Govender spoke to media update’s Adam Wakefield about being selected as a judge at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, represented in South Africa by Cinemark, and which channels she feels are the most important in South Africa.

How does it feel to be selected as a judge at this year’s Cannes Lions, specifically on the Media panel?

The Cannes Lions is the global touch stone for creative excellence and this makes me feel quite honored and privileged as one of the Media judges. I’m really looking forward to this opportunity and there are feelings of excitement and humility.

How were you selected as a Cannes judge and what process will you go through in preparation for this year’s awards? Have you been a judge before?

This is my first time being a judge and I am looking forward to going through the process. The judging process sounds extremely rigorous and I am excited to be part of it.

We will be participating in a briefing session where each of us will discuss, in detail, the judging process, as well as establishing a criterion to be used. The briefing session will help us align with one another. We also have a jury guide that explains the process, categories, and rules to be followed.

The things that would intrigue me and grab my attention as a judge are some of the fundamental factors: simplicity, innovation, effectiveness, emotiveness, and quantifiable results.

What are you seeking to take away from the experience of being a Cannes judge?

Engrossing myself in the work that is entered would make me feel completely inspired and invigorated. My take aways would be learnings, trends, and networking.

To you, what is the definition of a game changing channel strategy and what do you believe are the key ingredients to one, leaving aside the specific medium? Are there always must haves in such strategies?

A strategy that reinforces data in a way that tells stories, having the ability to tap into the consumer journey and their micro-moments that are derived from the insight after analysing tons of data, researching resources, and talking to real people

It’s always tough to constantly derive strategies from the consumers point of view. Always consider yourself the end-user of the journey.

As the CEO of Dentsu Aegis Network South Africa, which channels do you believe are the most important in South Africa and why? Five years from now, how will that emphasis and breakdown change, and why?

The five channels that are currently the most relevant and wide reaching in South Africa are television, radio, social media, mobile, and OOH advertising.

This is because traditional channels still lead the way for advertising in SA, with TVs and radios present in almost every home. However, with the rise of digital, over 47% of South Africans currently usie the Internet – that number growing exponentially every year – I see a big shift in marketing in the next five years.

The five main channels will soon be mobile, search, social media, affiliate marketing (i.e. pay-per-click), and television. The rise of internet usage and smartphone availability in South Africa will mean the rise of online marketing. This is a major change because digital channels mean that marketers can gain wider reach and increase user engagement for much lower prices, therefore allowing them to create meaningful, more relevant campaigns that span across multiple channels.

South Africans are becoming more tech-savvy and more curious, but also more skeptical. Digital channels allow them to find the information they want, when they want it, and marketers should use this as an opportunity to build brand trust, create emotional connections, and target their specific audiences more effectively.

For more information, visit www.canneslions.com.

Radio is a channel that speaks to millions and the very best were recently celebrated. Read more in our article, Liberty celebrates the radio stars at the 2017 Liberty Radio Awards.