The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has teamed up with the Craft and Design Institute (CDI) to launch the timbuktoo Creatives Lab in South Africa — an innovation and acceleration programme aimed at unlocking the growth potential of the Cultural and Creative Industries (CCIs). Applications are open until Wednesday, 7 May.

According to FNB's Orsheran Singh, "Gamification needs to feel like a natural extension of the brand, not a bolt-on." Joreke Kleynhans from media update spoke to him about different aspects surrounding gamified marketing in this Q&A.

This might be a controversial take on the beloved ChatGPT, but using it for content creation should not become the norm. Using ChatGPT to create content for mailers, social media posts, blogs, webpage content and even emails definitely comes with a few drawbacks, says Derick Carlson, Web Solutions Manager at JHNet. 

Capitec has launched its 'Simple Fees' campaign. The initiative is built around a '1, 2, 3, 6, 10' fee structure and a jingle sung by the children of Capitec employees, making banking fees transparent and easy enough for anyone, even a child, to understand and sing about.

Google has released its 2024 Ads Safety Report, showing how advanced artificial intelligence is transforming the fight against bad ads, scams and misinformation online. As scams grow more sophisticated — often impersonating public figures or deploying AI-generated content — new tools are helping to stop harmful ads before they ever reach people.

The One Club for Creativity has announced the entries from 49 countries and regions that are finalists for The One Show 2025, including 68 from the Middle East and Africa. 

City Lodge Hotels has highlighted its Hydration Station initiative for Earth Day. City Lodge Hotels says that by encouraging guests to refill and reuse rather than repurchase, the Hydration Station significantly cuts down on the use of single-use plastic bottles, a win for both people and planet.

Most companies think they are listening to their customers because they conduct interviews, collect feedback and compile reports filled with quotes and anecdotes. But true qualitative research isn't about gathering statements — it's about uncovering what customers don't say outright, says Liezel Jonkheid, Director and Founder of the Consumer Psychology Lab. 

Sasol has announced that it has taken five Sasol Rewards customers and their plus-ones on the Sasol Mzansi Tour road trip. The tour was hosted in partnership with Mitsubishi Motors South Africa, Durban Tourism and the KwaZulu-Natal Tourism and Film Authority.

Public relations is not always about organising fun events and writing press releases. It involves proactive thinking, anticipating issues and solving problems before they arise. This refers to issue and crisis management. Joreke Kleynhans from media update explains how the two differ.