The agony and the ecstasy. The "pitch" and the constant "evaluations". It makes Harry Herber wanna come back in his next life as a client.

They have big names and huge equity, says Harry Herber, but vernacular media brands in South Africa are still sold short. What does this say about marketing efficacy in the country?

With more products targeting the youth than ever before, why isn’t more spend going into dedicated youth media? Harry Herber says it’s a question of resource.

For the year ahead expect negligible rate increase, continued dominance by TV and more declines in daily newspapers. Between it all Harry Herber has his money on outdoor. The contractors are more flexible and creative, innovation is matched by good availability, and new impactful, tactical, and less expensive opportunities are presenting themselves continually.

Measured against the top international behemoths, South Africa and Africa look pretty insignificant on the world adspend stage. Harry Herber gives us the sobering stats.

Is local TV content’s bad rap simply a function of broader SA-bashing? Do we love or hate local TV shows? Do they excite us wildly, and stack up against the overseas offerings, or are they poor rip-offs that embarrass viewers to the extent that they fall over each other in the scramble for the remote?