Let us understand and not misconstrue the media interest on Madiba, by Vincent Magwenya

The media’s intense focus on the health of ex-president Nelson Mandela (Madiba) should not be seen as mischievous or an overzealous editorial obsession, however fraught this attention may seem to family, friends and political comrades. I will be the first to concede that scenes of reporters and television news crews camping outside Madiba’s homes and the Pretoria Heart Hospital can be overwhelming. Recent accounts of irresponsible reporting do not alleviate this apprehension.

The genesis of this phenomenal interest can be traced back to Madiba himself. To understand this “obsession,” we have to acknowledge the affection Madiba had for the media and the nature of the bond he shared with journalists; a relationship that did not flag from the moment he stepped out of prison through to the formative years of his Presidency, and then later, as an international elder statesman.

Despite spending 27 years in prison, Mandela never lost touch with the power of the media or the influence it has on society. This global icon was the ‘rock star’ above all rock stars, and the media enjoyed unprecedented access to him. Not since Dr Martin Luther King and Mahatma Gandhi, had the world witnessed such inspirational leadership; journalists simply loved him. They were awed by the aura of humility and warm charm; this despite his heroic ‘struggle’ credentials and messiah-like status.

I can attest to this. Towards the end of 1993, landing my first job at Reuters in Johannesburg, I rubbed shoulders with the who’s who of local and international newsrooms. We all followed Madiba as he travelled the corners of South Africa during this country’s first democratic election campaign. Madiba knew some of these newsrooms legends by first name. He cajoled and joked with them as if they were his children, colleagues, or friends. He treated everyone in the travelling media corps with unprecedented respect. He was particularly fond of the young, feisty Deborah Patta of 702’s Eye Witness News. He would place his arm around her, like a caring and loving father.

The media reciprocated; he became a subject of sustained editorial interest and a father figure. Journalists enjoyed every moment with him. We called him “Tata” when shouting for attention, a wave, and a smile for our cameras.

I became a first hand witness to Madiba’s media skills. At the start of the Zaire conflict in 1997, between the Congo’s long serving dictator, Mobutu Sese Seko and Laurent Kabila, the international community requested Madiba to broker a peaceful solution. Africa, then, and the world, had just witnessed the horrors of the Rwandan genocide. Fears of another deadly conflict in the Great Lakes Region spurred Madiba into action. He deployed the negotiating skills he had used to usher South Africa through peaceful, sometimes contentious multi-party talks in 1994, to broker a deal.

One of meetings with Kabila took place at Madiba’s house in Houghton. The late Parks Mankahlana, his spokesperson at the time, alerted us to a ‘photo opportunity’ and ‘presser’ with President Mandela and Kabila. By 18h00, cameraman Spokes Mashiyane and I had joined a growing group of local and international media in a stake out in front of Mandela’s house.

The mood as always, was jolly. After all, this was a “Mandela story.” Nothing happened until close to midnight. None of us complained. Mankahlana regularly came out to assure us, “they will be coming out soon guys.” Eventually they did. Madiba commenced with a sincere apology for keeping us waiting. He introduced Kabila and then gave an assurance that all parties involved in the conflict had committed themselves to finding a peaceful solution. He went on to declare, “As you would all appreciate, these are very sensitive matters, I therefore hope you will not probe me further.” He smiled, shook hands with Kabila, wished us a good evening, and turned away to disappear into the glimmer of his sprawling garden.

We all looked at each other in absolute amazement. What was that? Did we just let him get away? We had been waiting for this briefing since 6pm. Satellite feeds were booked and postponed. What did he mean, “he hopes we would not probe him further”? Mankahlana, the astute spokesperson that he was, remained gauging the temperature. After a few seconds of silence, attempting to process what had just happened, we gave up. After all this was Madiba. We trusted him. That was the end of story.

Mandela would continue his cordial relationship with the media, even in vexing times. Media hacks would not stop speculation about his courtship with Graca Machel, widow of the late President Samora Machel of Mozambique. The Madiba touch won the day. At a press briefing, Mandela authoritatively stated, “my culture does not permit me to discuss an issue of this nature with somebody young enough to be my granddaughter.” The “young” female journalist responsible for the question somewhat embarrassingly obliged.
The media never scorned Mandela for breaking protocol either. Not even when he stood up – during a state visit – and did the famous Madiba jive during an electrifying performance by the late Jabu Khanyile of Bayete, at the Royal Albert Hall, in London while alongside him Queen Elizabeth sat stoned faced.

Again, in Hluhluwe, about 300km north of Durban, Madiba did the unthinkable. The occasion was a handover of land – previously designated a game reserve – to a neighbouring community. In attendance were Head of State, Mandela, Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini and Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi. Before the ceremony, Madiba, King Zwelithini and Buthelezi were seated at the foyer of the reserve’s lodge. Madiba spotted Walter Dladla, the late AFP photographer. In a moment of excitement, pointing towards King Zwelithini he commanded, “Ah! Walter! Come and meet uNdabezitha.” Walter obliged, reaching out to shake the King’s hand. But, the handshake was not to be. Buthelezi rushed to grab Walter’s hand and chastised him observing that the “King does not shake hands with commoners.”

Recently, in Kenya on a business trip, I discovered the same intense interest. Everybody I met, from waiters to business associates, expressed concern about Madiba’s health. Newspapers in Nairobi led with front-page pictures of tributes outside the Medi-Clinic hospital in Pretoria. The hotel doorman bid me farewell with a wish of “good health to Mr Mandela.”

So, concern for Madiba’s health is more than just obsessional editorial interest. He was a ‘father’ away from home, a global icon, a celebrity, and a beloved elder statesman. Let us celebrate and appreciate his special relationship with the media, historically, now and in the future. Let us cherish the shared appreciation of a free media, and dignity he bestowed on those who practice it. Madiba’s health is, and will remain an issue of global public interest.
Vincent Magwenya who is CEO of Magna Carta PR, retired from active journalism. He writes in his personal capacity.
ENDS

Issued by: Magna Carta
Contact Person: Hilary Macaulay
Email: [email protected]

New global survey highlights crisis of leadership

• Open communication, decisive action and personal involvement mark great leaders
• South Africans place higher value on ethical behavior than global peers

Leaders in all spheres of society, from business to politics, trade unions and community leaders, face a crisis of confidence as people all over the world expect more from them but lack faith in their ability to deliver.
Also, personal interaction and the use of traditional media, both print and broadcast, are still the most effective ways to communicate, ranking higher than social media on credibility.

These are some of the many insightful findings of the second annual Ketchum Leadership Communication Monitor (KLCM). The KLCM is a 15 minute global on line survey conducted by leading communications consultancy Ketchum.

The survey was conducted among 6000 respondents in 12 countries, including South Africa, evenly spread at 500 respondents per country. Other countries include emerging market peers of Brazil India and China; European countries France, Germany, Spain and the United Kingdom I; the  United States and Canada , as well Singapore and United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Vincent Magwenya, CEO of Magna Carta, which is the exclusive Africa affiliate of Ketchum said “Leadership, or lack of it, has been the most pressing issue in South Africa and the world in the wake of the global recession. A study that assesses people’s attitude towards leadership and communication is both relevant and timely. As Magna Carta, we are excited to be working with Ketchum in bringing out the leadership and communications monitor.”

Overall the survey found that only 24% of global respondents believed that there is effective leadership in the areas of business, politics, local community and among union leaders.

The survey shows that politicians who fail to act with long-term interests in mind can learn from business leaders, as 61% of those surveyed globally  see business leaders as focused mainly on the long-term, countering stereotypes that corporations are obsessed with the next quarter’s profits.

60% of those surveyed believe politicians have a short term focus, while 39% feel business leaders have a short term focus, implying that 61% believe corporate heads have a long term view.

Business chiefs also come out on top for taking responsibility when things go wrong. Politicians, by contrast, trail behind all other leadership categories on both measures – 60 percent of survey participants view them as short-term focused – suggesting the world of politics has much to learn from the business community.

Magwenya says Magna Carta is now looking forward to sharing the insight and findings from the survey with its clients to better understand what the findings mean for individual organisations and industries.

The survey reinforced findings from last year that leadership and communication has an impact on the company’s bottom line, with a significant percentage prepared to stop purchasing a company’s goods as a result of its leadership conduct.

South Africans hold their business leaders in very high regard. Business leaders (39%) are the most effective category of leader, followed by leaders of non-profit organizations (30%).

Similarly, forty-two percent of South Africans feel that business leaders are the most effective communicators followed by leaders of non-profit organisations (30%).  Ninety-one percent of South Africans feel effective communication is important to great leadership, higher than the global average (75%) and higher than any other included country.

South Africans show a higher than average disposition on a number of key areas, 50% of South Africans value ethical behaviour for example, well above the global average. South Africans also show a higher than global average, at 61%, for stopping to purchase a company’s products as a result of leadership conduct.

More than most countries, South Africa feels that leading by example (81% compared to 65% globally) and communicating in an open and transparent way (80% compared to 66% globally) are important behaviours to be considered an effective leader.

By far, South Africans view the technology industry (47%) to be the industry demonstrating the most effective leadership, followed by the hotels, leisure and tourism and automotive industries (both at 32%).

The technology industry is seen as the most global credible communicator in offering great products (and explain technical uses simply) and being led by CEO who are great communicators. This is probably what can be termed the Steve Jobs, for the late Apple founder’s vision and leadership during the Apple revolution over the past decade.

South Africans think that in 2013 leaders need to be open and honest about the nature and scale of the challenge ahead (70% compared to 59% globally) and provide a clearer overall vision for how economies, businesses and other organisations can survive (55% compared to 50% globally).

While only 6% of South Africans have more confidence in political leaders looking towards 2013, 27% have more confidence in business leaders.

The survey found that even in the era of social media, people still value personal interaction above all else as the most credible means of communication from a leader.  This is followed by traditional media platforms of print and broadcast, with social media platforms ranking lower globally.

South Africa and its emerging market peers  exhibit roughly similar characteristics in many aspects of their view of leadership.  For instance, Africa, South America, China along with the US rate transparent communication higher than Europe.  About 91% of those surveyed in SA value transparency, followed by 83% for China and 81% for South America and the US.

Brazilians tend to believe in their business leaders more than their global counterparts, at 49% compared to the 34% global average. Chinese consumers believe that business leaders are the most effective leaders (58%), followed by political leaders (49%).This is significantly higher than the global averages of 34% and 21% respectively.

This general belief in all their leaders is probably a reflection of China’s rise in prosperity over the last two decades combined with the country’s command economy and information control.

Indians generally view their leaders as more effective than most of their global counterparts. 41 %   (compared to 34% globally) view business leaders as effective, while 35% feel the same about non-profits (compared to 26% globally).

A finding that will make business leaders think long and hard is that employees are ranked as the most credible source of information for a company. They are followed by analyst and other experts, customers, with the CEO in sixth place on the rankings.

This underlines that companies must look after their employees and communicate with them effectively in order for the companies story to be carried far and wide with credibility.
ENDS

Issued by:Magna Carta Contact
Person:Hilary Macaulay
Tel No.:083 628 6405
Email: [email protected]

State of PR in Africa influenced by investment and development, says Magna Carta
Public relations, although still in its infancy in many African countries, is assuming new significance as international investors and South African companies expand operations on the continent. Taking the step of creating a presence through a PR network, however, is still not for the faint-hearted, says Magna Carta.

One of the major downfalls for entrepreneurs entering the African market is that many proceed on the mistaken belief that the continent is an integrated market with few differences between countries. It is assumed that a ‘one-size’ fits all approach to businesses and services ensure success. This belief is far from the truth in a continent that is home to 54 states, each with its own challenges and local economies that range from ‘developed’ to emerging status, says Vincent Magwenya, CEO of Magna Carta.

“The state of PR in Africa varies widely, something that is not surprising when it is considered that barely 20 years ago the industry was virtually non-existent on the continent.

“Today, although PR is becoming part of the business fabric, extensive research needs to be done before a commitment is made to opening dedicated operations in various countries,” says Magwenya, who has extensive experience in Africa and is presently guiding the expansion of Magna Carta, through the existing partnerships and TBWA African operations.

“Partnerships with local agencies are essential in Africa. However, taking this step requires that you have an in-depth understanding of who you are partnering with and their various affiliations, if any, with international agencies.  Magna Carta’s research showed that four broad categories of agencies exist in Africa,” says Magwenya. These are:

• Local offices affiliated to, or affiliates of, global PR/Advertising groups
• A limited number of Africa specialists with claims to actual experience of working across African countries
• Local agencies with genuine PR specialists on staff, and
• Local one-stop shop agencies that claim to have PR expertise as part of their overall offering

“The final category forms the majority in most African countries. Most agencies offer everything from advertising to marketing and simply include PR as one of their offerings. The growth of this sector was natural, given that specialisation in specific markets was often not possible because of the small size of markets on the continent. This forced entrepreneurs to take the ‘one-stop shop’ approach to doing communications business.

“The structuring of these companies is in marked contrast to the growth of communications entities as they are known in South Africa. Here, each company within a large group has a defined structure, specialist staff and the ability to integrate with other specialists to meet clients’ requirements.

“In the rest of Africa, practitioners can often be found housed in a single room with single individuals assuming responsibility for disparate communications functions. Again, this approach is defined by market size and requirements,” says Magwenya.

When approaching PR in Africa the basic requirement therefore is to understand the maturity levels of individual markets. The next step is to cluster countries into defined, categorised markets to ascertain what levels of quality service and competition could possibly be encountered.

“Broadly, when examining opportunities available to Magna Carta and TBWA, we found four categories of African markets we could clearly define,” says Magwenya. These were:

• Developed markets
• Emerging markets
• Semi-developed markets, and
• Under-developed markets

“South Africa is a developed market as it has a mature PR market whose services are rated as amongst the best in Africa. Emerging markets include Nigeria and Ghana. In these countries little was known about PR as a practice two decades ago. However, due to increased international investment and participation in these economies, growth in marketing and PR activities is taking place.

“In this context it is interesting to note that the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) recently held their third ‘Golden Eagle’ awards for the PR industry.

“Semi-developed PR countries include Kenya, Uganda, Namibia and Botswana. These countries have mature and independent media environments, but have a PR industry that is focused on delivering events, rather than providing strategic counsel to companies and governments.

“The use of PR consultants, many of them originally journalists or media workers, is growing. In Kenya the primary driver for this increased activity is that the country is used as an ‘East African hub’ by multinational businesses and is also home to many NGO’s including the United Nations.”

The under-developed markets cross territories such as Angola, Tanzania, Mauritius, Malawi, Mozambique, Swaziland, Lesotho and Zambia where media are generally under-funded and under-skilled. Where companies do exist in Angola or Mozambique they have strong Portuguese links.

“Although PR and communications-based activities are growing strongly in the emerging markets, it must be generally accepted that their success and growth is tied to the media, which because of issues of ownership and funding, can have wide-ranging quality.  Where media outputs are poor, PR is generally disregarded as a necessity. Consumer consumption of newspapers also plays a role by limiting circulation figures – another pre-requisite for PR and advertising practitioners.

“Consumer consumption of newspapers is entirely different to that of mature markets like South Africa. In some markets it is not uncommon to see groups of people huddled around newspaper stands. They literally ‘rent to read’ newspapers and then hand the publication back to the news vendor when they have completed reading.

“The repercussions of this are that communications professionals are unable to get accurate readership figures or audience ratings. Having an understanding of local factors like these is essential if the opening of a PR company is being considered.

“Although it is undoubtedly Africa’s time to take the international spotlight and the continent boasts a burgeoning middle class that is driving prosperity, entry into markets must be thoroughly researched and carefully considered. Ensuring that all factors have been taken into account will ensure success,” concludes Magwenya.
ENDS

Issued by: Magna Carta
Contact Person: Hilary Macaulay
Email: [email protected]

Magna Carta PR named African Consultancy of the Year in international Holmes Report
Magna Carta has been named African PR Agency of the Year in the authoritative international Holmes Report, which annually rates the accomplishments of more than 300 agencies across the globe and also manages the SABRE Awards, the world’s largest PR awards competition.

Vincent Magwenya, CEO-designate at Magna Carta, welcomed the accolade saying that the award recognised the role that Magna Carta, part of the TBWA\ Group, is playing on the African continent.

It was also pleasing to note that the Holmes report also recognised the work of Ketchum, of which Magna Carta is the exclusive African affiliate, in the competitive Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region where it was named EMEA Agency of the Year, Magwenya said.

“Magna Carta has been working steadily for more than seven years on a model for Africa. The model is premised on a partnership with our clients and is supported by Magna Carta and its agencies on the ground in major African countries. We now have a network covering 14 of the continent’s major markets. With our local offices in Johannesburg and Cape Town, we now literally have a network that stretches from ‘the Cape to Cairo’.

“The extensive Magna Carta network has enabled us to meet the on-going requirements of major South African and international corporations working on the continent. We count as major achievements the support we provide for Standard Bank across Africa, the launch of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation, our work with the African Progress Panel and, more recently, our acquisition of the Samsung Africa business across 6 markets in Southern Africa,” Magwenya said.

“From an African viewpoint it is gratifying to see that the business of public relations is growing in Africa and enjoying the attention of the international PR community. The recognition of public relations as a business tool has undoubtedly been influenced by the growing realisation that Africa’s time has come and is ready to take its place on the international stage. This, more than any other factor, will help the PR industry become a mature industry on the continent,” Magwenya said.

It was natural, he said, that many international corporations wishing to gain a foothold in Africa would continue to approach the continent through Johannesburg, which is still regarded as the continent’s business hub.

“The challenge for PR businesses here will be their ability to support clients effectively on a pan-African basis. To be successful within PR in Africa will require the ability to act in areas that range from issue and crisis management, through to stakeholder and community mobilisation.

“Being able to combine this expertise with the analytical tools needed to help clients interact with their key audiences is a given, as is an agency’s understanding of social media and an ability to deliver relevant campaigns in diverse markets.

“Magna Carta has come a long way since it was established in 1994. The crowning of our achievements with the Holmes Report award is a welcome sign that our company and others within the South African PR industry can proudly take our places in the global PR market,” said Magwenya.

Note to editor:
African finalists were: Magna Carta (winner), Fleishman-Hillard and Quadrant from South Africa, Gina Din from Kenya and Burson-Marsteller, a global agency operating from New York.

ENDS

Issued by: Magna Carta
Contact Person: Hilary Macaulay
Email: [email protected]

New CEO appointment as Magna Carta founder Annemarie McKay Ichikowitz steps down

A ‘changing of the guard’ at executive management level at Magna Carta, one of South Africa’s leading PR firms, will see the company gearing up for new ever-evolving communication challenges in South Africa and further afield, has been announced by Derek Bouwer, group CEO of TBWA.

Bouwer says that Annemarie McKay Ichikowitz, a founding member and CEO of the company, will be leaving the business at the end of March 2013, after spending 19 years growing the business in a leadership role as deputy managing director and finally, following the departure of her co-founder Michele Anderson, as CEO for the last 3 years.

Succeeding her will be Vincent Magwenya, a long-serving member of Magna Carta’s executive team.
“It is not easy to leave a company that you have built and which has become everything that you stand for, especially when you have been involved from the beginning, seeing it grow and finally reach the point where it has become acknowledged as an industry leader.
“However, it is when a company has reached a position of eminence in its industry that it is appropriate to hand over the reins. A successor and the management team are then left with a solid foundation on which to build. By driving fresh perspectives, different insights and new ways of approaching things into the CEO’s position, a successor is well placed to leverage the company into a new growth phase.

“Magna Carta has reached this point in its history, and it is appropriate that Vincent Magwenya will formally take office on April 1. He is well suited to the task ahead and with the support of a strong management team will undoubtedly take Magna Carta to its next level,” says Ichikowitz.

The planned succession of Magwenya to the position of CEO began early in 2012 when he assumed some of the responsibilities of the CEO’s office, working parallel with Ichikowitz, as well as delivering effectively on his responsibilities as divisional head for Africa.
Magwenya has been working with Ichikowitz and the group CEO of TBWA Africa – Derek Bouwer, driving the development and expansion of Magna Carta’s footprint into Africa. Commenting on the announcement, Bouwer says the appointment is in line with the Group’s evolving growth and strengthening of the management team.

“Annemarie’s legacy to me as CEO, and to the management and staff at Magna Carta is a company that has a solid ‘blue-chip’ client base offering globally aligned and innovative PR services. Complementing this is a company that, as part of the TBWA Group, has become Africa’s premier PR company – a fact attested to by its being named Finweek ‘PR Agency of the Year’ for four consecutive years and recently short listed by the Paul Holmes 2013 EMEA PR Industry Report for Africa Agency of the Year ,” says Magwenya.
Ichikowitz was also instrumental in developing the relationship with Ketchum, which as a global PR agency, works with Magna Carta as its exclusive partner in Arica. This relationship has added tremendous value to both parties.

“In the 19 years of its existence, when it was originally founded as Msomi Hunt Lascaris in 1994, the company has set the standard by which others are measured. The next phase of Magna Carta’s growth will be to consolidate its expansion into strategic African markets, drive its digital and social media offering and lead the industry with its measurement and analytics product offering.

“This will ensure that the business continues to enhance its capabilities to further assist clients who have operations on the continent, and further abroad, who require a seamless service that spans sub-Saharan and South Africa – this is what is so exciting about this business and the opportunities that will drive growth into the future,” commented Ichikowitz.

Magwenya reinforced this by including, “Our plans in this regard are well advanced and the management team is focused and motivated in terms of driving innovation and growth for Magna Carta. Further announcements in terms of how this is playing out will be made shortly.

“My thanks for the support and advice offered to me during my years at Magna Carta, go to both Annemarie and her original partner, Michele Anderson, who together built Magna Carta into what it is today. I take over as CEO, knowing that I have a great legacy and great accomplishments to build on.”

ENDS

Note to Editors – Vincent Magwenya profile
Vincent Magwenya has 18 years of combined journalism and corporate communications experience, working for companies such as Reuters Television, Worldwide Television News now known as Associated Press Television News, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, based in Washington D.C, the South African Broadcasting Corporation as Executive Producer of Morning Live, Magna Carta Public Relations, Standard Bank Group and The Presidency of the Republic of South Africa

Vincent is also the former Spokesperson to President Zuma and before re-joining Magna Carta he worked as Director of Communications for Standard Bank Africa and Director of Group Stakeholder Relations Management for the Standard Bank Group.

In 2006 Vincent was appointed business development director at Magna Carta Public Relations, a role that focused on the development and leadership of an Africa network of PR companies to service Magna Carta’s clients operating in the continent. He was also responsible for providing strategic counsel to clients and leading different account teams on the formulation and execution of editorial strategies and crisis communications management plans.

In 2007 Magwenya was appointed to the board of directors of Magna Carta.

Magwenya is a passionate communications practitioner who enjoys team dynamics and strives to constantly create a healthy working environment amongst his colleagues. His approach to communications is analytical and strategic with the ability to work in integrated teams for the optimisation of messages through multiple channels. Magwenya holds a National Diploma from the Durban University of Technology (formerly known as Technikon Natal) in video technology with majors in communications and television production. He has completed short courses in finance and company law.

About TBWA\:
TBWA\Hunt\Lascaris is part of the TBWA\South Africa group, a member of TBWA\Worldwide.
TBWA\Worldwide (www.tbwa.com <http://www.tbwa.com/> ) creates Disruptive ideas expressed through Media Arts for global clients, including ABSOLUT, adidas, Apple, Energizer, GlaxoSmithKline, Henkel, Infiniti, McDonald’s, Michelin, Nissan, Pernod Ricard, Pfizer, Roche, Standard Bank, Singapore Airlines and Visa. TBWA is ranked as a Top-Ten worldwide advertising agency, and was recognised by Advertising Age in 2010 as the “Best International Network of the Decade. TBWA has 275 offices in 100 countries, and over 11,000 employees worldwide.

TBWA\ is part of Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE: OMC) (www.omnicomgroup.com <http://www.omnicomgroup.com/>), a leading global marketing and corporate communications company. Omnicom’s branded networks and numerous specialty firms provide advertising, strategic media planning and buying, digital and interactive marketing, direct and promotional marketing, public relations and other specialty communications services to over 5,000 clients in more than 100 countries.

ENDS

Issued by: Magna Carta
Contact Person: Hilary Macaulay
Email: [email protected]