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Why Running Culture Has Become a Marketing Goldmine
Brands are constantly looking for ways to engage with communities that will prove fruitful for their investments. Venelize de Lange from media update examines why marathons have become one of the most marketable spaces in the modern event scene.
Stepping Into Stories at the RMB Latitudes Art Fair
All good campaigns start with a good story — and the RMB Latitudes Art Fair 2026 is no exception. Venelize de Lange from media update considers how storytelling informed this event's cultural resonance and audience reception.
Debating Our Way Out of Marketing Growth
Debating has become more of a performance than about understanding opposing perspectives — and marketing may be making a similar mistake. Venelize de Lange from media update considers how by comparing performance-driven debating to consumer-facing messaging.
Why Competitor Benchmarking Should Be Part of Every Marketing Strategy
Venelize de Lange from media update explores why competitor benchmarking is essential in the marketing industry and how leveraging competitor insights can help brands strengthen their position in an over-saturated marketplace.
From Filming a Scene to Cinema Screen: A Q&A With Annemarie du Plessis
When filming wraps-up and final edits are made, the Producer kicks into high-gear. Emma Mendes from media update chats with Producer, Annemarie du Plessis, about the integral role of production in cinema: guiding a film from post-production to the big screen, and marketing local stories for international audiences.
Identity is the Ceiling: A Q&A With Grant Sherwood
Venelize de Lange from media update chats with Grant Sherwood to understand how mindset is the key to driving business growth.
The Publicity Strategy Behind ASICS Conversation-Led Campaigns
Whether you're running, going to the gym or just doing your "hot girl" walk, fitness-focus activities have irrevocably become part of the cultural norm — and so too the conversations around them. Venelize de Lange from media update looks at how the performance shoe brand, ASICS, structures conversation-led publicity to create audience connection and engagement.
Refining The Story: A Q&A With Alastair Orr
As filmmaker tools and processes evolve, so too does the role of post-production — moving from a technical endpoint to one of narrative refinery and reinterpretation. Emma Mendes from media update chats with Alastair Orr, CEO of the Refinery about the central role of post-production in shaping and redefining a film’s identity.
The Rise of Algorithmic Sensationalism and What It Means for Trust
Sensationalism, clickbait — it's all media phenomena we know well to be aware of. But how exactly did algorithms and the development of AI influence these digital forms of manipulation? Venelize de Lange from media update takes a look.
Crisis in Real Time: The PR Training Mystery
Emma Mendes from media update dons her detective cap and lights up her wooden pipe to investigate what could arguably be the most intriguing publicity mystery of the decade: who really runs modern PR media training, and where are they hiding?
Realism is the New Black: A Q&A With Abdul-Ghakeem Samaai — Part Two
When a film reaches the post-production phase, it doesn't necessarily mean the story is complete. In fact, sometimes, it means the opposite: that the story now needs to be fully discovered. Emma Mendes from media update continues the conversation with Colourist Abdul-Ghakeem Samaai about how colour grading can reshape an already finished story.
From the Gym Floor to the Corporate Boardroom: A Q&A With Mannee De Wet — Part One
The wellness community is booming, and breaking into the fitness space — and staying there — is no easy feat. Venelize de Lange from media update spoke with Mannee De Wet from Planet Fitness about exactly how brands new to this industry can set out to succeed.
Cultural Change Requires Cultural Conversation
In South Africa, awareness campaigns are evolving beyond simply "spreading the word". Emma Mendes from media update attended the premiere of What About The Boys 2 to explore how storytelling, industry support and intervention programmes are being used to support education, prevention and long-term cultural change.
Die Kuns van Luister Sonder die Algoritmes: 'n V&A met Barnard Beukman
Vandag se medialandskap is geen vreemdeling wanneer dit kom by die hantering van verandering nie. Terwyl mediamense 'n oorheersing deur statistieke en algoritme-gedrewe inhoud in die gesig staar, is daar steeds redaksionele stemme wat ons weer verbind met die ware betekenis van media. Kiara Ferreira van media update gesels met Barnard Beukman, Redakteur van Die Papier.
Raising a Nostalgic Youth — The Editor's Note
From vintage aesthetics to classic sitcom reruns, nostalgia is constantly shaping youth culture. Venelize de Lange from media update considers why so many young people are romanticising a pre-digital life.
Localising Easter Campaigns — How to Balance Faith and Commercialisation in the South African Market
Venelize de Lange from media update looks at how South African brands can effectively localise Easter campaigns to build engagement and avoid public missteps.
The PR Value of Live Events in a Screen-First World
Venelize de Lange from media update breaks down how live events have become hybrid media moments, blending in-person experience with digital amplification and data-driven evaluation.
Why Your Brain Still Craves Print Media
When was the last time you sat down and read something without a notification interrupting you? Venelize de Lange from media update looks at the science behind print media's appeal in a world of distracting screens.
Why "Good News" Still Wins Audiences: A Q&A With Tyler Vivier
Venelize de Lange from media update spoke to Tyler Vivier about the role of positive storytelling and how it holds its place in media.
How to Prove Sponsorship ROI in Multi-Platform Media
Wondering if your sponsorship is worth the investment? Venelize de Lange from media update unpacks how brands can measure ROI through clear KPIs and cross-channel media monitoring.
Creating Meaningful Consumer Connections — A Q&A With Murat Gebeceli
media update's Venelize de Lange talks to Murat Gebeceli about how cross-functional intelligence — from retail performance to partner feedback — is used to guide marketing decisions and improve execution across Sony's diverse MEA markets.
Stories That Matter: At the Heart of Easter — The Editor's Note
Easter is easily perceived as the yearly opportunity to indulge in chocolate eggs, public holidays and family time — but how many of us are aware of Easter's true significance? As we celebrate the year's dedicated time of reflection, renewal and meaning, Kiara Ferreira from media update explores what Easter represents for the media industry.
Why Humour Hits Home in South African Media
Venelize de Lange from media update considers what role humour plays in South African media by looking at Helen Zille's mayoral campaign for Johannesburg, as well as the recent localised advertisement of WeBuyCars.
From the Gym Floor to the Corporate Boardroom: A Q&A With Mannee De Wet — Part Two
Workplace wellness is becoming a key driver of business performance. In part two of this Q&A, Venelize de Lange from media update continues her conversation with Mannee De Wet from Planet Fitness, looking at how companies can effectively integrate movement into the workday and practically use data to build results-driven wellness strategies.
To Rebrand or Not to Rebrand? The Strategy Behind the Decision
Venelize de Lange from media update unpacks the strategic considerations behind rebranding, helping brands determine when change is necessary and how to evolve without losing their identity.
Inside the Art of Listening Without Algorithms: A Q&A With Barnard Beukman
Today's media landscape is no stranger to accommodating immediate change. While media professionals face an increasing dominance by metrics and algorithm-driven content, there still remain editorial voices that reconnect us with the true meaning of media. Kiara Ferreira from media update speaks with Barnard Beukman, Editor of South Africa's new print publication, Die Papier.
Realism is the New Black: A Q&A With Abdul-Ghakeem Samaai — Part One
Realism in film doesn't just happen on set — it's reinterpreted and refined in post-production. Emma Mendes from media update talks to Colourist, Abdul-Ghakeem Samaai about how colour grading shapes authentic storytelling, influences mood, perception, and the overall way audiences connect with a film.
The Easter Hunt Might Have Ended, But Your Campaign Strategy Is Just Starting
Venelize de Lange from media update takes a look at Easter campaigns in 2026 and how these campaigns can benefit from post-campaign insights, showing why they are essential in helping publicists evaluate campaign success and strengthen future strategy.
As Gerety Awards jury sessions begin across 15 cities worldwide, the global creative industry turns its attention to the 2026 shortlist announcement and the return of the acclaimed Gerety VIP Diamond BBQ in Cannes with Tantor Films.
The World Out of Home Organization (WOO) has announced the award winners for Individuals, Digital, Classic and Special Build Creative, Sustainability and Technical Innovation, at its annual Global Congress in London on 4 June.
H&M South Africa has built on its support for gender equality and youth empowerment with a R1-million donation to non-profit organisation Star for Life.
June marks one of the most significant months on South Africa's calendar. As the country commemorates Youth Month and reflects on the 50th anniversary of the 1976 Soweto Uprising, Exclusive Books has invited readers to engage with stories that explore courage, identity, resilience and change.
Transpharm has concluded its first intake of unemployed youth into the Shoprite Group's Retail Readiness Programme (RRP), which kicked off in March.
eNCA and eNUUS have received five honours in one week, with recognition across the National Press Club Awards and the Future of Leadership Awards affirming the strength of the two news brands across journalism, public service and social impact.
Education non-profit Good Work Foundation (GWF) has announced its new Dixie digital learning campus taking shape in remote northern Mpumalanga, benefiting hundreds of rural learners and school-leavers with digital and work-readiness skills.
It's tempting to think that the more rewards there are to choose from, the better. Behavioural science says that's not true. The days of rewards catalogues and warehouses are well and truly behind us, says Natasha Olivier, Senior Product Manager at GET Rewards.
As digital disruption reshapes how brands connect with audiences, AAA School of Advertising has responded with a landmark qualification: the Master of Digital Marketing, the first master's degree specialising in digital marketing in South Africa.
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