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Refining The Story: A Q&A With Alastair Orr
As filmmaker tools and processes evolve, so too does the role of post-production — moving from a technical endpoint to one of narrative refinery and reinterpretation. Emma Mendes from media update chats with Alastair Orr, CEO of the Refinery about the central role of post-production in shaping and redefining a film’s identity.
The Rise of Algorithmic Sensationalism and What It Means for Trust
Sensationalism, clickbait — it's all media phenomena we know well to be aware of. But how exactly did algorithms and the development of AI influence these digital forms of manipulation? Venelize de Lange from media update takes a look.
The Publicity Strategy Behind ASICS Conversation-Led Campaigns
Whether you're running, going to the gym or just doing your "hot girl" walk, fitness-focus activities have irrevocably become part of the cultural norm — and so too the conversations around them. Venelize de Lange from media update looks at how the performance shoe brand, ASICS, structures conversation-led publicity to create audience connection and engagement.
Identity is the Ceiling: A Q&A With Grant Sherwood
Venelize de Lange from media update chats with Grant Sherwood to understand how mindset is the key to driving business growth.
Why Humour Hits Home in South African Media
Venelize de Lange from media update considers what role humour plays in South African media by looking at Helen Zille's mayoral campaign for Johannesburg, as well as the recent localised advertisement of WeBuyCars.
Stepping Into Stories at the RMB Latitudes Art Fair
All good campaigns start with a good story — and the RMB Latitudes Art Fair 2026 is no exception. Venelize de Lange from media update considers how storytelling informed this event's cultural resonance and audience reception.
The PR Value of Live Events in a Screen-First World
Venelize de Lange from media update breaks down how live events have become hybrid media moments, blending in-person experience with digital amplification and data-driven evaluation.
How to Prove Sponsorship ROI in Multi-Platform Media
Wondering if your sponsorship is worth the investment? Venelize de Lange from media update unpacks how brands can measure ROI through clear KPIs and cross-channel media monitoring.
From the Gym Floor to the Corporate Boardroom: A Q&A With Mannee De Wet — Part Two
Workplace wellness is becoming a key driver of business performance. In part two of this Q&A, Venelize de Lange from media update continues her conversation with Mannee De Wet from Planet Fitness, looking at how companies can effectively integrate movement into the workday and practically use data to build results-driven wellness strategies.
Die Kuns van Luister Sonder die Algoritmes: 'n V&A met Barnard Beukman
Vandag se medialandskap is geen vreemdeling wanneer dit kom by die hantering van verandering nie. Terwyl mediamense 'n oorheersing deur statistieke en algoritme-gedrewe inhoud in die gesig staar, is daar steeds redaksionele stemme wat ons weer verbind met die ware betekenis van media. Kiara Ferreira van media update gesels met Barnard Beukman, Redakteur van Die Papier.
The Easter Hunt Might Have Ended, But Your Campaign Strategy Is Just Starting
Venelize de Lange from media update takes a look at Easter campaigns in 2026 and how these campaigns can benefit from post-campaign insights, showing why they are essential in helping publicists evaluate campaign success and strengthen future strategy.
Stories That Matter: At the Heart of Easter — The Editor's Note
Easter is easily perceived as the yearly opportunity to indulge in chocolate eggs, public holidays and family time — but how many of us are aware of Easter's true significance? As we celebrate the year's dedicated time of reflection, renewal and meaning, Kiara Ferreira from media update explores what Easter represents for the media industry.
Why Running Culture Has Become a Marketing Goldmine
Brands are constantly looking for ways to engage with communities that will prove fruitful for their investments. Venelize de Lange from media update examines why marathons have become one of the most marketable spaces in the modern event scene.
From the Gym Floor to the Corporate Boardroom: A Q&A With Mannee De Wet — Part One
The wellness community is booming, and breaking into the fitness space — and staying there — is no easy feat. Venelize de Lange from media update spoke with Mannee De Wet from Planet Fitness about exactly how brands new to this industry can set out to succeed.
Debating Our Way Out of Marketing Growth
Debating has become more of a performance than about understanding opposing perspectives — and marketing may be making a similar mistake. Venelize de Lange from media update considers how by comparing performance-driven debating to consumer-facing messaging.
Realism is the New Black: A Q&A With Abdul-Ghakeem Samaai — Part Two
When a film reaches the post-production phase, it doesn't necessarily mean the story is complete. In fact, sometimes, it means the opposite: that the story now needs to be fully discovered. Emma Mendes from media update continues the conversation with Colourist Abdul-Ghakeem Samaai about how colour grading can reshape an already finished story.
Realism is the New Black: A Q&A With Abdul-Ghakeem Samaai — Part One
Realism in film doesn't just happen on set — it's reinterpreted and refined in post-production. Emma Mendes from media update talks to Colourist, Abdul-Ghakeem Samaai about how colour grading shapes authentic storytelling, influences mood, perception, and the overall way audiences connect with a film.
Why Your Brain Still Craves Print Media
When was the last time you sat down and read something without a notification interrupting you? Venelize de Lange from media update looks at the science behind print media's appeal in a world of distracting screens.
Crisis in Real Time: The PR Training Mystery
Emma Mendes from media update dons her detective cap and lights up her wooden pipe to investigate what could arguably be the most intriguing publicity mystery of the decade: who really runs modern PR media training, and where are they hiding?
Localising Easter Campaigns — How to Balance Faith and Commercialisation in the South African Market
Venelize de Lange from media update looks at how South African brands can effectively localise Easter campaigns to build engagement and avoid public missteps.
From Filming a Scene to Cinema Screen: A Q&A With Annemarie du Plessis
When filming wraps-up and final edits are made, the Producer kicks into high-gear. Emma Mendes from media update chats with Producer, Annemarie du Plessis, about the integral role of production in cinema: guiding a film from post-production to the big screen, and marketing local stories for international audiences.
To Rebrand or Not to Rebrand? The Strategy Behind the Decision
Venelize de Lange from media update unpacks the strategic considerations behind rebranding, helping brands determine when change is necessary and how to evolve without losing their identity.
Why "Good News" Still Wins Audiences: A Q&A With Tyler Vivier
Venelize de Lange from media update spoke to Tyler Vivier about the role of positive storytelling and how it holds its place in media.
Cultural Change Requires Cultural Conversation
In South Africa, awareness campaigns are evolving beyond simply "spreading the word". Emma Mendes from media update attended the premiere of What About The Boys 2 to explore how storytelling, industry support and intervention programmes are being used to support education, prevention and long-term cultural change.
Why Competitor Benchmarking Should Be Part of Every Marketing Strategy
Venelize de Lange from media update explores why competitor benchmarking is essential in the marketing industry and how leveraging competitor insights can help brands strengthen their position in an over-saturated marketplace.
Inside the Art of Listening Without Algorithms: A Q&A With Barnard Beukman
Today's media landscape is no stranger to accommodating immediate change. While media professionals face an increasing dominance by metrics and algorithm-driven content, there still remain editorial voices that reconnect us with the true meaning of media. Kiara Ferreira from media update speaks with Barnard Beukman, Editor of South Africa's new print publication, Die Papier.
For children spending weeks or even months in hospital, keeping up with schoolwork can be nearly impossible. Between treatments, limited space and overcrowded wards, many are forced to study on beds, bedside tables or not at all. Now, a new initiative is aiming to change that.
As brands seek to reach high-value consumers in their daily routines, Outdoor Network, a Provantage company, has extended its digital out-of-home (DOOH) footprint with the launch of a new digital billboard on Beyers Naudé Drive, positioned within the busy Randpark Ridge and Randburg commuter corridor.
In retail, the Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) has often been treated as a simple conversion tool: create scarcity, add urgency and encourage people to act quickly, but consumers are increasingly tuned into how urgency is used. They know when something feels exciting, and when it feels manufactured.
Afrika Tikkun, a South African non-profit organisation, has said that this years Children's Week should not only be about celebration, but about protection.
The Association for Communication and Advertising (ACA) and Effie Awards South Africa have extended the deadline for entries into the 2026 Effie Awards South Africa programme and encourage agencies, brands, media owners, specialist agencies and clients to make use of the additional time to submit their most effective work.
Totalsports Women's Race, has announced it will be taking place on three consecutive Sundays in August — Sunday, 2 August, Durban; Sunday 9 August, Cape Town; Sunday, 16 August, Johannesburg — with PinkDrive announced as its official charity.
Kaya 959 has announced significant talent acquisitions in South African radio: broadcaster Thato Sikwane, better known as DJ Fresh, will join the station as host of its flagship weekday breakfast show from Monday, 1 July.
The One Club for Creativity has announced the launch of the first Young Ones Get Out the Vote brief, a new free global challenge calling on undergraduate college students around the world to come up with campaigns to drive voter participation.
Some time ago, the smartest brands and agencies in South Africa realised something important: forced influencer integration simply wasn't landing anymore. They knew that audiences could see through it, creators could feel it, and the work often lacked authenticity, impact and cultural relevance.
Large language model (LLM) ChatGPT boasts that it has approximately 900-million weekly active users worldwide. If just one LLM, albeit the most popular, is boasting almost a billion users a week, it is hardly surprising that more people are starting to roll their eyes at the flood of AI-generated content everywhere.
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