[Biz Takeouts Podcast] 81: Conn Bertish and Cairo Howarth

17 Feb 2014

Last week on the Biz Takeouts Marketing and Media Radio show, we chatted to Conn Bertish (@connbertish), current executive creative director at Quirk (@quirkagency) about some industry points and focused on the Hungry Lion, Get More integrated campaign currently airing on TV's nationwide. We also chatted to EFC Africa (@efcafrica) president, Cairo Howarth, about the growth of the EFC Africa brand in South Africa as well as the EFC's four nominations at the upcoming Discovery Sports Industry Awards.

Get all the information by listening to this week's podcast of the show, which airs every Thursday 9am-10am streamed live via 2oceansVibe Radio. [twitterfall]

[Biz Takeouts Podcast] 81: Conn Bertish and Cairo Howarth

Lineup

In studio on Thursday, 13 February 2014, we hosted ECD for Quirk, Conn Bertish. Previously responsible for award-winning campaigns at Ogilvy, The Jupiter Drawing Room, Saatchi&Saatchi and JWT, he has scooped Gold and Silver medals at all major ad festivals worldwide, including a Yellow Pencil at London's D&AD awards for creative direction.

What does the agency of the future look like? How are you adapting?

Conn: Well, I think agencies are adapting in the way we use technology. We now have to filter campaigns to make the best use of technology to raise the reach and impact of the campaigns.

Let's talk about the Hungry Lion - Get More campaign. Can you give an insight into the briefing, objectives, approach, process etc in reaching the final solution?

Conn: Hungry Lion is all about big hearts and giving to Mzanzi, so we tried to show this with the campaign by Get More, always more for the average South African. The campaign has started with the TVC and ends with an event, where South Africans can vote where the event is using social media, stay tuned for that.

Hungry Lion TVC

Get all the other questions, answers and more by listening to this week's podcast below.

On Skype we chatted to Cairo Howarth, President for EFC Africa about the brand, the growth and the upcoming Discovery Sports Industry Awards.

A few years ago there was no organisation or brand like EFC Africa, how did it come about?

Cairo: Well, my brother and I used to own an events company, and we both trained MMA for a while. We saw the gap for an event with organised fighters and fights. It has grown from there.

This is one for the fastest growing sports in Africa and South Africa. How has the growth been? Is EFC bigger than what you ever dreamed it would be?

Cairo: The growth has been phenomenal. When we started out we dreamt it would be big, we had big dreams. It has matched our big dreams, we just didn't think it would take this long.

Do you see EFC Africa get to a point where we start exporting fighters to UFC?

Cairo: You obviously missed the press release on Monday. We are sending Ruan Potts to fight at the UFC, possibly as soon as April this year. Very exciting times. We have some talented fighters and the UFC is watching us.

Let's chat Discovery Sports Industry Awards. You have been nominated for four awards namely, Sports Brand of the Year. Best Live Experience, Best use of PR in a Sport Campaign and Best use of Digital Communication.

Cairo: Yes, it's the 3rd time we are nominated for the Sports Brand of the Year award, so I really hope we win it this year. We are up against some tough competition with ADIDAS, Kaiser Chiefs and The Sharks.

Get more information on EFC Africa and contact details at www.efcafrica.com.

Get the rest of the interview by listening to the podcast below.

The news roundup covered:

If you are interested in getting interviewed on Biz Takeouts, or want to suggest a show topic, email Warren Harding (@bizwazza) on moc.ytinummoczib@stuoekatzib.

Podcast

If you missed the show, download (40.9MB) or listen to the podcast (44:44min).

Episode 81: Conn Bertish and Cairo Howarth

Date: 13 February 2014 Length: 44:44min File size: 40.9MB Host: Warren Harding

Bizcommunity.com's Biz Takeouts Marketing & Media Show takes South Africa's biggest online marketing, media and ad industry platform to the airwaves and gives relevant, useful and interesting insights into all aspects of marketing in SA, Africa and beyond. Each week, the show features the movers and the shakers of the industry, current media trends, upcoming events and brand activities.

For more: