JOHANNESBURG: The PROMAX Africa Awards are just days away and as with previous years, the event kicks off with a conference with expert speakers from various parts of the world. Netflix, Disney+, Paramount, eTV and Open View join PROMAX Africa 2023 as Gold Sponsors, with Disney+ playing host to the pre-award drinks on the day, which takes place on 2 November at The Maslow Hotel in Sandton.
As the leading association for entertainment marketing, PROMAX Africa brings together content creators, marketers and designers reflecting a vibrant community – and provides opportunities to learn, grow, connect and be inspired. This year is no different, as the event plays host to some of the most dynamic creatives. Meet our speakers . . .
Lee Hunt
Lee Hunt, a renowned marketer and strategist with over 40 years of experience in the media and entertainment industry. Owner of consulting firm, Lee Hunt LLC and publisher and editor-in-chief of CMOintelligence, Lee has a proven track record of success in helping brands to grow and thrive in today’s competitive marketplace. He has worked with a wide range of clients, including Fortune 500 companies, start-ups, and non-profit organizations.
What are you most looking forward to at PROMAX Africa?
“Since I haven’t been to PROMAX Africa in a couple of years, I am looking forward to seeing old friends and meeting new ones. Over the years, I’ve attended PROMAX conferences across the globe: US, UK, Europe, Asia, India, Arabia, Russia, and China, and I have to admit that Africa is the most fun.”
Are there any recent marketing campaigns that have caught your eye in recent months? What made it stand out?
“I have a service called CMOintelligence that tracks and analyses the on-air marketing of linear & streaming services in the US. Every month we collect about 1000 new promos, and every week I publish a “promo of the week” highlighting a particular spot or campaign. (Anyone can sign up for free at cmointelligence.com.) Some of my favorites have been the Disney 100th Anniversary spots—amazing editing and emotional storytelling, and Paramount+ Mountain of Entertainment. While every other streamer launched with montage spots, Paramount+ took their shows’ characters and had them climb the Paramount Mountain. It was a great launch campaign, and they continue to build on the live-action spots every few months. It’s a great way for them to own their logo (the Paramount Mountain) and stand out from the crowd. I’ll be showing these and a lot more in my New Best Practices session.”
What emerging marketing trends do you see on the horizon, and how can businesses prepare for them?
“Franchises seem to be the new trend. With so many series across so many platforms, it’s hard to promote them all. Networks and streamers are now focusing more on collections of shows rather than individual titles. Good examples are Paramount’s Yellowstone, NBCU’s Chicago (Fire, PD, & Med) and Warner Bros. Discovery’s “90 Days…” (7 series and counting!) The formula is pretty simple: when you have a hit series, spin it off (and again and again), then market the collection. It’s a much more efficient way to promote your shows and helps viewers who have too many choices.”
How do you see the future of AI and machine learning shaping the marketing landscape, and what opportunities and challenges does it present?
“I’m currently working with a company out of India that uses AI to take long-form news content and edit it into social promotion and interstitials—that’s not new, but what previously took several hours of work now only takes five minutes. That’s great for immediacy (getting the story out quickly) and operational efficiency, but it will change our roles as creative marketers. The important thing to remember is that it will still take a person with great storytelling skills to drive the AI.”
What recent personal success story or challenging experience has taught you valuable lessons or given you food for thought?
“I’ve been working with one of the U.S. O&O streamers (owned & operated by a media company with linear channels) on their brand evolution. They, like the majority of the larger US streamers, launched two years ago. Now the market is saturated with streamers all making essentially the same promise, “we have lots of different kinds of content for everyone in the family.” Trying to find a differentiator for streaming services that are so broad and have such deep content is a challenge. I used to think it was hard for free-to-air networks to define themselves against niche pay-tv channels, but streaming takes that challenge to a whole other level. I’m still trying to figure it out.”
Charlie Mawer
Charlie Mawer is the BAFTA-nominated and multiple award-winning Executive Creative Director of London-based agency Red Bee Creative. The team at Red Bee specialise in media and entertainment branding, and Charlie has led major marketing campaigns for with them for brands that include Telemundo, Netflix, Nissan, Apple TV+, CNBC and RTÉ Ireland. He has also contributed to several books on TV marketing and, together with Andy Bryant, co-wrote, ‘The TV Brand Builders – How to Win Audiences and Influence Viewers.’
What do you love most about the world of marketing?
“The eclectic nature of the challenges of working in an agency. For someone with a short attention span, and a restless spirit – you might think it is surprising that I have been with Red Bee since our launch in 2005. But I love the variety of geographies, clients, projects, shows, sectors that we get to wrestle with. From a news brand in Australia, to a sports network in Iceland, from a national network in the United States to small independent producer in Sweden.”
You’ve won your fair share of creative awards, but what would you say the challenges are creating new and engaging content for a world that is ever-evolving, with shorter attention spans?
“I don’t think the challenges are any different today than they were when I started out in the mid-90s. The principles of standout advertising and communication are pretty timeless. The originality of thought, emotional connection, arresting visualisation, consistency of brand building. Whether you are a Tik Tok reel or in a long copy read in a 1950s newspaper the same basic tenets hold true. Perhaps the only thing that has changed is the democratisation of creation – professional quality production is now at every one’s fingertips, which can add to the volume of clutter that looks like it is deserving of attention. In that world you just have to double down on originality, storytelling, craft!”
What do you think small businesses with limited budgets can do to compete effectively in the digital marketing space, and what cost-effective strategies do you recommend?
“The answer really is as above. Originality of thought, emotional connection, arresting visualisation, consistency of brand building. I think trying to engage pre-existing communities is always important too. In our book about TV Brand Building, we talk about sending love letters to your fans, and they can be really small and cost-effective moments that ignite fires across a fanbase. Share while in show pre-production, share while in production and share while in post. Don’t wait to start your marketing till the show launch time.”
The global marketplace is more interconnected than ever. What are your thoughts on marketing strategies for businesses looking to expand into international markets?
“Always put a genuine audience understanding at the heart of your work. Research, research, research. Don’t make assumptions that what is going to interest one audience in one market will have universal appeal. We work extensively with the Hispanic market in the US with our client Telemundo, but we immerse ourselves in their world as much as possible. Lockdown showed that we can work effectively across continents without needing physical office space in each country or region, but you still have to do the mental legwork in inhabiting your audience’s world and mindset.”
Are there any recent marketing campaigns that have caught your eye in recent months. What made it stand out?
“I think as an industry we often coalesce around the same few bits of work that get a buzz on LinkedIn, and then get picked up in the awards season, but that I don’t ever hear my non-industry friends talk about. So, I am more interested in the work that genuinely breaks out of the bubble. What have I been sent by friends outside the business? The Barbie marketing blitz clearly did that but perhaps partly by volume and attrition. As a piece of promo craft and as a music edit – the Cocaine Bear trailer was near perfection. The last thing I was sent by friends was Norwich FC’s stunning video for Mental Health Day – if you haven’t seen it do look for it on YouTube.”
Bennum Van Jaarsveld
With more than 21 years of media communications industry experience, Bennum van Jaarsveld is the Corporate Communications Manager for e.tv/eMedia and a sought-after and versatile speaker with a passion for inspiring and motivating others. He is known for his engaging personality, his insightful knowledge, and his ability to connect with audiences of all ages and backgrounds. Bennum has himself dabbled in acting and presenting and loves any expressive form of communication.
Tell us about your journey in the industry, what have been some of your career highs?
“I started in agency where I was exposed to all aspects of advertising, on a variety of brands. Moved on to media (e.tv) which opened up a whole new world of media and communications, brand messaging. Then I joined Dulux and took on the role of Communications Manager, and spokesperson for the brand. Here I discovered my love for PR, and public speaking. I also ran my own business for a while – doing marketing and promotions. Every job and company had amazing highlights. The most memorable is achieving exceptional PR for Dulux, and being recognised as an Icon Brand and Most Loved South African Brand in its category. Another passion is CSI and rolling out community projects across SA and into Africa. Some of the highs at eMedia is our #1 Broadcaster position, the performance of our productions and publishing our Integrated Annual Report. I am very blessed to have worked on a variety of brands and industries.”
The customer journey has become more complex with multiple touchpoints. How can marketers ensure a consistent and seamless customer experience across different channels?
“The word is consistency. Being present, being regular, being timely, and ensuring brand identity is recognised across platforms. Always remain authentic.”
As customer preferences evolve, how can marketers keep pace with changing consumer behaviours and expectations?
“Know your market and audience. Stay true to your brand – you cannot be all things to all consumers. Be authentic and sincere. Listen – to what consumers are saying, talking about, what are the issues they’re dealing with. Brands do have to adapt to be part of the conversations and platforms, but in an authentic way. Service and response will always remain key, no matter how times change. Businesses and brands need to evolve and adapt to solve problems and ensure a pleasant brand experience.”
Diversity and inclusion have become tantamount in all facets of marketing, filmmaking and advertising – how can marketers promote diversity and inclusivity in their campaigns and organizations?
“Once again, in a sincere and authentic way. Welcoming everyone to feel part of the brand, being bold and open. Films and series need to portray who society is, relating to audiences and consumers – saying “we get you”, but without ceremony. Brands still have a long way to go, but well done to all brands who are trying and making an effort. It’s not just about D&I, it’s about the role brands play in society.”
Do you have a personal success story or a challenging experience from your career that has taught you valuable lessons?
“I have learned great lessons from every job or position I’ve held. Crisis is always the real test and springboard. When crisis hits (and it will), it is about how you respond and how you handle that situation – incidents, emergencies, reputational challenges. There have been a few. Address the situation, take action (don’t ignore it, no matter how small it seems). My rule is open and honest communication with Media as well – especially on social media. State the facts and how the brand intends to handle the situation. Speaking to an irate or upset customer personally (phone them, visit them) to address issues – people want to be heard. Another lesson – first-hand knowledge is key – from planning an event, to dealing with crisis – always get first-hand knowledge. Many of the successes came from dealing with crisis or difficult situations hands-on and turning it around into a positive for the brand. People – how you handle and speak to people is key – personal interaction. Lastly, for any difficult environment or situation – persevere. Be tenacious and keep going!”
Other speakers included are:
Wanuri Kahiu – Kenyan producer, film director and author, Wanuri is regarded as one of the foremost African directors with her first feature film, From a Whisper receiving a total of 12 nominations and five wins at the Africa Movie Academy Awards in 2009. Her most recent work include directing the Netflix romantic comedy Look Both Ways and her upcoming work will see her direct the film adaptation of Stephen Flaherty-Lynn Ahrens’ stage musical Once on This Island for release on Disney+.
Maurice Marable (Proudly Presented by SABC) – Maurice has firmly established himself as one of the preeminent filmmakers working in the business with multiple high-profile projects. In addition, with his work as a commercial director, he’s been a creative force behind the promotional campaigns of some of television’s most successful hit series. He directed and executive-produced the highly acclaimed Craig Robinson-led comedy, Killing It, which will be returning for a second season on Peacock and both seasons of the comedy series Woke on Hulu. He is set to direct feature film The Fall and the highly anticipated remake of Three Men and a Baby for Disney+.