MARKETING & MEDIA Pick n Pay to bailout Zim retailer[Dumisani Ndlela] Meikles Ltd CEO Brendan Beaumont has confirmed negotiations with South Africa's Pick n Pay over Zimbabwe's TM Supermarkets, saying the supermarket chain requires US$21 million, or R167 million at the ruling exchange rate, in fresh capital. | |
MARKETING & MEDIA Zim: Strong recovery for beverage consumption[Dumisani Ndlela] Zimbabweans are getting back to their guzzling habits, pushing beer and other beverage consumption volumes up in what beverages group Delta Corporation's chairman Robbie Mupawose described as a "strong" recovery. | |
MARKETING & MEDIA NetOne sets up World Cup fan parks[Dumisani Ndlela] Zimbabwe's mobile phone network operator NetOne has begun rolling out fan parks across the country ahead of the 2010 FIFA World Cup to be hosted by South Africa in June. | |
MARKETING & MEDIA Facebook used to lobby Econet into bankrolling soccer[Dumisani Ndlela] Zimbabwean football fans have taken the unusual step of lobbying Econet Wireless Zimbabwe to bankroll the cash-strapped domestic premier soccer league (PSL) which has been without a sponsor for three years. | |
MARKETING & MEDIA Zim plans levy on tobacco, beer advertising[Dumisani Ndlela] Zimbabwe's health authorities are pushing for the introduction of levies on alcohol and tobacco advertisements as a punitive measure against consumption, a move likely to face resistance from manufacturers. | |
MARKETING & MEDIA Pick n Pay to acquire Zim TM Supermarkets shares[Dumisani Ndlela] South Africa's retail group Pick n Pay was said to have reached an agreement on extending its shareholding in Zimbabwe's TM Supermarkets, currently majority-owned by Kingdom Meikles. The deal is said to be part of a recovery plan for the Kingdom Meikles group, whose retail operations need significant cash injections for refurbishment and restocking. | |
MARKETING & MEDIA MTN to enter Zim through Telecel, NetOne?[Dumisani Ndlela] Recent reports of MTN's talks with Orascom Telecom have triggered speculation the telecommunications firm could finally buy the Egyptian group's Zimbabwean asset, Telecel Zimbabwe. | |
MARKETING & MEDIA Zim: Supermarket chain reacts to rivals campaign[Dumisani Ndlela] TM Supermarkets has reacted to a market campaign by OK Zimbabwe aimed at increasing customer traffic into its stores. There has been a rush of customers into OK Supermarket outlets since its OK Grand Challenge promotion was launched last week, with thousands of dollars worth of prizes and discounts on over 80 product ranges from participating suppliers and manufacturers. | |
MARKETING & MEDIA Zim retailer plans to double customer base[Dumisani Ndlela] Retail group OK Zimbabwe, is expecting to double its revenues after re-launching its grand challenge which had been suspended two years ago due to an unprecedented economic crisis in the country. | |
MARKETING & MEDIA Zim telecoms firms fight for survival[Dumisani Ndlela] Zimbabwe's telecommunications battle was normally one for the mobile telecommunications networks, but recently, other players are entering the fray. Technological advances have meant that players can easily provide services that their licences restrict them from offering, albeit through the “technological backdoor”. | |
MARKETING & MEDIA Zim: Delta Beverages refreshes bottles[Dumisani Ndlela] Delta Beverages, a division of SABMiller's Zimbabwean unit, Delta Corporation, is expected to roll out “rejuvenated” bottles and new labels for its brands, a circular to the company's stakeholders revealed. | |
MARKETING & MEDIA TelOne in surprise market campaign[Dumisani Ndlela] Zimbabwe's landline network operator TelOne has launched a surprise campaign to seize a share of the country's mobile phone market. | |
MARKETING & MEDIA Gary Thompson helps rebrand Zimbabwe PSL[Dumisani Ndlela] Zimbabwe's Premier Soccer League (PSL) has roped in advertising and marketing guru, Gary Thompson, for a charm offensive on an unenthusiastic corporate sector as it battles to secure cash and sponsorship deals. | |
MARKETING & MEDIA MTN's Zimbabwe acquisition under threat[Dumisani Ndlela] MTN's planned acquisition of a 49% stake in Zimbabwe's state-owned cellular network NetOne could collapse after revelations some members of the inclusive government are opposed to its privatisation. | |
MARKETING & MEDIA Sunday Times joins euphoria in Zimbabwe[Dumisani Ndlela] South Africa's Sunday Times has joined the euphoria in Zimbabwe over a new media landscape expected with the launch of new media outlets after regulators pledged to accelerate registration of newspapers. | |
MARKETING & MEDIA Zim: Newspapers grow, state TV declines, satellite surges[Dumisani Ndlela] Zimbabwe's newspaper market chalked up favourable gains during the 12 months to 31 December 2009, but the state-owned television continued to sing the blues as viewers trooped to satellite television. | |
MARKETING & MEDIA MTN signs confidentiality agreement with Zim operator[Dumisani Ndlela] MTN, has signed a confidentiality agreement with Zim state-owned cellular network, NetOne, as the South Africa-based mobile company moved closer to acquiring a key stake in the Zimbabwean company. Sources in Harare said MTN had wound up its due diligence on NetOne and was expected to place its final bid soon. | |
MARKETING & MEDIA Zim: State-owned newspapers in the red despite monopoly[Dumisani Ndlela] Zimbabwe's state-owned newspapers performed dismally last year despite enjoying a virtual monopoly on the daily news market, recording an operational loss of US$329 000 during the year to 31 December 2009. | |
MARKETING & MEDIA Zim: Clothing retail giants endure tough market[Dumisani Ndlela] Clothing retail giants are finding that the battle for the cash market is turning tougher due to a proliferation of informal retail shops stocking cheap but quality merchandise from abroad. | |
MARKETING & MEDIA Insurance ad sparks outrage in Zimbabwe[Dumisani Ndlela] An insurance renewal advertisement by RM Insurance has provoked the women's rights lobby in Zimbabwe, which is demanding an apology from the company for demeaning “wives, mothers, daughters, sisters and grannies.” |