in the news
Cerebra enjoys a lot of media coverage and our brilliant staff are often called upon to offer insight and analysis online, in the press, on radio and TV. If you missed an interview, presentation or article you'll find it here - feel free to share as you see fit!
Do you still need to go to music festivals? The ‘exclusive’ content overload
Submitted by Cerebra on Wed, 2013-09-04 10:17
Glastonbury. Lollapalooza. Coachella. All internationally renowned music festivals, with a huge following and an impressive online presence — but are they killing off the music festival vibe?
Slowly but surely, brands, sponsors and festival organisers are adding their voices to the digital space and creating phenomenal online festival experiences. You can watch the festival via livestream (this year’s Coachella was broadcast live on YouTube), catch sponsors showing the latest festival wear from the event, read exclusive interviews with the artists on websites, and talk with the artists themselves on Twitter. All while the event is happening.
Channel bias, or why "digital marketing" is a farce
Submitted by Cerebra on Thu, 2013-08-22 10:59
There is no shortage of jargon in marketing, advertising and branding. In fact, business communication is peppered with terms that have such divergent definitions that they’ve become all but meaningless. In any given client meeting, or on any given brief, words and phrases like “digital”, “web”, “online”, “mobile”, “interactive”, “social media”, “socialCRM”, “digital PR”, “new media” and others get thrown around liberally even when the likelihood is great that the sender and recipient define those terms differently.
Every time a new technology or platform gets introduced into the communication mix we get lured into believing we need a new strategy or approach. We start believing we need to rethink the principles of communication. I think this is a big mistake. This is why…
The do's and don'ts of delegation
Submitted by Cerebra on Mon, 2013-08-12 10:22
Entrepreneurs' POV: One of the hardest things to do in business is learn how to delegate. Mike Stopforth, an entrepreneur from South Africa, shares four tips that have helped him delegate more effectively.
I don’t claim to be an expert on entrepreneurship or management, but having run a business for six years, I’ve learned a few lessons that have helped me grow into a stronger and more successful entrepreneur. One of the hardest things I’ve had to learn is how to delegate properly. It’s something that’s difficult to do when you’re used to being the guy who does it all, but it’s an important step in taking your business and staff from good to great.
5 crucial steps to effectively managing your reputation and brand online
Submitted by Cerebra on Thu, 2013-08-08 14:28
Most would agree that brand and reputation are intrinsically interconnected for any business. Reputation, much like brand, is nothing more than a perception, which is to say that both reputation and brand are built through the direct or indirect experiences and emotions that a person associates with an individual or brand.
Reputation is a valuable commodity. No one knows this immutable truth better than the person who had a good reputation and lost it, or the business that tarnished its brand through unethical practices. Do what you will to repair it, but consumer and media eyes will always flit back to the dent at the slightest misstep.
Cerebra and Social Business Africa
Submitted by Cerebra on Wed, 2013-08-07 14:04
Our CEO Mike Stopforth on SAfm with Ashraf Garda talking about Cerebra and Social Business Africa.
Yes, social media can be used for selling!
Submitted by Cerebra on Tue, 2013-07-16 14:46
Selling on social media - is it a big 'no-no' or the way forward for savvy brands? Mike Stopforth thinks it's the latter.
Click on the PDF below to read more.
Cerebra Announces Social Business Africa 2013
Submitted by Cerebra on Wed, 2013-07-10 13:05
Last year we hosted the incredibly successful Social Business Summit at the Holiday Inn in Sandton. This year we’re taking the conference to a whole new level, bringing out global thought-leader Dion Hinchcliffe as our keynote speaker, and expanding the programme to include five practical workshops on the topics of social leadership, social marketing, social technology, social governance and law and social analytics.
Google+: Why South African companies are missing out
Submitted by Cerebra on Thu, 2013-07-04 12:25
It’s become fairly common parlance to dismiss Google Plus as a nearly ran but it is actually the new black of social media. Not only is it becoming a key social channel, it is gaining more and more active users.
Google currently estimates that there are 359-million active users on Google Plus, with this number increasing rapidly. With this many people actively using the service, businesses can’t afford to ignore it.
In May this year, Google announced 41 changes they were rolling out to Google Plus, with vice president of engineering, Vic Gundatra, claiming this was because, “Google is eager to make you happy”.
The dangers of over-committing to Facebook
Submitted by Cerebra on Sun, 2013-06-30 23:46
Every wise investor knows you should never over-commit to building property on land you do not own. It’s a simple, understandable concept, yet each year companies spend billions of dollars building branded properties on social platforms they do not own without even considering the risks.
You would think that betting on Facebook is a safe move. It’s the biggest social network by numbers and usage, and definitely attracts the vast majority of ‘social’ conversation. Facebook is a thing of wonder – hardly past its seventh birthday it has every global brand investing billions of dollars to create brand pages in the hope of capturing the attention of its 1.1 bn users.
Social Media Etiquette
Submitted by Cerebra on Sun, 2013-06-23 19:15
Melissa Attree discusses the importance – and necessity – of good social media conduct as featured in Advantage June 2013.
It doesn’t matter whether you’re behind a computer or chatting on the street – the same etiquette rules apply. However, the problem online is two-fold: Firstly, the world is watching and secondly – Google doesn’t forget. So whatever you say on the web is out there for all to see. In effect, the online environment focuses a microscope on your manners and provides a record of your most indiscreet self.
