IAS Masterclass – Loeries Durban   How Clients and Agencies can Adapt, Evolve and be Future-Fit for the Inevitable Digital Disruption  

An interactive session facilitated by Johanna McDowell, CEO of IAS, with Mike Schalit, CCO of BBDO South Africa, Gau Narayan, Regional Director for BBDO Africa and Selvin Govender, Marketing Director, Mercedes Benz South Africa. 

Date:              Thursday 17 August 2017

Time:              10.00 am – 13.00 pm                                                                      

Venue:           Tsogo Sun Elangeni Hotel - 63 Snell Parade, Durban

Cost:               R 150 ex VAT per delegate

What the Masterclass will cover:

Discussion of the Agency/Client relationship and the challenges faced today.

Some research findings from the SCOPEN Agency Scope 2016 study.

A look at digital transformation at Mercedes Benz South Africa and how they are playing a leading role in driving this within Daimler Worldwide.

How shifts at Mercedes Benz South Africa have impacted the Net#work BBDO relationship, the way of working and advertising development process Implications and necessary shifts in the client/agency relationship that digital transformation will bring

Q&A                                    

Johanna McDowell Profile  

Currently the Managing Director of the Independent Agency Search and Selection Company (IAS), and with a background that includes being on both the agency and the client side of the fence, Johanna McDowell is well placed to offer commentary on marketing and advertising in both the South African and international contexts.   McDowell has built her career in marketing and advertising since 1974, holding directorship in both South Africa and British advertising agencies until she was appointed Managing Director of Grey Phillips Advertising in 1988. An “entrepreneurial heart in a power suit”, McDowell understands the industry from the inside: She built Integrated Communications, a public relations-driven marketing communications company that went from zero base in 1991 to an R 8 million fee turnover by December 2004. After graduating in marketing and business studies, her experience had spanned large corporates including banking, manufacturing and retail both in UK and South Africa, along with a 15-year stint in two of the largest advertising agencies in South Africa and in a medium sized agency in the UK. Widely published and quoted in local media, McDowell regularly gives media input on topics such as:  Delivering high quality B2B communication results, The importance of measurement tools to marketers, Why agencies often don’t make the next round of a pitch, Managing and strengthening client/agency relationships for long-term success, The importance of ethical dealing and truthful communication etc.

Gau Narayanan Profile 

A BBDO lifer, Gau arrived from AMVBBDO in London, one of the best agencies in the BBDO network where he had the privilege of working on some of their flagship brands including Guinness, MARS & British Telecom. Gau was also selected by the Agency’s Management to launch Lunar BBDO a creative-media start up where he tripled the business, won effectiveness awards and Gunn points for BBDO. Gau joined Net#work BBDO in December 2014, on the back of the Guinness Africa pitch win. Since then he has focused on talent development across the four BBDO offices and has helped BBDO land the Tusker business in Kenya, Virgin Money Insurance in South Africa and the Google account across Africa.  With three children under 8, spare time is a distant memory, but when he can, he devours biographies. Gau is a keen cricketer, has represented his county, captained his university and is a qualified coach. However, a lack of talent has meant that his cricketing ambitions will have to be channelled through his children.  

Mike Schalit Profile 

Founding Partner, Net#Work BBDO.   Chief Creative Officer, BBDO SA & Africa.    Founder & Chairman, The MAL Foundation.   Mike began his career by failing as a rock musician. He then nearly ended it with a B.Comm. Since co-founding Net#work in April ’94 Mike’s accolades include 17 Loerie Grand Prix, 3 Cannes Grand Prix, 2 Lifetime Achievement Awards , SA Advertising Hall of Fame,  SA’s No.1 Creative Director for eleven consecutive years, Most Influential Person in Advertising, Advertising Person of the Year and Achiever of the Decade.  

Selvin Govender Profile

Selvin brings his flair for interpreting trends, and understanding market needs to the role of Divisional Manager Marketing for Mercedes-Benz Cars. His career advancement in the Mercedes-Benz South Africa group of companies is based on a wide range of expertise gained throughout his career, and also through his formal studies. Holding an MBA, Selvin also has a degree in Supply Chain Management and National Diplomas in Transportation Management and Mechanical Engineering. He has excelled in all three of the organisations that make up the Mercedes-Benz group in South Africa, having cut his teeth at debis Fleet Management (a part of the company’s Services Group) as a key accounts executive. Other positions include gaining experience in areas such as remarketing, pre-owned, residual value management, and fleet services at Mercedes-Benz Financial Services. Selvin’s position as National Sales Manager for Mercedes-Benz SA has been the final stepping stone before his appointment to head up the Marketing Division, making him a well-rounded asset to the business.

Who Should Attend

The course is aimed at senior marketing and advertising executives

Enrolment

To enrol for this Masterclass please be in contact with Jacques Durant - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or on 011 772 1220

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About the IAS

The IAS (Independent Agency Search and Selection Company) in association with the AAR Group (UK) was founded in South Africa by the Mazole Holdings Group in 2006. IAS specialises in client/agency relationship management and helping clients find agencies.International associate company AAR Group, was founded more than 35 years ago in the UK and has associates and branches throughout the world.The Independent Agency Search & Selection Company is committed to the international and local pitch guidelines as defined by both the IPA (Institute of Practitioners in Advertising UK) and the ACA (The Association of Communications Agencies SA).  Mazole Holdings is a South African company owned 51% by Dan Moyane and 49% by Johanna McDowell. The IAS is a level 2 BEE contributor.

The 3rd Mercedes-Benz Bokeh South Africa International Fashion Film Festival that wowed guests earlier this year in Cape Town presented an insightful teaser to the Gauteng media and fans at their 101 Event on 09 November at the SunshineCo Studio, Johannesburg. The event featured a premier selection of the best new fashion film submissions received thus far for the 2017 festival! 

Selvin Govender, Marketing Director, Mercedes-Benz Cars commented, “The Mercedes-Benz Bokeh South Africa International Fashion Film Festival is now in its third year with the festival bringing some of the most awe-inspiring and creative talents in the world of fashion film to both local and international audiences, who have come to expect excellence in the arts.  Our local and international directors produce extremely powerful collections that reflect the epitome of beauty and the ultimate in fashion, which portrays a lifestyle of modern luxury.” 

Commenting further, he says, “Mercedes-Benz is at the pinnacle of automotive technology, and we take the opportunity to present our latest range of fascinating models in a style that is both creative and innovative. At this year’s main event we showcased our latest creations to delight our glamorous audiences.  We also attracted a greater contingent of celebrities and artists for an entertaining event.” 

The exclusive 101 Event introduced Jacques Le Grange’s new couture range to Johannesburg. The collection in shades of gold couture fabrics stood majestically on mannequins around a central plinth commanding the venue.

Bokeh Founder and Managing Director, Adrian Lazarus, mentioned the South African Emerging Creative Talent Award for Bokeh 2017. This sought after category has allowed for young creatives, designers and budding fashion film enthusiasts to submit their short film pitches for consideration in the 2017 Mercedes-Benz Bokeh South Africa International Fashion Film Festival. The chosen 10 finalists have had the opportunity to shoot their films with assistance from Bokeh. 

The Mercedes-Benz Bokeh South Africa International Fashion Film Festival is excited to reaffirm their partnership with the Sunshine Co, who have supplied an extensive production package that helped standardise and assist the finalists with their shoots.  “We are delighted to partner with such an exclusive platform such as Bokeh, and have loved assisting the Emerging Creative Talent Finalists to realise their fashion films, by providing professional film equipment and expertise.” says Clement Matthews, Managing Director of the Sunshine Co. 

The festival is also proud to announce a new relationship this year with Fuji who have supplied the finalists with new 4K XT2 Cameras. All the films in this category have been shot on this 4K platform, delivering high quality UHD 4K video ready for broadcast. 

World-renowned MAC makeup will be mentored the teams and guided each shoot when it comes to makeup styling. Raine Tauber, global Senior Artist said, “We have been mentoring the finalists through a process of preperation and make-up design at a preprod meeting as well as providing one of our artists who assisted and advised on set during the actual shoot.” 

This hands-on approach has certainly helped to elevate the standard of creative makeup on the shoots. Contributing to their personal input, MAC South Africa will also be presenting the make up artist from the film with the best makeup, a winning prize of MAC makeup to the value of R15 000! 

DSTV’s new Fashion One channel are also media partners of the event. "As the leading fashion channel across a multitude of platforms, as well as Channel 178 on DSTV, Fashion One strives to showcase the very best fashion and fashion films. As we have placed an emphasis on 4K video I am excited to see the new films created by the Emerging Creatives in 4K. The opportunity to perhaps broadcast a few of these films globally on our platforms will be a motivating factor in getting the creative teams to deliver relevant, entertaining and visually beautiful content. The relationship between Fashion One and the team at Bokeh has grown from strength to strength over the past three years and we are looking forward to the next chapter in 2017,” says Joanne Raphael Katz - African Bureau Chief of Fashion One. 

The winning film will receive R50 000 and will be announced at the 4th Mercedes-Benz Bokeh South Africa International Fashion Film Festival. 

The dates for Bokeh 2017 are 7th and 8th April at the Mercedes-Benz Dealership in Century City, Cape Town.