It’s a sign of the times that the 24th year of SA’s Prism Awards recognising the best, and the up and coming in the country’s public relations and communications field has been a virtual event.  But that didn’t dampen the enthusiasm to recognise SA agencies that have pulled out all the stops to support clients over the past tumultuous 12 months.

Positive Dialogue was delighted to receive a Special Mention for its popular, bright-spark Jive #Dala Your Colour campaign as ‘Best use of an event to build or change reputation’. The same campaign also notched up a Bronze award in the Food and Beverage category.

The agency, which is part of the Duke Group, won the Silver Award in the Technology category for its stunning campaign for the launch of the OnePlus 7T Pro, featuring extraordinary SA creatives.

In the Travel and Tourism category, Positive Dialogue received a Special Mention for its ‘Inspired by Mzansi’ campaign for Marriott International which has highlighted all that SA has to offer for domestic travellers on the lookout for much-needed breaks from lockdown life.

Positive Dialogue owner-manager, Tracy Jones says, “It’s incredible to be recognised once again by the PRISM Awards, especially in these turbulent times that have impacted heavily on so many industries.  It’s been our privilege to keep on working with our clients and play a strategic role in how they navigate these challenging times through campaigns with heart and spirit.”As part of the Duke Group, Positive Dialogue specialises in fully integrated campaigns and next-generation PR, spearheading innovation in influencer campaigns in SA.

The Duke Group unites Duke Advertising, Positive Dialogue, digital agency, Mark1, full-service production agency, Duchess, and sponsorship consultancy, Champ.  Driven 100% by consumer insights, Positive Dialogue takes pride in its lean operations, and top-level talent which includes the recent on-boarding of Managing Partner, Jeremy Crowder. In the sure hands of experienced journalist Ondela Mlandu, Positive Dialogue has expanded its Media Division to now also offer video and podcasting production and amplification.

Jones concludes, “These latest awards and our ability to attract top talent go hand-in-hand with our fantastic client growth.  It’s a year to celebrate both our long-term accounts and the new ones we’ve won in 2021, all of which are contributing to a scintillating diversity of conversations across SA.”

On 22nd-24th October 2019, the South African Communications Industries Association will be hosting its not-to-be-missed, multi-track Conference and Gala Dinner at Gallagher Estate.

COMMTREND is celebrating the Association’s achievements over the past 10 years and bringing its members together in a gathering that aims to deliver relevant insight and real value to the broadcast, AV, technical production and content creation markets. COMMTREND has been under discussion for many months and the result is a comprehensive 3-day programme of curated, educational content, tailored specifically to the industry sectors within SACIA.

As the recognised professional body for the industry SACIA can attract some of smartest minds available, so members can expect high-level presentations across a range of pertinent topics. However, it is also an interactive platform giving guests the opportunity to dig deeper into the issues shaping the future of the communications industry. There is plenty of opportunity for face-to-face engagement with experts willing to share their extensive knowledge and insight.

The conference aims to provide content to stimulate strategic thinking to negotiate the extreme rate of change within our sectors, examine the influences on our industry and assist us with planning for future directions. The previous SACIA conference was run alongside a small conference with around 30 exhibitors. In 2019, the exhibition component has been removed and the conference expanded to offer multiple streams of content.

The venue has also changed to a space that can accommodate the 500+ delegates expected from across the SADC region. COMMTREND kicks off with the first day being dedicated exclusively to SACIA’s Youth Development programme and pre-conference workshops. The Youth Development programme will feature several presentations focused on career opportunities for young people.

SACIA is already actively working with several Universities active in the communications sector but the youth content at COMMTREND will strongly focus on SACIA's vision for the future of the youth within the Association, exploring how the changing work environment will require new skill sets and instilling a commitment to continuing professional development.

The next two days are aimed at members already active within the industry; starting with a review of the mega-trends shaping our future before drilling down into the five different breakaway streams keeping discussions industry and individual-specific. Delegates have the choice of attending whichever knowledge track is of greatest interest to them and which will give them the most valuable take-away.

There are also sponsorship packages to allow sponsors to engage and interact with a highly targeted audience hungry for information. SACIA has created bespoke packages, across different price-points, all of which will include both pre and post-conference engagement. The objective is to secure sponsors with whom SACIA can build a long-term relationship that benefits the Association, the members and the sponsors in a WIN-WIN-WIN package.