Archive

Opinions

  • Harnessing the skills of the future

    June 15, 2017

    Whitney Houston perhaps summed it up best when she crooned about the children being our future. It’s not just a catchy lyric either, especially in Africa: with an estimated 50 percent of people on the continent under the age of 25, it is home to the youngest population in the world and what will also be the world’s largest workforce by 2040, 40 percent of which will be young people[1]. What this indicates is that...

  • The shifting nature of communications in Africa

    May 25, 2017

    Africa Day is a celebration of the continent, its people and their achievements since the foundation of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) on 25 May 1963. There can be little doubt that there have been significant milestones in that time, economically, politically and socially – none of which we would have been able to share and revel in without the communications sector. Being able to reflect on the pivotal nature of communications through the...

  • Partnering to achieve business success in the digital era

    May 17, 2017

    Today’s dynamic operating environment for businesses and other organisations is characterised by rapid change, technological development, disruptive innovation, as well as increasing hyper-connectivity. To achieve success in this turbulent environment, companies need to partner with the right strategic communications firm in order to create ideas that carry messages across new and traditional channels to reach the right audiences. In addition, they need a partner that can develop crisis response strategies that keep pace with news...

  • A glimpse into our tech-filled futures

    April 24, 2017

    With the first quarter of the year behind us, and the annual trade shows such as  Consumer Electronics Show (CES) and World Mobile Congress (MWC) done for the year, we are able to see what technology trends will shape the year to come for business and consumers. This year, Artificial Intelligence, Virtual Reality, connected cities, IoT-everything, 5G, smart/ self-driving cars, robotics and more has cast 2017 as the year of connected technology. Providing consumers with...

  • Why Fake News is a real PR problem

    January 27, 2017

    When the news is the news. Agenda-driven news is nothing new, but the sudden and not so subversive rise of fake news has me stunned. Black Ops, #PaidTwitter and the US Presidential Election have brought to light a deep and dark area floating somewhere between sinister political spin, cleverly crafted click bait, bad PR, and powerful pay-to-play masters who have the scary ability to twist fact into falsehood. Just last month New Balance nearly had...

  • Top 5 Social Media Trends for 2017

    January 25, 2017

    In 2016, there was no shortage of updates and developments in the social media industry. From novel features and platforms to new technologies and brand opportunities, the year proved that consumers are engaging with brands more easily than ever before. Whilst it is difficult to predict exactly how the social media landscape will advance in 2017, we know that it will continue to evolve at a rapid pace. In order for brands to enhance their...

  • Attracting millennials demands innovation in the communications workplace

    October 25, 2016

    Misconceptions surrounding the millennial generation prove that this young, vibrant and thoughtful group of people, continue to challenge today’s thinking in the workplace. Organisations are being challenged to adopt new ways of working in order to accommodate and attract this complex group. Born and bred in the digital revolution, these digital natives can bring significant value to the workplace. Employers are encouraged to dig deeper to find out what drives the millennials and what environment...

  • What is the point of PR?

    September 27, 2016

    Over the years, the definition of PR has been debated and re-written, and PR practitioners have been subjected to a number of stereotypes. Whereas in reality, PR is a lot more than what people think. Cue annoying “oh like Olivia Pope?” questions. In my opinion, we’re the “Authors of Credibility” for our clients and their brands. The point of PR is to drive the reputation capital of an organisation- which is now as important as...

  • The elevator pitch is not working, use the conversation stairs

    September 22, 2016

    In the digital era, technology has caused the power pendulum to swing in favour of the consumer. Previously, sales pitches were done in the form of a quick elevator pitch, at a conference for instance: This is where I am from and here is what we do - hopefully something resonates with you and you call us back later. Communication to prospective consumers were done over mass channels such as TV and newspapers and customers...

  • Go for gold: Tap into the social media conversation

    September 20, 2016

    Over the past decade, social media has exploded onto the scene and has been growing exponentially. The number of available platforms increase every month and the combined amount of users is sitting in the billions. Social media plays an integral role in how we receive, engage and ultimately create information. Just take Twitter for example. I delved deeper into the recent Rio Olympics, and the hashtag #Rio2016 alone generated over 27 million posts with a total 100...