Why interpreters Should Think and Act Like a Brand

October 17, 2021 Melanie Hawken

by Thuli Zikalala

BrandSimple is a book I highly recommend for any individual or company that would like to be recognised as a successful brand. Everyone is a brand – the key is to start thinking and acting like one. Allen P. Adamson, the author, explains how the best brands keep it simple, and as a result enjoy huge success.

The Secret Sauce to disrupt a comfy industry…

August 22, 2021 Melanie Hawken

by Lionesses of Africa Operations Dept

Think what you like about him and his choice of design for his spaceship, or even his use of words on landing back on earth, but Jeff Bezos certainly had this right when he said:

“Your brand is what other people say about you when you're not in the room.”

Sarah Motshwane Sebetola, a South African corporate branding solutions specialist

May 2, 2021 Melanie Hawken

Sarah Motshwane Sebetola, co-founder, Tshepiso Branding Solutions

Impact Partner Content - Absa

Every business and organisation needs to get its brand message across to its customers and audiences, and to ensure it has that all important visibility in the marketplace. In South Africa, Tshepiso Branding Solutions, cofounded by Sarah Motshwane Sebetola, is a company bringing both brand expertise and solutions to suit all needs.

Faking It?

September 13, 2020 Melanie Hawken

by Dr Ashika Pillay

Recently, I have had contact with a few brand names that prompted me to think a bit deeper about how companies represent their brands and strategy. Why do some brands come across true to their inherent value proposition? Why do employees of some companies truly LIVE the brand? On the other hand, why do some customers come back truly disappointed as soon as they have interacted with a company leaving them with a stark contrast between their expectations and the reality?

Entrepreneur Advice from Wuraola Ademola-Shanu / Create value with your brand

September 9, 2020 Melanie Hawken

Wuraola Ademola-Shanu, copywriter, content strategist and creator (Nigeria)

Create value with your brand!…

“Let’s remember to always add value and focus on helping people. Every brand strategy should be to always provide value.”

Wuraola Ademola-Shanu, copywriter, content strategist and creator (Nigeria)

Obsessed: Building a Brand People Love from Day One By Emily Heyward

June 6, 2020 Melanie Hawken

Book Review

In her new book Obsessed, Emily Heyward, the cofounder and chief branding officer of Red Antler, the branding and marketing company for startups and new ventures, explains how hot new brands like Casper, Allbirds, Sweetgreen, and Everlane build devoted fan followings right out of the gate.

Entrepreneur Advice from Seno Namwandi / Choose a name that counts

June 5, 2020 Melanie Hawken

Seno Namwandi, Intellectual property pioneer and Mandela Washington Fellow, (Namibia)

Choose a name that counts…

“Choosing a name that counts is beneficial in overall market valuation and ensuring market share. It is important to invest in trademark registration and overall branding of your company for these purposes.”

Seno Namwandi, Intellectual property pioneer and Mandela Washington Fellow, (Namibia)

Michelle Smith, a South African entrepreneur creating the perfect gifting service for all occasions

November 4, 2018 Melanie Hawken

Michelle Smith, founder of Woven Bark Studios (South Africa) — **Michelle Smith**, founder of Woven Bark Studios (South Africa)

If you have ever struggled to find the perfect, personalized gift for your corporate clients or loved ones, then help is at hand. Michelle Smith, founder of Woven Bark Studios, is creating beautiful, thoughtfully curated gift boxes and gifting experiences that leave lasting feel-good memories. The added bonus is that each of the gift products is sourced from local artisans in South Africa, creating business opportunities that really make a difference to other entrepreneurs’ lives.

Quote of the Day by Nondumiso Pikashe

January 12, 2018 Melanie Hawken

“I want to change the stereotype that indigenous brands don't work in the wine industry.”

- Nondumiso Pikashe, founder of Ses’fikile Wines (South Africa)

Entrepreneur Advice from Que Lebatha: Build your brand

January 8, 2018 Melanie Hawken

Que Lebatha, founder of Que Lebatha Consulting (South Africa) — **Que Lebatha**, founder of Que Lebatha Consulting (South Africa)

Build your brand…

“… it’s very important to believe in what you have to offer in the world, and then to wear that on your sleeve and completely be about that thing. This means ensuring things like having a professional email address (Google Business, for example), a business card, cleaning up your LinkedIn profile, and setting up a website - these are all simple steps that tell the world that you are taking yourself seriously. Once that happens, any business you start from there already has a solid foundation on which to stand.”

- Que Lebatha is the founder of Que Lebatha Consulting in South Africa, an integrated Marketing Communications agency that provides companies with Public Relations, Social Media and Event Management services. Que specializes in strategy development and implementation in the marketing communication field. She has worked on a number of campaigns with brands such as Montecasino, Tsogo Sun, Absa, Tsheto Leadership and Coaching Academy and Three Ring Circus.

Entrepreneur Advice from Bianca Sibiya - Embrace your Africanism

September 25, 2017 Melanie Hawken

Bianca Sibiya, co-founder of Punk & Ivy (South Africa) — **Bianca Sibiya**, co-founder of Punk & Ivy (South Africa)

Celebrate what makes your brand uniquely African....

"You need to understand and appreciate your cultural roots. It is important to fully embrace your Africanism, because if you don't appreciate where you have come from there is the temptation to dissolve your brand into something that the rest of the world is doing, and not celebrate what makes your brand so uniquely African. It is important to be true to yourself as an African, and let that Africanness define what you do and how you do it."

- Bianca Sibiya is a digital marketing specialist who co-founded fashion label Punk & Ivy with partner Khaya in late 2012. This dynamic fashion duo are focused on mastering the bespoke suit and creating fashion that is uniquely African. Bianca is driven by a need to document and articulate life in Africa and South Africa through her creative work. Punk And Ivy as a term was used in the late 60′ into the 70’s in Soweto to describe a particular style of dress for men. The brand also has a very unique retail outlet - The MOTIQUE - a fully fledged retail space in a truck, measuring 9,3m long and featuring a boutique, a change-room, a back office, seating and so much more.

How to Build a Global Brand like Oprah

March 1, 2017 Melanie Hawken

Many people have dreams of creating a global empire as successful as Oprah has done, but many fail to realize that her brand was not built overnight, in fact Oprah has been building her brand for the past 40 years and it took many failures and pivotal moves to get her where she is today. Below we will look at 5 Steps Oprah has taken to build a global brand: ready...set...go!

Amanda Ioannoy, a South African entrepreneur enriching brands through her corporate gifting and event management expertise

August 15, 2016 Melanie Hawken

Amanda Ioannoy (founder) & Varisha Singh, the dynamic duo behind Ambella Corporate and Promotional Gifts (South Africa) — **Amanda Ioannoy** (founder) & Varisha Singh, the dynamic duo behind Ambella Corporate and Promotional Gifts (South Africa)

Being customer centric is the key to business success, and in the case of Amanda Ioannoy’s business, Ambella Corporate and Promotional Gifts in South Africa, she understands how to connect with customers by providing quality gifting and promotional merchandise options that can effectively promote company brands.