JSM Newsletter Archives

The impact of artificial intelligence on marketing

26 August 2021

Categories: Newsletters

One thing is for sure: AI marketing is not going anywhere soon. Recent research suggests 80% of marketing leaders believe AI will impact marketing in the next three years, writes DEBBIE PEARSON. Today, common definitions of artificial intelligence (AI) focus on automation. We know machine learning provides computers with the ability to learn. But what opportunities does this create for businesses and marketers, and how does this impact marketing in the 21st century? According to Forrester, global marketing automation spend will reach $25 billion by 2023. The number of companies providing services in this space is growing with Chiefmartech…

Three sustainability success levers to breathe growth into your business in Africa

26 August 2021

Categories: Newsletters

Image By Karin Du Chenne, Chief Growth Officer, Middle East & Africa at Kantar By putting people, planet, and purpose ahead of profit, forward-thinking brands can lead the way to a more positive future for all, writes KARIN DU CHENNE. If you’ll forgive me for saying the Covid-19 pandemic comes with a silver lining, it’s that all the associated disruption has cemented sustainability as an essential consideration in going forward. By putting people, planet, and purpose ahead of profit, forward-thinking brands can lead the way to a more positive future for all. Here are three ideas to tap into opportunities in…

Styling: Fashion tastes and preferences in three African countries

24 May 2021

Categories: Newsletters

There is no doubt fashion is an important consideration on the African continent. Clothing retailers physically cross borders, and brands are also available online via ecommerce portals. FRANKLINE MWENDA KIBUACHA highlights the results of a recent survey in Nigeria, South Africa and Egypt, giving marketers useful insights into what consumers think. How fashionable are you? What do you look for when buying clothes, shoes, and other fashion items? Where do you get that information, and where do you ultimately shop? To get answers to these questions and more, GeoPoll conducted an App study in Egypt, Nigeria, and South Africa.

Between a hard and a soft space: What makes modern marketers more employable

24 May 2021

Categories: Newsletters

It is not just Covid-19 that has turned the marketing sector inside out. The pervasive need for businesses to gather and analyse data and then use the resulting insights effectively is a much sought after skill, says AMELIA JACOB. At the same time, soft skills are essential too. Marketing is one of the fastest growing functions in companies today. According to Career Junction’s Index for March 2021, despite an overall uptake in hiring activity, demand is volatile for marketing professionals. So what is it businesses are looking for when it comes to the skills needed for modern marketing? What…

The marketing and supply chain management interface: A marriage of convenience

24 May 2021

Categories: Newsletters

Supply chain management and marketing are inextricably linked, write DR MYLES WAKEHAM and CARL WAKEHAM. Organisations should use their supply chain management capabilities and capacities as a basis to support and build their brands and ultimately strengthen their marketing mix strategies. Supply chain management (SCM) is the process and activity of sourcing requisite inputs that an organisation requires to create need-satisfying products and service, and the ultimate delivery of such offerings to targeted customers such as businesses, intermediaries (retailers and wholesalers) and consumers. SCM is the inter-woven co-ordination and integration of the flow of materials, information and money and…

Beyond ticking the box: gender advancement needs sustained and systemic effort

24 May 2021

Categories: Newsletters

The odd advertising campaign paying lip service to gender is not enough to address fairness and equity by brands, says GLENDA NEVILL. To really commit to a transformative mindset in marketing strategies requires companies to put their own houses in order inside and out. Recent advertising and marketing missteps have highlighted how brands and their agencies can get messaging so terribly wrong when it comes to advancing gender and race in marketing campaigns. “The time for brands to turn a blind eye to race and gender equity is long past. Consumers and employees demand change, while knee-jerk responses and…

The impact of Covid-19 on income and consumer habits in Africa

30 March 2021

Categories: Newsletters

Sub-Saharan Africa has not experienced as many Covid-19 cases as other regions. But there has been a significant impact on day-to-day livelihoods, with varying degrees of restrictions across countries. Internal and external trade and tourism almost come to a standstill for vast stretches of time. In turn, this economic downturn has had ripple effects on many businesses and individuals’ financial situations. A report by GeoPoll in July 2020 found that 76% of people across six countries in sub-Saharan Africa had lost income due to Covid-19, primarily influenced by the large percentage of the population who operate in the informal…

The rebirth of email as a marketing tool

30 March 2021

Categories: Newsletters

Email engagement rates in 2020 were higher than they have been in six years. And new functionality and data analysis tools have strengthened email as a marketing and customer communication channel. Brands can now be far more strategic and personalised thanks to having a better understanding of what the end-user likes and wants, writes KARYN STRYBOS. Even though many businesses might have been tempted to focus primarily on social media activities, the reality is that this, along with public relations and email, must form part of an integrated campaign to be truly effective. While social media and PR are…

Three principles to reinforce digital trust in supply chains

30 March 2021

Categories: Newsletters

Cyber-threats are increasing with the transformation of digital life in the wake of the pandemic. A risk-based approach is needed to safeguard the software and systems that underlie digital supply chains. The procurement process, third-party agreements and source code are areas of concern, write GEORGES DE MOURA and CHRISTOPHE BLASSIAU. The ongoing digital transformation has opened up a whole new way of living and working. As deeper performance insights and new levels of connectivity allow businesses to reap the benefits of breakthrough technologies, the world is becoming faster, more flexible and more efficient. This shift is creating a global…

Creating strategic, inclusive and sustainable supply chains in Africa will reap benefits beyond Covid-19

29 March 2021

Categories: Newsletters

That there are issues around transporting the Covid-19 vaccines around Africa is in no doubt. A lack of infrastructure, remote rural locations, the need for cold chain storage and under-developed supply chains will present challenges. But, says NACHI MENDELOW, if Africa gets this right, it will set the continent upon on a new and more efficient economic path. Benjamin Kagina, Senior Research Officer for the Vaccines For Africa Initiative housed in UCT’s Faculty of Health Sciences, put it in a nutshell when he recently told The Conversation, “Most low-income countries do not have the necessary cold chain infrastructure for…

The Rise of Live Streaming in Marketing: Engaging Your Audience in Real-Time

The Human Element in Supply Chain: How Soft Skills Impact Success

Marketing Fails and Lessons Learned: What Not to Do in Your Campaigns

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