Ed's Notes: Exciting South Africa's media (and public)

Traipsing around the internet, especially where people are allowed to leave anonymous comments, is a valuable exercise for those of us who feel we can learn something from everyone we meet. Even if what we learn is, "Boy, am I glad I'm not YOU!"

Instead of applauding some of the excellent work coming out of our agencies and communication companies, it's slammed. Then research shows it to have all the qualities of a fantastic campaign and our Britafricans will tell you why the research was slanted, biased, unscientific and just plain wrong.

BIG news recently was how the audience at Design Indaba 2010 "Twitterslapped" Martha Stewart, and staged a walkout of her presentation. Mainly, it seems, because she was talking about herself. Okay, Design Divas . . . have you ever watched her show? She talks about herself. Her dogs. Her horses. Her amazing achievements. What did you expect? That she would be carving tiny Taj Mahals from ice cubes while she spoke? That she'd show you how to fold a swan into a napkin, or produce a small Julius Malema from melted chocolate? Bet the walkout was started by Britafricans.

Then there was the splash all over the British papers about the visit of our State President. Stephen Robinson (I hadn't heard of him either) wrote a particularly fetching piece in the www.dailymail.co.uk.  A glance through other items he's written shows he's fairly fond of the terms "buffoon" and "buffoonery".

So, what did Britafricans do? Jumped on the bandwagon. Shouted across social media about our Pres being a "disgrace". My question is this: WHY are we trying to make a Zulu man Gordon Brown? Why would we question hundreds of years of culture (whether we like it or not) in OUR Pres and not in, say, a Sheik with a harem of women? Next thing you know, we'll be invading Iraq, thinking we can change thousands of years of tradition.

I did a little "research". Not Gold Standard; small sample; and only on Facebook. I noted what I love about South Africa, and the replies came through all day from REAL South Africans, here and abroad. Lots of replies, and all show that injecting a little bit of the positive works wonders.

So here's a challenge to our Britafricans: Take a look at some of the excellent marketing, advertising and PR work being done in this country - and share it with us. Many of you called me this week and sent in fantastic articles - all positive, helpful to others in our sphere and constructive. Keep it up, South Africans . . . because you can!

This week Florence Modikwe interviewed Justin McCarthy and got some interesting answers; we look at the business of marketing; buying and selling in cyberspace; and getting wildly creative.

Enjoy!

Dianne