The One Club launches free global Covid-19 Jobs Board

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Article found on BizCommunity

The One Club has announced the launch of The One Club Covid-19 Jobs Board, a free service to support the industry during the global pandemic by connecting job seekers around the world with agencies, design studios, production companies and brands looking to fill open positions.

The free service is open to the entire industry, including individuals at all levels of experience in all departments looking for full-time and project work, freelance assignments and internships. One Club membership is not required to participate.

Any agency, studio, production company or brand around the world can submit postings for immediate openings, as well for job opportunities expected in the future once the pandemic is over.

While economic instability has led some firms to tighten budgets and reduce workforces, others are still looking to fill positions. Upon learning last week of openings from some One Club corporate member agencies, Justin Epstein and Louis Geist, who head up the club’s Membership department, quickly created a simple form for posting openings. The form links to a page listing all job openings.

The team then contacted other corporate member agencies and offered the platform as a free service for them to list openings. In just a few days, The One Club Covid-19 Jobs Board had more than 180 job openings posted.

“We needed to act quickly to help people whose jobs have been affected by the pandemic, and this was the easiest, fastest way to connect people with job openings,” said Epstein, One Club corporate member and chapter manager. “It’s a simple, no-frills platform that can make a real difference for both parties.”

“The One Club’s mission is to support and celebrate the creative community,” said Kevin Swanepoel, CEO of the global nonprofit organisation.

“Everyone knows about the ‘celebrate’ part, with programs like The One Show. This new jobs board is an example of the ‘support’ we can offer to the industry, acting as a conduit to connect the global community with job opportunities.”

Capitalising on recession

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Article by Ian Rheeder, BizCommunity

South Africa’s economy has seen better days. With the addition of the coronavirus outbreak, the current state-of-affairs is not looking promising. Exploiting this recession may be the only strategy for survival.

Since 1994 South Africa has had three recessions (2008, 2009, 2018 & 2019). On average, a ‘recession’ lasts for two years, follows a boom and is generally defined as two quarters (6-months) of a consecutive falling GDP. This has placed many companies, individuals and investors in a tough position because profits are dwindling, and the cost of living has skyrocketed.

The only way to survive is to exploit this downswing to maintain your growth strategy. So, to cushion those sectors that are in “recession”, I’ve arrived at the strategic perspective that marketing strategies during turbulent times are not much different from boom time strategies. The difference is that these strategies need be so much more polished when your sector’s growth is in decline. Why? Because the proverbial ‘pie’ exists, it is just smaller. Finding success in a recessionary climate is quite credible; you just have to think out-of-the-box and not lose sight of success..

Businesses can consider the following strategies during these tough times:

1. Segmentation, targeting and positioning (STP Strategy)

Imagine dating the wrong customer segment, only to find out after years of servicing, that it was a waste of time? Rather target satisfied and attractive opportunity segments instead of low return “headache” segments.

For example, the construction sector is contracting (-5.9%) but finance is growing (+2.7%). Alternatively, consider dropping non-profitable, slow-paying, unsatisfied customers in these segments, or raise their price to “milk” them. Furthermore, consider withdrawing from weak segments where your competitive unique selling propositions (CUSP) aren’t valued much, and target segments you can dominate with your CUSPs after the recession.

2. Attack and/or attack-proof

Keep doing your research as some companies with strong financials will see this tough economic climate as an opportunity to attack. This is what is exciting about a recession – it’s an opportunity to exceed your targets, as many competitors understand that sometimes ‘the tree of economic freedom needs to be nourished with a battle’. But beware of counter-attacks. Rather go unnoticed by flying below the radar. Red Bull, for instance, did this by first “stealing” Coca-Cola’s shelf-space, and could now do a frontal-attack and launch a Cola.

3. Marketing mix strategies

Product: See the recession through your customers’ eyes. Due to competitive forces, buyers may have developed a new shopping-list of wants; the basic-product (i.e. car) for instance may not be as important now as the expected/augmented-product (i.e. value-added guarantee, after-sale service, and/or interest rates).

Your product-life-cycle may have also become stale, and now requires a few revitalised features to regain its growth trajectory (i.e. the VW Citi Golf just needed a name change and GT-stripes). Withdraw your weak low-profit margin/slow-moving ‘dogs’ that are likely to fail, and research and revitalise new economy ‘question-marks & recession-stars’. Also known as “fighter-brands.”

Price: Also, during a recession, customers ponder longer on decisions to sacrificing their budgets. Dropping your price may seem attractive, but it comes with the challenge of struggling to increase it at a later stage, so at least attempt to maintain your prices.

Recent research by Nielsen in South Africa (2019) shows that price discounts only lifts sales temporarily and hurts brand equity over the long-term. Rather emotionally differentiate and charge a premium. If your product is the low-price leader, then aggressively emphasise your penetration pricing, as low price is a relevant recession CUSP.

Promotion of your brand: Calling on your most valuable and loyal existing customers has superior results versus finding new ones. They are also the easiest to cross-sell and up-sell to and get you free word-of-mouth referrals. Consider a key account management (KAM) mindset – when you see a strategic client, don’t just pop-in and sell, but be a management consultant and enthusiastically assist them with their business model.

Research shows evidence that in a recession, the marketer who’s share-of-voice (SOV) is larger than their share-of-market (SOM), is likely to grow market share. However, you still need a great share-of-experience (SOE)—customer experience management (CEM) is always key.

During a drought, some will thrive and exploit the fragile. Sometimes the fragile may be the industry leader; so, if you are the leader, you need to understand how you will be attacked. Know how to cushion an attack. Those who survive natural selection will be stronger, more experienced and will improve their DNA. Lastly, never forget that constantly implementing a small series of changes, results in a big transformation.

Panic buying in the wake of Covid-19 underscores inequalities in South Africa

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Article by James Lappeman, BizCommunity

Pictures of empty shelves and long queues have pervaded all forms of media in South Africa over the past few days. These scenes are not unlike those in other parts of the world as many consumers succumb to panic buying, in fear of running out of toilet paper – among other essential items.
Many authors have covered the reasons for panic buying and all behaviourists would agree that this is not a new or unexpected phenomenon. But the way it plays out in a country as economically unequal as South Africa accentuates the gap between the haves and have-nots.

Who wins and who loses from panic buying?

Of course, there is a first-mover advantage in getting to the front of the line. This behaviour is what often triggers a rush on the stores in the first place. But in a country that is not actually experiencing a famine or toilet paper shortage, the losers are those who cannot afford to stock up should the need arise.

While inequality exists everywhere, wealthier economies have a population base that is generally more capable of stocking up their homes when needed. This is also true of South African households in the upper middle class and at the top end.

The majority of consumers in South Africa are, however, unable to fill up a trolley in the best of times, let alone to finance a serious stockpile.

South Africa by numbers

While there are different ways to segment a population of 58 million people, the UCT Liberty Institute of Strategic Marketing has used the National Income Dynamics Survey to paint a picture of the South African consumer landscape. The scope of this article does not allow a full explanation of how this segmentation was derived, but a few phenomena are notable from the graphic.

South Africa has roughly 58 million people living in 17 million households. About 1,000 households are added to this number every day. South Africa has a very high number of young people – almost half of its population is under 24.

If we divide the country by household income (that is, all the earners in the household combined) as shown in the graphic, then 7 million would fall into the category of middle class and above. That means 50 million people are living in households below the level needed to support a middle-class lifestyle. These 50 million people are likely to be using public transport and public health care and living with very little financial margin.

As one goes into the ultra-poor and survivor category, households regularly run out of food before the end of the month. A hallmark of living in this kind of household is a dependence on social grant income and a food shortage by the third week of the month. In addition, most poorer households live at least one taxi ride away from the closest supermarket and pay for extra seats on the taxi if purchasing more than a few bags of groceries. The one time of the year when stockpiling is more frequent is during the festive season (December) when carefully negotiated expenditure is made using savings from group schemes called stokvels.

When panic breaks out

Behavioural economists use many cognitive biases to explain why panic shopping occurs. Most commonly cited are phenomena like loss aversion, the bandwagon effect and probability neglect. These reactions to the initial run on essential groceries create a panic contagion that ignores logic. There is no food or toilet paper shortage and shopping is allowed to continue during this kind of state of emergency. Nonetheless, the week of 16-20 March 2020, saw a massive panic shopping spree marked by daily shortages in many categories.

Times of crisis accentuate the gap between the privileged and the rest. When the stock market dips, the wealthy have reserves to buy more shares and multiply their wealth in the long run. When a health crisis hits, the wealthy have access to medicine and private health care and can often navigate around work restrictions.

The poor, however, are not as fortunate. Even in the UK, the vulnerable are the losers as panic buying surged in early March. Workers on short term contract and freelancers globally are experiencing financial setbacks as this kind of work dries up. Germany has pledged 40 billion euros in aid to freelancers.

South Africa has freelancers in multiple industries but also the informal economy (and millions of households) hinging on micro enterprises like street vendors, spaza shops and taverns. These enterprises (many based on commuter populations and school children as their markets) are not registered businesses and unlikely to get any financial relief from the government. This form of enterprise does not have a “work from home” option as proposed by employment experts. These features of the informal sector are the same globally.

The social media posts comparing wealthy consumers lining up outside wholesalers and the poor lining up to catch a taxi home are anecdotal, but also somewhat symbolic of the realities in South Africa. The pictures of panic buying don’t reflect the average South African. They depict the average wealthy South African.

Many in the middle class may say they too are under financial pressure. This is true. But they are still in the privileged minority.

What does this mean?

The Covid-19 pandemic will eventually pass, as have other flu pandemics in centuries gone by. The fact that we were able to monitor this one globally in real-time is a possible turning point for the way such events are handled in the future.

The exact outcome of the pandemic in terms of its duration, fatalities and impact on the South African economy will eventually unfold.

In the meantime, the country is once again faced with the reality that it has a long way to go before the edges of inequality soften and the ‘average’ household may also participate in the next spree of panic buying – whenever that may be.

Pick n Pay introduces special shopping hour for pensioners

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Article found on BizCommunity

Pick n Pay will open all its supermarkets and hypermarkets an hour earlier every Wednesday for the exclusive use of elderly customers who need to shop for their groceries and essentials. The decision comes in response to requests from the retailer’s online community to ease the impact of the Covid-19 outbreak on vulnerable citizens, as stores become chaotic due to panic-buying and stockpiling.

The initiative will start tomorrow, Wednesday 18 March 2020, and stores will be open exclusively for customers over the age of 65 years from 7am to 8am. Customers should have a valid ID to enter the store during this time.

“A special shopping hour for pensioners was a great suggestion by our online community and we very quickly worked with our stores to make this a reality,” says John Bradshaw, retail executive: marketing at Pick n Pay.

“All our actions are focused on supporting the wellbeing of our customers. We know that the coronavirus is more of a threat to older people, and it is thus especially important that our older customers limit the number of times they are in busy spaces as much as possible. This dedicated shopping hour for our elderly customers will give them exclusive use of the store.”

Every Wednesday, all Smart Shoppers over the age of 60 will also earn double points in-store. Customers can claim this voucher at the Smart Shopper kiosk or mobile app provided they have updated their Smart Shopper profile with their date of birth.

Under Armour reveals its vision for sportswear in 2020

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Article by Lauren Hartzenberg, BizCommunity

Under Armour (UA) has grown to become a respected name in global athletic apparel, despite launching decades after many of its primary competitors, including Nike, Reebok and Puma. US-born Kevin Plank founded the company in his grandmother’s basement in the mid-90s, and created the first UA product, a moisture-wicking compression T-shirt designed to keep athletes cool and dry.

Today, the sportswear brand retains its keen focus on performance-enhancement, with a product range spanning apparel, footwear and accessories for men, women and kids. Innovative developments in textile design has resulted in athleticwear trusted to improve endurance and performance, and aid in recovery.

Under Armour South Africa recently hosted a Tech Summit in Cape Town, showcasing its latest product technology and the collections at the forefront of its strategy in 2020. These were some of the highlights:

HOVR Machina: UA’s popular connected running shoe mixes the speed of a racing shoe with the comfort of a long-distance trainer, and now it comes with real-time Form Coaching. This new feature provides personalised guidance, helping runners better manage their risk of injury and improve their performance.

Runners can also measure their foot strike angle and ground contact time, offered in a post-run analysis, to give them deeper insights into their form. Users can access this data using AU’s MapMyRun app.

Rush: UA’s Rush line of apparel is made from special fabric infused with 13 minerals (created in collaboration with Celliant), which recycles the body’s energy during performance. The intention is to provide the same benefits as an infrared sauna.

The Rush technology captures the heat energy released from the body, recycles it and returns it to the body. This recycled energy is said to increase temporary localised circulation, promoting improved strength and endurance, and powering tires muscles.

In 2020, UA is introducing Rush Seamless, a line of garments that are form fitting but with fewer seams to improve breathability.

Recovery: UA claims the bioceramic pattern printed on the inside of its Athlete Recovery apparel uses the body’s energy to increase the amount of oxygen reaching the muscles, helping to restore them faster.

In addition to faster recovery, the technology is said to promote better sleep, reduce inflammation and regulate metabolism. UA’s Recovery apparel is made using super soft materials for maximum comfort, and is available in Sleep, Travel and Compression collections.

Infinity Bra: This one-piece, injection-moulded sports bra is described as UA’s fastest-drying yet. The injection follows a figure 8 (infinity) pattern to offer adaptable support during exercise, as the company discovered that in addition to moving up and down during movement, breasts also move from side to side and in and out.

The bra is available in light, medium and heavy support.

Meridian Infused Leggings: These leggings were designed to address the dryness and itchiness one can feel during and after working out, due to moisture evaporating from one’s skin. UA created a responsive textile that’s embedded with quiospheres, which it says are essentially encapsulated moisturisers that activate as soon as the leggings are put on.

UA claims this is all thanks to a bacteria called Antarcatine, which produces glycoproteins that help retain water. In a nutshell, the latest iteration of Meridian Leggings combines UA’s softest fabric with moisturiser properties.

Tribase Reign 2: With greater grip, stability and flexibility, UA’s Tribase gym shoe was designed with high intensity workouts and CrossFit training in mind.

The updated Tribase Reign 2 has a larger external heel counter, more rubber traction, and a stretchy knit upper to secure the foot comfortably. The improved grip and durability, helped by the full-rubber outsole that wraps up the sides, is especially handy for training involving rope work.

The Only Way is Through brand platform

Under Armour’s local team also used the Cape Town event to announce the launch of the company’s new global brand platform, titled ‘The Only Way is Through’.

UA states that the campaign was created to bring to life the value of momentum; how momentum through work helps athletes push themselves to be better than what they thought possible, and how Under Armour technology is supporting those athletes constantly in search of incremental change.

The platform launch includes a 90-second anthem, supported with additional content throughout the year, including spotlight pieces on athletes exploring their “through” moments. It taps into the personal stories of celebrated athletes like NBA star Steph Curry, Olympic gold medalist Kelley O’Hara, NFL legend Tom Brady and Olympian Michael Phelps.

The Only Way Is Through will run across broadcast, online, out-of-home, and social media platforms with a focus on key global sport and cultural moments in 2020. Experiential activations will take place in major cities, and there will also be an eight-episode The Only Way is Through podcast presented in partnership with iHeartMedia.

Coronavirus factory closures in China may swell demand for SA-made products

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Article from BizCommunity

 

Albert Louw, Lasher Tools marketing manager, says that the company has gained new business as a consequence of the outbreak of coronavirus in China and the closure of manufacturing in the country in an attempt to stem the spread of the deadly virus.

World’s largest manufacturing economy halted

“For the first time, a big local retailer placed a multi-million-rand order with Lasher for products that the company has never bought from us before,” Louw says, adding that the order was a direct result of the curtailed supply of tools from China.

The outbreak of the novel coronavirus was first reported in Wuhan, China, in December 2019, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Worldwide a total of 89,254 cases of the virus have been reported and 3,058 people have died. The vast majority of infections and fatalities have occurred in China. Outside China, there have been more than 8,000 cases of the novel coronavirus reported in over 50 countries. Three infections have been confirmed in Africa – in Egypt, Algeria and Nigeria.

On 30 January, WHO declared the outbreak a global emergency and set up a committee to oversee its response. The mandatory closure of Chinese factories has left a massive gap as the country is the world’s largest manufacturing economy. These closures are providing opportunities for South African manufacturers, including getting in fresh orders for products as well as reaching new consumers.

Securing SA’s manufacturing value chain

Louw stated that more than ever before, South African companies and consumers should support products made by local manufacturers. Such support would translate into greater job security throughout the manufacturing value chain at a time when local economic growth is stagnant, and unemployment is near record levels.

Lasher is a 90-year-old South African company that sources 98% of the materials for its hand tools from South African businesses. It employs over 800 people at four local factories in South Africa. Louw says that local manufacturers need to stand together and work with the government to maintain and expand the sector, which until recently had faced an increasing onslaught from low-priced imported Chinese goods.

Chinese imports have had a detrimental impact on local manufacturing, jobs and reduced demand for local goods and services. The South African manufacturing industry has declined from 20% of the gross domestic product in 1994 to 14% today. The local sector continues to contract, and in 2019, South African manufacturing output decreased by 0.9% when compared with 2018, according to Statistics South Africa.

“Lasher equipment lasts nine to forty-five times longer than competing imported Chinese equipment, and this provides a clear rationale to buy local Lasher tools. The company provides its customers with aftercare service and Lasher’s products have a return rate of less than 0.01%, which gives customers a high level of confidence when purchasing a Lasher product,” Louw concluded.

Opportunity to capacitate local industries

In a recent report, Eustace Mashimbye, chief executive from Proudly SA, said, “With China’s manufacturing output hamstrung by the coronavirus, South Africa has an opportunity to review what it imports and capacitate local industries to secure the supply chain of local products.

“While we do not in any way celebrate what has befallen China, and like the rest of the world we join in sending our sympathies and hopes for a speedy end to the infection, we have to recognise that it exposes the vulnerabilities of markets to single-supplier sources and offers opportunities to others to strengthen their own domestic capabilities.”