With the Digital Landscape Marketer’s Masterclass less than a month away, the Independent Agency Selection (IAS) recommends that marketer’s book their seats now as this promises to be one for the books.

'The IAS is hosting the masterclass “Digital Landscape Overview - South Africa and Globally”, which will explain the variety of digital offerings available; unpack some comparisons internationally; and include insights from three digital “gurus”.

The Masterclass will be facilitated by Johanna McDowell, Managing Director of the Independent Agency Search and Selection Company (IAS).

Speakers include:  

• Prakash Patel, seasoned award-winning marketer, now MD for Fogg CT;
• Kevin Lourens, co-founder of NATIVE VML and currently Chief Growth Officer; 
• Shaune Jordaan, co-founder and former CEO of Saatchi & Saatchi Synergize and former managing director of Saatchi & Saatchi Pro and
• Cesar Vacchiano, President and CEO of SCOPE

The Masterclass will cover the following:

• The current digital landscape and groupings of digital agencies by specialty Assessing a digital agency capability Is conflict an issue in digital agencies?
• Why is this different from “creative” agencies?
• Digital transformation within global brands Challenges networks face from digital integration and disruption

• Case studies on:
• SEO – Search Engine Optimization CRM – Customer Relationship Management Business Transformation

Date: Monday 20 November 2017

Time: 14.00 pm – 17.00 pm (Registration at 13.30 pm)

Venue: IoD – Institute of Directors, Graystonridge Office Park, 144 Katherine Street, Sandton

Cost: R 2500,00 ex VAT per person.

Johanna McDowell, CEO and founder of the IAS says: “With the industry entrenched in a digital landscape, marketers are looking for agencies with creative, strategic and production capabilities.  The experience and insights that will be shared by the speakers will definitely add value to all the marketers facing a digital maze.”

Delegates are encouraged to contact Hlamazi Mabunda at the IAS on 010 594 0280 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for more information about the masterclass.

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 specializes 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.  Mazole focuses on building businesses in the marketing and communications space. 

The IAS is a level 2 BEE contributor.

IAS MASTERCLASS
FREE FOR SUBSCRIBING AGENCIES

PWC Entertainment and Media Outlook – 2017 – 2021

AdForum World Summit Feedback – Paris – Autumn Preview

SCOPEN agencyScope South Africa 2017 Highlights

Date: Tuesday 14 November 2017

Time: 14:00 pm – 17:00 pm (Registration at 13.30 pm)

Tea, Coffee and Soft Drinks will be served

Venue: IoD – Institute of Directors – 144 Katherine Street, Grayston Ridge Office Park, Sandton

Who should attend: CEOs, MDs and Senior Management across all agency departments

Masterclass with cover the following

• PWC Entertainment & Media Outlook – 2017 – 2021 – An African Perspective - In-depth analysis of the trends shaping the entertainment and media industry in South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana and Tanzania.  An interactive presentation with Vicki Myburgh, Entertainment and Media Leader PWC Southern Africa and Charles Stuart, Associate Director Entertainment and Media Practice
• Adforum World Summit Feedback – Paris – Autumn Preview – Highlights from meetings with  VCCP, Herezie, Madras, BETC, Serviceplan, You & Mr. Jones, Accenture, Havas and KBS Albion – Johanna McDowell (CEO IAS) and Cesar Vacchiano (CEO Scopen)
• SCOPEN agencyScope South Africa 2017 Highlights from the 2017 Research – Johanna McDowell and Cesar Vacchiano

These Masterclasses are available free to subscribing agencies and their staff. All names and titles of staff members must be registered with IAS before attendance is approved. There are no costs for any subscriber to attend the IAS Masterclasses.   For non-subscribers a once off cost of R3000,00 ex VAT per Agency attending will be applied.

Please confirm your attendance by Friday 3 November to Hlamazi Mabunda via email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 010 594 0280.

Should you wish to know more about becoming a subscriber to the IAS range of services to agencies, please be in contact with Nikki Munsie or Johanna McDowell on 010 594 0281

Speaker Profiles

• Vicky Myburgh Vicki has been with PwC – Price Waterhouse Coopers - for 24 years.   She is the South African Leader for PWC’s Entertainment and Media Practice and is a partner in the Assurance Practice.   The Entertainment and Media Outlook was born from her passion for the industry and the need to have more relevant South African and indeed African information to complement the global information that is available.  Charles Stuart Charles has been with PWC for 14 years.   He is an Associate Director in PWC’s Entertainment and Media Practice.   As a member of the editorial team since the inception of the Outlook, Charles has a keen interest in the trends shaping the dynamics of the Entertainment and Media industry.
• Johanna McDowell 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 entrepreneur at heart, 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.
• Cesar Vacchiano Cesar graduated from Madrid Complutense University in Economics and Tourism. After participating in several seminars in Business Administration and Management in USA (UCLA and YALE) he started working as a consultant.  In 1989 he joined Programas de Consulta, and worked for the WTO involved in UN Development Programs. He also worked to develop the National Parks of the Canary Islands.  In 1991, he decided to move to Ballester Consultants in Paris where he started working with French advertising agencies in consulting projects and total quality improvement.   He returned to Spain in 1993 where he started working in Grupo Consultores (now SCOPEN) where he developed the Research Department of the company. He became responsible for the AGENCY SCOPE, MEDIA SCOPE, SALARY SCOPE, TREND SCORE, DIGITAL SCOPE, PRODUCTION SCOPE and PR SCOPE across more than 20 markets.   SCOPEN is currently the leading consulting firm specialized in the communications industry with a deep research base. The company provides services to advertisers, agencies and the media.  Since 2009 he has been the President and CEO of the company and he is responsible for the international expansion of the Group. He has developed projects in many countries, and SCOPEN now has offices in Spain, Portugal, UK, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, China, India, Singapore and South Africa.

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.
www.agencyselection.co.za 

One month into the fieldwork for the 2017 edition of agency Scope, the bi annual study conducted by international research consultancy SCOPEN, indicates that agencies and clients are starting to realise the importance of the study in the South African market. 

With face-to-face interviews with marketers being conducted by six researchers across South Africa, and online surveys among agency professionals being conducted by SCOPEN analysts in Spain, the responses are looking very positive and significantly higher than in 2016, the test market for the study. 

So far, responses to the online survey have been recorded from 84 agency professionals in 57 creative agencies and 49 professionals in 22 media agencies.      

Face-to-face interviews with marketers are proceeding at a pace and the target of 240 completed questionnaires by the end of August is in sight.   

Comments Johanna McDowell, Director and Partner for SCOPEN Africa and CEO of the IAS (Independent Agency Search & Selection), “This study is hugely important and I am delighted to see that it is gaining the respect of the industry which we can see by the quality of responses to date.  The Scopen team – including our local researchers – are experts in their field and the data that will be produced will be exciting for the whole industry – including marketers.”  

Fieldwork is expected to be completed by end August and data will be analysed and assembled in Madrid during September and October, ready to be presented back to the South African agencies early in November 2017.   

Cesar Vacchiano, Global CEO for SCOPEN, “The South African industry data is important for local and international agencies and clients.  The comparisons we can draw across the 12 countries where agency Scope is conducted are vital in order to assess global trends and opportunities. WE are looking forward to seeing the results for 2017 and bearing in mind that the next study will only be in two years’ time in 2019, the results will be important guidelines and business blueprints for agencies over the next 18 months.”