Marketing & Selling

There is a particular kind of exhaustion that sets in around the third unsolicited LinkedIn message of the morning. You know the one. “Hi [Whatever your name is], I came across your profile and thought you might be interested...” Delete. The irony is clear. LinkedIn was built to make professional connections easier. However, it has become a sophisticated cold-calling machine with a blue logo.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) commentary often falls into two extremes. On one end, highly technical forecasts dominate the conversation. On the other end, lightweight takes focus on the latest viral demo. However, most people live somewhere in the middle.

Over the last several decades, governments worldwide have pushed strongly to regulate tobacco and tobacco products. Their goal is to reduce tobacco consumption. These efforts increasingly focus on stricter rules for cigarette packaging and related marketing practices. Beyond standardised packaging, governments now introduce complementary policies.

The recent resignation of Angelo Swartz, CEO of Spar, marks a refreshing break from corporate tradition. By leading with candour and sincerity, Swartz delivered a masterclass in transparency. He moved beyond the usual PR-scrubbed departures that dominate executive exits.

Marketing used to be built on predictability. A brand would broadcast a message, drive awareness, move audiences through consideration, trigger conversion and then hope retention follows. The funnel was neat, linear and traditional. But today, the funnel is breaking. Not because marketing stopped working, but because people changed, attention fragmented, and trust became the real currency.

Customer Experience (CX) and consumer behaviour have entered a more demanding phase. While AI has gone mainstream, customers remain stubbornly human. They do not reward brands for deploying technology. They reward brands for solving problems quickly, fairly and with genuine empathy.

2025 marked a watershed year for marketers in South Africa. Consumer behaviour shifted rapidly. Technology accelerated at a pace. As a result, brands that once relied on traditional media rhythms had to rethink strategy, storytelling, and speed. These shifts clearly illustrate how marketing changed in 2025.

Data from South Africa's year-end trading period signals resilient consumer demand. It also highlights a strong foundation for continued growth in digital transactions across business and consumer segments. As businesses of all sizes embraced digital payments, transaction volumes and values maintained strong momentum. The 2025 festive season trade results reflected this robust consumer activity.

Corporate reputation now carries measurable value. Companies with strong reputations can realise as much as 4.78% in additional annual shareholder returns. This creates a global 'reputation economy' worth an estimated $7.07 trillion, according to our landmark new study.

How often have you picked up your phone “just to check something quickly”, only to lose 20 minutes down a digital rabbit hole? This all-too-familiar habit is known as doom scrolling. It involves endless and often mindless consumption of online content. The habit leaves us more drained than informed.