Two major events took place in the past 2 weeks. Here they are, in reverse order: 1. On Wednesday, the 3rd of February, Greyhound - the bus company that has been transporting people within South Africa, and cross border to and from neighbouring countries safely and reliably for the past 37 years - announced that it will be closing down on Valentine's Day - February the 14th. Announcement: Greyhound and Citiliner are closing operations. Services will run until 14 February 2021. Passengers with tickets booked for services after this date will be refunded. For assistance with refunds, contact Call Centre: 087 352...

The way most brands engage with black consumers is wrong, says a top PR man, who argues that agencies should invest more time in getting to understand their market and audience and less time in getting to know their clients.   [caption id="attachment_1660" align="alignnone" width="750"] Bonke Shipalana[/caption]     A prominent public relations practitioner has hit out at the brand communications industry, claiming few agencies really understand black people. In a frank discussion with the FM, Bonnke Shipalana, CEO of The Communications Firm, says: "The majority of South Africans were born in an era where their voices were restrained by the apartheid system. Unfortunately, after 24...

So I wrote to Tiger Brands and they replied. See below. To whom it may concern I recently saw your latest promo online where a consumer won R1000 because she produced an Ace Maize Meal packet to an "Ace Maize Meal agent". Great! No problem as we all like winning, cash as they say is king. What I find offensive is how that consumer, a lady, someone's mother, was made to dance (like in most commercials targeted at black consumers), like a brainless idiot. Is this how Tiger Brands sees its black consumers? What happened to "customer is king, in this case "Queen"?...

[vc_row row_type="row" use_row_as_full_screen_section="no" type="full_width" angled_section="no" text_align="left" background_image_as_pattern="without_pattern" css_animation=""][vc_column][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text]This article was first published on iol.co.za[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row row_type="row" use_row_as_full_screen_section="no" type="full_width" angled_section="no" text_align="left" background_image_as_pattern="without_pattern" css_animation=""][vc_column][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text] An open letter to SA’s black entrepreneurs [/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text]Dear black entrepreneurs. Why am I singling you out? Why not just entrepreneurs? My answers to these questions are to be found towards the end of this letter.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]You see a lot has been said in the past few years regarding race relations in our country. But for context, we shall talk about this year, 2016. We all flew in and got welcomed by one Penny Sparrow and friends. We all know what happened next.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]One of...