MIKESTOPFORTH

In a recent Direct Message exchange with Casey Monteiro (@Casey_ek_se) on Twitter, he referred to the social media presence of a prominent brand as “lipstick on a pig”. The brand he was referring to was FNB – the bank I’ve just switched my main account to based almost entirely on the advocacy of my peers [...]

It’s a gloomy Monday following the loss of the Springboks to the Wobblies in their 2011 Rugby World Cup quarter-final. As is typical of Springbok ‘fans’, abuse is being hurled at the coach, senior players and of course the ref as we attempt to assuage our grief. I won’t speak much about the game. We [...]

There are good prank calls and there are bad prank calls. And then there’s GOLD. This via Alistair (@afairweather):

I mentioned in a recent post that people love to complain. We are far quicker to pick up on the mistakes of brands and incidences of bad service than we are to compliment and laud when brands exceed expectations. This is human nature. As a direct result my clients typically freak out when presented with [...]

There is much being said about how brands should engage with customers in social media. Words like “authenticity”, “transparency”, “immediacy”, “personability” and others are bandied about as we as consultants, together with our clients, figure out the rules of content and community online. This is a good thing. Brands tend to forget that platforms like [...]

[Disclaimer: Turner Broadcasting and TCM are Cerebra clients] I love film. I actually studied film for a year or so before, ahem, dropping out, but my passion for the medium remains. My favourite past time, when I have the time, is to pop past the Absolutely Fabulous DVD Nouveau store down the road and pick [...]

Soon, Nelson Mandela will die. As I write this post traditional and social media channels are rife with rumours of his ill health and deteriorating state. This day was always going to come. When he dies messages of condolence and sympathy will flood in. Wreaths will be laid, memorial services will be held and millions, [...]

As Cerebra expands its client base with big brands including the likes of Vodacom, Samsung and Toyota, we’re learning valuable lessons about what works when it comes to engaging customers on Twitter. No two brands are exactly the same. Every brand has a different message, culture, strategy and even audience. There’s no arguing that Twitter [...]

Richard Mulholland is without a doubt one of the smartest people I know. Not only that, but I consider him a close personal friend and confidante. We’ve been through similar challenges, both in terms of running businesses and running lives, and I know for myself that I am deeply grateful for the role he’s played [...]

I love smart ideas. I love smart business ideas even more. I get turned on by clever twists in business models, innovative approaches to management and fancy ways to turn a profit. That said, today I was blown away by a business that has taken arguably the simplest idea and found ways to deliver it [...]

Twitter is abuzz today with retweets and jokes in response to the press release published on the ANC Youth League’s website by spokesperson Floyd Shivambu titled “Youth League concerned by creation of fake Twitter accounts in the name of Youth League President Julius Malema”. Smacking of the Metro Police department’s slamming of the now infamous [...]

It seems only fitting that my combined passions for film and the Web should lead to a movie review about The Social Network – a dramatic tale centered around the remarkable story of the birth and early days of Facebook, and in particular it’s enigmatic founder Mark Zuckerburg. Not to mention the fact that I’ve [...]

Update – Woolies DM’d me on Twitter with the following response to this post: interesting read, the decision wasn’t purely made because of our SM channels. And it wasn’t leaked to News24. thanks Yesterday Twitter and Facebook were pumping with debate around a News24 story which reported that Woolworths “(had) taken a business decision to no [...]

I’m speaking at the Strategic Media, Branding and Public Relations seminar hosted by ASM Communications and Training Solutions, alongside an impressive array of guests including IBM’s Nicholas Maweni, Nokia’s Tania Steenkamp, Fearless Executive MD Terry Behan, television presenter Freek Robinson, broadcaster Adrian Steed, journalist Louise Marsland, entrepreneur Greg Mason and more this coming Wednesday. The [...]

When is it ok to turn a customer – a customer willing to spend significant amounts of money that is – away? A bigger question; when is it RIGHT to turn a willing customer away? I am a golfer. Well, not really. I am a guy who owns golf clubs, who tries relentlessly to play [...]

After a slow start to his writing and directing career, M. Night Shyamalan burst on to the Hollywood scene with his mind-bending blockbuster, The Sixth Sense. The cleverly written thriller shocked and wowed audiences around the world, resulting in veritable cult status and an enviable ranking of #128 on IMDb‘s list of the Top 250 [...]

In the hope that they will one day evolve into something of substance, I have recently been scribbling down notes on some of the ideas I have around marketing, advertising and communication in general. Bear in mind I share these thoughts purely in my capacity as a consumer – I am no marketing, branding or [...]

I’ll be updating live from the CSA Awards in Sandton. Just arrived and the venue looks great, I’m seated with Vincent Hofmann, Shaun Custers and no doubt one or two other cricket geeks. Ok so my hopes of being able to live blog the event were dashed by a lack of space on the table. [...]