
Airline body urges African governments to act on opening market access
‘Strategies don’t move people. Now it is time to make the difficult decisions and execute them,’ senior executive stresses.
RETAILING
By our News Team | 2023
Shop! South Africa and Institute of Marketing Management announce ‘first-of-its-kind’ partnership involving consumer and shopper marketing.
Shop! South Africa, the newly formed trade association that aims to enhance retail environments and experiences, has announced a partnership with the Institute of Marketing Management (IMM) ahead of Shop’s inaugural Outstanding Shopper Marketing Awards (OSMA) later in 2023.
“The partnership will see the two bodies look to share resources, achieve mutual objectives and leverage each other’s strengths, leading to increased opportunities for both parties,” says IMM CEO, Irene Gregory.
Photo by Greta Hoffman from Pexels
Shop’s membership profile includes major retailers, integrated agencies with shopper and digital offerings, production houses, POS manufacturers and brands.
“This is a first-of-its-kind partnership between consumer and shopper marketing, demonstrating authentic and fully integrated communications. We believe this collaboration will foster creativity, synergy and innovation by combining different perspectives, ideas and approaches,” says Diane Wilson, Managing Director of Shop! SA.
Inevitably lead to innovation, growth and access
“The IMM brings great resources, expertise and knowledge to the partnership, which will inevitably lead to innovation, growth and access to new markets and customer segments.”
The partnership will see the IMM endorse the Shop! OSMA Awards as part of its focus on retail. Realising that retail is an integral part of marketing, the IMM has introduced short courses in retail store management.
The awards celebrate creativity, innovation and excellence in-store, online and throughout the shopper experience. The focus is on shopper programmes and executions that change shopper behaviour and deliver results.
“As the retail market evolves and consumer behaviour changes, it’s more important than ever to recognise shopper marketing as an approach that goes beyond traditional marketing to create more immersive and personalised buying experiences for shoppers,” adds Wilson.

‘Strategies don’t move people. Now it is time to make the difficult decisions and execute them,’ senior executive stresses.

UTB says its ambition is to turn the visibility into interest, bookings and more visitors choosing to explore Uganda.

Short ads shown on TV increased website visits within five minutes of airing by 10-40% compared with longer advertisements.

Supeco’s rapid expansion shows how the discount model is becoming a bigger part of grocery retail in the North African country.

Consumers reward visible eco-friendly additions such as reusable bottles, but give little credit to businesses that reduce or remove products.

Nestlé believes Ghana will continue to play a leading role in the future of Central and West Africa.

Ethiopia’s marketers gather to celebrate hosting next year’s conference – but with an eye on the hard work ahead.

Tech is creating more ways for audiences to connect, but lasting value will come from understanding the people behind those connections.

The new production line at the historic Maydon Wharf facility in Durban will address growing international demand.

Tanzania, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia and South Africa all feature in the African meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions awards.

Much of the broader conversation around AI in market research assumes conditions that do not consistently exist across many African markets, writes Soyinka Witness.