tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-72823585925737861462024-03-19T06:41:53.035+02:00Media - Copywriting and Photography for Advertising and Marketing in South Africa.EnergyMC ( Marketing Communications ) provides clients with freelance copywriting, photography and media services. In Cape Town. Services include advertising, social media, press releases, copy writing, photography and an advert booking service. Services also for international clients.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger32125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7282358592573786146.post-48719185619757182392020-03-09T10:39:00.001+02:002020-03-09T10:39:46.229+02:00First ecobrick pour at The Ridge V<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XU6r3QV5JBg" width="480"></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7282358592573786146.post-51512633249345290712019-12-02T10:58:00.002+02:002019-12-02T10:58:39.751+02:00CITY PREPS FOR 100 YEAR WAVE<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">My new article: City of Cape Preps for 100 Year Waves </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/city-cape-preps-100-year-waves-gareth-griffiths">https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/city-cape-preps-100-year-waves-gareth-griffiths</a> The story focusses on an award-winning project by the engineering team from the City of Cape Town and the private sector. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Thanks to this project, the people of the Strand, beach users, businesses and road users will be safe against the 100 year-old tidal wave for a long time to go. And the business precinct was significantly upgraded, which allowed for the expansion of the informal traders' market also.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Strand beach and Pavillion is a well-used area especially during the Christmas period, so all tourists and locals should enjoy an enhanced built environment and safety during the holidays.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This article first appeared in <a href="http://www.tobuild.co.za/" target="_blank">To Build</a> magazine, of which I am Editor.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7282358592573786146.post-87931671816096621272019-11-18T17:41:00.002+02:002019-11-18T17:41:50.090+02:00COVERING THE CHANGES IN SUSTAINABLE BUILDING<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This discovery is hot on the heels of my article on Oceans of Plastic Waste, where I covered a presentation by famed anti-plastic pollution campaigner to the Green Building Council of SA's 2019 Convention. See my<a href="https://issuu.com/mediaxpose/docs/volume_6_l_issue_3/14" target="_blank"> article here</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Making a start to address the huge waste of single-use plastics in our environment, a local shopping mall, called <a href="https://longbeachmall.co.za/" target="_blank">Long Beach Mall</a>, has been collecting ECO-BRICKS at a specially located bin within the mall for several months.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The bricks were recently delivered to a large building site where there are plans afoot to use them in construction.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">These eco-bricks have been lovingly curated by the people of the valley of Noordhoek, a suburb of the Cape Town metropole.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCCoPdZQI_R-oiYkpKqXOOuwEsgZQgNDeB2zNaQ4ahnyklq-A2cr6CTldJcFbSI5nMQBO1YuSJi07JpWWjbSvbN-B0rFcVqahbyOb5o9dtWPev1YB3IXwZx783FVTeyvdBd57f28BFZAHU/s1600/Gareth+Griffiths-3710.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="638" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCCoPdZQI_R-oiYkpKqXOOuwEsgZQgNDeB2zNaQ4ahnyklq-A2cr6CTldJcFbSI5nMQBO1YuSJi07JpWWjbSvbN-B0rFcVqahbyOb5o9dtWPev1YB3IXwZx783FVTeyvdBd57f28BFZAHU/s640/Gareth+Griffiths-3710.jpg" width="340" /></span></a></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7282358592573786146.post-90925383117597327322017-10-23T10:01:00.000+02:002017-11-03T14:56:36.711+02:00THE COVER SHOOT - PHOTOGRAPHY IS A VITAL PART OF EDITORIAL<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Published in Walls and Roofs, Oct / November 2017</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Cover Shoot: Zeitz Mocaa 'Museum of Contemporary Art Africa'</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Media Conference: Official Opening September 2017</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Format: A4 Portrait</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms, sans-serif;"><b>Editorial value: The results speak for themselves.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>____________________________________________________________________</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv5mjjhx5N1ncz1PRuVOQasQVpWumuqzf1vnG8SDUJOnf9PWOIq3-JGCaIMjfLrJ53zB7Tgvz0pJl2z9eXKS86lp2YWmyqlwA2ClHziHtRNtMlCPot5jl6aJvREqcQ36jETjM0p4UBUWix/s1600/Walls+anf+Roofs+-Capture1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="1045" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv5mjjhx5N1ncz1PRuVOQasQVpWumuqzf1vnG8SDUJOnf9PWOIq3-JGCaIMjfLrJ53zB7Tgvz0pJl2z9eXKS86lp2YWmyqlwA2ClHziHtRNtMlCPot5jl6aJvREqcQ36jETjM0p4UBUWix/s640/Walls+anf+Roofs+-Capture1.JPG" width="434" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEAwnHF-T2LaB9PueqCm-TpZqKe99YDqUUdiL2R7fqIoIxRsivlOGS25EeFgHv0JhPoIArNOrfsmgsXWADlU1Rxwq8N7HEOwkTECPVNKAqmc_YQypWlTkAJ9C9XCEZcE3OIF7IEeYOR-Qi/s1600/Walls+and+Roofs+Capture2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1534" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEAwnHF-T2LaB9PueqCm-TpZqKe99YDqUUdiL2R7fqIoIxRsivlOGS25EeFgHv0JhPoIArNOrfsmgsXWADlU1Rxwq8N7HEOwkTECPVNKAqmc_YQypWlTkAJ9C9XCEZcE3OIF7IEeYOR-Qi/s640/Walls+and+Roofs+Capture2.JPG" width="450" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7282358592573786146.post-67752290330225318872017-08-31T11:53:00.000+02:002017-09-08T10:53:54.679+02:00THE IMPORTANCE OF WHAT'S INSIDE<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">You spend thousands getting a state of the art website with links to Twitter, Facebook and other social media. Sitting back, everyone tells you how great your website looks and comments on its design.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">However ...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Weeks drag on ... turning into months and your content dries out looking like a cheap supermarket paint job on a street cafe.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">What am I saying? Business owners, marketing managers and even webmasters neglect the most basic facet of any marketing campaign. It's what's inside that counts and not what's on top.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Does your website, Facebook or Pinterest page have up to date, relevant content? It's probably the last thing you consider on a Friday afternoon and you switch off the office lights, lock the door and leave for home - cheerfully thinking that you will get to it in the next week.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Let me help you with this. It's what I do. Honest, clean and accurate content.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7282358592573786146.post-76827329604415122122017-03-19T19:16:00.000+02:002017-08-03T11:52:35.671+02:00WHAT DO PROFESSIONAL PEOPLE SAY ABOUT ENERGY|MC ?<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Alayne Reesberg</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><u>Chief Executive Officer • World Design Capital Cape Town 2014</u></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>"It has been a pleasure working with you – a true professional."</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Alayne is referring to my interactions with her and her team during the World Design Capital 2014 project last year, when I covered the main events for the magazines I consult to; namely -</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">To Build Magazine - <a href="http://www.tobuild.co.za/">www.tobuild.co.za</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">SA Building Review - <a href="http://www.sabuildingreview.co.za/">www.sabuildingreview.co.za</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">You can read some of the articles online at the following links, or read the e-books:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">• <a href="http://www.tobuild.co.za/viewonline/articles/284/company-news/world-design-capital-cape-town-2014-s-lasting-legacy">http://www.tobuild.co.za/viewonline/articles/284/company-news/world-design-capital-cape-town-2014-s-lasting-legacy</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">• <a href="http://www.sabuildingreview.co.za/viewonline/articles/119/advertorials/water-essential-for-the-future">http://www.sabuildingreview.co.za/viewonline/articles/119/advertorials/water-essential-for-the-future</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Note these were commissioned articles and photography, not sponsored editorials.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Cecil Homan</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><u>Founder • Eco-Insulation • Ultimate Climate Comfort</u></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>"Eco is flying high with the jet stream. Thanks for article sent and posted."</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>"World class editorial - world class service"</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Cecil is referring to the full agency, editorial and technical writing support service that his company enjoyed since it's inception in 2007.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Marilyn Luchtenstein</span></b><br />
<u><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Sales Manager • Brits Textiles</span></u><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">"Thanks and well done"</span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Alexis Sacks</span></b><br />
<u><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Partner • MD Accountants and Auditors Inc.</span></u><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">"Thank you for the tremendous corporate profile brochure. It really is outstanding and we are proud of the final product..... It has been a pleasure working with you".</span><b></b></i><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Professor John Smallwood</span></b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<u><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Head: Department of Construction Management • NMMU</span></u><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">"Given the number of errant advertisements and my intimate involvement with construction H&S through contracting, consulting, research, publishing and community services, the (mentioned<b></b>) advertisement is significant in that it probably contributes one of the few, if not only material advertisements that makes proper reference to the subject. It was certainly eye catching ...."</span></i><br />
<i></i></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"></span><br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">An advertisement written and designed for leading insulation provider, Brits Textiles received accolades in the construction sector.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"></span><br /></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"></span>Billy Perrin</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><u>Publisher </u></span><u><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">•</span></u><u style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> Trademax Publications - SA Roofing, SA Affordable Housing, Timber IQ</u><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>"Always a pleasure working with you - a true professional".</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Wayne Miller</b></span><br />
<u><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">General Manager </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">• BlueScope Steel Southern Africa (Pty) Ltd</span></u><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>"You've done great work for us".</i></span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>Carl Nortje</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><u>Managing Director <span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">•</span> Rawson Developers</u></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">"Thank you for the great article".</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7282358592573786146.post-42087262335462937522016-10-27T16:49:00.000+02:002017-08-03T11:53:01.922+02:00DOUBLE YOUR ADVERTISING RETURN<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">As the editor of a popular magazine on building, I receive <b>dozens of press releases from the market.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Many press releases do not stand a chance of being published in the media because the sender does not understand how <u>news</u> works. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The problem is how little attention is given to the style of press releases and editorial. The same applies to the quality of photographs supplied. Your editorial stands a much better chance of being published if it is supplied with a good quality image. But with the era of DIY photography by smart phones and cheap cameras, press releases are often refused by editors due to bad photos.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The fact is: as advertiser you spend tens of thousands of Rands on booking ad space in the media. Does your artwork do this advertising expense justice? Or are you wasting money? As an editor, I can see this is often the case. And often the same advertisers follow it up with poor editorial content that comes with photographs looking like they were taken by a 9 year old. Advertising spend wasted.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Much the same rule applies to non advertisers. If you want your editorial published free in the magazines that serve your market or online, you <u>really</u> need to supply professional content.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>It pays back.</b> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-AT2JG8mOJ6QtsPR2-XEy48PBuOB-P9-3pA5cxibhrgGNvCkUOiD8a-kUcRUpNUjrdZ6phUIic4QKzYJe_oaPGQPYo-J8TQsBwp44WuTLazC4iKYnFTZgjjcw-DORK36jC_wqcitVnZtq/s1600/Hard+Times.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-AT2JG8mOJ6QtsPR2-XEy48PBuOB-P9-3pA5cxibhrgGNvCkUOiD8a-kUcRUpNUjrdZ6phUIic4QKzYJe_oaPGQPYo-J8TQsBwp44WuTLazC4iKYnFTZgjjcw-DORK36jC_wqcitVnZtq/s200/Hard+Times.jpg" width="193" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">A well prepared editorial with photography could cost you R 5 000 to prepare and distribute. However if editors like what you send, that same editorial could be published 3 to 4 times over in the different media. This means payback by up to 1200% when compared with the cost of booking the page and placing your advert at a cost of R 15 000 for the full page (as an example).</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Best you hire a professional in the preparation of such editorials. The stakes are quite high and payback is huge - if you get it right.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">"Advertising for Free".</span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms";"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms";"><br /></span></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7282358592573786146.post-53158795878440980022015-10-05T13:36:00.000+02:002015-11-18T10:55:59.902+02:00KEEP COMMUNICATING WITH YOUR MARKET<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Clever companies stay in the game of promoting their business to clients even through tough economic times. They continue to use the media and do not abandon the hard earned brand identity
they have vested in their markets.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">They do not cancel marketing communications. But they do look at using their limited resources smarter.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Advertising and
other promotions such as PR important in building your brand and increasing your presence in the market. Brands are not
built overnight, but rather along the lines of a consistent long term
campaign. Of course, this needs to be supported by your service and performance as supplier,
consultant or professional.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Read about I had to say on the subject in the September 2015 edition of SA Roofing magazine, a magazine that aims at architects and other building professionals.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>View pages 1 and 2 of this article <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/uFpxSAoyoNrlgO1QWunE9CMwwSB5VHRL_NWpISe5V08?feat=directlink" target="_blank">here</a> and<u> <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/QVH_ipsPAQSNITm7rgRuJSMwwSB5VHRL_NWpISe5V08?feat=directlink" target="_blank">here.</a></u></b></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7282358592573786146.post-73939846807503770142015-09-01T15:01:00.000+02:002015-09-01T15:02:55.481+02:00THE CASE FOR ACCURATE & PROFESSIONAL CONTENT<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">More than 50% of commercial and
industrial clients still use print media publications as their
informative source of reference. Of these readers, a large majority
are in senior decision making positions - not having the time to
learn and adapt to the messages of the social media on the web.
Readers such these are looking for well written, informative content,
supported by logical arguments. Electronic content is not always the
ideal medium for this, especially with the evolution of smartphone
platforms. How would you choose to address your serious technical
message to someone reading the Twitter feed on their smartphone while
on the airport bus? </span><br />
<u><br /></u></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><u>Reliability of information.</u></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">This brings up the main point – how
reliable is the information we receive? It's a fact that in this era of digital and other noise, content is
king. For the firm of architects wanting to communicate their
narrative of success, there is a desperate need for plain English.
Well written content backed with photography </span><i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">that conveys a story</span></i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">.
The same applies to a system or material supplier wanting their
product or service offerings to be specified on the drawing board or
bill of quantities. Effective communication with your desired
audience depends on speaking to them in a language that</span></div>
<ul>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Is of interest to them;</span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Makes sense and;</span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Is unambiguous and easily
actionable.</span></div>
</li>
</ul>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Looking through some marketplace ads,
it is often hard to see the point. Certain of these ads are prepared
in graphics studios that know little about the end user and nothing
about the technology. They are pleasant eye candy, that's all.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">As a technical writer, photographer and
professional content provider I have noticed many companies put
serious well written content at the bottom of the pile in preparing
their corporate and marketing communications. They seem to fall into
the well worn trap of underestimating their audience. They need to
bear in mind that readers expect a magazine to deliver content that
provides relevance and solutions to problems. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><u>Role of independent editorial.</u></span><b></b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">How is this best done? Many
publications, both online and in print offer opportunities for
enhanced messaging via their editorial pages. Editorial is the news
line of the magazine and readers expect useful information with
relevance to their line of business. Editorial cannot simply be
advertising that has been washed clean of slogans and logos. It needs
to describe the importance of the subject generically to the
interested person and then demonstrate impartially why your solution
as a product, project manager, consultant or service provider met the
needs of the client.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">
<u>What does this mean?</u><br />
</span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">This means plain but accurate English backed with
decent photography, not simply a few images taken haphazardly with
the smartphone.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">
</span></div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7282358592573786146.post-62957630556358487412015-05-04T18:51:00.001+02:002015-05-04T18:51:35.347+02:00How to destroy a brand in four easy steps<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">It's disheartening to notice that many brands stray from the high road brand image reinforcement route into short termism. If you really want to destroy your brand, you should do the following:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">1. Appoint a low budget design company with a big mouth as your brand champion. There is no better way to set about destroying the value you have built into your brand over many years.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">2. Start insisting that advertising must convert into immediate sales and cease advertising and other programmes that build long term brand equity.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">3. Start over-writing clean uncluttered imagery with in-your-face, cheap-looking brand image elements and text headlines.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">4. Stop talking to your market as sensible professionals and start talking price only.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">If you practice any or all of the above, you are actively participating in the demise of your brand and also destroying the market. Of the first, your competitors will be pleased. Of the second, they will be annoyed but for only as long as you exist in the market.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7282358592573786146.post-47130793715013335812015-01-21T13:47:00.004+02:002015-01-21T17:02:48.740+02:00RESOURCES ARE LIMITED: HOW TO SPEND THEM<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Are you spending your marketing resources wisely? Do you have any marketing media spend at all?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">It seems that the world economy has not yet recovered from the 2008 crash. Money is in short supply! </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">From a marketing perspective that is potentially bad, since I often get asked by clients how they should optimize their shrinking marketing resources, or even do away with marketing expense altogether.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The very worst thing you should do is stop communicating to your market. It takes years and money to build some equity in your brand. Reckless or short term decisions can throw that all away, effectively writing off your valuable advertising and other marketing spend of previous years.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC9urMwr05hMVgEQjH5_5ierllkLJPbIZPgBG8tFM8S8s5cCtaAv-_ZKpbwhsVKeYn9Nuu81E5wuQB1p_uMna2-eI-PoCi2lg2hzF1Gf5GDJdz-AzSXSh0_uIsJRiV_Gev3JYT3OXc_oXG/s1600/Poppies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC9urMwr05hMVgEQjH5_5ierllkLJPbIZPgBG8tFM8S8s5cCtaAv-_ZKpbwhsVKeYn9Nuu81E5wuQB1p_uMna2-eI-PoCi2lg2hzF1Gf5GDJdz-AzSXSh0_uIsJRiV_Gev3JYT3OXc_oXG/s1600/Poppies.jpg" height="85" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The City of London created ceramic poppies to remember the 100th year anniversary if WW1. Photo by <a href="http://www.professionalphotoshoots.co.za/">www.professionalphotoshoots.co.za</a></span> </span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Brands are very much like the poppies. Here today, gone tomorrow, at least in the minds of the customer.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">So here are ENERGY|MC's suggestions for marketing 2015:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Content - you need more than ever to develop your marketing message. What is it you are selling or providing? To whom and where? And what makes it unique? You need to have mind some brand stories - case histories if you like - that tell the client just what it is that you can do to help them.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">1. </span>Digital marketing. This is the best free resource of all, but meaningless if you don't have a coherent, sensible package of information that you want to send out to your prospects. By digital marketing, I include social media, especially.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">2. Avoid spamming. At all costs. As an editor, I receive spam emails sent using free packages such as Mailchimp and others. They are an irritation and largely meaningless. Always ask for permission to send and do not base your email messages on images alone. Most email packages do not download images automatically so your nicely formatted newsletter comes out looking drab.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">3. Editorial - and opinion pieces. As an editor of a business to business magazine, I like these. Especially if they are customized to my magazine by someone who has taken the trouble to find out what the focus of my magazine is. Editorial is published free in the print media, as long as it meets certain conditions.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Hint however: Editorial should be professionally prepared!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">4. Targeted paid advertising. Repeat, repeat, repeat - in the same space!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Paid advertising is not always as expensive as it seems, since often the agency fee paid by the publisher covers the expenses of the administration and a basic level of desktop publishing by the agent.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">5. Calls to action. This happens when you make the customer an offer online or in print, or your sales people make the call.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">It sounds great doesn't it? If you are ready for me information or for a no holds barred free telephonic consultation, please give my office a call 0 2 1 6 8 0 5 2 4 5 to set up a time with my friendly receptionist.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comCape Town, South Africa-33.9248685 18.424055299999964-34.7681915 17.133161799999964 -33.081545500000004 19.714948799999963tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7282358592573786146.post-13643928918897379582014-02-24T09:58:00.000+02:002014-02-24T09:58:31.076+02:00CUSTOMISED AND COST EFFECTIVE - THE WAY TO GO<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">What is really interesting about digital marketing today is the growth of published nonsense. With very few controls in place, advertisers are able to say just what they want to about their products without being challenged. Even more alarming is the lightweight nature of the new wave of digital marketing specialists. I'm not talking about slim people here! I'm referring to a genre of people who can't spell or compose sentence properly. 'Specialists' who compose marketing bylines on the cellphone while on the subway and who use free images off the internet to promote their clients'services.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">If you are serious about your brand and serious about the truth, then look very carefully before you ditch conventional brand promotional campaigns in favour of digital.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Energy|MC manages integrated campaigns on behalf of serious clients who want to use all channels to get their message across. Our photograhy and copy is real, not stolen from some competitor's site. Take a look at what we have done for Eco-Insulation - at </span><a href="http://www.eco-insulation.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">www.eco-insulation.blogspot.com</span></a><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The words on the Eco-Insulation main website are ours, too. See </span><a href="http://www.eco-insulation.co.za/"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">www.eco-insulation.co.za</span></a><br />
<br />
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7282358592573786146.post-86606818184008802302012-06-05T15:33:00.001+02:002012-06-05T15:33:29.060+02:00THERE'S STILL A GREAT ROLE FOR PRINT MEDIA ADS !<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I've always maintained that print media acts as a driver to online content. Why? While newsprint is experiencing difficulties and some broadsheet news media are even scaling down to tabloid, informative magazines are in a class of their own. Well, anything you touch and move around has greater affinity with your senses and there's nothing better than the feel of smooth glossy / coffee table type magazines. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">They are also focus the attention of the reader/viewer better than e-editions that compete on tablets with a range of different apps. In the South African B2B media, this is especially true, which is why I always advise my clients to advertise in professional magazines.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Therefore I find the article written by Steve Smith in MinOnline at </span><a href="http://www.minonline.com/news/20519.html"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">http://www.minonline.com/news/20519.html</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> to be very relevant.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><em>"Google and Ipsos find that 48% of smartphone readers are performing mobile queries off of ads they see in magazines. In this regard, print holds up well with other media, since only 35% of smartphone users search off of poster and billboards, while 57% do so from in-store promotions and 58% from TV. Magazines in particular are key drivers of the mobile ecosystem."</em></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Take a look and see if you agree!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Gareth</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7282358592573786146.post-57758861934012655182012-03-13T21:16:00.002+02:002012-03-13T21:17:40.208+02:00GOOD REASON TO USE ENERGY MC<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">For your B2B communications with clients in commerce and industry, Energy MC specialises in </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">B2B</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> magazines. Here is a free ad obtained for a client last year - at the bottom of the page. Just because we get on well with the magazine publishers - meaning we get added value for our esteemed advertising clients.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbR6TjUMF5rcL_iDTQP7Sn2Nhy97NZ9k0xgMdCWGlfAmA-yykQCO2NCM6HlpTgUYvtoaBy25ANNspizHoG3zacY6msGPGvNYzi_G_Koecq6n5Z879Ni7JcXaBiTlQTVL0IAzB2WR2qS68L/s1600/Free+Ad+in+Specifier.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img aea="true" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbR6TjUMF5rcL_iDTQP7Sn2Nhy97NZ9k0xgMdCWGlfAmA-yykQCO2NCM6HlpTgUYvtoaBy25ANNspizHoG3zacY6msGPGvNYzi_G_Koecq6n5Z879Ni7JcXaBiTlQTVL0IAzB2WR2qS68L/s640/Free+Ad+in+Specifier.jpg" width="459" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">PS The product, Eco-Insulation is a great one and really, really works - if saving money on electricity and keeping comfortable living and working temperatures indoors is important to you (well, is the Pope a Catholic?). <a href="http://www.eco-insulation.blogspot.com/">http://www.eco-insulation.blogspot.com/</a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7282358592573786146.post-60936742601939279842012-02-20T14:53:00.004+02:002012-02-20T14:53:50.144+02:00CONFIDENCE IN YOUR MARKET?<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Global and national economic times are tough, yet we face some of the toughest challenges as humankind ever. The future of our economy as we know it, growing poverty and the huge challenge caused by the impact of our civilisation on the environment - global warming.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Somewhere inside these issues lie golden opportunities for the entrepreneur - with the mind of the fox.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Many clients are cancelling advertising budgets - an easy target during times of recession. Yet, are you ready to throw away all of the past equity you have added to your brand by diminishing your marketing efforts? Advertising and other media promotion efforts are strategic endeavours. Brands are not built overnight, but rather along the lines of a consistent long term campaign, supported of course by product performance or service that meets the promise.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">As a strategic long term effort, it is hard to contradict what the Harvard Business School has to say about holding the lone during difficult times:</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">“The company courageous enough to stay in the fight when everybody is playing it safe can bring about a dramatic change in market position.” <em>HARVARD BUSINESS REVIEW</em></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">The gift of the 21st century is the gift of choice. How many businesses have had the foresight to test and try all the new media presented by the digital age? It's not necessary to cancel or postpone your marketing efforts. Maybe adjust the channels ...</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7282358592573786146.post-33965882874119775072012-01-30T11:54:00.004+02:002012-01-30T11:56:00.525+02:00RECESSION BUSTING MOVES<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">With the economic outlook not great for 2012 one line cost item that often is cut by management is advertising and marketplace communications. Big mistake.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Here’s why:</span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">More than 50% of commercial and industrial clients still use print media publications as their informative source of reference. Of these readers, a large majority are in senior decision making positions - not having the time to learn and adapt to the messages of the social media on the web. Readers such these are looking for well written, informative content, supported by logical arguments. The web is not ideal for this.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">So you want to keep your media presence, yet reduce expense. Here are my suggestions for you:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">1. Use the editorial channel on an organized, sustained basis. You pay only for the time spent on researching and preparing the content.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">2. Use a professional, dedicated service provider to prepare this content.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">3. Take a serious look at your current advertising with a view to:</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Eliminating crossover between your targeted groups.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Audit - size and content of message</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> 4. Employ specialist communications service providers, such as freelancers. The days of the large corporate advertising dodo companies are over. </span></div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">5. Use social media - YES - but use it wisely. Intergrate it into a plan!</span></div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong>Save money. Get it right first time.</strong></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong></strong></span><br />
<div>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong>When you want to do these things, talk to Energy MC. The time is always right.</strong></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7282358592573786146.post-20892311052072274362011-11-25T11:06:00.001+02:002011-11-25T11:14:15.624+02:00ADVERTISING AGENCY SERVICE PLUS EDITORIAL CONTENT<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
Energy MC offers a fully integrated service - across the advertising media, public relations (media) and online communications resources. See http://eco-insulation.blogspot.com as an example of an expert technical blogging service for clients. My current area of expertise is B2B, technology, business commercial and pecialist industries.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI-qAZt0895GY5GRyiEukIdZXCkKG7YrMmPE6OOA687UlEfkApvrt4XOgeVsyiHHi5yw3AkY-IrElClmwA9UEUBioaFl-CpCtEjN4YacJ1-BfRZRX0AlMvSN2vbg4rTgRnkjTmvnqaMsYC/s1600/_MG_0655R_gg.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI-qAZt0895GY5GRyiEukIdZXCkKG7YrMmPE6OOA687UlEfkApvrt4XOgeVsyiHHi5yw3AkY-IrElClmwA9UEUBioaFl-CpCtEjN4YacJ1-BfRZRX0AlMvSN2vbg4rTgRnkjTmvnqaMsYC/s200/_MG_0655R_gg.JPG" width="133" /></a></div>
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<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
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<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
It is important for business to realise that editorial needs to be independent from advertising. There are few agencies that offer the integrated service that this freelance one does. Clients generally do not pay for the advertising management service, since these costs are recovered from arrangements that Energy MC has in place with the various B2B or tech magazine publishers, whom we represent.</div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
Editorial - consisting of copywriting (words) and professional photography is charged independently on a completely different fee basis.</div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
Clients are free to enter into the full service, consisting of 3 legs of editorial, advertising and online, or engage only one or the other individual service.</div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
This is a highly effective freelance service. </div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
I have many satisified clients .Call me for details. 072 905 0252 (leave message).</div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">GARETH</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7282358592573786146.post-10479796177758598812011-09-15T10:23:00.002+02:002015-09-21T16:29:52.660+02:00EDITORIAL VS. ADVERTORIAL - THE DIFFERENCE<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><u>Clients often get it confused.</u></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Worse, they end up paying for advertising space for advertorial where a well written editorial could do the trick.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">In a nutshell, advertorial is paid-for editorial that could normally be substituted with a full advertisement. According to classic media rules, advertorial is meant to be indicated as such by mean of the printing of "Advertorial Feature" or words to that effect, or by placing in a line box.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Advertorial is written to make a hard sell, with the brand featuring prominently in the top paragraph or nearest. It is sometimes possible to insert logos and product photos. the control basically lies with the client but the style may be modified by editors to suit the publication's editorial style and rules.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Editorial needs to be "clean". Well written editorials that comply with the publication's editorial policies and are short and to the point may well be published verbatim. Expect no more than one mention of a brand or company name - and most often only an incidental mention, not near the top. Editorial needs to stress a problem or highlight and issue and then make news about its impact or solution. Editorial may often be rewritten or shortened by the publication concerned - and almost certainly the header will be changed.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">The emphasis with good editorial is to write it as news - in which your product or service plays a supportive role.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Contact me NOW if you would like to explore options for getting your company in the News - editorial and not paid advertorial. Tel: 021 789 2560 or email gareth.energymc@gmail.com</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7282358592573786146.post-61854687197579380272011-08-18T11:31:00.001+02:002011-08-18T11:33:30.964+02:00THE ROLE OF THE TRUTHIf you, like me, have been amazed and deeply concerned by the sabre-rattling and divisive rhetoric in South Africa of recent month, you will probably read on.<br />
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I am deeply concerned by the growing number of reputations that lie in tatters these past months. Reputations that took years and indeed many lifetimes to build up.<br />
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Take the Africa National Congress for starters. Their constant 'jaw-jaw', abuse of media opportunities and total lack of proactivity in the running of clean, accountable and efficient government have left their reputation in tatters. Few international countries, excepting the pariah states of the world would want to invest in our country under such conditions.<br />
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Take big business next. How in the world can business leaders justify their enormous salaries? With everybody behaving as if South Africa was their personal fiefdom, how can we ever set an example for the workers to follow? Now perhaps we can understand why people overturn refuse bins and destroy property in their frustration. I challenge the leaders of the big retail chains to live on a minimum wage of R 4000 per month, pay other expenses and then shop for sustainable food items in their own stores !!<br />
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The real problem is that South Africa has no - and never has had - any strategic plan. The concept of a Rainbow Nation as projected by our beloved founder, Nelson Mandela, becomes a vicious lie when each corner of society and the economy behaves the way it is doing.<br />
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Is their a lesson for marketing? There certainly is. The time has come for long term thinking and getting everyone on the same side. That means making realistic, deliverable promises.<br />
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And getting it right. First time, on time and every time.<br />
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Aluta continua.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7282358592573786146.post-49618899135345253552010-11-03T11:30:00.000+02:002010-11-03T11:30:22.752+02:00COMMUNICATIONS INDUSTRY - COME ON - LOSE THE JARGON !It amazes me how unoriginal our Industry is. Some bright spark catches onto - their opinion - a sexy phrase that describes something ordinary in our industry ...... and for the next 3 years everybody is echoing those words - <em>ad nauseum</em> ! Worldwide.<br />
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For example - like - "Marketing Collateral". I mean who the hell wants to replace a phrase that everybody, including clients understand - promotional literature. What's wrong with "product brochure" or "product pamphlet".<br />
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Cummon people. Grow up. Let's stop bullshitting clients. Surely the value of our service is in the quality of the work we do, not the way we dress it up?<br />
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Plain language people. Lose the attitude and the snappy, irrelevant powerpoint credentials presentations.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0Noordhoek, South Africa-34.0974517 18.3796683-34.1329892 18.3213033 -34.061914200000004 18.438033299999997tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7282358592573786146.post-73153993997290987032010-08-24T21:44:00.001+02:002010-08-24T21:46:27.080+02:00Hot Media Tips - Course running via Cape Regional Chamber of Commerce & IndustryFive Secrets the Advertising Agencies don't tell you is about empowering the business owner or marketing executive to take control of promoting the brand. Advertising agency, or do-it-alone, this seminar aims at giving you the tools to do the job.<br />
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1. Debunking the Jargon<br />
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2. Beginning with a Plan<br />
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3. Website for Free<br />
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4. Some downright sneaky tricks <br />
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5. Making the most of your limited advertising spend <br />
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Date: 1 September 2010 <br />
Time: 08.30 - 13.00 <br />
Venue: Cape Chamber House, Louis Gradner St, Cape Town <br />
<br />
Contact: Monique Johnstone <br />
EMail: <a href="mailto:monique@capechamber.co.za">monique@capechamber.co.za</a> <br />
Tel: 021 402 4308 <br />
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<br />
<strong><u>Course Objectives & Key Outputs</u></strong> <br />
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Understanding some jargon<br />
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Understand about the importance of Plans / Strategies<br />
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Role of Product & Service in brand-building<br />
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Understand your product / service mix and how you can select the best promotional methodology<br />
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The Target Market vs. Target Audience<br />
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Understand Business-to-business vs. Business to Consumer<br />
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Prepare basic advertisement headlines and copy<br />
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What is News and how can it work for me?<br />
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How to best spend scarce money<br />
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Recognising a good deal from a bad deal<br />
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Internet channels - free advertisingUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7282358592573786146.post-27444368887748412762010-03-17T21:08:00.000+02:002010-03-17T21:08:44.767+02:00An attack on the media is an attack on the marketing industryThe most recently publicised proclamation (17 March 2010) by the African National Congress' Youth League of South Africa is very disturbing. Not only does it bring back chilly memories of the worst days of attempted media control by the former apartheid government of the 1980's, it also echoes clearly from denunciations of the media that formed part of the dictatorial regime of Zimbabwean Robert Mugabe.<br />
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The marketing & advertising side of the Media industry should be concerned about these things. Without a free and lively press, we will be unable to ply our trade freely in a consumer-oriented society.<br />
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Whatever a individual's politics, reasonable persons need to take a stand against this open anti-media facism.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7282358592573786146.post-24190862288096743822010-01-24T20:47:00.003+02:002010-03-18T11:50:57.096+02:00Preserving your reputationIt's the little things that can cost your years of effort to build your brand image. A prominently branded vehicle blew past me on a speed-restricted country road the other day. Not only was the driver seen to be exceeding the speed limit by 50 - 100 %, he also overtook on a solid line and tailgated numerous other drivers on the road. Joggers, cyclists, horse riders, dogs and other drivers were certainly at risk.<br />
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However infuriating the experience must have been to various road users, not to say downright dangerous, the joke may end up being at the expense of the brand. Reputation is something that takes a very long time to build up but is highly fragile and easily broken.<br />
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What's my point? I guess that people who openly represent brands, such as driving a vehicle with logo and contact details prominently displayed, need to watch their P's and Q's. In this case, the company concerned trades in the field of Sustainability Projects. Surely, I mused, sustainability begins with driving carefully, using as little fuel as possible and also showing respect for both human and animal life?<br />
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There's certainly no way I would have any respect left for a company whose officials behave like this and most probably many other road users have moved from being brand supporters to brand detractors.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7282358592573786146.post-83211806136452868152009-11-06T10:28:00.002+02:002009-11-06T10:49:12.810+02:00GOING BOUTIQUE FOR SUSTAINABILITYIs there a way through the mess of the modern mass-consumption, increasingly de-branded consumer world?<br /><br />Yes, I believe there is. I met a winemaker, (a sort of winemaker) the other evening at a presentation at boutique South African adventure gear manufacturer, Capestorm, in Cape Town.<br /><br />Both the winemaker, Pieter Walser, and clothing manufacturer Capestorm, are outstanding exmaples of how boutique can cut it though the current consumer doldrums.<br /><br />Pieter's wines are non-branded and he doesn't own an acre of vineyard. Yet his modus operandi allows him to select the best signature vintages and varietals for his wines. I must confess a like for Bordeaux and Rhone wine typs, so I greatly enjoyed his Carignan, Mouvedre, Cab Franc etc. blends.<br /><br />His wines go under the ubiquitous name "BLANK" (!) and each vintage is given a name - just for that season and year. The wine is made on location at various estates, chosen by Pieter annually and using a select allocation of their harvest. Pieter e-markets most of his product, but has recently qualified to be a supplier to the WOOLWORTHS chain.<br /><br />Capestorm, on the other hand, has broken the duck of the SA ragtrade by selling high quality adventure gear, largely locally made, into a highly mobile and label- and health-conscious active market. (There are increasing similarities with this brand the famous niche retailer Patagonia, in the States - brand development, niche market development, corporate social involvement).<br /><br />Significantly, both businesses have cottoned onto a winning formula - selecting boutique segment of the market and using e-marketing to great effect.<br /><br />Are the end-days of the mega-retailers looming? Put it this way, I like to think of it as the opening of a new wave of possbility for the corner greengrocers again.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7282358592573786146.post-60761173738069384432009-06-14T23:01:00.005+02:002010-01-24T20:46:03.586+02:00As the Media EvolvesA media freelancers group I belong to recently had a big debate within the group as to the fate of journalists operating in South Africa. With the bad economic situation of the year 2009 and a large number of corporate rationalisations within the media sector, my colleagues are very concerned about the future of freelancing in a shrinking sector.<br /><br />What is interesting about all of this is that a number of media professionals fall into the classic trap of looking back and see a dwindling pool of work serviced by a growing pool of resources. The solution - and only way out - as I see it is rather to look forward and see the changing nature of media today with the opportunities that it provides.<br /><br />The lines between pure editorial journalism and advertising are constantly blurring and it is a challenge to all of us to walk through this and recognise the challenges. Then there is the evolution of <u>www</u> and the potential it brings to make everyone a potential editor, commentator or publisher.<br />Unfortunately for may journalists the playing field has changed completely. Those that survive will be those who grasp the opportunities provided in the future.<br /><br />If your company is interested in the changing face of media and how to use this to best advantage in marketing communications, give me a call.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0