Through the extensive stage-trailer road shows and in-store activations across six provinces, the campaign aimed to create brand awareness and educate customers on the various benefits and cost-effective options of the Hair Butter and No-LYE Jasmine Relaxer.  Isilumko Media integrated various elements into one campaign for Restore Plus thus creating the opportunity to combine customer service with sales driven communications as well as engage customers through productive exchanges that allow for immediate feedback.

The vibrant and energetic road shows generated a great deal of customer participation at 25 of the retail complexes most frequented by the Restore Plus target market of young African women.  The informative MC supported by the funky Restore Plus dancers ensured continued hype and fulfilled the edu-tainment criteria of the brief.  In addition, the carefully selected in-store brand ambassadors engaged with customers in a meaningful exchange connecting the Restore Plus brand (and products) with the consumer.

“This customer-focused approach presents many advantages; the first of which is the customer relationship built by the communication.  Perhaps even more important, is the opportunity to engage in a productive exchange with customers.  By combining customer service with sales; one  capitalises on the opportunity to gain valuable market research information which will ultimately improve a brand’s insights,” said Brendan Powell, General Manager at Isilumko Media.

The successful and interactive campaign produced an estimated exposure of close to 60,000 hits for the Restore Plus brand.  Furthermore, sales for these products were boosted during the in-store shifts, with Umlazi Mega City (Durban), Daveyton Mall and Southgate Mall producing the highest sales figures.

The campaign, conceptualised with creative agency JWT, saw experts in below-the-line activations, Isilumko Media, recruit male models to stir up passion among lunchtime patrons at various Italian-style restaurants across the country.  The handsome promoters used their “Italian” charm to get patrons lunching at Col’Cacchio, Doppio Zero and Piatto, to treat their taste buds to a free Nestlé Heaven Café Latte ice cream.  The activation has also sparked additional interest in the on-pack promotion which offers a chance of winning a state-of-the-art espresso machine.

“We have had a phenomenal response to the Nestle Heaven Café Latte activation.  The attractive promoters’ charm, in conjunction with the ‘random act of kindness’ (RAK) strategy (in the form of a free ice cream) has warmed customers’ hearts to this winter campaign.  When executed in the correct OOH environment, activations of this nature are always a success,” commented Brendan Powell, General Manager of Isilumko Media.

The RAK trend is closely linked with the fundamentals of activations and promotions as it presents the consumer with something they didn’t expect in an environment void of expectations.  RAK activities also get consumers talking as it makes the experience with the brand more tangible, more meaningful and more memorable.

In line with its mantra of “People Powering Brands”, Isilumko Media once again showcased their versatility and prowess in executing tasks with the right amount of (Italian) flair.

Since November 2010 Isilumko Media, a below-the-line activations and experiential media company, have been ensuring an international standard of service for MSC Starlight cruise ship tours whereby guests scheduled to embark and disembark on the Sinfonia and Melody (docking in Cape Town and Durban respectively) are received by friendly and professional Studentwise brand ambassadors.  Having received extensive training, the promoters are geared to assist with all queries and requests in several integral categories.

Guests have benefited from the high-calibre service-oriented promoters who assist with long-term parking, management of baggage, priority bookings (allowing paying passengers to effectively ‘jump the queue’), cart drivers and disembarkation services targeting elderly and disabled passengers – and of course the information desk; which includes all communication – on and off deck.

Further demonstrating their ability to recruit staff that can cater to the needs of the customer, Isilumko Media also stationed brand ambassadors at Cape Town’s V&A Waterfront during the peak holiday season in April to promote the Two Oceans Aquarium’s Solemate Program, affording members’ great deals and discounts throughout the year.  Furthermore, brand ambassadors encouraged local and international visitors to the V&A Waterfront and Table Mountain to subscribe to the “Go Cape Town” card qualifying card-holders for discounted rates at the Cape Town attraction centres (the Two Oceans Aquarium and Table Mountain Cableway) and City Sightseeing Cape Town bus tours.

“As a company unabashedly proud of our South African heritage, it is an honour to be involved in the advancement of local tourism.  By using young talent to promote tourism within our backyards to foreigners and locals alike, we hope to further generate pride in their hearts for all South Africa has to offer;” says Lauren Durant, Operations Director, Isilumko Media.

Trends in the youth market seem to dissipate almost as quickly as they are formed, but as we see our transition into the digital space further entrenched through our reliance on mobile and other handheld technology, we discover that certain trends could be here to stay.

Smart phones are the quintessential tool for the current tech-savvy youth.  It has become a vital appendage from which they never detach, except maybe to shower.  It is not only a part of their lives but is in a way a vehicle for their way of living.

Of all sectors, the youth are probably the most susceptible to peer pressure to the extent that a mass herd of “followers” seems to have emerged while at the same time they all do their utmost to stand out from the crowd and create a perception of individuality.  In an interactive marketing environment, such as that created with campus activations, one can capitalize on the mass herd/follower effect of this segment.

By planting key individuals to seed a particular campaign, early adopters start a new trend.  This is not new but it is extremely effective with this market and its impact is further amplified by the fast response and “real time review” capabilities of social media.  These informal spokes people for the brand are able to authentically represent the brand or product based on real and honest experience.  This could be considered a prerequisite when speaking to this market as they do not want to be told what you think they want to hear – they want the “real deal”.  Including a trusted peer into the mix makes the engagement more impactful, relevant and legitimate.

It seems to have been said a thousand times before but social media is revolutionising how the youth communicate!  Communication through social media casts a wider net which allows for real time communication amongst a much larger group of people than is possible in a face to face situation.  Our Facebook friends extend beyond our “real life” loved ones who we interact with on a regular basis.   In fact, FB friends include acquaintances, friends of friends, old school mates, former colleagues, potential partners – the list is endless.  Brands have the opportunity to use social media platforms successfully to interact and engage in dialogue with the youth consumer.

Brands looking to interact with the youth market cannot afford to be absent on Social Media platforms.  Fan pages, at times, replace websites and allow for engagement and dialogue whereas a website is particularly one dimensional.  Furthermore, the low cost and inflated reach through connection with others is unmatched.

As we see communication exceed all preset boundaries one realizes the need for youth focused brands to communicate appropriately with this segment of the market all the while considering messaging, strategy and environment.  Responsible brands must pay attention to the environment, the message and campaign execution in order to target the youth, with sufficient swag to grab their attention.

I&J called on long-term activations and promotions partner to determine whether consumers buy a particular I&J product based on brand recognition and genuine preference for the product. A team of Studentwise researchers spent one-day in the field to gain insight from customers at a representative sample of retailers stocking the product.

Isilumko Media’s effective management of the process and expedient finalization of results meant that I&J was provided with valuable research insights about the product, its packaging and consumer buying habits.

The key messages that came through repeatedly in the research were that the I&J brand name is renowned and trusted and that, while the majority of customers see it as an affordable product, they still consider it for its superior quality.

“This is significant information for the I&J marketing team and we were pleased that Isilumko Media was able to provide our client with the kind of information that will assist them in the marketing and branding going forward.  This project demonstrated Isilumko Media’s efficiency and resourcefulness in gathering customer research – we were proud to have turned this job around in less than 24 hours,” says Lauren Durant, Operations Director at Isilumko Media.

The strong sense of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) evident in South African culture has been attributed to, among other things, our unique sense of “ubuntu”; earning us a reputation of being one of the world’s most generous and philanthropic societies.  While that’s a good start, Corporate Social Investment (CSI) has evolved beyond philanthropy and charity and beyond unfocused contributions that fail to meet local needs; into a strategic business tool that empowers communities through sustainable development.

Santa Claus-type hand-outs of the past are a far cry from trends we currently see emerging, with a distinct shift from tokenism towards strategic investment.  Such investment manifests in various forms at corporate and community level.  The basic premise is that by empowering communities, one generates community goodwill which ensures local ownership of CSI projects – the key to sustainability.  Furthermore, building effective partnerships with government and improving an organisation’s reputation among peers and public is achieved through a synergy established between CSI and aligned brand marketing – also a key component in business sustainability.

The basic components of a good CSI programme include direct engagement with beneficiary communities through relevant and effective forums, Public Private Partnerships and constant project evaluation. The latter is apparent in the hands-on approach many investors have started to employ.  By taking ownership, companies add significant value to their respective industries and become accountable for the sustainability and longevity of the project and its impact.   Establishing a clear link between the brand, its values and the CSI project ensures that the company retains a passion for the initiative, further ensuring long-term sustainability.

Corporate accountability and responsibility requires a balanced and integrated approach encompassing social and environmental performance, as well as economics; widely known as the Triple Bottom Line.  Such an integrated approach is also encouraged by local legislation such as BBBEE.  A debateable dilution of the purpose of CSI, the Socio-Economic and Enterprise Development elements of the scorecard nonetheless reinforce the importance of CSI, making it critical to the business agenda.  Yet it is still believed that the general sentiment of companies, big and small, is one of putting back into the country.

Corporates are holding their projects closer to their hearts; they’re getting their staff, the general public and affected communities involved ensuring exposure of the brand’s involvement; thus adding to the profitability of the investment as well as ensuring its sustainability.  The collective commitment of the entire corporation from the CEO to the most junior employee; also serves as a great team building exercise and boosts company morale.

One can’t deny that profitability forms the platform for business success; but this is weakened if business growth is not accompanied by transformation.  A trying economic climate sees CSI spend having to be accountable to the income statement; this is why purposefully building marketing activities into the project, facilitates a variety of results driven conclusions.   When financial managers are crunching numbers, CSI spend is more easily justifiable when supplemented by promotional budgets to increase the PR and marketing reach of the campaign; achieving somewhat of a multi-faceted success scenario.

CSI is thus becoming a lens through which to approach operations and development initiatives – ensuring responsibility and sustainability are carefully considered. An understanding is unfolding revealing the broader context within which CSI exists; one of citizenship, empowerment and transformation.

Let me close with the sentiments of William Clay Ford, CEO of Ford Motor Company; “There is a difference between a good company and a great company. A good company offers excellent products and services. A great company also offers excellent products and services but also thrives to make the world a better place”.

Wellness TV is a media platform available in government clinics in the Greater Johannesburg area; whereby 42” LCD TVs will screen edutainment and healthcare programming, as well as appropriate advertising, to a 4.6million receptive audience. This offers direct access to the LSM 3-7 bracket in a captive and stimulation deprived environment.

Wellness TV also opens the door to interactive health education and appropriate product sampling. The captive audience, with approximately 3-hours dwell time per patient, is able to gain potentially life-changing information and engage face to face with well-trained promoters.

Isilumko Media, leaders in experiential and interactive marketing, hold the exclusive mandate to conduct sampling and interactive promotions in these primary health care clinics; as well as sell advertising airtime. Isilumko Media continues to demonstrate the versatility and competence of their Studentwise promoters, able to engage with a wide range of audiences, delivering purposeful messaging in a significant and appropriate manner.

For more information on Wellness TV clinic activations, and Isilumko Media’s range of services; contact Brendan Powell on 011 267 2920 or brendan@isilumko.co.za

For Wellness TV airtime bookings, please contact Grant Phillips at the JB Media Connection on: 011 022 8891/3 or grant@jbmediaconnection.co.za

Sanlam icover and Isilumko Media continue to collaborate to bring this quick, easy and completely affordable offer to the market through an extensive interactive in-store campaign.  The professional and experienced team at Isilumko Media, powered by Studentwise, once again prove the upshot of using real people to power our most-loved brands! The campaign flow sees promoters selling the starter pack, with 14-days free cover, to customers in Shoprite and Checkers stores within metropolitan hubs. Nationally over 125 stores have brand activators selling starter packs and facilitating the registration process. Customers have the benefit of being able to select from the three product variants inside the starter pack, My Family, My Own and My Journey.

Although a convenient solution, education is required to encourage a change of mindset in terms of how insurance is purchased.  Isilumko Media, the activation experts, strategically use specific tools to meet the objectives of the campaign.  The first of which is the use of more mature promoters who are able to communicate in a relevant vernacular and are more credible when building trust between the brand and the customer.  In addition, the regular refresher training of the Money Market staff ensures that the influx of customers that register their product are serviced efficiently and effectively.

Personal selling achieves exceptional results and is evident in the clear increase in sales of icover products; as well as the fact that 80% of all registrations occur in stores in which promoters are present.  The professional Isilumko Media promoters, present in 22% of the Shoprite and Checkers store’s universe, contribute to 88% of conversions of icover sales to full product registrations.  Details of clients who purchase but don’t register are also collected for follow-ups.

“The personal selling element is paramount in overcoming the significant barriers to purchasing retail based insurance products.  The results boast a 20% conversion rate of all sales – 80% of which were achieved with the presence of a promoter.  Our motto of “People Powering Brands” has never been more relevant than in our  disconnected society and it is campaigns such as these that drive home the necessity of “communicating with” rather than “speaking to” customers;” comments Lauren Durant, Operations Director at Isilumko Media.

For more information on Isilumko Media’s multi touchpoint range of activation products visit their website: http://www.isilumko.com/media or call one of their regional offices across the country.

Leaders in below-the-line student marketing and activations, Isilumko Media, powered by Studentwise, set out to determine the effectiveness of the Blue Ice (variant Pure Ice) “Pit Stop” campaign in which students participated in a push-cart race.  An icy deodorant pit-stop was used to freshen up and test the lasting power of the 48-hour deodorant brand.  The campaign exposed a total of 42,100 students to the brand at six universities across the country; distributing in excess of 13,000 samples.

Dipstick research conducted 6 months after the initial activation saw 451 students at WITS University interviewed to gauge retention and recall levels of the campaign.   The questions posed aimed to determine whether the students present on the day of the activation remembered the event and were able to identify the logo and recall the brand and type of product promoted and if they could describe the event as they remembered it.

73% of those students who were on campus the day of the race recall the event. 71% recall the logo and 69% could name the brand “Blue Ice” correctly.  70% could recall the type of product i.e. deodorant or roll-on.  Students’ memories of the event vary from participation in the actual race, to being a spectator, to receiving giveaways, to having had an interaction with a promoter – thus clearly indicating that the activation was memorable and relevant to the Wits student market.

The buzz of the race days around campus which created a direct connection between the event and the product are cited by Client Service Manager, Nick Lowe, as major contributors to the high level of recall.  “Determining actual purchase of the product would be clouded by too many variables to be able to clearly establish the success of this particular campaign, therefore brand awareness and retention remained foremost indicators of the success of this experiential activation.”

Brendan Powell, General Manager says, “All the aspects of an experiential campaign that give the sensory, mind-blowing experience lead to greater brand memorability.  By capitalising on the unique aspects of the brand as the basis for the experience, it is ensured that the connection is not an abstract one that would fail to drive home the brands’ values and benefits.  The informal research conducted for Blue Ice Pure Ice is an excellent indicator of the success of this campus campaign and definitely lends a positive evaluation of the overall effectiveness of experiential marketing within the student market.”

In every aisle at your local supermarket one finds displays and other promotional material advertising product capabilities, benefits and bargain buys; the perception could be that the in-store promoter is becoming ever more redundant.  Even sampling and tasters are being prepared and distributed by supermarket staff.  Question is: how does this impact on the overall success of an in-store supermarket campaign?

Lauren Durant, Operations Director of Isilumko Media strongly advocates the use of promoters in-store; “The personal interaction available when using in-store promoters has never been more relevant as the urban consumer moves further and further into a “no contact” zone.  As immediate as digital communication may be, a live interaction between customer and promoter cannot be beaten.  Not to mention the long-term positive effect a good promoter can have on the activation and the perception of the brand as a whole.”

I&J kicked off their Centenary campaign focusing on in-store media such as  aisle dividers, discount coupons and on-pack advertising to promote their celebratory on-pack SMS competition; offering loyal I&J customers a chance to  win cash prizes for educational funding.   Print advertising in consumer magazines was included in the mix to further solicit sms entries. After four weeks, the campaign saw the addition of 150 supermarkets across the country that played host to in-store promoters over two weekends – the proverbial “cherry on top” to bring the Centenary campaign to life.

Initial response to the sms competition was slow.  The 3-week plateau in entries experienced a sudden spike of more than 800% in the fourth week when the in-store interactive promotion started.  After the first  weekend of promotions, midweek entries settled to a level much higher than the initial response before the introduction of the in-store promoters.  Competition entries experienced another substantial boost over the second weekend of in-store promotions; in fact higher than the first.

Durant adds; “Until recently there has been little proof, outside of basic sales numbers, of the effectiveness of the in-store promoter; but the numbers here tell a wonderful story that substantiates the role of these seemingly immaterial marketing players.  The personal interaction customers enjoyed with the in-store promoters led to an increase in the level of desired action – which in this case was competition entry.  Not only did entries spike, but entries were maintained at a much higher level than before the inclusion of the promoters, further adding to the value of an in-store brand ambassador.”

The necessity of including one-on-one interactions into the media strategy is undeniable.  So the next time you’re planning an in-store promotion remember that with a little help from a competent promoter  it is possible  to grab the attention of the consumer, without simply adding to the clutter already present in the supermarket!