‘healthy’ Selinah and moving backwards to day 1, where she receives her first ARV pill from the nurse – ie: we watch a healthy Selinah become more ill and diminishing everyday. At the end of the ad, what we are actually watching is Selinah’s 90-day ARV treatment and remarkable recovery in reverse.

Before filming started, Selinah could not even stand. Today, Selinah is well on her way back to health, and living a ‘normal everyday’ life. The ad took two years to complete - every word; title; and piece of music had to fit perfectly with the ad.

Ogilvy and Topsy believe that the ad will uplift those infected with and affected by the disease; instill courage and hope for those who may still have doubt with regards to the treatment; and inspire others to spread this miracle message of the Lazarus Effect.

There’s also a call-to-action linked to the ad as the effects of AIDS can be reversed. Help to provide the treatment that can give someone a second chance. SMS ‘Topsy’ to 39810 to donate R15.

For more information, contact: Silvia de Jager, Topsy Foundation on 011 709 6623, or email silvia.dejager@ogilvy.co.za, Alternatively, contact Beatrice Ralfe, Topsy Foundation, by calling 011 709 9699, or email beatrice.ralfe@ogilvy.co.za.

What are your feelings on the ad? Post your comments below....
[Added: 09 Mar 2010]

Not green enough for World Cup

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 09:04:09 GMT

Care2.com blogged about recent reports from The Telegraph that “South Africa is trying to 'green' the 2010 FIFA World Cup, but local efforts are struggling to balance out the enormous carbon emissions caused by holding the tournament at the tip of the continent.”

Efforts to ensure large, global sports events are green, often fail, and according to The Telegraph, although some of the cities that will host 2010 FIFA World Cup matches “have constructed stadiums that feature natural ventilation; rain water capture; and increased energy efficiency.”

“The ‘carbon footprint’ for this year’s tournament is estimated at 2.75-million tons of carbon dioxide, nine times higher than the World Cup in Germany in 2006 and more than twice as high as the Beijing Olympics,” reports The Telegraph. One of the main reasons for the high number of emissions is because “fans will have to fly between the host cities and because the nation uses coal for most of its electricity.”

While some host cities are making efforts to offset emissions, (with Durban planning to produce electricity from hydraulic turbines or biogas emitted by landfills, and Johannesburg and Cape Town planting thousands of trees to capture carbon dioxide), these carbon credit projects will take about two and a half years to offset the emissions caused by hosting the tournament.

It seems the old adage of ‘we left it till the 11^th hour’ is ringing not only true, but loud enough for us to no longer ignore it. The increased hissing of those planes over our yards in the next few months will certainly send a shudder through my soul, and make me wonder if it will ever be possible for anyone to ever have clean lungs again. The reality seems to be hitting pretty close as we hear the daily count downs. We can't forget that South Africa is pretty close to that dangerous hole in the ozone layer, and that we're a water dry country. The combination of these factors and increased emissions will have negative impacts for the country. Not only that, but the impacts will be felt by the poorest of the poor. Haven't we left them out in the cold one too many times now?...
[Added: 09 Mar 2010]

Sarita's rolls out a Golden Experience

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 13:44:45 GMT

I attended the Sarita Golden Carpet event on Saturday, 27 February.
The dazzling affair was held at Taboo, situated in the heart of Sandton. Dressed to the nines, Joburg’s crème de la crème could be spotted walking Sarita’s golden carpet.

Flashing paparazzi lights; television interviews by Dolly Ndlovu; trapeze artists; Joburg’s finest of house music; beautiful people; and the never-ending flow of Saritas, made for a magical night of elegance; glitz; and glamour. VIPs mingled in the exclusive Sarita VIP lounge, decked out with a designer Sarita cocktail bar; alluring centre pieces of golden masks with red and white jewels; and chocolate balls to tantalise the taste buds.

The event was beautifully organised, reflecting the true brand essence of South Africa’s premium apple ale, Sarita. It was clear that everyone was having a fabulous evening, which created that sexy party atmosphere infused with ‘Sarita chic-ness’. All VIPs were made to feel like ‘Hollywood stars’ for the night. Babalwa Rasane, Craze presenter and CEO of Urban Glamour, comments: “
I am having a lovely evening tonight, and feeling very glamorous with my Sarita in-hand.” She added that Sarita had definitely created a golden experience.

During the soiree, I had the opportunity to interview the lovely Tumi Mohube, Brand Developer for SAB, and her colleague, Nomty Malevu, also Brand Developer; as well as Sales and Marketing Director for Beyond Red, Greg Lipton, who handles the events on behalf of SAB.

1. Kin: Looking around tonight, how would you describe your target market?
Lipton: Sophisticated.
Malevu: Hard-working; some single; some not-so single. Women who know who they are; know where they are going; and know what they want out of life.
Mohube: Our target market knows which brands speak to them, and Sarita speaks to them.

2. Kin: Would you say then that Sarita is solely targeted at women, or both men and women?
Mohube: Our target market is mainly women; however, we do not discriminate against men. Men form part of our brand family, but Sarita is a female brand.
Malevu: As Tumi said, Sarita is targeted at the ‘glamorous woman’, yet we do not exclude the brand from men.
Lipton: Effectively, it’s anyone who would like to have the ‘champagne of apple cider’.

3. Kin: How would you describe a day in the life of a Sarita woman?
Mohube: The Sarita woman is all about being fabulously glamorous in every aspect of her life, whilst enjoying only the best things that life has to offer.
Lipton: Glamorous all the time!
Malevu: She works hard, and she plays equally as hard.

Before concluding my interview, I threw in a few ‘quirky’ questions to get the golden creative caps going, and to discover more of Sarita’s brand personality.

4. Kin: If Sarita were a shoe, what shoe would it be?
Malevu: Jimmy Choo.
Mohube: Christian Louboutin.

5. Kin: If Sarita were a handbag, which handbag would it be?
Malevu: Marc Jacobs.
Mohube: Louis Vuitton.
Lipton: Either a Hermes; or Louis Vuitton.

6. Kin: If Sarita were a car, which car would it be?
Lipton: Definitely a Bentley.
Mohube: I second Greg’s answer, definitely a Bentley!

7. Kin: Any future plans for Sarita?
Mohube: We have more Golden Carpet events coming up in the near future, to celebrate Sarita and create a golden experience for our current and future clients.
Malevu: We plan to ensure that our consumers feel glamorous at all times when they are drinking their Saritas. With these events, we hope to create the brand message: ‘One simply cannot be seen without their Sarita’.

The event was thoroughly enjoyable. Being able to feel like an ‘A-lister’ for just one night was fabulous. In the words of Kimora Lee Simmons: “Fabulosity always needs to be maintained,” with Sarita’s ultimate glamour accessory....
[Added: 08 Mar 2010]

No more hustle ... just hire

Fri, 05 Mar 2010 12:58:27 GMT

“Why buy when you can hire,” this little quote from Designerhandbags.co.za, caught my eye, and even more so caught my infatuation with designer handbags I long to have. Just like Carry Bradshaw’s,’ St Louise’, we too, in good ol’ SA can hire our own designer bag for a week. To hire a Louis Vuitton, or a Rebecca Minkoff, will set you back, anything between R1 000 to R1 300 for the week; and if you decide to keep it for 28 days, your’re looking at about R3 500 to R4 000.

I raised this thought amongst the beautiful ladies within the department I work – otherwise known as ‘The Fish Bowl’. Different opinions on the idea of hiring a designer bag were brought to the table. Some were in favour, and some definitely not in favour.

In my opinion, I feel that in today’s materialistic society, the media have created a specific identity that is seen in every print ad; TV commercial; and online campaign. Society sometimes may then feel pressured to conform to this identity – ‘They want to be different, just like all their friends’. But I think, because of the society in which we live, society conform to this projected ‘perfect-identity’, if you will, without even knowing it – How clever are marketers today hey?. I too, must confess, I have conformed. But for me, I don’t think that’s bad, I like to keep up with trends, but, I LOVE to take current trends and adapt them to make my own trend. I also love beautiful items, these one time pieces, project a specific brand identity, my own identity of who I am – I think.

Giving me a beautiful item (clothes; bags; shoes; or accessories), makes me feel good; for myself and nobody else. Therefore, give me a brand that is going to fulfil my need to feel good, and a handbag or a pair of shoes, will do just that.

Having a haute couture handbag, or pair of exclusive shoes, will mean different things for different people. For some it could be a gift to themselves; and for others, it may just be a status symbol, and if we have this particular status symbol, our materialistic society will accept us. Isn’t this crazy? I could go on and on about this topic, but then I would probably end up going off the topic.

But just for a ‘look-see’, check out www.designerbags.co.za. As I always say, you can go to the bakery, but just coz you’re there, it doesn’t mean you have to try every delicacy you see. After all said and done, I must say … the Jimmy Choo Lohlam Tote, is absolutely gorge dol !!!

Has society become so Brand conscious and obsessed with being seen with these designer pieces, that if we cannot afford it, we need to hire it? Post your comment below....
[Added: 05 Mar 2010]

Google desktops irrelevant?

Fri, 05 Mar 2010 08:31:51 GMT

Mashable recently reported that Google’s online sales European Director, John Herlihy said at the Digital Landscapes conference that Google is heading in the direction of mobile services, and saying these would become more important than desktop PCs, in about three years’ time!

A few years back, I would have thought this was crazy talk, now I can actually believe it! Looking at Google’s recent movements and developments in the mobile sphere, especially with Android and Nexus One, I can almost see myself doing a search from my phone for an extended period of time, and not just for a Facebook update.

But I say ‘almost’. I think the limitations of mobile are still too glaring to enable me to compare its functions to my laptop. There’s so much talk about convenience, but could you really see all your co-workers sitting around on their phone just searching away? I think not. Or at least, not yet! Sure, there’s a few at the top end of the spectrum whose lives would be made easier with developments like these. But I think a change in mindset and company structures have to be re-thought… what do you think?...
[Added: 05 Mar 2010]

Do consumers really want (need) flashy grooming products?

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 09:54:01 GMT

My husband was having a rant last week about the fact that razor companies keep adding extra blades – we’re currently on five with the Gillette Quattro, I think, but considering how not so long ago, a single razor blade was enough to do the job, I wonder how long it will take before we are sitting with 15-blade monsters that swipe your entire cheek in one stroke?

I did some research in this regards and found the following info on Braun’s grooming product page: “Braun’s Series 3, 5 and 7 shavers also include a Clean & Renew™ System, which self cleans the shavers using alcohol based cleaning fluid so it’s hygienically cleaned.” Now that sounds useful. The following statement, from the same page, made me wonder, though: “Braun is an exciting and innovative brand that consumers will add to their shopping list as a ‘must have’ because of their hi-tech features, superior style and exceptional quality.”

Another of Hubby's ‘favourites’ is toothbrush innovation. I’m all for bendy bristles that clean the gums and reach out and under to free food particles but do we really need tongue cleaners on there, too? What next I wonder, a special ‘mouthwash strip’ and post-brush cheek-patter?

Maybe our non-approval is because these grooming tasks are usually performed when sleep and going to/ from bed, so we aren’t in the mood for fancy innovation – just something that gets the job done.

What do you think? Necessary innovation as a sign of the times, or just money-making ploys? Leave your comments below....
[Added: 04 Mar 2010]

It takes just one Precious film

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 15:22:08 GMT

Yeahbo.Dot.Net, in association with Sarita and NuMetro, held a movie screening of the 6-time Oscar-nominated film Precious on Sunday, 28 February. The fabulous affair was held at Monte Casino’s (huge) NuMetro. Before the screening, guests mingled in the NuMetro prive lounge, and were treated to decadent canapés and non-stop flowing Sarita’s. Unfortunately for me, I was not able to drink, as I have given up 'the alcohol beverages' for lent – two weeks in counting, and I have not had a drop – go me !!!

Before the movie began, my partner Travis, a male, was not keen on seeing this movie, but like all girlfriends, I dragged him to the premiere – you know this is something we can tell our children one day. Anyway, walking out the cinema, once Precious was finished, Travis’ first words, and I quote him directly, word-for-word: “It was brilliant,” and there he was straight away onto the phone to his ‘posse’, telling them of this ‘brilliance’ he had just witnessed. With this been said, there is reason for why this ‘eye-opener’; 'conversation-starter' of a movie, has been nominated for 6 Oscar’s (Best Actress; Best Supporting Actress; Best Picture; Best Director; Best Film Editing; and Best Adapted Screenplay) – not to shabby, I say.

Precious, based on the novel Push, by Sapphire, tells a story of how a mother mentally and physically abuses her daughter Precious, as well as the trials and tribulations that Precious faces growing up (I find that these words, not even a 'smidgen' come close to describing what this young girl has to go through - even now I have a lump in my throat thinking of her story). The film is directed by Lee Daniels; and Co-Produced by talk show queen Oprah Winfrey, and well-known movie industry guru Tyler Perry. Mo'Nique, who play supporting actress (the Mom), puts on an outstanding performance. Being use to her happy; colourful; playful; and over the top characters, this amazing woman usually plays, in this film she is still ‘over the top’ but in a totally different and definitely unexpected way. The lead of Precious, is played by newcomer Gabourey Sidibe, WOW … you too will be speechless. For a first timer, this young lady puts on an ‘Oscar Award performance’, and I guarantee we will see her in many more, hundreds, of films to come.

I walked out the cinema with swollen eyes; runny mascara; and ‘sniffly’ nose. Yes, this movie got to me, and not because I cry in nearly every movie – yes, I know, those of you who know me and are probably thinking, Linds, but you even cried in Transformers 2 – trust me, this was a different type of ‘overwhelming-ness’. This movie makes you think afterwards; think of your own life; think ... “, Are the things in my life that I deem to be so bad, are they really that bad?”

I want to shout out, this movie, for me, was simply brilliant in the simplest form. I was completely moved and beside myself, from beginning to end – note to ladies: it is of crucial importance that, number 1, you take a full box of tissues with you, if you plan on seeing this movie; and number 2: if you are planning on being seen after watching Precious, you best have your TLC make-up wipes with you (at the top of your handbag), as well as ‘eye-make-up’ to touch-up your ‘teary-mascara’ eyes.

You have to see this movie for yourself - whether you beg; borrow; or steel; … okay DO NOT steel, but get yourself down to your favourite cinema, and go see Precious. And for those of you who have that special partner, who lacks the tasteful interest of which you have, trust me, even they too will love this movie, and hey … by the end of it, both you two lust-birds will have something in common.

I give this film the 10 Kin’s up. Have you seen Precious yet? What were your thoughts? Looking forward to hearing what you have to say, so post your comments below....
[Added: 03 Mar 2010]

Weighing up the merits of traditional versus social media

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 10:45:54 GMT

About a month ago I blogged about five journalists from Canada; Belgium; and Switzerland, who planned to lock themselves away in a French farmhouse for five days during February, with access to only Facebook and Twitter, to test the quality of news from these social networking and microblogging sites.

After all the hype prior to the experiment taking place, I was surprised that I couldn’t find much feedback (okay, maybe I was at a slight disadvantage not being able to understand the French all the journalists were tweeting in). However, after a bit of digging and an encounter with Google Translate (possibly my new best friend), I managed to gather together the following findings – but are they really that groundbreaking, or have we heard them all before?

• Twitter and Facebook are valuable sources in situations where citizens have more access to other media, such as during the Iran elections and the earthquake in Haiti.
• Facebook is too often used in its ‘play’ dimension, rather than as a platform for news distribution, while Twitter is limited by 140 characters and it is therefore difficult to report beyond giving a simple statement.
• The amount of information and the number of contributors on Twitter regarding a given topic is not always representative of the relevance of any particular news.
• While social networks do provide real-time news, it still takes time to sort and cross-check the information, and building up a network of reliable contacts from a variety of backgrounds takes time.
• The benefit of social media, is that it allows news to spread a lot faster than through traditional media. It also transcends borders, bringing you a wider variety of news than a local news source.
• However, if this news is false or inaccurate, there is no way of knowing this without further research, and the false information is spread just as easily.
• Traditional media gives a much deeper understanding of news, providing context and validation for what we read about on social networking sites.
• When relying solely on social media as a news source, it is easy to lose sight of certain media if they are not represented in the social media sphere. This does not, however, discount these media sources and it is important, therefore, to use social media and traditional media in conjunction with each other, or at least be aware that what you see in the social media sphere may not be the full picture.
• By the same token, traditional media, such as newspapers and magazines, which have a successful social media presence are able to leverage functions such as retweeting to enjoy an increased rate of penetration of their news.

It seems that the basic take-out from this experiment is that social media has merit, but that social and traditional media are complementary – working best when social media is there to spread the word and traditional media is there to cross check and dig a little deeper.

The latest study by Pew Internet looks at the ways in which we find and consume news, and reveals that 75% of those who find news online get it from social networking sites, and half of them forward the news using the same means. The study further shows that nearly 60% of those surveyed get news from a combination of online and offline sources, with very few getting information from a single media platform.

So, it appears that the journalists cooped up in their little French farmhouse came to the same conclusions as research suggests – maybe not the most useful experiment, then, but still interesting commentary from individuals who deal with the news on a daily basis…and a reminder that we probably shouldn’t completely discount traditional media yet.
...
[Added: 02 Mar 2010]

Nike team kits have lower environmental impact

Fri, 26 Feb 2010 09:56:55 GMT

Some of the world's top soccer players will walk onto the stadiums this June for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, wearing environmentally-friendly and technologically-advanced kits. All of Nike's national teams, including Brazil; Portugal; and The Netherlands, will be wearing jerseys made from recycled polyester, each one produced from up to eight recycled plastic bottles.

To make these kits, discarded plastic bottles from Japanese and Taiwanese landfill sites were sourced and were melted down to produce new yarn that was later converted to fabric for the jerseys. The process saves raw materials and reduces energy consumption by up to 30% compared to manufacturing virgin polyester. This range of national jerseys, means that nearly 13-million plastic bottles, totaling nearly 254 000 kg of polyester waste, were prevented from going into landfill sites.

All the national team kits have been designed with each country's national culture and identity in mind. ...
[Added: 26 Feb 2010]