Flume talk digital marketing on CNBC Africa
Posted on Mar 2, 2016
They’re only three years old, but Flume is making big strides in the digital marketing space. Founders of Flume, Jacques Du Bruyn and Ruan Oosthuizen recently sat down with CNBC Africa to chat about their business journey.
http://www.cnbcafrica.com/video/?bctid=4774886130001
A Thailand guide for noobs
Posted on Feb 19, 2016
For those who have never visited Thailand, it can be quite overwhelming trying to figure out where to begin in planning a trip. Rob Christian, all ’round rockstar and fellow team mate at CN&CO, has put together this handy Thailand guide for Contiki, which has featured on Travelstart’s website this past week.
Definitely worth checking out: http://www.travelstart.co.za/blog/thailand-island-hopping/
Testi-Monials encouraging men to talk balls – for their health
Posted on Feb 11, 2016
There are certain things men don’t like to talk about. Their favourite team losing, when they last cried during a movie, and – their balls.
Testicular cancer is one the most common cancer in young men aged 15 – 39, and affects males of all races. If monitored properly, the average survival rate after five years is around 95%, and stage 1 cancer cases have essentially a 100% survival rate. It’s for this reason that early detection and prompt action is vital.
But, how do you start the conversation and get men to feel comfortable talking about their balls and all things health related to their testes?
This was the challenge put to FCB Cape Town.
Their solution? Instead of getting men to talk about their testicles, they’d get someone else to broach the subject on their behalf.
Cue Testi-monials, a campaign created by FCB Cape Town for the Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA) which is setting out to remove the awkwardness around talking about testicular cancer, and drive awareness about how important it is that men not only talk balls but take care of them too.
The campaign, which has global appeal, features testicles giving their own testi-monials about cancer and how they have been personally affected. They will give advice on how to self-examine and help detect signs and symptoms.
“We realised that if we could find a way to reduce the awkwardness around the topic of testicular cancer and get a conversation started, we’d be able to increase the chances of early detection,” says Mike Barnwell Executive Creative Director at FCB Cape Town.
The characters were a result of a collaboration between FCB and their partners at Hellocomputer who spent countless hours doing a bit of dodgy research before doing the final animation.
Hellocomputer then created the online components of the campaign including an interactive Q&A page where guys could ask the character questions directly.
The entire process took approximately eight months from start to finish. That’s a lot of time to create realistic looking talking-testes. But well worth the effort.
Lucy Balona, Head of Marketing and Communication at CANSA, is enthusiastic about this campaign. “It’s great to see a bunch of people that are actually concerned and interested in men’s health to have come up with an idea like this and want to share it. Cancer is a disease that affects so many, and young men should be made aware about ways to reduce their cancer risk. This is a compelling and engaging campaign to get the guys talking and educated about testicular cancer. Awareness and early detection really does make a difference,” Balona adds.
Testi-monials will live on www.testi-monials.co.za where people can ask the campaign’s testi-ambassador their health related questions, including: How is testicular cancer diagnosed? What are the treatments for testicular cancer? What are the symptoms of testicular cancer? And many other pertinent questions relating to testicular cancer. The testi-ambassador will give it to you straight, so there’s no need to beat around the bush.
But there’s only so much a media release can tell you about talking testicles.
It’s really something that you need to, erm, check out for yourself:
#Havetheballs and join in on the conversation online using #Havetheballs on social media.
Mum & Baby Affair launches!
Posted on Feb 4, 2016
Mum & Baby Affair, a range of chic, timeless and on-trend fashion pieces for a woman’s pregnancy and nurture journey, has officially launched in South Africa. Mums-to-be can now ride the motherhood carousel with flair and poise with a range of clothing proudly designed and manufactured in South Africa.
Every item of clothing in the Mum & Baby Affair range has been designed with the nurture phase of the motherhood journey in mind, focusing on four key elements: longevity, comfort, fun and flirty, and easy access for breastfeeding. A key component of the range is that each item can be worn during pregnancy and when breastfeeding – which is made possible through secret little zips, or buttons and straps on shoulders. This ensures that mums can look great and see to the primary need of their baby without any fussing.
How did Mum & Baby Affair start?
“Out of frustration with the current clothing styles and garments out there for pregnant women,” says Jolene Roelofse, founder of Mum & Baby Affair, and mom to baby Zain.
“When I was pregnant with Zain, my first child, I battled to find any fashionable and well-fitting clothing. I wanted colourful, practical and feminine, but all I could find was dull, dark and ill-fitting garments. I needed clothing that doubled up for pregnancy and breastfeeding, but struggled to find that. During pregnancy, women are often exhausted and at their most vulnerable, and it is at that time that they should look pretty with little effort, and feel their best. Our story is about mums and their babies. And it starts with the mum. We want to ensure that each new mum feels great and looks fabulous like the queen she is, because the job she has to do, or is already doing, is the most important one in the world. Mums are special, courageous, strong, soft, nurturing; the list is endless. Mums are special, and for this reason, need variety and choice. They need to have the freedom to choose items to wear which will help make them feel fabulous, and at the same time be practical,” says Roelofse.
Jolene worked with two young South African designers, both under the age of 25, to create the range. “Both designers got the same brief in terms of the type of garments I had in mind for mums out there, and each of them came up with a completely different collection. That is exactly what I wanted: two different collections that would appeal to a diverse array of women.”
The range consists of:
- Ema Maxi Dress – made up of a linen undercoat and tribal net that gives it movement. The neckline has buttons on both shoulders for easy access when breastfeeding.
- Cost: R850.00
- Majka Jumpsuit – button-down jumpsuit with an elasticised waist for shape and to allow comfort around the belly. The jumpsuit has cuffs just above the ankles with detailed pockets. Cost: R850.00
- Taica Panel Dress – close fitting shift dress with asymmetric overlay with a zip on the side front panel for breastfeeding. Perfect for both the office and a night out. Material: scuba black/grey print.
- Cost: R650.00
- Matka Blouse and Chinos – the blouse is pleated in front with capped sleeves and a high/low style. The wide scooped neck allows for easy access when breastfeeding. The pants have an elasticated waistline which moulds to the belly for comfort; with print turn-ups and detail on the ankles.
- Cost blouse: R350.00. Cost pants: R650.00
- Emese Maxi Dress – high-waisted maxi dress with strings on both shoulders making it perfect for breastfeeding. Cool and summery with knee-high slits on both sides for movement.
- Cost: R850.00
- Dar Wrap Dress – ideal for during pregnancy and breastfeeding. The colourful pattern, collar and sleeves make it stand out from the usual wrap dress.
- Cost: R650.00
- Assa Corset Dress – with hidden studs on both shoulders, ideal for breastfeeding. The scuba material at the bottom allows for maximum stretch.
- Cost: R580.00
- Sadaf Jumpsuit – chiffon jumpsuit with wrap detail on top allowing for easy access when breastfeeding. The elastic waist expands with the belly and reverts back after pregnancy. Perfect for both pregnancy and nurture phase.
- Cost: R850.00
- Maylis Poplin Dress – fun and versatile dress which comes in two print and colour options. The dress has a zipped front ‘til below the breastbone, and an elasticated waist for expansion. The bottom is chiffon for movement and flirtiness.
- Cost: R650.00
- Dar Wrap Jacket and Pencil Skirt – comes in two print options. The pencil skirt has an elasticated waist and can be worn as a flirty sleeveless dress. The jacket is white with a printed collar.
- Cost jacket: R650.00. Cost skirt: R550.00
- Mari Cocktail Dress – button-down chiffon and scuba cocktail dress – the perfect LBD (Little Black Dress.) The buttons extend to under the breastbone for easy access when breastfeeding, and the scuba material allows for super stretch. Perfect for before and after pregnancy.
- Cost: R980.00
- Anya Evening Dress – classic and elegant sleeveless evening dress which moulds to the body whilst allowing room for the expanding belly. Includes a slight train.
- Cost: R1 300.00
An interesting thing to note about this range is that each garment name means “mother” in a different language.
There’s also a charity element connected to the Mum & Baby Affair range. There are so many mums, especially teenage mums, who aren’t able to afford new clothing for their little bundles. It is with this in mind that Mum & Baby Affair has teamed up with a select few organisations that provide baby clothing to these mums, and for every purchase made from Mum & Baby Affair, 5% will be contributed to a clothing pack that will be donated to these organisations.
“Besides feeling great in your Mum & Baby Affair clothing, you can feel good because of it knowing that your purchase has contributed towards clothing a new baby for less than privileged mums,” Roelofse adds.
To view the full Mum & Baby Affair range and pricing, or to place your order, head on over to www.mumandbabyaffair.co.za.
All items are created in small runs with small quantities produced – ensuring good quality garments and exclusivity.
For the latest updates from the brand and handy pregnancy and mum-related blog posts, be sure to connect with Mum & Baby Affair online:
https://www.facebook.com/Mum-Baby-Affair-691904967587662/?fref=ts
Freelancers, get excited – Simplifyd launches in SA!
Posted on Feb 1, 2016
Being an entrepreneur is by no means an easy feat. Running a business means you’ll be wearing many hats a lot of the time and balancing many plates. Ensuring that deadlines are met, clients are invoiced on time, and your sales pipeline and contact list are updated and managed, adds a whole new dimension of pressure onto any entrepreneur’s shoulders.
This is where Simplifyd, deemed “Beautifully Simple Software to manage your small business” fits in. Simplifyd, which has been built for freelancers, small teams and everyone in between, has officially launched in SA. Small teams and entrepreneurs will now be able to invoice faster, get paid quicker, and build better relationships with their clients.
The platform was created by Sean Miller and James Willard, both business owners who faced many of the same challenges entrepreneurs the world over face – and Simplifyd was their solution to these challenges. “When we set up our creative agency, within months we were signed up to eight different business admin and management services, all costing between R1000 and R2000 per month. Although each was great within their own right and covered a key business admin element, it took a lot of time and management to update everything. We were also only really using 20% of each product. It was then that we decided to design our own product for in-house use. This quickly turned into its own business (Simplifyd) where we were our own clients,” says Miller.
The admin part of running a business always demands the most attention, and often at the worst of times. In between having to remember to invoice client X, and follow up with potential client Y, life happens. “We understand how tough it is to start, setup and run your own business. And we want to help business owners sleep at night, by taking the stress out of admin,” Miller adds.
With more and more people working remotely from business hubs or coffee shops, having your invoicing, contact list (CRM), sales pipelines, money management, time tracking and task management all in one place, online, as with Simplifyd, means you have access to it when and where you need it. Also, it means you only have one password to remember. In addition, Simplifyd comes equipped with a handy feature that allows users to invoice clients in multiple international currencies, no matter where they may be doing business in the world.
Miller and his team are all about removing unnecessary complexity- particularly for fellow business owners, which is a big factor upon which Simplifyd was created.
Simplifyd has seen great success in the UK market where it first launched, and is being applauded for delivering several key benefits, including: helping small businesses optimise their efficiency; providing ways to revolutionise client communication; streamlining schedules; and much more. In addition to this, it went on to receive a nomination for App of the year 2015 by www.Mevvy.com.
While the Simplifyd team are based in the UK, they will be very active within SA and will tailor their approach to suit this market, working closely with SA-based company, CN&CO.
Miller is thrilled to launch in the SA market.
“Ever since leaving Zimbabwe for the bright lights of Cape Town in my early 20’s, SA has always been somewhere that I’ve wanted to do business. I think entrepreneurism is very well received and encouraged in South Africa, and with this in mind, I think Simplifyd is a good fit. Simplifyd can be used by any business no matter what stage – old, young, new. The fundamentals of business are the same, and it’s about time there was a product that kept these all under control so you can get back to this things that really matter.”
Streamlining and simplifying business processes puts you in control of your business, especially when life and work pick up pace. More so than that, it takes the stress out of the “have to do” business tasks, and frees you up to do what you’re really good at; your core business function; your passion.
To test drive the Simplifyd platform, check out: https://www.simplifyd.io/
Connect with Simplifyd online
Twitter: www.twitter.om/GetSimplifyd
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Simplifyd
Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/company/simplifyd