Cheryl Hunter (shelflife at marklives.com)’s weekly pick of all things new — product, packaging, design, insight, food, décor and more!

• The Art of Living from Russell Hobbs
• CareerSteezy TV launches on South African campuses
• Mbongiworks and Rajah Spice in One Pot

Living with art

Russell Hobbs has aligned with digital agency, Retroviral, to create new ways for the evolving South African consumer to experience how it views appliances through its Art of Living campaign.

According to Retroviral’s Mike Sharman, talented and influential creatives Karabo Poppy Moletsane, Sindiso Nyoni and African-based international fashion brand, KISUA Africa, are fashioning conversations in and around the importance of African identity and aesthetics through design, illustration and fashion: “They were selected by Russell Hobbs with the intention of bringing art out of the gallery and into an everyday understanding through this exciting, progressive campaign. This affirms the brand’s role as a market leader and further establishes its commitment to its consumers by bringing a point of conversation and differentiation, highlighting African creativity and the engagement with the world of functional art through a series of high-profile collaborations.”

Russell Hobbs has also partnered with Boardmans to bring commissioned experiential, immersive and distinctive installations by Moletsane, Nyoni and KISUA Africa to life in key stores in Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town from mid-July 2017.

Click to view slideshow.

Sharman says this makes the collaboration a first of its kind within the luxury appliance category in South Africa.

From 1 June to 30 September 2017, shoppers who purchase any Russell Hobbs appliance, from any retailer nationwide, will be eligible to win R100 000 or one of three exclusive Art of Living appliance collections, styled in collaboration with the creatives.

russellhobbs.co.za/artofliving • Facebook • Twitter
kisua.com • Facebook • Twitter
Facebook • Twitter
retroviral.co.za • Facebook • Twitter

Careers on campus

Career Steezy is a new, nationwide, campus-orientated digital content channel aimed at assisting students to get to grips with the challenge of finding employment.

Click to view slideshow.

In a recessionary economy, many youths don’t have access to the personal networks required to land a good job interview, and lack on-the-job experience. Menzi Mndebele at BlackBold Media, the company behind Career Steezy TV, says: “It is possible to secure solid employment, but you have to be fresh and equipped with the tools and knowledge that will allow you to make an impact.”

Steezy is a SA slang term for ‘fresh’, and this ethos is captured in campus content that showcases great careers, discusses the subjects students need to pursue to make those careers real, and drills into the details of finally cracking your industry of choice.

The channel is being broadcast to most colleges and universities where research has indicated that many graduates haven’t identified and followed career opportunities while studying: “There are options out there for qualified young adults — if they know what to look for, and where to look for it. Such options include learner ships, internships, holiday jobs and bursary placements, to name a few.”

The content — broadcast through an app — aims to boost awareness around key subjects, with different shows casting light on the various changes taking place in different job markets. Career Steezy will also feature occasional content that caters to matriculants, including items on how to apply for NSFAS study aid, how to locate and apply for bursaries and how to approach accommodation in the first year.

Facebook
blackboldmedia.co.za • Facebook

Stirring the pot

Designed to introduce Rajah Spice’s new Flavoursome and Mild flavour, the “Rajah One Pot for Everyone Game Show” activation has been created by Mbongiworks as a fun activity that entertains and educates.

Rajah buyers get the chance to use a giant wooden spoon to find prizes in a giant pot, after proving purchase with their till slips, plus Rajah shishebo to sample, accompanied by a locally produced Rajah gospel song and other engaging activities.

Says Mbongiworks co-founder, Rob Muirhead, “Township audiences are served a steady activation diet of the same ‘gig rig’ rebranded for the next often-competitive brand. Our game show is genuinely entertaining and impactful, and about as far away from the ‘formulaic’ as you get.”

The activity is essentially a giant ‘win-and-spin’ and is supported with in-store sampling and live reads on African language radio stations inviting the audience to join in the fun at top township malls.

rajah.co.za • Facebook • Twitter
mbongiworks.co.za • Facebook • Twitter • Ramify

Shelf Life is MarkLives.com’s weekly column covering all things new. Notify us of yours at shelflife at marklives dot com. Want to sponsor Shelf Life? Contact us here.

Cheryl Hunter (@cherylhunter) has written for the South African media, marketing and advertising industries for more than 15 years. A former editor of M&M in Independent Newspapers and contributor to Bizcommunity, AdFocus, AdReview and the Ad Annual, she has also produced for various television networks and currently consults on communication strategy and media liaison.

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