Media

The RDMAs is a brandhouse initiative that aims to ultimately influence consumer behaviour by encouraging South African media to promote responsible drinking amongst their audiences. The awards are open to all South African journalists who have demonstrated an effort to support responsible drinking, by publishing an article in the South African media (print, broadcast and online) that covers any story on responsible drinking - including issues related to alcohol abuse and its consequences.

“We selected judges based on their extensive experience and knowledge of the journalism industry and for their active roles in supporting the responsible drinking agenda in South Africa. Chris, Pippa, Raymond and Caro represent a wide skill set and will undoubtedly provide us with a professional and holistic judging approach,” says Mike Mabasa, Corporate Relations Director at brandhouse.

Chris Moerdyk, who was for many years, the weekly marketing columnist for Sunday Times, as well as marketing, media, business strategy and communications columnist for the Journal of the Marketing, the IMC Magazine, AdVantage Magazine, Retail Edition, Enterprise Magazine, Leadership and SABC 3 TV's Media Focus, is still an active marketing commentator and writer. Chris has been a part of the RDMAs since its inception in 2011 and has provided an invaluable contribution to the Awards.

Caro Smit, an alcohol and drug educator, counsellor and psychiatric social worker, founded the Non-Profit Organisation, South Africans Against Drunk Driving (SADD) after her 23 year old son was killed in a car accident in 2005, by a drunk driver. Caro supports all initiatives that aim to change negative drinking behaviour and brings an important social element to the judging panel.

Former editor Raymond Louw has received several awards for promoting and defending press freedom and was awarded an honorary doctorate of literature by Rhodes University in 2012. His extensive experience and impressive résumé make him an ideal judge candidate and role model for many aspiring journalists. He is a fellow of the International Press Institute, Vice President of South African PEN, Deputy Chairman of the Media Freedom Committee of the SA National Editors´ Forum, Executive Committee member and former chairman of the Freedom of Expression Institute and former Africa representative of the World Press Freedom Committee.

Pippa Green is a graduate of the School of Journalism at Columbia University in New York City. She has been a journalist and writer for the past 25 years and brings with her a vast range of experience across a variety of media platforms. Her past positions include Head of SABC Radio News, Deputy Editor of the Sunday Independent and Pretoria News, and Political Editor of SABC Radio News. She is also the author of “Choice, not Fate: The Life and Times of Trevor Manuel,” (Penguin, 2008), which was short-listed for the Alan Paton Award in 2009. Pippa currently heads the Journalism Program at the University of Pretoria.

The RDMAs is one part of a series of programmes by brandhouse which have been designed to positively impact negative drinking behaviours in South Africa.

Categories for this year’s RDMAs include: Best Broadcast, Best Blog, Best Online, Best Community, Best Newspaper, Best Magazine and Journalist of the Year, as well as two new additions: Best Campus Media and Most Responsible Media House. The winner of each category will walk away with R10 000 and the knowledge that they have helped contribute towards their fellow South Africans’ well-being.

For more information on how to enter, please contact Nicci Mitchell on 0115067300 or niccim@meropa.co.za. Entries close at 12pm on 31 May 2013 and should include a portfolio of published work dating from 1 May 2012 until 31 May 2013. Only media who have entered will be reviewed.

The 14^th Cape Town International Jazz Festival takes place on 5^th and 6^th April 2013 with hundreds of media, high profile guests and jazz lovers attending from all over the world. This year, 40 local and international artists are lined-up including Jill Scott, Brand New Heavies and one of the greatest Cuban bands, Orquestra Buena Vista Social Club.

brandhouse is best suited to meet the uncompromising premium drink expectations of the jazz lovers with its unrivalled portfolio of premium brands across the spirit, beer, Cider and ready to drink (RTD) categories. Brandhouse's lead brands for the event will be the Johnnie Walker range (Red, Black, Gold, Platinum, Blue and King George V) and Heineken.

The festival will, for the first time, be boasting dedicated Heineken and Johnnie Walker bars, as well as a VIP Heineken 'Green Room', where Heineken's famous world-class hospitality will be on offer in the sought after Bassline area.

The 30 000 people attending this sold out event will also have an opportunity to access some finest reserve whiskies and a variety of other brands in brandhouse portfolio including Smirnoff, J&B, Bell's, Bushmills, Tanqueray, Ciroc, Captain Morgan, Amstel and Windhoek.

"Drink selection and quality is one of the priorities amongst attendees of this event. Thanks to brandhouse, our ticket holders, VIP guests and artists attending the festival this year will have a wide selection of premium quality beverages to choose from," says Rashid Lombard, Festival Director and CEO of espAfrika.

The brandhouse premium portfolio of brands will be available to both high profile guests in the corporate hospitality area of the festival, as well as individual music lovers in the public sections.

"With the best of international and local artists set to entertain the crowds at Africa's biggest music event, it makes sense for brandhouse to complete their first-class experience with our extensive selection of globally renowned premium products, "says Michael Mabasa, Corporate Relations Director at brandhouse.

"brandhouse is proud to be associated with this exciting and world-renowned music and lifestyle event. We are aiming to provide the jazz festival guests with a quality beverage experience that should be enjoyed responsibly," concludes Mabasa.

In support of Diageo’s ambitions to accelerate the growth of spirits in Africa, Mr Mahinda will be responsible for embedding optimum supply, sales and marketing solutions in key markets for spirits. “During his three years as MD, Gerald has led brandhouse to gain share in beer and spirits resulting in the business becoming the second largest beverage alcohol company in South Africa”, said Nick Blazquez, Diageo’s President Africa, Turkey, Russia and Eastern Europe.

“The Heineken and Windhoek brands continue to grow from strength to strength and the re-launch of Amstel is a clear success. Smirnoff has grown to become a c.2 million case brand and Johnnie Walker’s fantastic trajectory will see it easily exceed 500,000 cases in F13. Gerald leaves brandhouse having created a winning organisation and a great platform for future growth”, said Mr Blazquez.

Mr Mahinda’s successor will be Jeff Milliken, who joins brandhouse after having spent five years managing Diageo’s businesses in Venezuela and Colombia. A British national, Mr Milliken joined Diageo in 1990 from Coopers and Lybrand as a newly qualified chartered accountant. He undertook a variety of finance roles in London, Tokyo, Latin America and Scotland Supply. In 2000 he became Grain Distilling Director in Scotland responsible for the Grain Distilleries, warehouse and blending and latterly maturing inventory management, before moving to Caracas in 2005 to be supply Director for Latin America. “Jeff’s passion for the business and his considerable experience in operating in competitive high growth markets will support the continued strong momentum in brandhouse”, said Blazquez.

Both Messrs Milliken and Mahinda will take up their new respective roles effective 1 July 2013.

It is a harsh reality that roads accidents increase over long weekends and holiday periods as South Africans make their way to holiday destinations.

Drinking and driving plays a major role in the number of accidents on South African roads.

brandhouse is committed to addressing the role that alcohol plays when it comes to drinking and driving through interventions such as its hard-hitting Drive Dry campaign.

The 2013 Drive Dry campaign was launched earlier this month, ahead of the Easter holiday period, as a means to remind consumers to Drive Dry as well as encourage them to take an active role in drinking responsibly.

The hitting social media activism campaign, a first for the industry, is designed to change behaviour amongst South African youth with regard to drinking and driving.

At the heart of this year’s campaign is a somewhat shocking Facebook application called The Drive. The Drive brings to life the harsh realities of drunk driving in an impactful way, and encourages South Africans to make a public commitment to never drink and drive.

It also encourages young people to select a designated driver before going out to socialise and make such a decision, an active part of their social culture.
Similar to past Drive Dry campaigns such as “ Pappa wag vir jou” that made use of strong emotional imagery to raise awareness of drunk driving in an impactful way, the 2013 campaign makes use of shock tactics - The Drive is designed to take consumers through a fictional social scenario with a shocking and unexpected outcome.

The campaign also encourages South Africans to make their pledge to “drink and not drive” or “drive and not drink” through social-media platforms – www.drivedry.co.za and www.facebook.com/Drivedry.

Once they have pledged, consumers need to be actively responsible for themselves and either make use of designated drivers who do not drink or a taxi service home, if they do drink.

“Each pledge is a public declaration to drink responsibly and makes consumers accountable for their actions amongst family and friends,” says Michael Mabasa, Corporate Relations Director for brandhouse. “We encourage consumers to make their pledge and lead by example.”

Although Drive Dry targets mainly 18 – 25 year olds who tend to be more casual about drinking and driving, it in truth speaks to all South Africans who have access to a car and who drink alcohol socially.

“We take the matter very seriously and are working hard to change the mind-set of consumers who believe that ‘it won’t happen to them’”, says Mabasa.

Click here to learn more about brandhouse’s Drive Dry campaign: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYMXKl6gz1c

The RDMAs is a brandhouse initiative that aims to ultimately influence consumer behaviour by encouraging South African media to promote responsible drinking amongst their audiences. Journalists who publish or broadcast stories that do so, are eligible to enter their work.

brandhouse is South Africa’s leading total beverage alcohol company and actively engages with communities through a series of programmes designed to positively impact negative drinking behaviours.

“Our company recognises that the irresponsible use of alcohol has a negative impact on South African society and we are therefore passionate campaigners for responsible drinking. The RDMAs are an effective way to spread our responsible drinking agenda to South African consumers by using one of the most powerful platforms available to us – the South African media,” says Mike Mabasa, Corporate Relations Director at brandhouse.

The RDMAs is open to all South African journalists who have demonstrated an effort to support responsible drinking, by publishing an article in the South African media (print, broadcast and online) that covers any story on responsible drinking - including issues related to alcohol abuse and its consequences. These issues include, but are not limited to drink driving, underage drinking, foetal alcohol syndrome, binge drinking and alcohol related violence.

Categories for this year’s RDMAs include: Best Broadcast, Best Blog, Best Online, Best Community, Best Newspaper, Best Magazine and Journalist of the Year, as well as two new additions: Best Campus Media and Most Responsible Media House. The winner of each category will walk away with R10 000 and the knowledge that they have helped contribute towards their fellow South Africans’ well-being.

“I believe the brandhouse Responsible Drinking Media Awards plays a pivotal role in helping to raise awareness about responsible drinking. I hope these awards inspire more journalists to write and broadcast stories that show the potential dangers of alcohol abuse in a compelling and powerful way," says Kim Cloete of Carte Blanche and 2012 RDMA Journalist of the Year winner.

For more information on how to enter, please contact Nicci Mitchell on 0115067300 or niccim@meropa.co.za. Entries close at 12pm on 31 May 2013 and must include a portfolio of published work dating from 1 May 2012 until 31 May 2013. Only media who have entered will be reviewed.