Archive for 'Marketing and Advertising'

Thoughts On Branding

Posted 24 August 2010 | By Mike | Categories: Marketing and Advertising, Web 2.0 and Social Media | 6 Comments Thoughts On Branding

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 [...]

Mercedes-Benz Service Excellence

Posted 13 July 2010 | By Mike | Categories: Life, etc., Marketing and Advertising, Random Thoughts | 2 Comments Mercedes-Benz Service Excellence

I recently upgraded from a much-loved Audi A4 1.8T to my all-time dream car, a Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG. It’s not that I didn’t like the Audi, on the contrary on many levels it’s an easier, more comfortable car than the C63 – it has more headroom on the driver’s side, a softer ride and in [...]

The Company-Customer Pact

Posted 22 April 2010 | By Mike | Categories: Marketing and Advertising, South Africa, Web 2.0 and Social Media | 5 Comments The Company-Customer Pact

One of the more interesting people (and public speakers) I met at SXSW earlier this year was a chap by the name of Lane Becker (website and Twitter). Lane is one of the co-founders of Get Satisfaction – there’s plenty cool info on what Get Satisfaction does here. His presentation included a reference to a [...]

The Bookmark Awards – Be Big In Digital

Posted 13 November 2009 | By Mike | Categories: Entrepreneurship, Marketing and Advertising, South Africa, Web 2.0 and Social Media | No Comments

Earlier this year I wrote about how impressed I was with the RAMP foundation and their efforts regarding the 2009 Net Prophet conference. Considering that, and how blown away I was with the second annual Bookmark Awards evening held last night at Movida in Jozi, it’s clear that digital in South Africa is definitely growing [...]

Report Back On 27dinner Jozi Last Night

Posted 29 September 2009 | By Mike | Categories: Entrepreneurship, Marketing and Advertising, South Africa, Web 2.0 and Social Media | 2 Comments

Last night marked the 44th iteration of the 27dinner social networking movement, held at FTV in Village Walk. With the dinners reaching unparalleled popularity (numbers peaking at 170+ on the attendance list at 27dinner.com), it is becoming increasingly challenging to organise and execute an event that now has some pretty high expectations around it in [...]

Stubble, Poker And Perceptions

Posted 18 September 2009 | By Mike | Categories: Entrepreneurship, Marketing and Advertising | 13 Comments

Philips (and their PR company) are awesome. The consumer electronics brand has really rallied behind online advocates – fans of the brand – engaging them in innovative and exciting ways to promote positive brand sentiment. I have been invited to events ranging from an ‘iron-off’ (which I was pretty darn good at) to last night’s [...]

5 Tips For Becoming A Better Presenter

Posted 17 September 2009 | By Mike | Categories: Entrepreneurship, Marketing and Advertising, Web 2.0 and Social Media | 14 Comments

Over the past three years I have spent a great deal of time presenting to schools, church groups, NGO’s, government and more on the subjects of social and mobile media. Public speaking is a wonderful privilege and a fine art. I am not nearly the speaker I could be, but I have some thoughts I’d [...]

Mobile Web Africa 2009 – Get Your Free Ticket!

Posted 01 September 2009 | By Mike | Categories: Entrepreneurship, Marketing and Advertising, South Africa, Web 2.0 and Social Media | 13 Comments

Matthew Dawes is organising Mobile Web Africa 2009 on the 13 and 14 October at the Michelangelo, and has kindly offered a range of freebies and discounts for me to promote to you, the cream of South Africa’s technology crop! I will certainly be making an effort to attend – the speaker line-up and agenda [...]

Video Of My NetProphet Presentation

Posted 23 May 2009 | By Mike | Categories: Marketing and Advertising, Web 2.0 and Social Media | 7 Comments

I recently raved about the NetProphet conference I was privileged enough to be invited to speak at, and now the video is up for your perusal, comments and random abuse :) I realise, watching this, that I have a dangerously dry sense of humour that may not always serve my best interests… hmmm. Oh well, [...]

Checkers Steals Campaign Tagline?

Posted 24 April 2009 | By Mike | Categories: Marketing and Advertising, Web 2.0 and Social Media | 15 Comments

In July 2008 UK-based retailer Aldi launched a campaign with the tagline “Don’t change your lifestyle, change your supermarket”. Sweet. Here’s a vid of one of the campaign ads: At the same time last year, here in sunny SA, ex-creative director of BBDO Cape Town, Andrew Brand, and founding partner of Berry Bush, Lewin de [...]

Meeting Simon Silvester Of Young & Rubicam

Posted 18 April 2009 | By Mike | Categories: Marketing and Advertising, Web 2.0 and Social Media | 1 Comment

I’ve really enjoyed opportunities over the last few weeks to connect more regularly with the local Young & Rubicam team and their Wunderman cousins about social media and it’s impact on local markets and individual consumers. I’ve also been invited to a few book launches and more recently, to meet with Simon Silverster, EVP Head [...]

SXSW Interactive 2009 – Reflections

Posted 22 March 2009 | By Mike | Categories: Entrepreneurship, Marketing and Advertising, Web 2.0 and Social Media | 10 Comments

I had hoped to blog a lot more about my experience at SXSW Interactive this year but barely had time to breathe, let alone document all that happened in Austin. I will say this though, it lived up to (high) expectations and more – I’ll definitely be going back next year. Since getting back life [...]

SXSW Day One – First Impressions

Posted 14 March 2009 | By Mike | Categories: Marketing and Advertising, Web 2.0 and Social Media | 3 Comments

About a month ago I had a brainfart and nearly didn’t come to Austin to attend SXSW. Thank heavens I came to my senses – the trip has already been worth it on so many levels. In the short time Allan Kent and I have been here we’ve met some amazing people, seen some rather [...]

My Coke Zero Fest, Here I Come!!!

Posted 13 March 2009 | By Mike | Categories: Life, etc., Marketing and Advertising | 3 Comments

For an out-and-out music fan and musician I have attended precious few live performances. Sadly. This is partly because the artists I love most seldom venture out here and secondly, life has generally gotten in the way when the best opportunities have presented themselves. Not this year though! Having missed the last few My Coke [...]

Money For Nothing And Your Talks For Free

Posted 08 February 2009 | By Mike | Categories: Marketing and Advertising, Web 2.0 and Social Media | 7 Comments


Afrigator Internet Joins OPA – Now 9th Largest Audience Reach In SA

Posted 05 February 2009 | By Mike | Categories: Entrepreneurship, Marketing and Advertising, Web 2.0 and Social Media | 2 Comments

The dudes in Cape Town updated me with this news release today – more good news for our baby, Afrigator! Taken directly from the news release: Afrigator shoots up the ranks to take the ninth spot on the Online Publishers Association according to latest stats by Nielsen Online. Cape Town, February 5, 2009: Afrigator Internet [...]

Nomadic Marketing Johannesburg

Posted 23 January 2009 | By Mike | Categories: Marketing and Advertising, Web 2.0 and Social Media | 1 Comment

Dave Duarte has grown the Nomadic Marketing brand into the definitive local social and mobile media education programme – nothing else comes close. The combination of excellent content, the backing of the UCT GSB and professional facilitation mean that it ranks among the best of it’s kind worldwide. And now Dave is bringing Nomadic Marketing [...]

I’m Looking For A Zebra

Posted 19 January 2009 | By Mike | Categories: Marketing and Advertising, South Africa, Web 2.0 and Social Media | 5 Comments

I love free stuff. Want to win me over? Send me free stuff. But then I think that works for most humans. I still get a warm tingly feeling when a post office slip arrives, or even better, the courier rings the doorbell for me to collect some random corporate gift or token. Doesn’t matter [...]

My ClassicFM Internet Economy Interview With Reuben Goldberg

Posted 07 December 2008 | By Mike | Categories: Entrepreneurship, Marketing and Advertising, South Africa, Web 2.0 and Social Media | 7 Comments

I was privileged enough to receive an invite from Reuben Goldberg to join him on an episode of his popular talk show The Internet Economy which airs every Friday night from 7-8 on ClassicFM. We spoke about the broad subject of social media in South Africa, the article I wrote the other day (the Next [...]

The Next Step For Social Media

Posted 18 November 2008 | By Mike | Categories: Marketing and Advertising, South Africa, Web 2.0 and Social Media | 7 Comments

The honeymoon is over. Much of the hype and noise surrounding social media and its meteoric rise (especially in the USA) has abated. Perhaps owing to the global economic crisis, arguably due to the apparent lack of sustainable business models and possibly as a result of some semblance of reasonable thinking, we’re no longer reading [...]