Since 2000, manufacturer of high-performance sports footwear and apparel, New Balance SA, had grown its market share substantially. Now, in 2006, the general manager of New Balance South Africa, Gary van Rooyen, considered the company’s future direction. In line with worldwide trends, opposition companies, such as Nike, had started to move into retail by establishing their own chain of stores.

Josi McKenzie, marketing director of fast food chain, Nando’s International, considered the development of Nando’s International since its inception as a South African fast food organisation 16 years previously. By the end of 2003, there were a total of 450 stores throughout the world, 186 of them being in South Africa. McKenzie felt good about this record, but she felt that there was enough potential in the company to perform even better on a global basis in 2004.

On 17 April 2005 African cellular telecommunications company MTN finally launched its new ‘everywhere you go’ pay-off line across all of its African operations. Three months later, with the rush over, MTN’s group executive director: marketing, Santie Botha, reflected on the company’s two-year journey towards adopting a global brand identity with locally relevant communication – the so-called ‘glocal’ approach.

As he made another payment to the previous owner of LEW Auto and Electrical & Aircon Repairs in June 2017, Peter Simelane, the new owner, was worried that his business was not growing as he had anticipated that it would. He had seen great potential for the business when he bought it in 2015, but by 2017 the business was still not living up to his expectations. He wanted to identify where the problem lay and what he needed to do to grow the business.

No of pages: 6 pages

It was January 2003, 17 months since kulula.com had taken to the skies for the first time. This low-cost airline had survived almost two years in an extremely tough industry and had been very successful since its inaugural flight on 1 August 2001.

Gidon Novick, kulula.com's executive manager of marketing, was involved in its unusual, but highly successful communication strategy from day one and maintained a close relationship with the advertising agency, morrisjones&co. But despite its success, Novick did not feel comfortable.

Kulula.com was South Africa's first true low-frills airline and had managed to be profitable from day one. Its somewhat unconventional, but very funky communication strategy contributed hugely towards its successful performance. Advertising agency, morrisjones&co firmly believed that although its advertising campaign was risky, it might have been more risky if people did not notice it at all. They maintained that "if it was bold and in your face, it would stand out".

Kulula.com was established in 2001 as a low cost airline following the lines of the international discount airlines such as easyJet and Ryanair in Europe and Southwest Airlines in the USA. The strategy was to keep costs as low as possible, using single type aircraft, no frills such as business class or free refreshments, and keeping reservation costs low by booking directly, typically online.

In February 2010, online retail company kalahari.com, launched the Marketplace, a trading platform aimed at allowing third parties to use the kalahari.com site to sell their goods. By May 2012, the success of the venture was exceeding expectations still, Bill Paladino, chief executive officer of the MIH Group, the South African multimedia company that owned kalahari.com, knew that the competitive nature of the online retail industry meant that there was no room for complacency. He wondered how to ensure the continued success of the Marketplace.

No.of pages: 18

In September 2014, Calum McCracken, chief executive officer (CEO) of Next Generation Network Telecommunications (Pty) Ltd (NGN Telecoms), met with his partners to discuss the company’s Kenyan dilemma.

In September 2012, Khensani Nobanda took over as general manager of Hansa Pilsener, South African Breweries’ (SAB) second-biggest brand. Under her predecessor, Mosidi Seretlo, SAB had developed a highly successful advertising campaign for Hansa, featuring a character named Vuyo who epitomised the positioning of the brand. Conditions in the beer market had changed since the campaign was first launched, however, and Nobanda was now considering options for the way forward. Should she move Hansa’s communications campaign away from Vuyo, she wondered?