CGL Head Coach Wandile Gwavu inspiring coaches at the Gauteng KFC Mini-Cricket Provincial Seminar

 

Imperial Lions coach Wandile Gwavu knows all about the importance of KFC Mini-Cricket.

He started his cricket career as a Mini-Cricket player and has gone through the ranks as a junior coach, a Gauteng U19 coach for successful team in the Coca-Cola Khaya Majola weeks. Now he has progressed all the way to coaching a very powerful Central Gauteng Lions squad.

He speaks to the coaches about his journey and he encourages the coaches by telling them that the sky is the limit.

Wandile has been in their position and through education, hard work and dedication he has reached his current position for the Central Gauteng Lions.

He knows that without the many coaches in the KFC Mini-Cricket program he will not have all the players that he currently has. Even his new crop of players like SA U19 captain Bryce Parsons started playing cricket through KFC Mini-Cricket.

Wandile gives the coaches some basic advice to motivate them to continue to coach the kids and to continue with their programs. He also tells them that they need to look at the cricketer as an individual and grow the individual and not just focus on the sport.

Following a long hiatus brought about by the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, KFC and Cricket South Africa (CSA) are getting ready to launch the new cricket season by hosting virtual KFC Mini-Cricket Provincial Seminars throughout the month of October, across the 16 Provincial Unions.

The annual KFC Mini-Cricket Provincial Seminars are an important part of planning for the season ahead and the virtual environment will lay the foundation for the return of play once government gives the go ahead, hopefully early in the new year.

CSA’s Mass Participation Coordinator, Buhle Motshegoa, speaks about what Cricket South Africa's plans are for the new season. She sets the standard that is expected from all of the regions and from the nation as a whole.

Cricket South Africa would like the country to play 80 000 matches from when school starts in January until the easter Holidays in April. On the 20th February KFC and Cricket South Africa would like over 5000 matches to be played over the country.

It is time for the kids to get active again.

KFC CSI Manager, Andra Ferreira Nel, congratulated the unsung heroes of the program, that is the coaches, for the amazing work that they have done in the past seasons and asks them to send through their human interest stories so that the nation can see what they do to help kids all over the country.

The KFC Mini-Cricket programme introduces children to the game and is one of South Africa’s biggest grassroot sports development programmes. It is critical foundation stage in the development of South Africa’s future cricketing heroes and is the first phase in CSA’s ‘pipeline to the Proteas’.

Links to find out more about the KFC Mini-Cricket Program

www.kfc.co.za

www.cricket.co.za

 

CGL captain, Protera Women's player and teacher Yolani Fourie KFC Mini-Cricket Provincial Seminar

 

Central Gauteng Lions women’s captain, Proteas player and teacher Yolani Fourie talks to Dalin Oliver about her cricket career at the Gauteng KFC Mini-Cricket provincial seminar. Central Gauteng Lions women’s captain, Proteas player and teacher Yolani Fourie talks to Dalin Oliver about her cricket career and women's cricket

Yolani Fourie talks at the KFC Mini-Cricket Seminar about how she has dealt with the lockdown, how she has started playing cricket again as a Protea player, a Gauteng Lions player and as a school coach.

She started playing cricket with her brothers and she played Mini-Cricket but cricket was not that big for girls when she was young and she is happy to see that, through KFC Mini-Cricket, there are a lot more girls playing cricket.

Yolani talks about playing cricket in the subcontinent and playing in front of large crowds. She also talks about being a spinner and bowling in the subcontinent.

Since she started playing cricket, women’s cricket has grown hugely and now she is beginning to see more interest from sponsors. Unfortunately she is getting closer to retiring so she will not be there when women’s cricket get real benefits from the sponsorship.

Following a long hiatus brought about by the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, KFC and Cricket South Africa (CSA) are getting ready to launch the new cricket season by hosting virtual KFC Mini-Cricket Provincial Seminars throughout the month of October, across the 16 Provincial Unions.

The annual KFC Mini-Cricket Provincial Seminars are an important part of planning for the season ahead and the virtual environment will lay the foundation for the return of play once government gives the go ahead, hopefully early in the new year.

CSA’s Mass Participation Coordinator, Buhle Motshegoa, speaks about what Cricket South Africa's plans are for the new season. She sets the standard that is expected from all of the regions and from the nation as a whole.

Cricket South Africa would like the country to play 80 000 matches from when school starts in January until the easter Holidays in April. On the 20th February KFC and Cricket South Africa would like over 5000 matches to be played over the country.

It is time for the kids to get active again.

KFC CSI Manager, Andra Ferreira Nel, congratulated the unsung heroes of the program, that is the coaches, for the amazing work that they have done in the past seasons and asks them to send through their human interest stories so that the nation can see what they do to help kids all over the country.

The KFC Mini-Cricket programme introduces children to the game and is one of South Africa’s biggest grassroot sports development programmes. It is critical foundation stage in the development of South Africa’s future cricketing heroes and is the first phase in CSA’s ‘pipeline to the Proteas’.

 

Coaching youth football the Sporting way - JB Braga

 

Joao Figueiredo Braga Bachelor in Sports and PE Lusófona Management of Sports Organisations and Clubs – Johan Cruyff Excellence Course - Royal Netherlands C License – Scottish FA Sports and Physical Education Monitor – CEFAD – Xistarca Level 2 referee Course – SAFA and more Sporting Lisbon youth coach based in South Africa. He spoke about youth development, coaching techniques, age appropriate coaching, coping during lockdown and how to deal with passionate parents. School sport around the world has changed overnight due to the coronavirus and has become more efficient and focused to allow all kids not matter their ability to express themselves the best that they can be on the sporting field. As a coach you need to stay ahead of the curve and keep yourself updated with all the new training tips and methodologies. We enable you to do this through our fortnightly webinars with a generic focus on sport.

Good Nutrition for good immunity - Dietitian Lila Bruk

 

Lila Bruk BSC in Molecular and Cell Biology (UCT) BSC Medical (Honours) in Nutrition and Dietetics (UCT) Masters in Nutritional Sciences (Stellenbosch) Manuka Translational Genomics EatFit FODMAP approved dietitian SAMLA Certificate in Foundations of Medico-Legal Practice National Nutrition and National Obesity Week 2020 - Speaker organized by DanUp with a focus on assisting coaches from all over the world with nutrition programs for their kids. "Good Nutrition for good immunity" She spoke about about nutrition and what children, coaches and parents can do to get a basic cost effective nutrition plan for kids. School sport around the world has changed overnight due to the coronavirus and has become more efficient and focused to allow all kids not matter their ability to express themselves the best that they can be on the sporting field. As a coach you need to stay ahead of the curve and keep yourself updated with all the new training tips and methodologies. We enable you to do this through our fortnightly webinars with a generic focus on sport.

www.lilabruk.co.za

join our webinars at www.intunecom.co.za

Taking a holistic approach to education through rugby Bhubesi Pride Foundation - Richard Bennett

 

School sport around the world has changed overnight due to the coronavirus and has become more efficient and focused to allow all kids not matter their ability to express themselves the best that they can be on the sporting field. As a coach you need to stay ahead of the curve and keep yourself updated with all the new training tips and methodologies. We enable you to do this through our fortnightly webinars with a generic focus on sport. This weekend we are going to focus on rugby. Richard Bennett - UK MD at Bhubesi Pride Foundation - taking rugby into Africa He will talk about the opportunities to grow rugby in Africa. How do you get into places where people don't have a exposure to a certain sport and how to add education as part of your coaching strategy. https://bpfafrica.org/

Follow our webinars at www.intunecom.co.za

Springbok prop Richard Bands talks about opportunities in rugby and how to coach scrums

 

School sport around the world has changed overnight due to the coronavirus and has become more efficient and focused to allow all kids not matter their ability to express themselves the best that they can be on the sporting field. As a coach you need to stay ahead of the curve and keep yourself updated with all the new training tips and methodologies. We enable you to do this through our fortnightly webinars with a generic focus on sport. This weekend we focused on rugby. Richard Bands Springbok Rugby player and now a coach at Tuks The year seems like it has been a disaster for school leavers but it is not. There is still a way to get into professional rugby and have a successful career. He also spoke about a holistic coaching strategy and issues that he has with the way that school coaches coach scrums

Join our webinars at www.intunecom.co.za

Sports Opens Doors for young female athletes - Libbie Janse van Rensburg

 

School sport around the world has changed overnight due to the coronavirus and has become more efficient and focused to allow all kids not matter their ability to express themselves the best that they can be on the sporting field. As a coach you need to stay ahead of the curve and keep yourself updated with all the new training tips and methodologies. We enable you to do this through our fortnightly webinars with a generic focus on sport. This weekend we are going to focus on rugby. Libbie Janse van Rensburg Tuks Womens Rugby Club Program coordinator and Athlete. She will talk about Women's Rugby opening doors for young female athletes allowing young girls to study, play competitive rugby and see the world

Join our webinars at www.intunecom.co.za

Meet Wild Bean Café Design-A-Cup Winners – There’s a Mzansi story in every cup!

 

We have all heard the saying ‘Like a Phoenix rises from the ashes’ this year’s Wild bean Café Design-A-Cup winners creatively brought to life the spirit of Mzansi on a cup, amid the COVID-19 pandemic.   

Themed ‘A Story in Every Cup,’ the competition attracted over 300 entries across 16 tertiary institutions nationally.  Visual arts students had the opportunity to draw inspiration from the top 5 Mzansi stories announced earlier this year. These stories encapsulated themes only Mzansi could offer.

After much deliberation, the winning designs have been selected and we are excited to announce our top three winners! But first, let’s look back at the journey that culminated Wild Bean Café’s ‘A Story in Every Cup’ campaign.

The first phase of the competition gave South Africans an opportunity to tell their unique stories about what they love most about Mzansi. According to Danielle Croza, Head of Wild Bean Café South Africa “The competition was launched in 2019 and this year we have gone double 'espresso' by introducing the first phase aimed at bringing more life and excitement to the campaign through A STORY IN EVERY CUP. There is so much goodness in Mzansi and we wanted to give South Africans a platform to  express their love and passion for Mzansi in their own unique way.”

Each of the top five winning storytellers received a bean-tastic Wild Bean Café hamper consisting of a coffee machine, a supply of Wild Bean Café coffee beans and a R2000 bp shopping voucher.

The official winner announcement was hosted virtually on bpSA’s Facebook page on Friday 4 September, and has recorded an overwhelming response of  over 243K views in three days.

The winners of the 2020 Wild Bean Café Design-A-Cup Competition were announced as follows!

In first place is an ambitious young man from the North West University, Kabelo Diphoko ,who walks away with a cash prize of R100 000 towards his tuition fees plus an all-expenses paid coffee experience for two in Tanzania.

Kabelo’s design took inspiration from Hope Moteane’s story, which highlights South Africa’s cultural diversity, through language and ethnicity. Winning the competition has had a great impact on Kabelo’s life. “I was worried about how I would pay for my third and final year at university and this is an answer to my prayers,” said an elated Kabelo.

In second place, is  20 year old Gayla Raff, from the University of Johannesburg who won a 13 -inch MacBook Pro alongside a one-year Adobe CC license. Also inspired by Hope Moteane’s story, Gayla’s design showcases vibrant colours, with a multitude of textures that illustrate Mzansi’s cultural diversity. 

“Take every opportunity that comes your way, if you fail you learn and if you succeed you reap the rewards, says Gayla with great excitement.

 In third place is Ashton Heldsinger, a final year student at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology. For her design she chose Chantel August’s Mzansi story with the theme of evolution in music, from traditional African beats to modern sounds. How amazing that this coincides with the trending 'Jerusalema' hit song and dance routine, which has taken the world by storm and put South Africa on the global map. Ashton walks away with a 13- inch MacBook Pro.

 “I included South African traditional music instruments to the latest DJ mix music. I also brought in dance from the traditional dances to pantsula and the Amapiano genre. This resonates with me and my love for SA music -plus no one can beat our dancing.” Says Ashton

 A big congratulations to our winners on creating remarkable and eye-catching designs which will be featured at more than 200 Wild Bean Café stores across the country for the next six months. "A huge thank you to all our storytellers and designers who entered the competition. We’ll see you next year with yet another exciting edition of Design-A-Cup competition as Wild Bean Café celebrates 20 years of serving delicious coffee to Mzansi," concludes Danielle Croza.

We invite you to view the winner announcement video here https://www.facebook.com/BPinSouthAfrica/videos/752731668912133, leave a comment and share on your platforms in celebration of Mzansi's young talent.

Set up a 5 year plan and how do you measure if you have achieve your goals - Ricardo Katza

Ricardo talks about how he created a 5 year plan, how he measures it and how he adjusts the plan on a year to year basis as he reaches his goals. Ricardo Katza is a Bafana Bafana player who played for many clubs including Supersport United has gone back to coach school football at a rugby crazy school like Grey College. This is the sixth of our series of school sport and where is it going. School sport is unlikely to resume before 2021. But where does this leave our school sports coaches! Intune Communications, together with a host of scientists, nutritionists, psychologists and coaches, will be putting together a series of webinars on SCHOOL SPORTS AND WHERE IT IS GOING over the next few months and we invite you to join us in these FREE sessions.  

To find out more about our coaches and to book them contact us at

https://pages.services/pr.intunecom.co.za/webinar-series-special-offers/

 

How do you prepare your players to get back into sport after the Coronavirus - Zanele Mdodana HD

 

Zanele speaks about how she is getting her ladies ready for the new season and the problems she is facing with getting them ready and that she has had to deal with during the coronavirus. Zanele Mdodana is a South African International Netball player and captain and now the coach of a very successful Maties side. This is the sixth of our series of school sport and where is it going. School sport is unlikely to resume before 2021. But where does this leave our school sports coaches! Intune Communications, together with a host of scientists, nutritionists, psychologists and coaches, will be putting together a series of webinars on SCHOOL SPORTS AND WHERE IT IS GOING over the next few months and we invite you to join us in these FREE sessions. To find out more about our coaches and to book them contact us at

https://pages.services/pr.intunecom.co.za/webinar-series-special-offers/

School Sports and Where is it now Episode 3

 

School Sports and Where is it Going Webinar 2 replays

This is the second of our series of school sport and where is it going.

School sport is unlikely to resume before 2021. But where does this leave our school sports coaches!

Intune Communications, together with a host of scientists, nutritionists, psychologists and coaches, will be putting together a series of webinars on SCHOOL SPORTS AND WHERE IT IS GOING over the next few months and we invite you to join us in these FREE sessions.

Claire Terblanche Proteas woman player and coach of the Western Province Woman's side spoke about the following topics

• Long-Term player development and how it relates to  a continued pipeline from 6 – 18 and the impact it has moving to senior sport
• Long-Term coaching development
• Parent Involvement and how to do it successfully
• Girls Cricket Development – getting kids involved
• Organising coaching forums and the benefits
• Valid police clearances

Muhammad Maneeb Ali (M.s.c Physical Education and Sports Science, Government College University, Lahore, Pakistan)

Sports ambassador of Pakistan.

Presented a lecture on “the Methodology of Scientific Coaching in Sports”.

Hannes Nienaber Owner of School Rugby and School of Cricket websites and Director at DigiCampus talks about the importance of media and what DigiCampus has to offer.

To find out more about our coaches and to book them contact us at https://pages.services/pr.intunecom.co.za/webinar-series-25-july-2020/

To buy the books that we are promoting contact us at: https://pages.services/pr.intunecom.co.za/webinar-series-25-july-2020/

Free Webinar for the 25th July School Sport and where is it going

School Sport and Where Is It Going Webinar 11 July 2020

This is the first of our series of school sport and where is it going.

School sport is unlikely to resume before 2021. But where does this leave our school sports coaches!

Intune Communications, together with a host of scientists, nutritionists, psychologists and coaches, will be putting together a series of webinars on SCHOOL SPORTS AND WHERE IT IS GOING over the next few months and we invite you to join us in these FREE sessions.

Shawn Belluigi talks about the roles and responsibilities of a coach.

Greg Hurvitz talks about the Art to the Science of Sport Coaching

Kassey Belluigi talks about Interview strategies and the importance of media in sport

Talk to our coaches here and links to the books that we have spoken about. https://pages.services/pr.intunecom.co.za/webinar-series-special-offers/

If you want any additional details including specials contact us at https://pages.services/pr.intunecom.co.za/webinar-series-special-offers/

You can get Greg at his YouTube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOEeXl-pqZ8VvLdcJEqrQYw

To speak to Greg contact us at  https://pages.services/pr.intunecom.co.za/webinar-series-special-offers/

To find out more about our company contact us at www.intunecom.co.za

Intune Communications and Entertainment,School,Coaches,Media,roles and responsibilities of a coach.,coaching,Webinar,South Africa,Sport,Teachers,Professionals,positive,time,education

KFC COMMITS TO CONTINUED SUPPORT OF MINI CRICKET, T20 INTERNATIONALS AND THE PROTEAS

As South Africa continues to tap into our resilience as a nation during this challenging period, KFC and Cricket South Africa (CSA) are thrilled to announce the renewal of their partnership to keep the Protea fire burning by investing in the sport of cricket. The renewal of the formidable partnership that started just over a decade ago sees KFC retain its position as the title sponsor of the T20 internationals with CSA, official partner to the Proteas and official sponsor of the flagship, KFC Mini-Cricket programme.

While the COVID-19 pandemic crisis continues to redefine life as we know it; South Africans will also face the socio-economic challenges that will come as a result of it. Amidst such uncertainty, KFC acknowledges its role as a pillar of the South African sporting community by showing unwavering support of South African Cricket, a sport that continues to unite us all.

“KFC believes sport is a great catalyst to truly unite and give hope. As a brand that operates in communities all over SA and one that is passionate about investing in those communities, it is paramount that we are part of the solution,” said Dhruv Kaul, Chief Marketing Officer of KFC South Africa.  

“We are aware, more than ever, that sport also remains a major contributor to economic and social development in this beautiful country. We continue to be proud of the partnership with one of South Africa’s most loved sports. In this next chapter, we look forward to continuing the growth of one of the biggest sporting grassroots development programmes, partnering with our Proteas team and their fans at T20 International matches and supporting national cricket at the highest level,” concludes Kaul.

“CSA is delighted about this decision by KFC and we are excited for the sport of cricket and its development that this strategic partnership with KFC is being extended. We are particularly excited that our continued association with a strong brand like KFC will further advance the game of cricket and help to unearth new talent for the overall purpose of ensuring the sustainability of our cricket pipeline structures”, said Jacques Faul, Acting Chief Executive Office for Cricket South Africa.

The renewed partnership will be for five years and three years, respectively. KFC will also continue being the Protea’s Official Restaurant for the next five years.

KFC ends off the 2019/20 KFC Mini-Cricket season on a high note

As the curtain closes on yet another action-packed KFC Mini-Cricket season, KFC takes this time to reflect on the key moments that continue to set the grassroot programme apart. Whether it’s the dedicated mini-cricketers batting and bowling at a Provincial festival held in Umtata or Benoni, or the heart-warming moments of watching new friendships being made on the pitch, one appreciates the time to look back on what truly makes the programme a home for kids to learn and grow in the best way possible. This reflection comes with an even greater milestone of KFC marking an incredible 10-year partnership with Cricket South Africa (CSA) this season.

The 2019/20 season saw the KFC Mini-Cricket programme grow in leaps and bounds. The season saw 126 642 kids playing the beautiful game of cricket with an additional 122 schools across the country joining the programme. This phenomenal trajectory can also be attributed to the great work being done by the 13 673 passionate KFC Mini-Cricket volunteer coaches. Furthermore, there was an increase of games played, with over 60 000 matches taking place throughout the season.

“When our partnership with CSA began over 10 years ago, we had a clear vision of getting even more kids active across the country through the KFC Mini-Cricket programme. Together with CSA, we believe we have delivered on this mandate. The hard work continues as we continue efforts of growing the world class programme that impacts South African children. The incredible dedication of our volunteer coaches and coordinators has been an incredible driving force, with their selfless commitment and passion and fun being added to the game every day,” says Andra Nel, KFC Corporate Social Responsibility Manager.

The impact of the programme is a true reflection of the extraordinary contribution it brings. Not only does it teach life skills and the value of dreams and aspirations but KFC and CSA continue to invest greatly in improving the quality of cricket for the kids by implementing skills development programmes for the volunteer coaches and coordinators through its coaching courses, using provincial and regional seminars across the 16 unions as a platform to educate and motivate the key role players and continuing to find ways to assist more schools gain access to the sport.

“It is indeed part of Cricket South Africa’s vision to make cricket a truly national sport that is accessible to all and that is what makes our partnership with KFC such an important one through our KFC Mini-Cricket program,” says CSA CEO Jacques Faul.

“The success of the Mini-Cricket initiative continues to make a massive contribution to the growth of our game and particularly for those who do not have the benefit of attending one of our leading cricketing schools. These have been really heart-warming projects that have contributed immensely to our pipeline.”

With the new season planning  underway, even as the COVID-19  global pandemic impacts schools and communities across the country, KFC and CSA will continue to engage with relevant officials and associations to make sure the KFC Mini-Cricket kids and coaches will have an opportunity to get on the pitch to play the game we all love so much as soon as it is safe to do so.

Ways to build trust that are worth considering for any type of business.

Building trust with your clients is often ignored or does not fall part of a marketing or PR strategy. The customer is often forgotten in a business's marketing and PR strategy by looking at new sales without considering what your current clients can do for you. 

When you ignore your customer you lose their trust. If you lose their trust you can lose your client and they will go to one of your competitors. 

Here are some easy ways to keep your clients trust and easy ways of attracting new clients to your business by building on the relationships that you have with your current clients.

• Collect testimonials and reviews. People trust people. People like to see the opinions from others on the quality of service that they have received before they make a decision on a service or product. A recent study indicates that the average consumer reads 10 online reviews before making a purchasing decision. In the retail and consumer world, reviews can be found online. In the B2B space, there may be product reviews or even testimonial on the company’s website or Facebook page. However these are chosen testimonials or edited ones so they can be biased. Video has become important because people can hear and see a customer talk about a product on video is a turbo-charged testimonial.

• Get quoted in an article. Even a one-line quote in a large article can be powerful when used the right way. You can even send articles to online publications on various topics that your company is an expert in and show how well you know your product of service.

• Business credentials reinforce your brand’s expertise.  Even displaying the number of years you’ve been in business can help add to the trustworthiness of your organisation.

• Exploit the wisdom of your colleagues, friends and family. This is also called “word of mouth” marketing and it’s perhaps the most credible type of marketing you can have. It consists of referrals from people you know and trust. Studies have proven that recommendations from people you know are exponentially more powerful than traditional advertising and marketing.

Henno Kruger from Running Wolf Rant talks about how he sees the music scene changing after the Coronavirus

We interviewed photographer, influencer and blogger Henno Kruger owner of http://rwrant.co.za/ about the music scene. Henno is passionate about music and can often been seen at a music event taking photos for the musicians and for his blog. Henno is very much a behind the scenes guy that likes to highlight the brilliance of South African musicians.

Tell us about yourself and how did you get involved in the music industry and why you are so interested in music.

I've always been a fan of live music shows. I think the first show I went to was a Koos Kombuis show at a place called Navigator's Ladies Bar (that used to be across the road from the Reserve Bank in Pretoria). Since then I've always made an effort to watch bands / artists live at pubs / clubs. I watched James & Smashing Pumpkins live in 2000 (at Supersport Park in Centurion) - 43,000 people attended to show - After that I was hooked. I just had to get my fix on a regular basis. Sadly I missed all of the Cokefests (because I wasn't earning that much before 2010), but I did manage to catch live shows and make my way to Oppikoppi annually (I ended up going to 20 of them in total). 

From 2011 things changed significantly though (thanks to my blog and me re-disovering my love for photography). I started posting festival reviews and photos on a regular basis and starting mingling with artists and organizers at shows and festivals on a regular basis. Because people were reading my blog and checking out my photos and I became part of the SA Music family (which is actually smaller than people think it is, but it's a fun group of like-minded peeps).

Why did you start your blog?

Back in 2008 I was doing a lot of chatting online (as one used to do). I got very opinionated about a subject in a chat with a girl (who I haven't met till this day). She kept on telling me that I had a lot to tell the world and that I should explore options to do it. She suggested that I start a blog. I was not keen to do it, but I gave it a shot. 

I started using Blogger (*puke*) and tried Wordpress.com (which was not too bad, but still didn't give me the control that I wanted) and eventually settled on buying my domain and installing Wordpress to start Running Wolf's Rant. RunningWolf was my nickname on IRC and I liked to rant (I got that idea for the Rant & Rave section in Top 40 magazine). I degress, but I actually got one of my letters published in that section when I was still in high school (my psuedonym was "Kurt Grungehead").

In 2009 my site was featured on 5FM and I posted my first Oppikoppi review and it got a little traction, I realized that people liked to read my rants and reviews and I decided to post more regularly, that just increased from 2010 onwards (especially after I started tweeting - a lot). I've deleted some posts, but I currently have more than 2900 posts on the site :D

What were the trends that you saw before the lockdown?

The industry was pretty stable before lockdown (despite some ups and downs and a dwindling SA economy). Rock bounced back with RAMFest 2020 in Pretoria (which I luckily attended before the lockdown). Awesome shows were lined up for April & May. My girlfriend and I were actually planning to go to STRAB (in Mozambique). 2020 was going to be a great year for SA Music.

Just before lockdown I saw that a lot of live music venues were limiting capacity, live venues were closing (like Mercury in Cape Town), festivals and concerts were getting postponed and cancelled. I don't work in the music industry full time, but I'm actively involved with it at times. I know a lot of people that are part of it (bands, artists, photographers, organizers and venue owners, etc.). It was actually heart-breaking seeing all of this happening. I've seen many folks build up a band / brand / following / venue / festival from scratch and the prospect of them not being able to engage, work or build the industry is just unfair / sad / concerning / scary. Negativity doesn't belong in the SA Music Scene.

What are the trends that you see during the lockdown?

Performances in living rooms or lapas that are being streamed on different platforms (with musos asking for tips for themselves or venues), Zoom parties (with bands / artists / DJs asking for tips and people drinking home brews or the horrible whiskey they got for Christmas in 2014), Music Quiz Nights hosted by musicians, bloggers (like yours truly) promoting new music from artists & their online shows. There has definitely been a surge in people consuming video content online. Platforms like Netlfix and Showmax have broken streaming records. The same goes for music streaming platforms like Spotify.

How do you see the industry changing after the lockdown?

It's going to change big time. Some things will still be the same, but a little different. Pubs and venues will limit their capacity and enforce social distancing. Festivals will get a lot smaller. There will be sanitising stations all over. I don't think we're going to see festivals with more than 2000 people in the near future. Tickets will be more expensive (because of limited capacity - venues pay artists thanks to ticket sales - less tickets sold, less money in). Crowdfunding is going to become even more popular amongst artist - most of them were already struggling before lockdown and won't have money to pay for studio time and tours when the lockdown is over. People will also get very picky about the shows they want to go to.

But, I don't think that the changes will  all be negative. Concerts / performances / festivals will sell tickets to stream their shows. That's a revenue stream that hasn't really been tapped into properly yet in my opinion - even though some people are getting gatvol of it during lockdown. The shows you go to will be a more intimate affair that will allow you to connect with performers (thanks to crowd reductions). 

What have you got in the pipeline for your blog?

I''m currently working on a SA Music Directory (which will link to articles about the artists / festivals / venues that I've featured on there). I'm also working on trimming old content that's not relevant any more.

Learning by living with a Gen Z youngster during lockdown

I’m hooked on marketing, PR in particular, and I love psychology (as a hobby). I often find myself looking at the behaviour of others and gauging where my next PR campaign will go. And so my lockdown time with my daughter, son-in-law and two beautiful grandchildren has been a lot of fun and learning!

I had to smile the other day when Alec, my young Gen Z 12 year-old grandson said to his mom:

“I want to make ice-cream.”

“You what?,” she answered with surprise as he hasn’t shown a particular interest in being in the kitchen in 12 years!

“I saw this guy on TikTok making Oreo Ice-cream and I want to try,” said the youngster

To cut a long story short, the most delicious ice-cream was made (by Alec himself as he didn’t want help at all as it would then not be authentic) and that started his kitchen antics. More ice-cream has been made, bread has been baked and a couple of more interesting recipes attempted.

Alec only just slots into Generation Z by a year or two (depending on which continent you are on or report you are reading) Gen Zs were born in the digital revolution. From the age of three Alec was asking us to google topics that he found interesting (he knew more about sharks, dinosaurs, volcanoes and space than we did!).

When he was asked, at three or four, what he wanted to be when he grew up, he thought for a while and came back saying he wants to be on the team that discovers how to take oxygen to Mars! He didn’t want to go himself (this after his little brother was a little perturbed at his travelling there), he just wanted to help find out how to live there.

As a typical Gen Z kid, he will be viewed by marketers as being born in the most diverse generation. School teaches them how to think as opposed to what to think, to prepare them for jobs that haven’t been invented yet. 

Covid-19 has been a breeze for him. He has slotted into home schooling quickly and naturally (often quicker than his educators). He can work on multiple screens and do multiple activities at the same time. He is already on his cellphone while his educator is helping someone else who seems to have a problem.

Working on computers comes naturally to Alec. Prior to lockdown he would come to our office and sort out problems that staff were having with their computers

Gen Z’s do not enjoy fake news at all I have noticed, and when they discover it is fake, it’s discarded in a flash. YouTube and TikTok are their key source-gathering platforms and influencers play a massive role in their lives, they even see themselves as influencers. Attention span is short and I have to admit I rarely see him watching movies on TV, in fact the TV often doesn’t get switched on at all.

What I see a lot of is online gaming with friends. Raucous laughing and even fighting. Gaming also turns them into young entrepreneurs – there is a lot of buying and selling and negotiating! There is nothing more satisfying for them than making a great deal.

Getting back to the cooking, I see the digital revolution as of particular interest to the way the Gen Z’s are approaching life. There is less fear and more creativity and experimenting through watching multichannels. While peer pressure has been problematic in previous generations, there is less of this in Gen Z. They are very well aware of the trolls that can stalk and terrorise them on digital media and they have learnt to stand up for themselves.

According to research conducted by Fractl, every generation has an almost equal number of similarities and differences regarding the consumption habits and preferences for digital and online content. With the Gen X, Y(Millenialls) getting older it is now time for marketers to look at the Gen Z and the Gen Alphas that are still young but coming up behind them

Khalid from Cricket Fanatics Magazine talks about how he had to change his company for the lockdown

Cricket Fanatics Magazine is a new website that talks about all things around fans for cricket. The Magazine had not been running for long before the coronavirus lockdown and Khalid needed to change his business and content schedule. As a sports magazine a lot of the content came from live events, one on one interviews and press conferences. This all came to a stop so Khalid needed to find other ways to generate content. He has been very successful and his Magazine has grown whilst he is stuck at home. Find him at https://cricketfanaticsmag.com/ https://www.facebook.com/cricketfanaticsmagazine/ https://twitter.com/cricfanaticsmag https://www.instagram.com/cricketfanaticsmag/ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxN-rFXO2mW0rZ2A-aNEUyA

Interview about the entertainment industry during the Coronavirus Lockdown with Timothy Moloi

Born and raised in Orlando, Soweto, Timothy grew up in a home filled with song. It was this love for music and his natural flair for infusing familiar and beloved standards with a new freshness that has made him a favourite with audiences throughout South Africa. With his smooth-as-velvet voice and masterful range, Timothy is truly one of South Africa’s most extraordinary talents. The artist has performed with the KwaZulu-Natal Philharmonic Orchestra, the Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra, the Cape Philharmonic Orchestra, the Eastern Cape Philharmonic, the Electric Pops Orchestra, the Johannesburg Festival Orchestra and the Soweto Gospel Choir. And that’s not even the half of it. Timothy Moloi performed the song ‘Hope’ at the opening ceremony of the FIFA 2010 World Cup at Soccer City to an estimated global audience of 500 million viewers! His double SAM- nominated debut album LOVE THAT MUSIC received critical acclaim and is available on iTunes. Television performances have included the MTN South African Music Awards, Miss South Africa, SABC3 JOBURG POPS, The SABC2/Sowetan Community Builder Of The Year Awards, the SA Rugby Awards and the MNET ‘Heroes Against Crime’ Awards, as well as several guest appearances on popular programs such as Morning Live, Expresso, Top Billing, Afro Cafe, Spirit Sundae, World Today, TML, E.tv Sunrise, Afternoon Express, Musiek Roulette And Noot Vir Noot.

Interview with Proteas Legend Temba Bavuma about his Foundation and the kids that he mentors

Temba Bavuma is better known for his cricketing ability but he is also very active in mentoring kids from underprivileged backgrounds in South Africa. He is giving them the opportunity to have a chance in life and take the world on as equals with the more affluent kids. His foundation is not only working on helping kids, it is also involved in building sporting facilities. Here is an interview that I did with Temba. For more information about his foundation go to https://www.facebook.com/TBF011/

Kassey chats to us about the latest research stats on streaming

2020 was always going to be the year that streaming was going to grow exponentially due to the launch of new channels like Disney Plus but now with the Coronavirus streaming has exploded. Kassey discusses the latest stats and marketing opportunities.

Is Influencer marketing the way to go?

Following our recent video, we have received inquiries asking for more information on influencer marketing and whether this is relevant during and after the Covid-19 times, and here is our experience and what we believe could well be the way forward.

At Intune we have used this strategy in many of our campaigns over the years, with quite a lot of success. When the strategy has not worked well, the learning has been that you need to be very careful when selecting who you use as your influencer. After all, that person will be advocating the brand that you have spent years building.

The clothing industry, particularly those organisations who use online sales channels, often use influencers. There are case studies showing multi-million dollar industries built on this strategy. The majority of companies dabble with the use of influencers when a situation arises – specials, an event, launching a brand etc.

Influencer marketing is relatively new and is evolving quickly. It is important to know that there are mandatory rules regarding the use of influencers and it is now required to include ’ “sponsored by” when posting and there is an organisation, the Advertising Code of Practice on Social Media’ - introducing rules and regulations that are constantly being updated.

When the strategy first emerged companies were using celebrities at enormous cost. They usually wrote the copy for them and it often came across as stilted and unauthentic. In the worst cases, the celebrities promoted the brand on its social platforms, but on their own platforms, in their own voices, they would be promoting a competitor.

We have come a long way since those days. In targeting the Millennial, or the snowflake generation we have learnt that they generally have a short attention span and get offended easily, so, ‘phoney’ advertising doesn’t go down well. Campaigns that worked at the time were quickly forgotten. There were a few posts and it was over. There was no longevity for the brand.

Enter the micro influencers. They may have fewer followers than the celebrities, but they tend to be seen as credible, authentic, experts in their particular fields with good reputations. While some celebrities can reach a far bigger audience, these marketers can directly reach a target market and align with regular people. They are able to build a strong bond with customers through impactful messaging and so they can create sales or build awareness of a brand, a campaign or a CSR programme.

There is very little to differentiate between the thousands of similar products in the marketplace and research has shown that consumers are too busy and don’t have time to research what is best for them or their family. So, their propensity is to purchase based on recommendations and this is where the influencer is valuable.

How to contract an influencer:

1.      Pick the influencer that is best for your brand. There are agencies that specifically place influencers, but they might not know your brand and they may suggest an unsuitable candidate. So, it’s best to meet the person first and to make sure that they tie in with your brand and your company ethos. 

2.      Be sure that the influencer knows your brand thoroughly and knows what is expected from them. The return on investment that you expect must be clear from the start. 

3.      The influencer must convey the brand message in his or her own style, using his or her unique tone. Let them write the copy themselves, with the brand team’s guidance.

4.      The online messaging coming from the influencer should be blended with the corporate posts that are shared by the organisation.

5.      A longer contract is best to entrench the brand message

6.      Have regular discussions with the influencers to keep them on board, keep them passionate about your brand and make them know that you value their support.

Over the years we have had some classic bloopers with influencers, so you need an excellent understanding of what does and doesn’t work.  We can laugh about it now, but it wasn’t funny at the time!

In comes Covid-19 – how will this affect influencers?

This is an interesting question and only time will tell. The Covid-19 pandemic has had a dramatic effect on global economies and many companies across the world will come out of this battle scarred and it is predicted that this could well mean the slashing of budgets – marketing and sponsorships could well be in the firing line. But this is where influencers could be valuable. 

Stats coming out in the last couple of weeks have seen an overwhelming increase in social media traffic and the length of time we spend on the different platform. We have seen into celebrity homes, heard how they are managing and noted their frustrations and fears are the same as ours. 

Brands that have used celebrities and other influencers in their Covid-19 messages have had incredible traction.  The World Health Organisation effectively used celebrities to promote sanitising, social distancing and the importance of lockdown.  Adidas is using David Beckham and family to promote exercising at home, Liverpool is using all their players and particularly their coach, Jurgen Klopp, to keep their fans updated and show empathy and support during this hard time.  This is merely a few. What we know is that the what the world needs now is empathy, compassion and unity.

We believe there is and will definitely be a place for influencers during and after lockdown.  Covid-19 is not going way!  Sanitising and social distancing will continue for a year or longer.  The world is not the same and brands will continue to use influencers to help drive the message of compassion and empathy.   

In conclusion, it is back to basics as marking teams wade through unchartered territory. There are no rules or worksheets on marketing in a pandemic. Consumers are online at the moment and they are spending more time there! There is a captive audience and brands need to contribute to the conversation. Using influencers/celebrities to be heard is a very good option.