Ed’s note: On the record

On the record...

What is happening in the television space right now is reminiscent of those fi rst crazy years when the onset of digital publishing and advertising fractured the print sector.

New and shiny technologies turned the age-old business upside down. Massive investment was required to keep pace, while revenues took a hit as advertising moved online – and cost much less. New skills were needed across the board. And then there was the question of measurement, something that still preoccupies the publishing sector, although bodies such as the Publisher Research Council of South Africa and the Interactive Advertising Bureau of South Africa have made huge strides in this fi eld.

Cut to 2021 and the world of television. Streaming and over the top services have seen signifi cant increases in audiences (not least due to the pandemic), while linear television has taken a knock globally. And, like the print sector, advertising has taken a hit, as most streamers don’t offer traditional advertising. Hence, advertising-funded programming is increasing, as is integration and product placement within exclusively streamed shows, offering creative and innovative means to increase revenues.

Of course, with the SABC servicing millions of South Africans, linear television is far from over here. But with digital terrestrial television fi nally becoming a reality, this too will change the SABC’s – and other broadcasters’ – current reality.

The upturned television industry has also to measure audiences and engagement to deliver return on investment to advertisers. With viewers in a single household watching different shows on different streamers or on television, and using multiple ‘screens’ or devices, to do so presents challenges. South Africans, for example, tend to use mobile devices to watch streaming content.

The good news is South Africa is not far behind, as Nielsen Media’s Terry Murphy and the BRC’s Gary Whitaker explain in our streaming update.

We’ve also explored the world of telenovelas, and commercial integration into these hugely popular shows, highlighted by the number of SAFTA awards the genre received recently. We’ve asked top media owner sales heads to share how they’re managing to work in an almost virtual world. We have stories on how a special sports infl uencer agency is helping sports stars monetise their digital presence, and how telcos can help brands tap into mobile advertising. We’ve taken an expert look into why transparency in digital advertising across Africa is so important.

The Media. Got to love it.

Glenda

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Contents

FEATURES

10 SELLING UP

Leaders of four media owner sales teams tell GLENDA NEVILL how they adapted to selling advertising in a (mostly) virtual world.

14 OWNING THEIR DIGITAL LIVES

Athletes don’t always have ownership of their digital lives, but a South African sports influencer start-up is looking to change all of that, writes MIKE SHARMAN.

18 CREATIVITY’S EFFECTIVENESS CRISIS

TV advertising is still the most effective way to reach mass audiences, but with so much content out there, how do brands ensure return on investment? MONIQUE CLAASSEN, NATALIE BOTHA and DAREN POOLE share some insights.

22 TALK TALK … AND MESSAGING

In leveraging telco data and mobile-owned messaging, brands and brand agencies can launch telco-driven mobile advertising and deliver impactful, targeted and personalised mobile-messaging campaigns, says DONALD MOKGALE.

26 IT’S ALL ABOUT THE EYEBALLS

Cross-media measurement is essential in a world of fragmented viewing. GLENDA NEVILL finds out where South Africa is when it comes to measuring streaming audiences.

28 TICK TOCK … TIKTOK

Savvy brands can take advantage of TikTok Business in South Africa. But beware, says JULIAN JORDAAN: to be effective, don’t make ads; make TikToks.

30 RISK AVERSE

It’s important to keep a close eye on what’s written in a contract compared with what’s being delivered on the ground, writes STEWART MORRISON.

32 THE MAGIC OF TELENOVELAS

South Africans are mad for telenovelas, as the number of awards in the recent SAFTAs will attest. NOMSA PHILISO shares why they’re TV magic, while ATO MOKWENA reveals the effectiveness of media integration strategies in the space.

REGULARS

04 Ed’s note: On the record

06 Bites: News in brief

07 Who are You? I am Pilani Bubu

34 The Hotseat with

Greg Chen, CEO and founder of Mobiz, which recently scored R18-million from

Kalon Venture Partners for its US expansion.

COVER

Pilani Bubu is a South African singer, songwriter, speaker, performer, TV presenter and creative entrepreneur.

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