Understanding the importance of Honing EQ Talent for Advancement By Line: Isilumko Activate Directors - Brendan Powell and Lauren Durant August 2015 Marketing companies are always looking for ways in which to gain a competitive advantage. For many years, it was believed that bright, intelligent people were the key to superior performance. Modern marketers have however discovered that ‘book smarts’ in the form of high IQ’s, do not always translate into exemplary job performance. As such, job interviews are no longer just about intelligence and technical skills. While the hard skills are fundamentally important, to be a truly valuable asset, employees need to have more than just the technical knowledge. There’s much more to employment than simply knowing ‘how’ to do a job and this is particularly true in the activations environment where candidates need interpersonal skills to give them the edge. To remain relevant marketing agencies have to diversify and employees need to have the applicable soft skills to function within their ever-changing work environments. At Isilumko Activate we are approached by clients every week who are looking for a mix of adaptable people who can help activate their brands in a communications setting. The expectation is for these people to adjust quickly to the flexible nature of the campaigns they’ll be assigned to – and with different brands constantly being represented, a high degree of adaptability is a fundamental soft skill set. Our clients understand that while employees may look good on paper, they might not necessarily have the emotional maturity to handle the stresses that come with executing a successful brand activation campaign for the companies we represent. Subsequently, less emphasis is being placed on how many qualifications a new hire has behind their name. Instead, clients want to understand the challenges a potential employee has experienced and how those difficult encounters were handled. It’s these …
Consol’s New Improved Solar Jar a Bright Idea: Six Added Features Improve Functionality
Consol’s New Improved Solar Jar a Bright Idea: Six Added Features Improve Functionality July 2015 A marriage of elegance and innovation and a truly bright idea, Consol has made its award winning Solar Jar a little brighter. No household should be without this innovative solar light, which is equally brilliant as ambiance enhancing décor as it is a practical, safe and sustainable light source. With the unrelenting power crisis an everyday reality for South Africans for the foreseeable future, Consol has added six new features while retaining the elegance of the original design. Fitted with solar powered LED lights, the lid has solar panelling that, when placed in the sunlight, powers the LED batteries for 12 hours before it needs to be recharged, which is nearly double the duration of the first model. A new battery status indicator lets you know when it’s time to recharge. The find me / load shedding function which activates the LEDs for 60 seconds when the lights suddenly go out, is perhaps the most striking improvement, while a day/night switch has been added and keeps the LEDs off under adequate lighting conditions to conserve power until it’s needed. The upgraded stainless steel ring resists rust and maintains the lifespan of the Solar Jar should it inadvertently get left outside for extended periods in wet weather conditions. An alternate micro USB charging feature keeps the lights on when solar charging isn’t possible, ensuring complete preparedness for blackouts. The new improved Consol Solar Jars are available from R155 from The Consol Shop in Woodmead and Stellenbosch and from other leading retailers. So don’t be left in the dark – switch to solar and switch on a Consol Solar Jar. Choose light. Choose glass. Choose Consol. Author: TAMRYN SHER Images: For high res version/s of Three image/s please contact . Photo: Photo: Photo: CLICK HERE to submit your press release to MyPR.co.za. …
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Consol Raises Rands for Rhinos and Donates R30 000 to RAGE
Consol has donated R30 000 to RAGE - the Rhino Action Group Effort – a LeadSA initiative helping fight rhino poaching in South Africa. In 2014 alone, 1 215 Rhinos were lost to poaching; a scourge that if left unchecked will wipe out the rhino population. Recognising this, Consol launched a conservation collection intended to help protect the diminishing Rhino population, and pledged R2 from every Rhino Range glass bottle sale. Consol Marketing Director, Dale Carolin, says that as Africa’s leading glass manufacturer, Consol is committed to programmes that put sustainability first and adds that to win this war, corporates and concerned citizens have to stand together. “We can only stay the extinction of this national treasure through our collective efforts and we are grateful to all the South Africans who supported this initiative – and in so doing turning their anger into effective action,” says Carolin. RAGE is a non-profit company, set up as a safe conduit for public contributions to this cause; the Consol donation will be allocated to ongoing anti-poaching programmes supported by RAGE. Consol - Cultivating a Culture that Cares! Author: TAMRYN SHER from SIMONSAYS communications. Images: For high res version/s of One image/s please contact SIMONSAYS communications. Caption: From left: RAGE Director, Laura Clancy, Consol Marketing Director, Dale Carolin, and RAGE Administrator, Ingrid Falck. CLICK HERE to submit your press release to MyPR.co.za. …
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Graffiti Remain Market Leaders By Investing In The First Of Its kind Printer In South Africa
Graffiti – a creative marketing services company in the business of high-impact branding solutions for the mobile (vehicle and trucking) and retail industries – is changing the face of big branding with the acquisition of the first EFI Vutek GS525OLXr Printer in South Africa. As market leaders in super-wide UV printers, EFI VUTEK’s technology is considered trailblazing and for Graffiti the investment into this flagship unit is a game changer – enhancing its offerings, costs, capacity and turn-around. The inherent environmental benefits of the printer will also improve Graffiti’s carbon footprint as it strives to run a cleaner, greener operation. Graffiti managing director, Alan Harris, passionate about the industry and relentless in his pursuit of excellence, assessed several machines concluding that only the GS525OLXr delivered on the benchmark expected by the Group. “Having assessed efficiency, costs, and overall returns for all three divisions, this printer is the only one that can deliver for us in ways that no other machine can,” says Harris. “Our mobile – vehicle and tarpaulins – and fixed branding solutions will greatly benefit from the new improved technology. We’ll be able to keep everything in-house and it opens up opportunities for us to work on more niche projects, using a broader spectrum of substrates.” The new printer boasts 10 colours, including white channels. They are all cured with the latest LED technology, as well as EFI’s SuperFlex ink which has unparalleled flexibility, longevity, and an amazing scope of colours. The quicker turnaround times provided by the new printer will make certain sharper deadlines are met by the Group. Harris adds that with ink drying times significantly reduced, the machine will triple Graffiti’s capacity. Another improvement on the Group’s existing technology is its ability to print massive billboards of up to 5m in width without joins – an obvious plus for its fixed branding and retail clients. …
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New generation, great expectations!
PRESS RELEASE New generation, great expectations! Performance on the job matters By-line: Brendan Powell, Director at Isilumko Activate June 2015 Candice is a graduate working for a reputable media company. As a junior administrator, she receives a respectable salary with company benefits. Soon after joining the business, Candice is asked to stay an hour later than her usual leaving time, in order to assist with the completion of an important report. She refuses on the grounds that she was not given enough notice and has already made other plans that are ‘unbreakable’. When her colleagues comment on her unwillingness to help, Candice explains that she feels she should be paid more if she’s expected to do the work of other employees. In spite of her mediocre performance, Candice expects to receive a large bonus at the end of her first year. When her manager explains that her bonus is based on job performance and that she will not be receiving one, Candice claims she’s being unfairly treated. Regardless of how she performed her duties, she believes she’s entitled to a bonus and ultimately quits her job. Sadly, Candice’s attitude of entitlement is not unusual in the workforce of today, particularly amongst the most recent generation of adults born between the 1980’s and early 1990’s. Labelled the ‘Entitlement Generation’, these individuals were raised to believe that it is their right to have everything given to them more than any other previous generation. For these new graduates, everything is about ‘me, my growth, my performance and what is or isn’t part of my duties’. It’s not uncommon for these graduates to feel that certain tasks are below their level of employment, and even though they have no working experience, the expectation is to immediately inherit a title and the large salary that goes with it. This generation is the first to grow up surrounded by the modern, instant gratification technology of digital media. They ‘want it all’ and they …