Journal of Marketing - Feb / Mar 2006

Anton Rupert was a man that to many around the world was a giant of business. He certainly founded a great South African dynasty.

They have a penchant for bangers and mash; for us, it's boerewors and pap. At first glance, the two cultures might look distinctly at odds with each other. So how has British Airways managed to blend elements of each into a successful brand?

Jungle Oats have been warming SA tums for an incredible eighty years. Apart from the introduction of the instant Oatso Easy line in 1980, not much has changed since 1926. Until recently, that is. Jayne Morgan looks at how Jungle's been rolling out its oats.

You may have the best product in the world but if it doesn't shout 'buy me' louder than your rival's offering, then you'll have a problem on your hands. Jayne Morgan looks at what's unfolding in the world of packaging.

Ad breaks are used by most kids for loo trips, uploading of food and drink, a really thorough shower, sending and reading at least 932 sms's and of course studying for exams. In my house ad breaks are for playing the advert game.

In today's business environment, the new reality is that there is limited short-term competitive advantage in product or service.

When BMW announced in December last year that they would be awarding their advertising account to Ireland-Davenport, an agency that was just four weeks old, they probably did so expecting to cause a ripple or two. And, by overlooking some of the country's biggest and most established advertising agencies, they did.

Public Relations professionals have long been haunted by unsavoury images associated with their vocation. The days of the stiletto-heeled, bulging-boobed blonde bombshell acting as Public Relations Officer and handing round drinks at smoky company cocktail parties are thankfully fading into the swiftly descending mists of time. PR professionals have clawed their way out of their overly-festooned stereotypes and are playing a pivotal role in today's marketing mix.

Beer production in South Africa is dominated by the South African Breweries (SAB) and has been for many years. SAB is a natural virtual monopoly that has never enjoyed any government protection. And by not behaving like a monopoly - by always running its business as if a large competitor was pitted against it - SAB has managed to stay lean, mean and clean.

Castle Lager has won numerous brewing awards across the globe, but has predominantly been built as a beer for the South African market. The business opportunity for SAB Miller is to take its success to new markets in Africa, driving a more international reach that not only increases volume, but equally builds brand equity and the value of the brand itself.

Personal Video Recorders (PVRs), also called digital video recorders (DVR) or digital personal video recorders, look set to alter the way audiences view television by giving them greater choice in how they choose to watch television. Many television advertisers believe PVRs could dramatically affect traditional television advertising. But are PVRs really a cause for concern or do marketers simply need to learn to work around the technology?

When it's a super-powerful marketing tool. So says Richard Lendrum of Future Publishing, who points out that custom publications - or rather, branded publications - are more than simply a good read : they're portable billboards waiting to spread your company's message. Financial Mail. Men's Health. Fairlady. SA Sports Illustrated. All highly successful titles with strong brands. Imagine if you could create the same instant recognition for your company, at a fraction of the price of traditional marketing practices.

In business today, there's an overriding trend towards improving customer service through gaining a greater understanding of the business's target market and how best to address the needs of that audience.

'Howzit bru, keen for a dop?' Listen in on the conversations between any South Africans, and you'll learn that the boundaries between our 11 official languages have become blurry, to say the least.